Ghost – The Musical: Sunderland Empire
AS a mega-movie-musical, Ghost’s credentials are impeccable. Bruce Joel Rubin, writer of the original screenplay (for which he won an Academy Award) has collaborated with Sunderland–born Dave Stewart, the ex-Eurythmic who carved out a massive career as a writer and producer, and also winner of six Grammy Awards, Glen Ballard. The essence remains of a hugely iconic film and the sense of invention, of ingenuity, is stunning, operatic.
Nick Richings’ lighting design is breathtaking and is at the heart of what makes this show work on stage. There’s a generation or two who haven’t seen the film, which in a nutshell is pottery, featuring Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers, and a poignant story of love after life. When Sam is murdered he uncovers a plot endangering girlfriend Molly and enlists the help of Oda Mae Brown, a backstreet psychic who’s been faking it for years.
Jacqui Dubois is awesome as Oda Mae, bringing comedy, flawed humanity and pizazz to the role which won Whoopi Goldberg an Oscar in the film. Andy Moss, best-known for Hollyoaks, brings a touching pathos and sensitivity to Sam. I don’t know if Sarah Harding ever set foot in a theatre before being cast as Molly. Her bizarre curtain-call laughter would suggest not. Perhaps if she had, she may have learned to act a little better and her speaking voice, utterly devoid of real emotion, was a nasal, breathy irritation.
As an audience, we were let down by some smoke-and-mirrors casting and singing. But I do believe in Ghost.
* Runs until Saturday, October 1. Box Office: atgtickets.com/sunderland or 08448-871-3022
Sarah Scott
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