You witness your beloved's murder - the reasons of which are unknown. All of a sudden, you feel lonely, helpless and unable to cope. Wouldn't you yearn for the lost spirit to guide you through the tough times?
The musical adaptation of the 1990 blockbuster Ghost (starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg) was truly one of the best plays showcased before the audiences of Kochi. Presented by The CAUSE Foundation, a Bengaluru-based theatre group, the tale was a commendable blend of dialogue, music, choreography and humour.
The plot
The story is set in New York. Sam Wheat, a banker, and his lady love Molly, an artist, move to their new apartment. Their trusted friend, Carl, volunteers to help them with the arrangements. One fine day, Sam discovers large sums of money deposited in obscure accounts and is shocked. His good friend Carl comes as a saviour once again and helps him regain his cool and go ahead with his evening date with Molly. As Sam and Molly walk back home, Sam is mugged and shot to death. Sam runs upto Molly after the shooter had escaped. But wait! Sam couldn't touch her, nor could Molly hear him call out loud. Yes! Sam has turned a ghost. His death leaves Molly devastated. Sam finds out who the killer was and seeks the help of a psychic named Oda Mae Brown to save Molly.
A movie that inspired many a musical
While the movie has been etched in the minds of many movie buffs across the world, musical theatre has been successful in keeping the magic alive.
The troupe from The CAUSE Foundation does deserve two thumbs-up for the presentation. To begin with, the sets were simple yet aesthetic. The backdrop was clever in terms of design. The transitions from one scene to another was smooth. Moreover, the acting was not exaggerated and did keep the audiences glued to their seats. Although the movie did not trigger a laughing riot in the halls, this play did leave the audiences happy and rather satisfied. The songs were well sung and the dances, beautifully choreographed.
The icing on the cake
I have often been asked as to why theatre excited me. The answer was depicted through this play. When cinema can depend upon computer graphics to depict the spirit leaving the body, theatre is left with no choice but 'play' with time. The most striking scene of the play was the moment when Sam Wheat returns to Molly as a ghost after being shot dead. Not only was the scene crafted well, but it did display a great deal of co-ordination among the members of the team. It was as if the the actors had created an illusion before the audience. The effort can be best described in one word – Mind-blowing!
Any scopes for improvement?
There were a few technical glitches with regards to the microphones. Moreover, it would have been better if the rearrangements of the props and set had taken place in dimmer light.
All in all, I am glad. My latest recollection of musical theatre was in 2007. I had volunteered to play the role of a flower girl in an amateurish replication of a renowned Broadway play.
'Ghost' by The CLASS Foundation has hereby washed away that horrific moment and re-instilled by love for muscial theatre. Truly, a job well done!