Ghost - The Musical

New Wimbledon Theatre

You will cry at this musical. A captivating, gripping and emotional rollercoaster of a show; take your tissues for this story of love and loss.

What a stunning piece of writing and music, given justice by great direction; that moves the audience to floods of tears. Before diving into this one; this perspective is from a person that has not seen the movie, sorry mum I know you've been telling me to watch the film for years... This felt so short and sweet, you almost want it to carry on; each minute of the story was precious, and each song fitted perfectly into every scene; whilst carrying the emotive power. The mixture of tension and comedy is magnificent, it balances out the show and going from crying to laughing is such a great way to keep the audience enjoying every moment. Bob Tomson has directed a production of Ghost that is intimate, interesting and intense. You will hunger for this musical.

Each character has clear character development, and each emotional journey is clear throughout the piece. Jacqui Dubois as Oda Mae Brown is a ray of sunshine, she takes the spotlight every time she enters the stage and she gives her character an addictive personality, each scene she is a part of is a treat. Her character changes the most within the show, she starts as a con artist at the start, then learns how to use her new found gift to help people and finds fulfilment from the good deeds that she does. Josh ST Clair as Sam Wheat moves the audience, as they follow him on his journey to the afterlife, which involves him finishing his journey on earth as a spirit. His character becomes more open, thoughtful and loving. The chemistry between him and Rebekah Lowings, who plays his devoted girlfriend Molly Jenson, is so strong and beautiful to watch. The actors clearly show how the two characters are soul mates!

Set design is stunning. The outlines of the skyscrapers of New York City, it’s so grand and takes the audience from Wimbledon to the NYC streets. The set changes fit with the music and there are some clever uses of set to show the spiritual elements of the show. For instance, the door the the hallway has a frosted glass sheet and as Sam puts his arm through the door you see his hand through the glass, creating this moment where we fully understand his character is now a ghost. The ensemble during the subway scene are very important! The set moves to sliding doors that lead to the carriage of a subway train. All the cast are on board, as the subway ghost pushes Sam away it shakes the train, and the ensemble move to show how the ghosts are affecting theme. This is a really interesting scene. The ensemble are an integral part of the show, the choreography and characterisation emphasise the tone of the piece and they help take the audience away to New York! They bring a lot of comedy, vibrance and energy.

A down side of this piece is the lack of attention to the sound transitions. There are moments you struggle to hear the cast’s vocals and lines over the music and other singers. In some songs you don’t realise a principal member is singing until a few seconds in, because their mics seem to be turned down. This takes you away from the magic of the piece and you can’t fully appreciate the heart breaking and moving songs. This taints some of the vocals. It also does not give you the full power of the harmonies and back ground vocals. That being said the show is still a beautiful production and sound aside, it will make you tear up. It’s moving, the cast clearly understand their character’s stories and it’s so great to watch a show where every character has a character arc. It does leave you wondering what happens next for Molly at the end, as it ends on a crucial moment, you will walk away asking questions. A moving show, beautifully directed and designed in a way that gives the writing the glory it deserves!