Did Ghost The Musical raise critics’ spirits? – WBNews

The stage musical version of Hollywood tear-jerker Ghost has opened in London, leaving critics dazzled by the visuals, but wanting more heart and soul. Ghost The Musical received a standing ovation from its celebrity-heavy audience at its West End gala opening on Tuesday. The musical, adapted by Bruce Joel Rubin from his Oscar-winning screenplay, had its world premiere at Manchester Opera House in March. With music co-written by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart, the show stars ex-Coronation Street actor Richard Fleeshman and Canadian actress Caissie Levy, taking on the roles played in the hit 1990 movie by the late Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. Ghost tells the story of murdered banker Sam (Fleeshman) who is trapped in the afterlife trying to communicate with his girlfriend Molly (Levy) via psychic Oda Mae Brown (Sharon D Clarke). The stage illusions, by Paul Kieve, include people passing through solid objects or being tossed into the air before being sucked into Hell. The celebrity audience on Tuesday included Bob Geldof, Coronation Street actress Helen Worth, Michael Ball, Rocky Horror Show creator Richard O’Brien and Tom Hooper, Oscar-winning director of The King’s Speech. Ghost The Musical is the latest in a long list of screen-to-stage adaptations, including The Lion King, Billy Elliot, Dirty Dancing, Legally Blonde and Shrek. Image caption Sharon D Clarke plays psychic Oda Mae Brown, the role played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film “Musicals based on movies are a dime a dozen,” pointed out The Guardian’s Michael Billington in his three-star review, “but…more detail