There are three elements from Ghost the film that Ghost the musical needs to get right in order to be a success.

First, the pottery scene. Second, ‘Unchained Melody’. Third, Whoopi Goldberg.

This latter element may be slightly unfair to replicate, but Wendy Mae Brown as her namesake Oda Mae Brown was a suitably gutsy stage version of Goldberg, whose very presence lifted the first half as it was just beginning to wane.

The pottery scene was forgetable, not holding the same power as the iconic moment on celluloid.

‘Unchained Melody’, meanwhile, featured prominently throughout, and was best in its roughest version when Sam (Stewart Clarke) serenaded Molly (Rebecca Trehearn) on the acoustic guitar soon before having the misfortune of being shot dead.

Bristol is the first stop of the West End musical’s UK tour, and the Hippodrome has never seen so much onstage shenanigans.

This is a theatre production which retains a substantial cinematic element, with live action sequences often projected onto screens transluscent and opaque.

Special effects were sometimes gimmicky but at other times amomg the best I have ever seen in a theatre, especially a fight between Sam and a fellow ghost in a subway carriage, objects and people flying through the air in slow motion and perspectives changing in what was a stunning few minutes.

Tony award-winning director Matthew Warchus should take much of the credit for what works best.

But the tempo regularly dips, and the quieter moments of reflection don’t pack an emotional punch, with a lack of any chemistry between the leads reprising the roles of Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze from the 1990 film.

Ghost the Musical is at the Bristol Hippodrome until September 14. Visit www.atgtickets.com/shows/ghost-the-musical/bristol-hippodrome/ for tickets.