On what was one of the hottest days of the year so far, the welcoming arms of the Storyhouse’s air conditioning system was very much appreciated as I took my seat to see D&S Productions latest show, Ghost The Musical. Having seen this show many, many times before in a number of guises I was looking forward to seeing how they tackled what is a complicated show to stage.
The show centres around banker Sam Wheat (Chris Doyle) and sculptor Molly Jenson (Kate McHenry) who not long after moving into their new loft apartment in New York are torn apart when Sam is murdered in a failed mugging. Sam then becomes stuck between this world and the next and stumbles across phony psychic Oda Mae Brown (Gabrielle Stanfield) who helps him discover best friend Carl Bruner (Jack Parry) is not who he thought he was.
Although this show is an ensemble piece the standout performances tonight came from the 4 leads. Doyle and McHenry as lovers Sam and Molly had an electric chemistry from the first moment they embraced to the heartbreaking final scene when they are finally parted forever. Both were vocal powerhouses and McHenry’s emotional delivery of ‘With You’ was one of the best I have heard in my 13 years watching this show, both amateur and professional.
Jack Parry got his portrayal of Carl Bruner just right for me, a mix of best friend turned criminal and his descent into drug addiction was played thoughtfully and let the anger within build as the story progressed. For me, Carl does not have the best songs in the show but Parry delivered what he had confidently and with passion.
Arguably the star of this musical is Oda Mae Brown, played in the movie by the one and only Whoopi Goldberg. Tonight Gabrielle Stanfield filled those shoes in style. She brought fun, vibrancy and humour to the stage just when the show was travelling a grief filled road. Flanked by sisters Clara (Haley Dale) and Louise (Jasmine Farnworth) this trio shone and changed the pace of the show in just one number. Stanfield’s near perfect comedy timing brought many laughs from the audience thought the night, not just from her lines but also mannerisms and costume (I loved the shoes also). The scene with Mrs Santiago (Sara Cubbin) remains one of my favourites in the whole show.
On his journey from this life to the next, Sam meets along the way Willie Lopez menacingly played by Jack Darker, Hospital Ghost played by the joyful larger than life Shane Bear and the menacing Subway Ghost played by the agile Damian Riverol.
Amy Dainty, Jen Ellison, George Lomax, Stuart Eilson-Maher, Holly Salisbury, Nigel Skinner and Eleanor Smith make up the rest of this talented cast.
Choreographer Gemma Walker with assistant Stuart Wilson-Maher gave a strong nod to the original staging reimagining Ashley Wallen’s west end vision.
The orchestra were excellent throughout the whole show under the baton of Aaron Nice.
Staging was relatively simple with projections dominating the stage taking us from location to location. The loft apartment and especially the door ‘illusion’ was inventive and not a way of tackling it I had seem before. Another first for me and equally inventive was the way the antagonists of the piece were taken down to hell. Credit must go to director Donna Dale for these fresh takes on staging.
D&S Productions should be congratulated on a highly impressive production which left more than one with a tear in their eye as they left the auditorium.
Reviewer: Paul Downham
Reviewed: 19th July 2024
North West End UK Rating: