Review: Ghost the Musical at Sunderland Empire

Ghost the Musical – Tuesday 27th August 

Review by Robyn McGough

Ghost the Musical embarks upon a Summer tour which stretches right until the end of Autumn and is certainly not one to be missed. Taken directly from the hit film we see the young couple Sam and Molly begin their new life together until a fatal tragedy occurs leaving the pair of them utterly devastated. As their worlds are in tatters we see the ultimate story of timeless love, devotion and adoration unfold before our very eyes. 

From the off, the lighting on stage was used effectively and I adored the opening curtain which had the iconic lyrics from Unchained Melody spread across it. Simple, but very beautiful and eye-catching. The lighting crafted the mood perfectly throughout the whole performance particularly in the darker scenes where we witness death, the in between and the afterlife. I got chills as the final act dazzled us with a huge white spotlight glittering until Sam faded away. Incredibly well thought out light and tech design by Nick Richings and Mark Bailey. 

Now, the parts of Sam and Molly are no easy feat in this show as they carry the majority of the singing. We were lucky enough to be in the presence of two powerhouses in Rebekah Lowings as Molly and Josh St. Clair as Sam. Their vocals were effortless and stunned the audience. The power and chemistry between the two on set was impeccable – it felt so real. The pottery scene gave me chills as they used an actual pottery wheel too – a skill I bet Rebekah never thought she’d have to possess for a role! The use of their flag was impressive and was expertly moved by drop ins and wheel ons which were maneuvered perfectly. 

The highlight of the show for me had to be Rebekah’s With You. A true masterclass in how to perform an emotive song with such effortless acting. I had goosebumps with every word she sang. She carefully handled the grief and loss and made it feel so believable. Every note and line sang with true dedication to the role. 

I adored the amazing and experienced Jacqui Dubois who played the effervescent local psychic Oda Mae Brown. Her whole time on stage was filled with energy, laughter and a well crafted take on her kooky character – definitely one I’d love to perform! She gave a solid singing performance in ‘Are you a Believer?’ backed up by her incredible chorus members who sang so effortlessly – I’m so glad they were able to take their moment and shine on stage!  

James Mateo Salt gave a stunning performance as Carl Bruner and managed to play both sides of his personality so well. I truly believed that he was such a good guy, sorry, I hope that doesn’t give too many spoilers. His singing voice was crystal clear and pitch perfect particularly during his lines in More. 

I was spellbound by the performance of Josh St. Clair. He did everything so meticulously down to every movement during the subway scenes – which the tech was amazing for by the way – it looked so real and powerful. I could feel every ounce of pain and passion he poured into the persona of Sam and how he desperately wanted to protect Molly at all costs. His singing voice, although not always pitch perfect, was raw and rugged and always my favourite kind of singer to listen to. I Had a Life is so passionate and beautiful. 

I also couldn’t finish the review without talking about the cameo from Les Dennis as the Hospital Ghost. His song Ball of Wax was so charming and he gave great character to the role. 

What a breathtakingly beautiful show full to the brim with compassion, electricity and marvellous melodies. This show is a must see. The passion shown by the cast on stage permeated the room and I couldn’t see a dry eye in sight by the end. It showed the real meaning of true love and carefully touched on heartbreaking