Ghost The Musical

'Ghost' the musical follows the same narrative as the classic and well loved film from 1990. This timeless romantic story is based in New York and follows two young lovers who move into a new home. Sadly Sam, a Banker, gets killed when returning home after a romantic meal. The ghost of Sam lives on and he manages to make contact with his girlfriend Molly, via the phoney psychic Oda Mae Brown. With help from Oda, Sam manages to warn Molly of the danger she is in and this helps to keep her safe. As time goes on Sam learns new ghostly skill and this enable him to work out the criminal network behind his death. Although the story has some very dark themes, it all comes together to end with a feeling of contentment making an emotional journey for the audience to travel along.

X-Rays staged this musical at the Haslingden High School Theatre. This was the first full musical that they have produced for a few years. ‘Ghost’ is an ambitious choice or any amateur society due to the very expensive and well received professional show that started in Manchester 2011. It then transferred straight to the West End. This said X-Rays did a sterling job and created a very moving, modern and memorable production.

Before the show and during the overture we were able to see a projected backdrop that made use of some high quality graphics and videos. This projection was also put to good use throughout the whole production and used adequately to show changes in location. It was also used to enhance scenes, by the use of videos as well as still images.

The show began with the lovers moving into their new house with visuals similar those in the film, they break through a wooden trellis to get into the house. This whole first section provided the audience with a very understated and sophisticated performance. No one was seen to be over acting and an obviously well considered and well rehearsed portrayal of the script could be seen on stage. A very believable story and relationship between was created and the audience could empathise with them. High emotions were felt by the audience throughout the whole show. Act one moved at a steady pace and the fight scene where Sam ends up getting murdered seemed well rehearsed and the standard of stage craft was very high. The nostalgic potter’s wheel scene with the famous lyrics of ‘unchained melody’ was also in this first act and was put across very well. The scenes where Oda Mea was almost arguing with Sam’s ghost, who she could not see, was also well rehearsed and created a believable piece of theatre.

Act 2 treated us to some more high emotions and once again the audience really did live through the story. The bond between the two lovers although at times, as the story dictates, seemed like it could have been breaking, but it remained strong and this travelled throughout the whole show. The harsh reality of Karl being once a best friend to then contributing to the murder was also well acted.  

The staging of the whole show and the special effects were fantastic. The subway train scene and the bank haunting scene were amazing and provided the required spectacle that wowed the audience and left them wondering how it was achieved. The illusion of the floating books and people as well as the computer chairs moving and coffee cups flying around were all very well executed.  The backstage crew need to be acknowledged for their countless scene changes that all happened quickly and quietly. The set design enabled this to happen with some cleverly thought out layouts and staging tricks, enhancing the overall standard of production. The death scenes worked very well, with the ghost of the person still standing on stage as a body seemed to just appear and lay lifeless on the floor. The scenes of the ghosts going to heaven or hell were also well portrayed and the audience could easily understand what was happening. Costumes and props were up to date and suited every character. The use of America branded clothing and props showed the attention to detail which the production team had put so much effort in to. The added modern touches such as the ‘selfie sticks’ and use of mobile phones on stage for recording, was a nice touch and really made the audience have a connection with the show.

Lighting was well designed and enhanced the production, helping to capture the feelings within the show. The sound was good throughout, although vocals were slightly quiet on the odd occasion, especially during the chorus numbers.

The show was well cast with people playing convincing roles. Generally the singing was good throughout. The small chorus made it difficult for the cast to create the desired impact with the big production numbers, yet it still worked and fitted in with the overall style of the show.  The emotions that the cast managed to portray during the whole performance were amazing. Some superb character acting was seen even though the cast was small and people were double cast we still managed to see many different characters take to the stage. The diction by all principle cast needs to be commended, as no lines were lost making the story easy to follow. The principles really managed to capture the essence of the script and show the happiness as well as the heartache that the story tells. The relationships were believable and as previously mentioned nothing seemed forced or over acted. Some very talented actors provided a truly natural performance.

The shows choreography was simple but effective and the use of props in numerous routines was superb. Influences from the original production were evident in the dance routines and it is easy to understand why these were kept, as they compliment the musical score very well.  The addition of extra dancers from ‘Limitless Cheer Leading’ was worthwhile and quite fitting for the American setting of the show.

This production was superb the high quality of acting, well rehearsed singing as well as the expertly designed set and staging worked well in the space. All these elements contributed to the high standard of production that was seen as they jelled together to form one smooth and slick show. The emotions within the production managed to move the audience and this is justification in itself that the quality of performance was extremely high. The modern feeling of the production, due to the style of direction and the youthful cast provides a refreshing light on world of community theatre. X-Rays should be proud of what they have achieved with this show as it was a very memorable and enjoyable evening of entertainment. We would like to thank all at X-Rays for their kind hospitality and if the show is anything to go by their next production will definitely be one to watch out for.

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