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Ghost the Musical at Mayflower Theatre
Voice FM Arts and Culture Podcast
Wednesday, 5 February 2025 - 13 minutes
On Southampton's Voice FM, Xan Phillips interviews Josh St. Clair, one of the stars of Ghost the Musical. Josh admits he was not familiar with the 1980s film but recognised its iconic moments through cultural references.
He talks about how the musical stays true to the original film, with the same scriptwriter involved, and how the music enhances the narrative. Josh discusses his portrayal of Sam, incorporating both stoicism and a modern sensitivity to emotions.
Josh shares how the play's emotional impact often moves the audience to tears. He also touches on how the role has stretched his capabilities as an actor, providing a rewarding challenge.
Ghost the Musical runs at the Mayflower Theatre from February 11th to the 15th. Book your seats here Mayflower Theatre
Transcript
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): On Southampton's Voice FM, this is Arts and Entertainment. My name is Sam, and I'm delighted to say that one of the stars of Ghost the Musical is now live in front of me. And Josh St. Clair. Welcome to the show. How are you?
Josh St Clair (Ghost): Yeah, I'm very well. Thank you. How are you?
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): I'm not too bad at all. Thank you very much. And this is for I think for a lot of people from who remember the eighties, this is, must be an iconic role for a man to play. But for yourself and you know, you, you don't look like someone who does remember the eighties. Well, did it mean that much to you when you got it?
Josh St Clair (Ghost): Is it really awful if I say no,
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): no, not at all. I think, I think that's open and honest and we like that.
Josh St Clair (Ghost): Yeah. Well, I was never. So, so full disclosure, I wasn't born when the film came out but I do remember my mum having VHS, and I remember the cover of the video, so we definitely had it, but I never watched it but obviously was familiar with some of the iconic moments in the show.
I feel there's so many Whoopi Goldberg memes around social media with quotes that she says in that film. And then of course, you've got the pottery moment as well. So I was familiar with aspects of it. But when I got it, I'd actually still hadn't seen the film and it was in the run up to rehearsals that I said, Oh, I think I should probably watch this and see, see what I see what I'm about to do.
That's actually. It sounds like I'm surprised. I mean, it's obviously got such a, a like iconic reputation as a movie and I really enjoyed it. I also think potentially I'd never seen it 'cause it maybe gets mislabeled as almost like a bit of a rom-com and it's absolutely not. It's I would class it as a dark, supernatural thriller almost.
And you then you have these romantic and comedy elements in it as well.
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Does that transfer, I mean, without giving too much away, does that sort of darkness transfer across into the musical?
Josh St Clair (Ghost): I think so. I think our production of Ghost is very loyal to the film. It's actually the same scriptwriter. So the, uh, Joel Rubin who wrote the screenplay, he also wrote the script for the show.
So a lot of those lines, a lot of those iconic moments that people are waiting and expecting to see or hear. all happen on the stage. And yeah, I think we're very, very faithful and the music that's been written to go alongside the dialogue, you know, only helps kind of drive the narrative forward, drive the feelings of the characters forward allow the audience to relate, relate to so, you know, if I'm talking about Sam specifically, you know, relating to his, his despair, his anguish of what has happened and then. eventually his absolute determination to go forward and save the person he loves.
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): No, it's, it's, it's, it's definitely is something it's, it's a I mean, having haven't seen the film many years ago. It was definitely one of those ones where, as a, as a man, you're sort of you're, you're trying not to cry, so to speak, you know, just show your, show your stoicism, I think, or I don't know if that's stoicism or the right word, but the, the, are there moments where you, you can definitely feel that the audience is being touched?
Josh St Clair (Ghost): Oh, yeah. Well, we hear the moments they're being touched. Honestly, I. I've never heard so many people sob on a nightly basis. And it's interesting what you say, like, about stoicism, because that, there is an element of that in Sam, right? Like, he struggles to say I love you to Molly, you know, for reasons that I've made up in my head and for reasons that I've, you know, done my character research on, but I definitely think that carries over into the element of the men who get dragged by their girlfriends or their wives, partners, to come and see the show.
And then, yeah, they do end up being really moved by it. I've had, I've had plenty of, of, of men you know, tell me at stage door or, you know, send messages on Instagram to saying that they found the show really, really moving. But yeah, you definitely hear, you hear the sniffles and the rustling of tissue packets and stuff like that.
And there's me, me and Rebecca, who I play opposite. Usually at that point, we just kind of give each other like a bit of a look of like, yeah, job done. We, we, we got, we got it. We got it.
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Yeah. We made them cry. So therefore, once again, no disrespect to your age. Do you feel Because of what you just described, in a way that you're playing ancient man and actually modern man is more attuned to to his emotions.
Josh St Clair (Ghost): I'd say that. I'd say the stoicism in Sam is just one element of him. And I definitely feel like I have tried to bring a lot of myself to the character as well. Like, I certainly wouldn't say that I'm doing a Patrick Swayze impression. It's very much my version of, of the character and I am the person I am quite like soft.
