Hull New Theatre – until 3rd May 2025
Reviewed by Dawn Bennett
4****
Ghost The Musical presented by Bill Kenwright Ltd with book and lyrics by Bruce Joel Rubin and Music and Lyrics by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard.
I don’t know how I have managed not see Ghost the 1990 film or the stage musical but I haven’t, I had a rough idea of what the story was about but that was about it so I was looking forward to seeing what it was all about.
The musical, set in New York, sees Molly Jenson (Rebekah Lowings) and boyfriend Sam Wheat (Josh St. Clair) moving into an apartment in Brooklyn. They are loving life and living together.
Sam works in the City in a high-powered finance job along with his friend Carl Bruner (James Mateo-Salt) lots of money is involved which always seems to bring out the worst in people. Sam seems worried and when Carl asks why, Sam confesses that he seems to have far too much money in his work accounts and also that he feels that he is too happy and is just waiting for something bad to happen. And then it does. Sam and Molly get mugged by Willie Lopez (Jules Brown) and Sam is shot…dead.
With some very clever stage work we see the body of Sam on the floor but also stood next Molly as a ghost. We see Sams funeral and then Molly in the apartment very much grieving for the loss of her boyfriend. Sam desperately tries to contact Molly and when he sees that Craig is up to no good, he knows he needs to find a way, so he visits spiritual medium Oda Mae Brown (Jacqui Dubois). Now Oda Mae Brown is a con artist, her mother and grandmother all had the gift of talking to the spirits but it had somehow missed Oda Mae. Not that it stopped her making money from unsuspecting clients. But luckily for Sam Oda Mae could hear him. She struggles with her new found gift, will she be able to help Sam? Can they warn Molly about Craig before it’s too late?
The band, led by Musical Director Jordan Alexander, were excellent and played some fabulous songs my favourites being “Are you a believer?”, “Focus” and “Nothing stops another day”
All the cast were brilliant with excellent singing, dancing and acting and they all really brought the script to life.
This show was very well received by the audience who were on their feet for a well-deserved standing ovation at the final curtain
This was a very good production, in its last week of the tour so if you want to catch it, you’ll have to come and watch at Hull New Theatre!