Ghost the Musical: When a cinematic classic graced the Sunderland Empire stage - review

You may not have seen the ‘90s film starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, but you will at least be familiar with Ghost’s famous pottery wheel scene - arguably, one of the most recognisable and memorable movie moments of that era.

The poignant story of Molly and Sam made its stage debut in 2011 - and the tale at the heart of the classic film continues to delight theatre audiences across the UK.

Ghost the Musical’s summer visit to the Empire was my first time watching the show and with Sunderland’s own Dave Stewart co-writing the production’s original songbook, I was keen to see how the Oscar-winning film would transform from screen to stage.

As we all know - a good theatre trip has the power to unlock a strong emotional response in you. And Ghost was a prime contender to hit me right in the feels.

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Consider this a spoiler warning if you’ve never seen the film, or are holding out for your own trip to the Empire this week to see the story unfold. There are some major plot points coming up…

Just a few numbers into Act One and I’m already rooting for Molly and Sam, which is SO cruel when I know the tragedy that’s about to strike the couple in the show’s early stages. It feels almost intrusive to watch the chemistry between the two characters (performed by Rebekah Lowings and Josh St. Clair, respectively) play out - as if we, the audience, have spied on their private moments.

I was swept up in the excitement of their relationship so quickly and, in turn, I fell into grief with Molly as a mugging-gone-wrong claimed Sam’s life and saw him become a ghost, trapped between this world and wherever it is he will go next.

While some theatre shows are a jolly romp through a programme of memorable musical numbers, Ghost is quite different. The music is just as memorable (a special mention for With You and Three Little Words), while the journey pushes you through thoughts of confronting grief, love and loss as we follow a plot packed with betrayal, murder and life after.

While Ghost has shades more serious than other productions, that’s not to say there aren’t some light moments to enjoy, too.

It’s always a delight to see Les Dennis - consummate entertainer - as part of a production, and his brief but memorable appearance as the Hospital Ghost (and later, Lionel Ferguson at the bank) was a wonderful number, bringing us into the supernatural world Sam now inhabits.

Oda Mae Brown needs a section all of her own. Played by Jacqui Dubois, the psychic who helps bridge the gap between Molly in the real world and Sam in the inbetween, she is an absolute riot. A lovable rogue-type lady in the best way possible, she is the master key to the satisfaction I sort-of feel at the show’s finale as Molly and Sam get to share a final moment and a proper goodbye.

Of course if there was any justice in the musical theatre world, they would have had a lifetime to be together. But we can’t get what we want - and then, there would be no show. And what’s a great show without a touch of heartbreak?

Don’t forget to take your tissues in case you need a good, cathartic cry when the curtain goes down.

Ghost the Musical is at Sunderland Empire until Saturday, August 31. Visit the theatre website for more information here.