Ghost the Musical

D&S Productions made Storyhouse their new home for their production of ‘Ghost the Musical’, which was directed by Donna Dale. The staging utilised projections, which helped denote different locations and aided the transitions. Other set pieces were brought on by the cast and stage crew to help create the different locations. These were brought on seamlessly, helping keep the pace of the production. There were some nice moments throughout from Donna’s direction. There were good, believable relationships formed between the different characters, the characterisations were all very good, and the pace of the scenes was good – everything moved along nicely. The final moment between Sam and Molly was beautifully staged, but it could have been brought more downstage for a better impact. It’s a shame that some of the audience may have missed Sam walking through the wall due to the positioning of the set that helped convey the magic. The transformation of characters turning into ghosts was executed well. The costumes were very good and helped establish the characters. From the suits of the bankers to Oda Mae’s colourful attire (including crocs!), costumes had obviously been carefully considered.

The musical director was Aaron Nice. The band, under Aaron’s guidance, performed very well bringing the music to life. The vocals from the cast were very good throughout, with great ensemble and individual numbers.

Choreography came from Gemma Walker. The choreography was highly stylised, modern and exciting to watch. It was performed very well by the cast who performed with high energy and commitment throughout.

Technical elements were good throughout. Projections were used to denote different locations, which helped move the story along. The sound balance between the band and cast was very good. Lighting was a strong feature of the production. The Ghost Spot used for when Sam was a ghost gave a ghostly aura, which was a great concept. The bright lighting into the audience helped aid the stage magic, and worked well.

Sam Wheat is a difficult part to play. The character comes across as quite unlikeable at the start of the musical, with an interesting character arc throughout. Chris Doyle undertook this demanding role and delivered a strong performance, pretty much on stage for the whole performance. You could feel the anguish of the character as he navigated the afterlife. Chris understood the emotion of the character and played it authentically throughout.

Kate McHenry was well cast as Molly Jensen. She delivered a great performance, and you really felt her emotions throughout. Kate created a totally believable relationship with Chris, which allowed the audience to join her on her emotional journey. Her performance of ‘With You’ was a standout number from the production – beautifully performed.

Jack Parry delivered a good performance as Carl Bruner. He was suitably charming and manipulative, which suited the character well. Jack’s vocals were very good throughout, with ‘Suspend my Disbelief/I Had a Life’ being a great number to end the first half, performed well with both Chris and Kate.

Gabrielle Stanfield did well as Oda Mae. The audience certainly loved her performance, laughing in all the right places. Gabrielle delivered the songs very well – an absolute vocal powerhouse! There were some very funny moments throughout, and Gabrielle had some great facial reactions. The softer moments of the character, especially near the conclusion of the production, were well played as well. The lip-syncing when possessed by Sam and other spirits was well done by Gabrielle.

Jack Darker was convincing as Willie Lopez. He was self-assured and played this vital part well. The moment where he was dragged to hell was well done by Jack.

Hayley Dale (Clara) and Jasmine Farnworth (Louise) ably supported Gabrielle as Oda Mae’s sisters. They were full of energy and personality, especially in the numbers.

Shane Bear (Hospital Ghost) and Damian Riverol (Subway Ghost) gave good performances. Shane gave a welcoming presence, and Damian used his physicality well to portray his complex character.

The ensemble were very strong, especially performing the choreography, which was a highlight of the production. They were kept busy throughout, playing a range of roles from ghosts to bank workers to subway passengers. They were focussed throughout and were totally engaged with the telling of the story. Well done to the small and tight-knit ensemble.

Overall, this was a good production. The choreography was inventive, there were some strong performances, and the music sounded great.

A big thank you to everyone at D&S Productions for their kind invite. All the best for your next production.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.