I'm quite a gentle person. And so I definitely wanted to bring those elements of myself to the character to make the piece feel a bit more relevant and a bit more modern. You know, I think, I think you can be both. I think you can have this real gentle softness and kind of try and mask it with this kind of tougher exterior.
So what I'd like to say is it keeps all of those elements of what Swayze brought to the character in that kind of, you know, kind of say what was the word you used? Not old man. I said ancient man actually, which is probably. But, you know, like, I guess what I'm saying is acknowledging that times have changed and the way that, you know, behavior, male behavior in particularly.
And, and looking at, you know, masculinity slightly differently, I like to believe that my interpretation of Sam is a bit more modern, but still keeps elements of the original portrayal.
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Yeah. Cause I think in the eighties, men were sort of finding themselves or beginning to find themselves. And I mean, I'm not being, I don't think I'm being unfair, but even they compares the forties man, let's say they were they were different.
But when you take another 40 years on, and then until we are in the twenties I think there's, there's been quite a sea change in how men sort of either suppressing the, not suppressing their emotions, but they're more naturally more in tune with their emotions than they have been for quite some time.
But at the same time, some, some are still struggling in, in maybe in other ways.
Josh St Clair (Ghost): Yeah, it's an interesting, no, it's definitely an interesting observation. I think a lot of that does carry over into the show. And I like to think that, you know, maybe a male who, who does suppress a lot, or maybe does struggle to open up about emotions could watch our show and, and maybe be educated is the wrong word, but maybe be given the sense of, Oh.
It's really okay to like tell someone how I'm feeling. It's really okay to like open up about how I'm feeling. It's not good to bottle stuff in, you know.
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): So is this, is this the kind of role when you started out as a, an actor, were you expecting or hoping to play? Is this, is this sorted into exactly what you wanted to do?
Or are, or are we stretching ourselves in a certain direction?
Josh St Clair (Ghost): Oh, it's definitely, it's definitely stretched me. I think I did, I wasn't familiar with the musical either because it was usually on the West End in, I want to say 2011. And I didn't see it then, so, but everyone used to talk about the score and how good the music was, like, especially people in the musical theatre industry saying, Oh, Ghost, the score is so good, there's so many good songs in it.
So, like, maybe somewhere in the back of my head, if it was, I thought, like, parts I want to play, but saying that, I think I'm just saying that because it's something to say, it genuinely wasn't on my radar at all. But what it absolutely has done has Yeah, stretched me beyond anything that I potentially was aware that I was capable of doing.
The part is pretty relentless in a two hour, you know, if we take the interval away, it's a two hour piece and I'm off stage for about 14 minutes. So it's constant. And, you know, you go on this roller coaster of emotions from like, You know, the joy of moving into your first apartment with the person you love to then the absolute, like, confusion and shock of becoming a ghost, then the despair that no one can hear or, like, feel you, then, you know, the elation, the excitement of that chance of, you know, your chance encounter with, with Oda Mei, who is the psychic who, who can hear me.
You know, and that's just, you know, just, and that's what it, that's been the first half an hour of the show. So, you know, you're, you're putting, I'm putting my body through a lot on a nightly basis. And on top of that, it's big singing, it's big kind of Rocky pop singing in like a musical theater style.
So it's, yeah, I think in a lot of ways it is what I dreamed of because I went to drama school wanting to be, you know, wanting to play parts, wanting to be a like showcase my work and what I can do. But in other ways, it's been like a real pleasant surprise because I just didn't have this part on my list, so to speak. But it's definitely been a challenge, but I'd rather it's a challenge. I definitely don't shy away from it.
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Well, it sounds like you're you are in a role that is what most actors want. Not only are you. Challenging yourself, you're singing great songs, but you're making people cry, which it's, it's part of that. I think what a lot of film actors probably miss they probably have the same effects on people, but you actually get to see and hear it in the flesh, which I. And I can't imagine doing a radio show and having that effect on people.
So it's it's, it's, it's quite, it's quite a skill that you have. So congratulations on that.
Josh St Clair (Ghost): Oh, thank you. But you know, I also think that is the magic of theater and live theater and why theater is so important as an art form. It's this idea that it is happening live in front of you. And I think.
That level of, that level of empathy can really only be felt between like an actor and an audience in specific art form of theatre. So I think it is a very, very special thing to do and I don't take it for granted. And I know, you know, there are days where you might be feeling tired or you might be feeling a bit under energised.
You've got to tell yourself, someone's about to watch this for the first time, you know, and someone, someone might really be affected by what you're about to do. Like you could change someone's day. You could change it, not even change someone's day. You could, you know, it's a big statement, but essentially change the trajectory of someone's life potentially by what you're about to do.
And yeah, I don't take that lightly.
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Well, you're doing all of that and more in Ghost the Musical. Josh St. Clair, who is playing Sam. You can see him on stage at the 11th of February through to the 15th at the Mayfair theater. And it's been a pleasure speaking with you, Josh. Thank you very much for your time.
Josh St Clair (Ghost): And thank you so much.
Xan Phillips (Voice FM): Break a leg with the rest of the tour.
Josh St Clair (Ghost): I appreciate that. Thank you.
