'Ghost' director lauds Koreans' sense of responsibility

A scene from the musical "Ghost," based on the 1990 film of the same name, which is being performed at D-Cube Arts Center through March 14, 2021 / Courtesy of Seensee Company

By Kwon Mee-yoo

"Ghost" associate director Paul Warwick Griffin / Courtesy of Seensee Company

"Ghost," a musical based on the 1990 film of the same name, returned to Korea seven years after its premiere, presenting the timeless love story on stage with a touch of technology and theater magic.

The musical's associate director, London-based Paul Warwick Griffin, flew to Korea amid the COVID-19 pandemic to lead the production currently showing at the D-Cube Arts Center in southwestern Seoul.

Griffin arrived in Korea about two-and-a-half months ago as three projects he is connected with were being staged howing in Korea when most of the world's theaters still remained dark. He is also a producer at GWB Entertainment which provides general management for world tour productions of "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Cats."

As a producer and director in the internationally vibrant theater industry, Griffin was a frequent traveler before the pandemic swept the world, but the situation has dramatically changed.

"The trip to Korea was the first I've done since March, which is absolutely unheard of," Griffin said in an interview with The Korea Times last week.

In "Ghost," Griffin's role is to replicate the original director Matthew Warchus's work and ensure that the production is a faithful representation of the original as it was in the West End and on Broadway.

"I think it is important to honor the original work, but at the same time recognize the fact that different actors play the roles," he said. "Particularly for a story like Ghost, the heart of it feels truthful and in order to do that, you have to get the actors to join you on the journey and allow them to bring their own skill and interpretation whilst operating within the perimeters of what we know is the show."

In the Korean production, actors Joo Won, Kim Woo-hyung and Kim Jin-wook play protagonist Sam, while Ivy and Park Ji-yeon alternate as his wife Molly. Veteran actresses Choi Jung-won and Park Jun-myun take on the iconic role of the medium Oda Mae Brown.

The director said he is proud of the exceptional Korean cast.

"When you are dealing with performers with that caliber, it is important that you are allowing them to bring their own thought process into the show. That's the good starting point of marrying the old with the new," he said.

Griffin was connected to the "Ghost" performance in its very early stages, when the show had a try-out in Manchester, England back in 2011, before it officially opened in London's West End.

"It is also about sharing the journey of the show with the company and the cast. The show didn't happen overnight. Some choices or ideas came out of the journey and I have to share that insight with the actors. It helps them understanding why certain things are invented in the way they are and why certain things are important. I think part of what I can do is share the history, back story and evolution of the show with them," he said.

Griffin had also shared the Korean production with the original creative team, showing how their ideas were executed on the other side of the world, years later.

"When I watch the show, I still remember how that moment came to be in the first instance. On the past Sunday, we had a final dress rehearsal and I invited some of the original creatives, specifically Matthew, choreographer Ashely Wallen and designer Rob Howell to join us on a Zoom session to watch the rehearsal with us," Griffin said.

"It was incredibly moving for them to see something that started nearly nine years ago have new life breathed into it on the other side of the world by actors speaking in a different language, particularly in this extraordinary time when our industry is so heavily impacted by the pandemic."

Though the show's story is based on a film released 30 years ago, the romantic comedy thriller still resonates with the audiences of today.

"It's a combination of a fantasy love story and contemporary thriller and appeals to audiences in Korea as well as other places. In Korea, the younger demographic goes to the theater and they enjoy this contemporary styling of a love story with exciting technology," he said.

The musical rendition of "Ghost" is also known for its use of illusions.

"The choice was made specifically early on. At its heart, Ghost is a small story with four main characters that needs to be fleshed out and supported for context. Its cinematic quick moving from one location to another was impossible to achieve through traditional representation, so we came out with some crazy ideas for theater," he said.

While keeping the movie's famous scenes such as the pottery scene and the song "Unchained Melody," the musical strives to give the story a contemporary feel.

"I hope anyone who comes to the show wanting to relive the joy from the movie won't be disappointed, but they will experience it in a way they didn't imagine," he said.

Currently, the theater has applied a socially distanced seating plan, which utilizes only about half the venue's original capacity, but Griffin believes that the theatrical shows must go on despite the pandemic.

"Theater is a collective experience. It's been a platform to tell stories since the dawn of time. We fundamentally need theater as humanity globally, not specific to any culture. It's clear that the shared collective experience has the potential to move people and change things," he said. "For right now, we have to believe that there will be life beyond this pandemic. We have to know that we have more in common than that divides us. Ultimately, we can find a way to imagine enjoying life as we used to and I think it is a critical part of the healing process."

Griffin pointed out that Korea's effort to keep theaters open has been celebrated through the industry around the world.

"I'm filled with a huge admiration for South Korea in terms of how you address the pandemic and how responsible you are. There is a sense of responsibility within the community here ― everyone is part of a solution, which is sadly not true in other parts of the world," he said.

"I truly believe in the transformative power of theater. It makes us laugh and cry, takes us out of the present moment to escape to somewhere else or tells an important idea. It has a broad spectrum of potential to impact us. If we risk losing this incredibly vital part of our cultural landscape, I don't think we will begin to realize how devastating that loss will be until it's too late."