Ghost the Musical at the Bristol Hippodrome

Ghost the musical review – Bristol Hippodrome

Most females that were born in the 1980’s will have 3 favourite films, Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman and Ghost and I am no exception. I have been so excited for the last few weeks as I had got tickets for the show of Ghost the musical at the Bristol Hippodrome. I have seen this film so many times and it still makes me cry. Now if you have been on another universe and not quite sure of the plot it’s a film that was released in 1990 with the delicious Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.

“The plot centers on a young woman in jeopardy (Moore), the ghost of her murdered lover (Swayze) and a reluctant psychic (Goldberg) who assists him in saving her although the psychic had previously been faking her powers” Source : Wikipedia

Sarah Harding played the role of Molly and this was her debut theatre role which I think she handled really well. I am quite biased as we have a slight connection of going to the same high school she was in the year below me, so it is amazing to see someone on a stage who you know. I thought her acting skills were excellent and she portrayed the role of a grieve stricken Molly really well.

Andy Moss who played Sam better known as Rhys Ashworth in Holyoaks had a gorgeous voice I was really shocked that he could sing so well, although he didn’t quite have the sex appeal that Patrick Swayze oozed he was still kind on the eye. Also Sam Ferriday who played his colleague Carl had a great voice it gave me goose pimples when he did a solo.

All the cast were amazing and Jacqui Dubois who played Ola Mae the psychic was brilliant and actually got the loudest applause at the end. This is a big character to play and she did it excellently just as the original Whoopi Goldberg did who won numerous awards for the film

• Oscar – Best Supporting Role
• Golden Globes – Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a motion picture
• Bafta – Best Supporting Actress

It is a bit strange that it is now a musical but it was well adapted and I really enjoyed it. The scene with the pottery making and unchained melody song didn’t dominate as much as in the film but I think it was handled really well to imply it and everyone who has seen the film will now the scene well anyway.
The set changes are great and to a huge scale. As we entered the theatre from the side entrance we saw about 5 large trucks outside to transport the scenes, I’ve seen a lot of shows at the Hippodrome and never noticed the trucks outside before. I loved how the scenes changed from the New York attic apartment to the train where you meet the unfriendly subway ghost played by . This character actually scared me a lot more in this production than in the actual film.

I have to admit that there was a lump in my throat and my eyes were watering at the scene where Sam goes into the light but this scene always gets me in the film too. I wasn’t the only one as you heard sniffles from others too, my mum admitted to crying at the end of scene one.

Facts about the film

• Highest grossing film of 1990 and it actually 93rd highest ranking film of all time
• Ghost turned demi Moore into the highest paid actress or all time. Is this true? Get source
• It made the song unchained melody very popular with my generation and especially when Robson and Jerome did their version which stayed at number 1 for 7 weeks.

If you love the film your gonna love the musical so if you want to go and see it there still plenty of chances as its playing at the following theatres.