REVIEW: Ghost The Musical at Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

The production is based on the 1990 movie starring Patrick Swayze as the doomed Sam, killed by a random mugger.

Andy Bell portrays Sam, with Carolyn Maitland as his heartbroken sweetheart Molly – together they make a striking couple and there is more than a smattering of chemistry between the two.

The pair have beautiful singing voices and Maitland truly shines when she performs a stirring version of Unchained Melody – another reach-for-the-tissues moment.

Meanwhile, the scenes between Sam and psychic Oda-Mae are hilarious; Jacqui Dubois who plays her steals the show effortlessly with Are You A Believer? Stage-wise, the production is cool with a 3D skyline whilst dazzling billboards and a realistic depiction of a New York subway.

The special effects in the scene where Sam dies and switches from a corpse into a ghostly figure are simple yet impressive.

if you believe in life after death – and let’s face it, we all want to believe – this production shows it in a significant way, full of moving performances that will wrench even the hardest of hearts.

Until Saturday.