Think about the 1990 flick Ghost and that iconic scene instantly comes to mind. Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze at the pottery wheel, his hands wrapped around hers, massaging the wet clay and then each other. It’s this steamy seduction that catapulted the scene into one of the most talked-about movie moments.
So when the curtains opened and the musical sprang to life, we expected a love story – one filled with the kind of desire and passion that make you believe in ghosts when your dearly beloved has departed. Instead, we were let down by a whisper of a romance, crippled by the lack of chemistry between the two leads.
Liam Doyle and Lucie Jones play Sam Wheat and Molly Jensen, respectively. He’s a banker, she’s an artist, and Sam’s co-worker Carl Bruner (Andrew Langtree) rounds up the tight-knit trio. The lovebirds have just moved into their Brooklyn loft and are terribly in love – or at least that’s what they want the audience to feel via a romantic sequence that conjures cheesy ’90s karaoke music videos.
However, everything goes swimmingly – until Sam hurries off for a date with Molly, who badgers him on his inability to declare those three little words. To say the date went badly is an understatement: Sam is killed. And he turns into a ghost.
As Dead Sam struggles to come to terms with his predicament (cue frustrated yelling and desperate air-punching), Molly grieves over her sudden loss. Not much empathy to be felt here, since we weren’t given much face time or insight into the relationship before it flatlined.
So the first act drags on with the attention squarely on a panicked, confused Sam, and a perfectly sweet, if rather bland, Molly. It’s not until he comes to terms with his supernatural state that things start to get interesting. Sam uncovers the mystery behind his death and stumbles upon conwoman-turned -psychic Oda Mae Brown (Wendy Mae Brown), who helps him communicate with his mortal lover.
Easily the audience favourite – and a natural scene-stealer – Oda Mae goofs around with over-the-top actions, exaggerated facial expressions and sidesplitting one-liners. She’s so lovable that even Sam has more chemistry with her than with Molly. But persevere past intermission and you’ll begin to feel an inkling of genuine affection between the actual couple, culminating in several heartfelt moments. Don’t judge, but we almost shed a tear at the end. Almost.
And that pottery scene? Breathe easy, ’cause it makes an appearance. But with a twist.
Ghost the Musical is at MasterCard Theatres until Nov 15.