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Post by anthony on Aug 23, 2023 14:40:50 GMT
Also totally random, but for any Drag Race fans...
Was it just me, or was Sally Dexter giving MAJOR Jimbo the Ghost vibes?
I don't know if it was her facial expression or what, but this was all I could imagine whenever she was on stage...
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Post by ntherooh on Aug 23, 2023 14:47:04 GMT
Alright, I was at yesterdays matinee and am one of the biggest fans of the original production. Much has been said already, but I'd like to add my own thoughts.
Firstly, let's get out of the way what I thought about Norm Lewis. I have been such a big fan of his after hearing him sing Stars in les miz. Saw him a couple of times in other things, such as Little Mermaid on Broadway. Always a solid singer and performer. I hyped him up to my brother before the show and was so excited to hear him sing the score. But man, did he disappoint. I could not believe it. After the gazillionth line flub, off key note and blackout I felt offended. I know the score by heart, the original version as well as the new one. Saw the show multiple times on the west end and the new productions in Hamburg and US tour. I know what the lines are supposed to be and he made so many mistakes. He was standing, as the star, before a full Drury Lane and even got billing on the poster.. This was not good enough. It was just bad.
Celinde was perfection as always. Saw her in Phantom a few years ago, so seeing her in this show was a lovely experience. She's beautiful and touched my heart during Love Never Dies. I do prefer Sierra's voice and performance. Totally fell in love with her in the original show, but Celinde did something special with Love Never Dies (the song) which I won't soon forget. No one has been able to replicate Sierra and Ramin's chemistry though. In LND or any other romantic production. Also big credit to the direction of the original for that. I know the show gets lots of hate, but man, was it something special.
In my opinion all the changes to the original are making it worse. Like others have said, the original opening was magical. I was blown away by the effects and music of the Coney Island Waltz. Now it's a number I can't wait to be over. Putting Till I Hear You Sing at the start of the show just takes the whole flow out of the piece and feels like a desperate attempt to give the audience what they came for: the phantom. Him revealing himself later in the story works so much better though.
Raoul and Meg were standouts yesterday.
Was also super excited to hear Sally Dexter live after all these years on the album. She's spot on in the recording for me, but left a bit to be desired yesterday. Felt like the score was a bit too much to ask of her voice nowadays.
The orchestra was superb. The only thing which was weird was how The Beauty Underneath started on a track and everyone in the orchestra, except the 2nd keys, were just sitting there. It's a concert! But I can say nothing else but good things about the music.
The one who stole the show for me was the little guy playing Gustave. What a star. Never seen another kid this good in the role. Sang like an angel, acted well and was just so cute.
Impressed how Nic Greenshields as Squelch managed to miss every single note, Charles Brunton as Gangle was stronger in the original. In the new version he is required to sing very low parts (used to be Squelch) and it just did not suit him like his original character in my opinion. Fleck was okay.
All in all had a great time. I am afraid there's been so much tinkering with the show that it just does not work as well as it did. Let alone work better than it did originally. It used to feel more coherent and now feels like a lot of exposition on familiar phantom tunes to try holding the audiences attention. But the new music is strong enough on it's own and they should just trust in that. However, they still do manage to hit the bullseye emotionally at the end so what can I say. Sorry for the long post.
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Post by mattnyc on Aug 23, 2023 15:18:41 GMT
Also totally random, but for any Drag Race fans... Was it just me, or was Sally Dexter giving MAJOR Jimbo the Ghost vibes? I don't know if it was her facial expression or what, but this was all I could imagine whenever she was on stage... I would sell a kidney to see Jimbo as Mme. Giry dressed in his bologna ghost costume. |
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 23, 2023 16:24:18 GMT
ALW / Directors changed loads of things, staging - originally it opened to Fleck huddled on a scabby bit of beach and being found and made to tell what had happened (the story of LND being as how Fleck recalls it). Isn't it Mme Giry? Mme Giry is walking along the pier several years later and she sees an old poster advertising the Ooh La La Girls and a performance by Christine Daae. Then Fleck crawl out from coats on the floor? "Of course we are still here. The freaks, where else could we exist but here?" and then the Coney Island Walz starts, if I recall correctly? Fleck starts singing and then Mme Giry takes over, Fleck is escorted off stage and Mme Girl is alone on the pier - you're then left alone with Mme Girl as Coney Island comes alive through her eyes. The original Coney Island Waltz was 100% superior! The Waltz is the one thing I think could have been done better yesterday - surely they had some of the old props from the original waltz lying around? My other half (who didn't know the plot!) had no idea what was happening and didn't understand why all of the ensemble were sitting on the floor randomly!) 12 years, this week ... but - you are right! I've found an Unhappy Eric on YouTube who was, in 2010, very naughty ... |
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 23, 2023 16:28:30 GMT
Do not apologise, I loved every word, well done! Nice review. |
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Post by capybara on Aug 23, 2023 16:34:05 GMT
What an absolute privilege to see one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most beautiful scores performed by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra.
