THIS autumn Bill Kenwright will stage a new production of the timeless story of love, despair and hope: Ghost - The Musical, which comes to the New Theatre Oxford from October 31 – November 5.

Here, Sarah Harding of Girls Aloud, who plays Molly, talks to the Adver about the show.

How exciting is it to be making your stage debut in Ghost - The Musical?

It’s a bit of everything – excitement, nervousness, fear, elation, everything really. I didn’t know if I had it in me to do a musical because when you’re doing film or TV you can always do retakes, but you can’t do that with a musical. There’s a bit more to think about, with the staging and the drama and the emotion, and it’s a very heart-felt and touching story.

What’s your take on Molly?

She’s a strong lady but she’s vulnerable. She’s lost the man she thought she was about to marry. She was deeply, devastatingly in love with Sam and he was taken from her so suddenly. They never had chance to say goodbye. There was no closure.

Why do you think this particular story means so much to so many people?

Everybody on their journey in life experiences loss in some way or another. We’re all born, we’re all here, we all love, we all lose and we all have to pass on at some point. It’s a fact of life and it’s telling that story in a tragic but very loving and heart-felt way. It’s about saying goodbye and mourning that loss. It’s just so touching and I’m so honored to be playing this part because the film was one of the most iconic films for me growing up.

What are you most looking forward to about the tour?

Oh man, I’ve missed touring, except I won’t be able to go out on stage and go ‘Hey, Glasgow!’ [Laughs] That won’t be happening. It will be difficult not being able to interact with the audience because I’m so used to getting a crowd going. When it came to going out on stage I’d step up and get into my caricature mode of the leery Sarah everyone thought I was. People are finally going to see that there’s a softer side to me they haven’t seen before. Normally that side is reserved for behind closed doors, for my friends and my family.

How will you be spending your downtime? Are you someone who enjoys exploring different towns and cities?

When I’m on tour I love to take in new cities and I love to travel. When I toured with the girls I used to go out and explore places with some of the dancers, go for lunch, whatever. I like being on the move. I get bored doing the same thing. I really struggled with a structured job when I finished education. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve done it and I have a huge respect for people who do those jobs because a lot of them are very important. But I’m not that sort of person. [Laughs] Don’t put Baby in a corner! Wrong film, I know, but I feel I’m a cross between Molly from Ghost and Baby from Dirty Dancing.

Tickets can be purchased from the New Theatre box office on George Street, by ringing 0844 871 3020 or by visiting our website at www.atgtickets.com/oxford (phone and internet bookings subject to booking/transaction fee. Calls are charged at 7p per minute, plus your phone company's access charge.).

For bookings of 10 or more, or for Equal Access bookings, please call our dedicated in-house team on 0844 871 3040. / ENDS