In what is a Scottish Amateur premiere, the stage musical version of Ghost has a one-week run at Dunfermline’s Alhambra Theatre. Celebrating 100 years of entertaining audiences, this theatre remains a great space for community and professional productions. This production of Ghost The Musical by local theatre company, Limelight Productions follows the plot of the Academy Award-winning movie which starred Demi Moore, the late Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg. Earning five Oscar nominations the movie won Best Screenplay for writer Bruce Joel Rubin and Best Supporting Actress for Goldberg.
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
The romantic supernatural story surrounds a couple, Sam and Molly living in Manhattan. When Sam dies after being mugged, he returns as a ghost to protect Molly and is helped by a psychic called Oda Mae Brown. A scene with Molly at the potter’s wheel became legendary as did the use of the Righteous Brothers hit Unchained Melody on the soundtrack of the movie. For this musical version, additional songs featured are co-written by Dave Stewart from The Eurythmics and Glen Ballard.
Limelight Productions was formed almost twenty years ago by Fiona & Bobby Mitchell, and when speaking to them previously for radio, they noted the challenges of staging such as a production with them having to build the set from scratch as no hires were available anywhere. They started as a cabaret group playing care homes and hotels but then decided 20 years ago to stage Little Shop Of Horrors and have been going strong since.
For this stage version, the part of Molly is played by Fiona Mackenzie-Noble, a versatile vocalist and musician with an impressive range, and Sam is played by Nick Tomlinson in his tenth role for Limelight. His previous rules have included Danny in Grease, Tony in West Side Story and Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard. Making her debut with Limelight is Hannah Bennett playing the role of psychic Oda Mae Brown. This is so much more than just a supporting role. Her acting skills embrace the psychic lady, and her songs are confident and fuelled with soul.
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
Ronan Corkey is the Musical Director fronting a nine-piece orchestra. It is rare to see such quality accompanied by a full surround sound from the 9-piece orchestra with Alan Gibson on keys and Ronan Corkey the commanding Musical Director.
The Alhambra Theatre is always warm and welcoming, and the scale of this vintage theatre is immediately apparent. A huge stage awaits, and this is fully utilised with an inventive set which moves from Molly’s apartment to the streets of New York, from an underground train to a banker’s office. Floor-to-ceiling screens move seamlessly to show the changes and projection on these helps make it clear in progressing the story.
Photography by Alastair More Photography.
A small core cast is accompanied by an ensemble of talented dancers who fill the stage dancing as commuters and shifting in time as a large crowd. There are many twists and ample opportunity for the outstanding vocals from Fiona (as Molly), at times alone on stage but with expressive emotion with every word. Nick Tomlinson as Sam too has his moments, especially on the big song Unchained Melody, taking harmonies away from the original to new levels.
Ghost the Musical is a real treat of a musical. Full of great performances and impressive visual effects, Limelight Productions remains one of Scotland’s premier amateur theatre companies.
This show has been rated ☆☆☆☆
Ghost the Musical ran at Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline until the 5th of October.
Comments