It may have only been a short run of concerts but this stellar cast has certainly left a lasting impression. Celinde Schoenmaker was entirely deserving of the mid-show standing ovation she received for the title number. Breathtaking stuff.
Norm Lewis was fine as the Phantom, I must have missed all the mistakes others have mentioned! Courtney Stapleton as Meg Giry was inspired casting and what a pleasure to see Sally Dexter in all her glory as Madame Giry.
If the audience response is anything to go by, surely a limited run at the very least is on the cards sometime in the future.
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Post by theatremiss on Aug 23, 2023 17:04:13 GMT
Would this be a possibility for next year at the Coliseum or is there already a musical in place for next Summer’s musical?
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Post by steve10086 on Aug 23, 2023 17:12:56 GMT
Would this be a possibility for next year at the Coliseum or is there already a musical in place for next Summer’s musical? Guaranteed flop! |
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Post by jay78uk on Aug 23, 2023 18:05:45 GMT
Would this be a possibility for next year at the Coliseum or is there already a musical in place for next Summer’s musical? Guaranteed flop! I agree. Would be an absolute disaster. I like the show but it is the most curious beast in ALW’s rather crowded zoo! While I admire the chutzpah of attempting a sequel to one of the most popular musicals of all time, as soon as it left Paris and included the improbable son of phantom story line it was a goner. The decision to add snippets of the original score to the rather fine new score sealed its fate, with every audience member hearing them and wishing they were at the original phantom instead. Don’t get me wrong, I like the piece and particularly enjoyed the moody brooding original other than the calamity that is TBUN, but any suggestion of a revival is fanciful. AWL should have saved the melodies for another show . |
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Post by max on Aug 23, 2023 18:20:10 GMT
Perhaps this concert version, highly staged (apparently; I wasn't there) is the absolute best - and most - this should be. ALW being buoyed up by its mainly rapturous reaction could lead to another mistake. Bring it back like this for a special season. An unusual gorgeously scored adjunct to the original is enough.
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Post by danb on Aug 23, 2023 18:24:17 GMT
Agreed. It only needs listening to imho.
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Post by theatremiss on Aug 23, 2023 18:58:33 GMT
Well I have to say I loved the West End production, loved this staged concert version and I would love to see it back. It’s amazing how so many people have hated this show since it’s conception.
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 23, 2023 19:10:20 GMT
Simply don't get the Norm negativity on here tbh - the score wasn't designed for his voice but he navigated it really well I thought (I mean, that Till I Hear You Sing sounded beautiful!) - yes there were a couple of line flubs, but nothing that was enormously noticeable (and I'm a big fan of the show). I'd take what he did and the concert being off book than everyone with their nose in a score any day.
Like everyone has said, Celinde was made for this, and deservedly got a mid show standing ovation for the title number.
Sally Dexter was fun, doing a French accent no one asked for, and I enjoyed the three 'freaks'.
Sadly I did think Courtney was very weak as Meg - you should be watching her be on the verge of a breakdown all the way through, it should be subtle but you should always be able to see Meg is on a knife-edge and can turn at any moment, and i just thought the change was far too quick and obvious - I'd actually have been really interested in what someone like Zizi Strallen would have done with Meg.
For me, this was LND sung to basically its fullest potential with a gorgeous orchestra, some knock out voices, and a soaring score that we should hear more of.
Really strong 4 stars.
