Ghost The Musical finally launched to the public on Tuesday night and is now officially out of preview. The audience was a celebrity packed event with stars from screen and stage attending as well as directors, producers and guests from Broadway. Our full review and pictures from the event and the after show party will be coming soon, but for now, here’s a round up of the best reviews. Yes there’s been a few reviews not so good, but the vast majority are rating Ghost between 3 and 4 stars.
Jerry Zucker (director of the 1990 film)
‘The most amazing thing is that Matthew Warchus, Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard have captured the heart and the humour and all the feeling of the film.’
Judi Dench
‘I was absolutely enchanted by the magic of GHOST. Simply sensational. Stupendous!’
Paul Gambaccini
‘The musical hit of the season, and several seasons to come, has arrived.’
John Stapleton
‘A brilliant show, with superb production, great songs and breathtaking special effects”
The Sun
‘The set is simply out of this world.’
‘This show is for everyone who sobbed through the film.’
‘Sharon D Clarke (Oda Mae Brown) puts in a glittering and vibrant turn.’
‘Ghost fans will love this spirited resurrection.’
‘Despite all the tears GHOST the Musical is sure to raise the spirits.’
‘Caissie Levy’s haunting voice gives you goose-bumps.’
The Times
FOUR STARS
‘Super-slick staging, strong performances and most of all, an emotional, yet unusual story that can still transport an audience.’
‘Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard’s music – varied in style, but always big – gives Matthew Warchus the scale and variety that he needs to sell a show that’s thriller, comedy and supernatural romance. The cast handle it all with relish.’
‘GHOST has wit and heart and can really, properly, dazzle.’
‘The best single argument for putting this film on stage is Paul Kieve’s special effects…a high-concept show becomes credible.’
‘A dazzling display of undying love. Resistance is futile.’
The Stage
‘GHOST constantly surprises, with layers of genuine feeling and real comedy all kept in constant forward motion, in a show full of plot-driven tension and tenderness. It’s another triumph for director Matthew Warchus. He magnificently marshals the spectacle that musicals traditionally thrive on, yet colours it with the right emotional detail to offer a genuinely involving and gripping entertainment
‘It is the central human interaction between Caissie Levy’s attractively vulnerable Molly and Richard Fleeshman’s buff but dead Sam that moves the audience. It’s a relationship you care about.’
‘Paul Kieve, who created the illusions, and Sharon D Clarke are two of the secret weapons of British theatre, and steal the show with their contributions – the first by stealth, the second with sass.’
‘Flesh and blood life to a story of ectoplasm that is sure to have a long theatrical afterlife.’
Daily Telegraph
FOUR STARS
‘Matthew Warchus’s production strikes me as superior to the movie.’
‘In the theatre it takes real ingenuity to summon up ghosts….Matthew Warchus succeeds spectacularly with the help of the illusionist Paul Kieve.’
‘The use of state-of-the-art video and projections to conjure up a huge variety of locations has great panache and there are a host of other splendid tricks.’
‘Sharon D Clarke is a comic joy in the role (of Oda Mae Brown), making the part entirely her own. Clarke almost blows the roof off the theatre with her raucous rendition of the show’s best original number, I’m Outta Here’
‘The show’s ending is unexpectedly touching and magically staged.’
‘Looks set to keep audiences laughing, gasping and sniffling back tears for a long time to come.’
The Guardian
‘A stunning visual spectacle. This is a musical in which the eyes emphatically have it.’
‘Sharon D Clarke has an overwhelming personality and a richly expressive voice.’
‘Matthew Warchus masterminds the whole operation with skill. ‘
What’s On Stage
‘A force field of energy emanating not just from Sharon D Clarke.’
‘Wonderful choreography by Ashley Wallen.’
‘The notion that we have a parallel existence beyond mortality is stunningly expressed in a show of video projections , designed by Jon Driscoll, and a silhouette of an ensemble who stride through Wall Street like spooky automatons.’
ShentonStage (Twitter)
‘GHOST has been re-stirred by director Matthew Warchus with fresh momentum that spins clay into theatrical gold, full of feeling and comedy.’
‘Caissie Levy is like a younger, vocally potent Sarah Jessica Parker; seen first in HAIR here last year, a star is born.’
‘Sharon D Clarke is the show’s secret weapon, channelling the psychic hilariously.’
‘Paul Kieve’s effects are also superb.’
Evening Standard
‘With superb special effects and engaging performances, Matthew Warchus’s production certainly has plenty of dazzle.’
‘Richard Fleeshman is powerful and sensitive. Caissie Levy shows a seemingly effortless vocal potency as his devoted partner Molly.’
‘The chief success is the production’s aesthetic. Rob Howell’s impressive set deftly integrates magician Paul Kieve’s effects and clever projections by Jon Driscoll, and there are moments of gasp-inducing ingenuity. This technical wizardry, allied to the appeal of the leads…make Ghost: The Musical an unearthly hit.’
London theatre.co.uk
‘GHOST turns out to be both interesting and impressive.’
‘Caissie Levy sings one haunting song entitled ‘With You’ which may well end up being a chart-topper and could easily become a standard. Sharon D Clarke provides the humour and shows-off her own vocal prowess to great effect.’
‘The sheer scale (of the design) is impressive in itself, but they also add enormously to both the entertainment value as well as the story development. The overall design has a dreamy, film-like quality to it.’
‘I am sure those who enjoy having a ‘good cry’ at the theatre will not be disappointed, but the intelligent treatment and considered direction eschew sentimentality and much of the show has an underlying grittiness that gives it considerable authenticity, making it surprisingly enthralling.’
British Theatre Guide Review
‘Caissie Levy made a big impression in Hair both on Broadway and in the West End. Now, given greater scope to show off her talents, Miss Levy proves to be an actress who deserves to be on the cusp of fame and fortune, so beautiful is her voice and effective her acting.’
‘GHOST has some of the best computer generated images around, designed by Jon Driscoll, the end product is dazzling and, helped by a series of illusions created by Paul Kieve, has the feel of a big budget movie.’
‘Whether you have seen Ghost the movie dozens of times or are coming to this story fresh, the musical version is likely to be a hot ticket, not only this summer but for some considerable time to come.’
Independent
‘A production of spectacular visual dynamism by Matthew Warchus.’
‘Paul Kieve’s illusions thrill.’
‘Brilliant visuals and special effects. Seamlessly inventive.’
‘Sharon D Clarke is hilarious and blasts the roof off with ‘I’m Outta Here’.’
Official London Theatre (SOLT)
‘The story – of love and loss – remains at the heart of the piece, and for all its trickery, humour and flashy graphics the stage show has the ability to move us to tears, perhaps even more than the original film.’
‘The illusions are spine-tingling to watch.’
‘A dashing Richard Fleeshman and Canadian actress Caissie Levy manage to shake the shadows of Swayze and Moore to make the roles of Sam and Molly entirely their own.’
‘Moving but not maudlin, funny but not crass, impressive but not too showy, Ghost the Musical is a perfectly judged piece of musical theatre which deserves its place in the West End.’