Tony Flood reviews Ghost The Musical
It is fitting that the last production before Eastbourne Theatres are taken over from Eastbourne Council by Trafalgar Theatres should be a hit show to mark the occasion, Ghost The Musical.
From Tuesday (April 1st) this London-based company, the venues division of Trafalgar Entertainment, will operate the Congress Theatre (1,689 seats), Devonshire Park Theatre (873 seats), Winter Garden 1000-plus seats) and conferencing and exhibition facilities.
Ghost The Musical earned rapturous applause on the opening night at the Congress on Tuesday and should continue to attract large audiences until it closes on Saturday.
This musical version of Ghost, the Oscar-winning film in 1990, saw Bruce Joel Rubin skilfully adapt his screenplay. It premiered in 2011 and enjoyed a West End run before moving to Broadway a year later.
Following in the footsteps of the late Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg was a massive challenge for Rebekah Lowings, as Molly, Josh St. Clair, as Sam, and Jacqui Dubois as Oda Mae Brown. But they make a great job of it, though the famous potter’s wheel scene does not quite capture the chemistry shown by Patrick and Demi in the iconic film.
In addition to their superb acting performances, Rebekah and Josh provide excellent vocals with renditions of The Righteous Brothers’ show-stopping Unchained Melody and other songs co-written by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart and Grammy Award winner Glen Ballard.
This stage show follows the original story in which Molly sees her beloved boyfriend Sam murdered. But Sam becomes caught between this world and the next, and tries to communicate with Molly to warn her that her life is in danger even though she cannot see or hear him.
He does so with the reluctant help of the only person who can hear him, Oda Mae Brown, a phony psychic, suddenly discovering she has ‘the gift’. Jacqui Dubois fully brings out the humour exuding from this zany character.
James Mateo-Salt and Jules Brown also impress as they brilliantly project the threat of the two villains, and there is a good supporting cast that director Bob Tomson could have used to greater effect. But he adds the required amount of tension, and some stunning illusions by Richard Pinner help produce the ‘wow factor’.
All photos by Alastair Muir
