Love Never Dies

[Knight Phantom]

You're right Judy, the clips were disabled a couple of days after they were posted. I was not going to listen anyway. I did not want to only hear a piece, without knowing what or where it fit in. I too, was disappointed Swannie didn't like it. Hopefully when she can hear the whole score, she will reevaluate.

Anyway... here is a new article with a new date for the previews to start.

http://www1.playbill.com/news/article/1368...to-Begin-Feb-22

First London Preview of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies Cancelled; Performances Now to Begin Feb. 22

By Mark Shenton

11 Feb 2010

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies, which was to have begun performances at the West End's Adelphi Theatre Feb. 20, will now start Feb. 22 instead.

It is still scheduled to open officially March 9. However, ticket holders for the Feb. 20 performances have been informed that the producers "have taken the early decision to cancel the first preview." In a letter to the affected ticket holders, it has been stated, "This complex show is half way through its technical production period, as we write this letter, and it is clear that we need the two extra days' work which will take us to Monday February 22nd. We are not, at this time, behind schedule and everything is looking extremely promising. Planning ahead however, it is clear we would only be able to present an exhausted company on stage at the end of next week and, possibly, a show still not in a technically safe and secure state. Rather than spring this on you at the last minute, we have taken an early decision to cancel."

But the show, or a public dress rehearsal of it, may still go on that night: the letter goes on to state, "We are aware that many of the audience who planned to see the show on February 20th bought tickets explicitly because it would have been the first public performance. This, of course, has an inbuilt risk to it, as it is not infrequent that the plan of a new show's arrival is knocked off course by technical demands. We are, nevertheless, very sorry to disappoint those who hoped to see the first performance. We will try to keep to schedule over the next ten days and aim for a dress rehearsal on February 20th. We fervently hope that we may be sufficiently prepared for this to be a public dress rehearsal. If we can do that, we will contact you by Friday evening February 19th and you will be most welcome to join us for that special occasion as well as having your preview seats re-booked. You will appreciate that this is an ambition and an aim and we cannot guarantee it, but maybe you can will us along."

Ticket holders for the Feb. 20 performance have also been informed, "Most other previews are already heavily sold, but as a precautionary measure we have held back seats for the performances on Friday March 5th and Monday March 8th for customers who have been affected."

[shirsan]

You're right Judy, the clips were disabled a couple of days after they were posted. I was not going to listen anyway. I did not want to only hear a piece, without knowing what or where it fit in. I too, was disappointed Swannie didn't like it. Hopefully when she can hear the whole score, she will reevaluate.

Anyway... here is a new article with a new date for the previews to start.

http://www1.playbill.com/news/article/1368...to-Begin-Feb-22

First London Preview of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies Cancelled; Performances Now to Begin Feb. 22

By Mark Shenton

11 Feb 2010

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies, which was to have begun performances at the West End's Adelphi Theatre Feb. 20, will now start Feb. 22 instead.

It is still scheduled to open officially March 9. However, ticket holders for the Feb. 20 performances have been informed that the producers "have taken the early decision to cancel the first preview." In a letter to the affected ticket holders, it has been stated, "This complex show is half way through its technical production period, as we write this letter, and it is clear that we need the two extra days' work which will take us to Monday February 22nd. We are not, at this time, behind schedule and everything is looking extremely promising. Planning ahead however, it is clear we would only be able to present an exhausted company on stage at the end of next week and, possibly, a show still not in a technically safe and secure state. Rather than spring this on you at the last minute, we have taken an early decision to cancel."

But the show, or a public dress rehearsal of it, may still go on that night: the letter goes on to state, "We are aware that many of the audience who planned to see the show on February 20th bought tickets explicitly because it would have been the first public performance. This, of course, has an inbuilt risk to it, as it is not infrequent that the plan of a new show's arrival is knocked off course by technical demands. We are, nevertheless, very sorry to disappoint those who hoped to see the first performance. We will try to keep to schedule over the next ten days and aim for a dress rehearsal on February 20th. We fervently hope that we may be sufficiently prepared for this to be a public dress rehearsal. If we can do that, we will contact you by Friday evening February 19th and you will be most welcome to join us for that special occasion as well as having your preview seats re-booked. You will appreciate that this is an ambition and an aim and we cannot guarantee it, but maybe you can will us along."

Ticket holders for the Feb. 20 performance have also been informed, "Most other previews are already heavily sold, but as a precautionary measure we have held back seats for the performances on Friday March 5th and Monday March 8th for customers who have been affected."

I have to agree with Swannie. I was a little disappointed in the music as well, but it is almost

impossible to top the original Phantom score. I don't remember a a better score ever

written than Phantom, and I have many favorites.

I think Lloyd Webber had a great task in writting a sequel to the best opera ever written,

and also, to try to stay true to the original score in some way.

I'm sure I will learn to love this score as well, if I can only NOT compare it to Phantom to

much. It has to stand alone as it's own opera, so I have to give it that chance.