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Post by steve10086 on Aug 23, 2023 19:18:13 GMT
It’s amazing how so many people have hated this show since it’s conception. Why? |
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Post by theatremiss on Aug 23, 2023 19:27:28 GMT
It’s amazing how so many people have hated this show since it’s conception. Why? No idea. |
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Post by jay78uk on Aug 23, 2023 19:39:04 GMT
I don’t think it’s hate, its more confusion in that it was marketed as a sequel to Phantom but has a completely different vibe to the original, both with regard to the book and score. Furthermore, many of the characters, beloved by many from the original seemed to have suffered personality transplants (maybe twas the phantom in his bonkers lair!). So audiences tended to be bewildered. Also it wasn’t great the title song is a complete rip off of the apartment theme from the 1960s…. Such a shame. |
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Post by steve10086 on Aug 23, 2023 19:56:18 GMT
I mean, why is it “amazing”? You said it, so I assumed you’d know. Personally I think it’s pretty obvious why people have hated it. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 23, 2023 20:08:00 GMT
Also Im interested to know why it’s amazing that people don’t love this show which has a woeful plot and a truly dreadful script. Care to elaborate ?
Is a decent score enough? I don’t think so.
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Post by h86 on Aug 23, 2023 20:22:20 GMT
It’s amazing how just with 3 performances there is such a wide range in opinion of individual performances. Some rating performers highly, others unimpressed. Just goes to show how subjective theatre is I guess.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 23, 2023 20:25:59 GMT
It’s amazing how just with 3 performances there is such a wide range in opinion of individual performances. Some rating performers highly, others unimpressed. Just goes to show how subjective theatre is I guess. I think you are confused. The amazing comment was about the show since conception. Not this 3 day concert. |
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Post by anthony on Aug 23, 2023 20:38:19 GMT
It’s amazing how just with 3 performances there is such a wide range in opinion of individual performances. Some rating performers highly, others unimpressed. Just goes to show how subjective theatre is I guess. I genuinely think the people praising Norm were drunk during the performance. It's hard to admit because I've loved Norm Lewis for literally years. I was so excited when he was cast... but ultimately, we can't all criticise Auli'i Cravalho and not Lewis. Auli'i is at least a musical theatre novice, Lewis is a veteran who never bothered to thoroughly learn his lines prior to rehearsals starting. Worse, at times when he forgot his lines, he either: 1) waddled around stage saying "sing" over and over (presumably trying to find his place again) or 2) just gave up and groaned down the mic instead (As in "Every... UGH... and hope rests on you now"). I'm really disappointed by his performance. There just isn't an excuse. The matinee wasn't great and whereas yesterday evening started great (his act 1 WAS genuinely good! Even with him starting slightly early for Beneath A Moonless Sky) his act 2 was genuinely shocking. Embarrassing, even. I surely wasn't the only one that felt tense FOR him every time he was on stage, right? Never sure if he'd hit the note, or forget the line, or what... |
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Post by ntherooh on Aug 23, 2023 20:44:53 GMT
Do not apologise, I loved every word, well done! Nice review. First off, I’d like to say that this board is the nicest I’ve been on. I’ve attempted to post some on boards like broadwayworld, but got some very nasty replies. So thank you all for making this space so wonderful. Secondly, I think one of the things that hurt the original the most was the promotional poster. Of course me and my dark little heart loved it, but I distinctly remember having to drag my parents to what they thought would be a horror show. |
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Post by h86 on Aug 23, 2023 20:50:53 GMT
It’s amazing how just with 3 performances there is such a wide range in opinion of individual performances. Some rating performers highly, others unimpressed. Just goes to show how subjective theatre is I guess. I think you are confused. The amazing comment was about the show since conception. Not this 3 day concert. I was just referring to the three performances and the range of opinions. I chose the word amazing with no reference to previous posts. |
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 23, 2023 20:58:17 GMT
I mean I don't drink alcohol and I thought Norm was pretty good so...there goes that theory!
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 23, 2023 22:14:29 GMT
I think you are confused. The amazing comment was about the show since conception. Not this 3 day concert. I was just referring to the three performances and the range of opinions. I chose the word amazing with no reference to previous posts. Oops- sorry! I love Norm so I’m glad I didn’t go and see this if he was so disappointing. |
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