Review: SAM WU IS NOT AFRAID OF GHOSTS, Polka Theatre

“Bravery never goes out of style. It’s the new craze - being brave”

Sam Wu Is NOT Afraid of Ghosts, directed by Emily Ling Williams, is an adaptation of the popular book of the same name. Written by Kevin and Katie Tsang and adapted for the stage by Julie Tsang, we are introduced to Sam Wu (Sam Liu), a young boy who insists that he is NOT afraid of ghosts. He tells us about “The Incident” that occurred while at the Space Museum with his school, which ended with him peeing his pants after being in a broken spaceship simulator. 

Sam is obsessed with an old television show that his Na-Na (Yuki Sutton) introduced him to, Space Blasters, where Spaceman Jack (portrayed on screen by Daniel York Loh) fights the evil Ghost King, encouraging viewers of the show to be brave and face their own fears. So obsessed, in fact, that he has made his own t-shirt and a special helmet for space that lights up because, as everyone knows, space is quite dark.

Liu does a fantastic job portraying Sam as an energised child, switching between breaking the fourth wall to narrate to the audience and interacting with the other characters with ease. 

Not including Liu, who plays Sam for the entire show, the other three performers take on multiple characters, with Kudzai Mangombe playing Zoe and Butterbutt the Cat, Ed Cooke is both Bernard and Pet Shop Owner and Sutton taking on Lucy, Na-Na and Ralph.

Mangombe does a great job playing Zoe, the voice of reason in the friend group who also comes up with a few creative ideas of her own, as well as Butterbutt the Cat, dressed up as a ninja and dancing along with Lucy. Cooke is delightful as Bernard, the nerdy and overdramatic friend and also quite fun as the Pet Shop Owner in the few scenes he appears in. Sutton certainly has the most drastic changes in the show, especially when going from Sam’s sweet Na-Na to the bully Ralph, which she does with ease. 

The set, designed by Liam Bunster, is a mix of a modern home and what looks like the control centre of a spaceship, melding together the worlds of Space Blasters and Sam Wu. Combined with lighting and video by Gillian Tan and sound by Holly Khan, the audience is immersed in the two worlds, which at times delightfully combine. 

There are a few interesting decisions made in the creation of this show. Many of the references are either very dated, like one about the movie Gremlins, or are based on trends that died out a few years ago, like using “lit” and “slay” in everyday conversation. The older references received some laughs from adults, but I found that many children weren’t laughing at any of the references, leaving the performers on stage with nothing to react to. The only reference that got laughs from all ages was the final one to Ghostbusters. 

It seems like the show cannot decide whether it is a straight play or a musical, with a few songs being thrown every twenty minutes or so. Cooke sings a song as the Pet Shop Owner with instrumentals that sound just like Bo Burnham’s “Welcome to the Internet” from Inside. In an absolutely bizarre choice, Lucy and Butterbutt dance to not only Beyoncé’s Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” but Lay Bankz’s “Tell Ur Girlfriend,” which includes inappropriate lyrics like, “Been thinkin' of you every time I screw him” (luckily it was just the instrumentals). Even if songs are popular on TikTok, they shouldn’t be used in a show that is meant to be for all ages, especially recommended for children between six and twelve. 

That is not to say that the show doesn’t have some good aspects. The representation of Chinese culture in the show is strong and Sam and his family are not treated differently because of their background, which is a breath of fresh air in the current political climate. There is a sweet moment when Sam and his friends are having dinner that his Na-Na made, roast duck and turnip cake. The children love the food and it is a great way for audience members in the audience to learn more about a culture they might not have been too familiar with (I know that I’m certainly going to try turnip cake)!

While not used frequently, the puppet of Butterbutt the Cat, made by Judith Hope, is a gorgeous piece of work, cleverly used by Sutton, who has been directed by Roman Stefanski. I would have loved to see more puppets used throughout the show, especially during the scenes at the pet shop and when interacting with Fang the Snake, portrayed by a wooden snake toy. The video screen is also not used as much as I expected it to be, especially with the potential for the world of Space Blasters to be mixed in with the world of Sam and his friends and family. 

There are also great moments of comedy when the script is not depending on too many references. One particularly funny scene involves all of the performers moving in slow motion as “Chariots of Fire” plays in the background, with Sam trying to save Lucy from what they believe to be a ghost haunting their home. Another scene has the cast putting on a ghost fashion show, introducing us to the five different types of ghosts that could be haunting Sam’s home - Hungry Ghost, Angry Ghost, Pesky Ghost, Haunting Ghost and Lost Ghost, the last definitely getting the most laughs!

Ultimately, Sam Wu Is NOT Afraid of Ghosts is a cute show but with dated references and some strange choices it struggles to appeal to the younger audience it has been written for. The actors do a great job with what they are given and, with some work, it could be a fantastic show for all ages. There is a sweet theme of choosing friendship over loneliness that truly should be shared.

Sam Wu Is NOT Afraid of Ghosts runs until 18 August at the Polka Theatre.

Photo Credit: Steve Gregson

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