I can't wait to hear the whole thing and see how it ties into the story. I have read

the book and know that that also will vary, but I loved the concept. I can only see

Gerry as Phantom tho, so I don't wish to see the stage version. I'm waiting for the

absolute best presentation of the material, Gerry on screen.

Love him absolutely,

Sandy

[xmargx]

Hello, I so love Gerards POTO...he is my muse and always will be everyone will have to compare to him, he IS THE PHANTOM for me ....but....I went to see the London performance Rameen Karamoo boy I can never spell his name and it didn't dampen my love for GB's Phantom in fact in so many ways it was a homage to it to think GB could match such seasoned performers..not on a regular basis but for an actor he held his own.....

So I'd say go and see it, it is an experience you should savour and as for Love Never Dies the movie for me made a sequel necessary, the rose on her grave stone said the phantom had played a part in her life you needed to know about and although different in tone and excitement Coney Island is ALW's muse so it had to be almost manic and the phantom even more in love and passionate I find it quite beautiful.....hope the story does it justice....I hope Christine as a woman finally admits she loves the phantom as well as being loyal to her husband in fact in so many ways the situation may have turned.....loyal to Raoul when wanting the phantom......because she ALWAYS loved him she was simply afraid of him.......in the movie version of course in the book I'm convinced he murdered her and Raoul.....he was after all a complete psychopath....not autistic as ALW states that's far to simplified but ...MAD.... Our phantom though can love, show emotion he's redeemable and I think Christine in LND's will achieve that and then te story will finally end and the rose, ring and monkey of the movie will make sense......

Oh dear I got side tracked but please go and see the stage version it WILL NOT DETRACT FROM GB'S PERFORMANCE...

lol

[Knight Phantom]

Here is today's blog post! Seems like everyone is getting very excited!

http://www.loveneverdies.com/blog/2010/02/...the-rehearsals/

Watching The Rehearsals

Wednesday, 17 Feb 2010

This afternoon we popped down to the Adelphi to track down a few more members of the Love Never Dies cast for our weekly video blog and in the meantime thought we’d share a few observations from our seats in the Dress Circle – and below is another little video blog of exactly what is going on behind the scenes as rehearsals are now well into their final week…

We arrived as the cast and crew were about to begin the technical rehearsal of Act Two’s ‘Bathing Beauty’ as the track ends and runs into the next scene. After making our way along a maze of corridors (backstage at the Adelphi, like lots of London theatres, is a bit of a labyrinth) with the smell of varnish hanging in the air as members the finishing touches are put to vital props and costumes, we found our way to auditorium where members of the cast including Summer Strallen (Meg Giry) were running through the scene as the rest of the cast, crew and creative team watched from the seats in the stalls. As Jack O’Brien and Jerry Mitchell joined the actors onstage to physically walk through and “block†the scene, the team of swings and understudies (check out our latest rehearsal update for more about them) took notes on the scene from the Dress Circle before sharing their thoughts on the process with us in our latest video blog (which you can see here).

We moved to another vantage point in order to witness Musical Supervisor Simon Lee going through some very unusual limbering-up techniques, which you can see in our video clip below…!

Having watched various stages of the rehearsal process, the show is now really coming together as the cast are now virtually all fully costumed, wigged and made up in order to fully test the effect of the lighting. The lighting team under the close scrutiny of Paule Constable, the Lighting Designer, were running through some of the astounding and innovative illuminations that will really bring this already fantastic set to life. The lighting looked so beautiful as it struck the gorgeous colours of the ensemble’s costumes that it prompted Jack to declare that they looked “good enough to eat.â€

As we’re less than a week away from the first preview now the excitement is truly building. With an extra day of rehearsal now available to them, the cast and crew are working flat-out to make sure this will be one hell of a show. And from where we were sitting – it certainly will be.

Our video clip gives you some idea of what’s going on at the theatre offstage as the crew gear up for the show…

Video here~

[Knight Phantom]

Today's blog~

Disfiguring the Phantom Continued...

Friday, 19 Feb 2010

Do you ever think video blogs are a bit like buses? You wait ages for one to turn up and then two or three come along in rapid succession….?

We have delved into our archives – in actual fact only a couple of weeks ago but so much has happened along the Love Never Dies production process that it seems like AGES – to bring you a clip of the landmark day when Ramin Karimloo, our Phantom, met his make up, wig and mask for the first time. We were there to capture the moment on our trusty Flip camera to try and give you a little teaser into what the Phantom now looks like.

So let’s go back to the end of January as the cast near the end of their stint in the rehearsal space and prepare to move into the Adelphi… and in another West End theatre a specialist team gather to create the Phantom’s look…

In our previous Disfiguring the Phantom blog post you will have seen the first stage in the process to create the make up and prosthetics which will transform Ramin into the Phantom.

This week saw the culmination of all the effort by Neill Girton, who made the prosthetics, Naomi Donne, who has created the make up, Campbell Young, the Wigs Supervisor for the show and Ivo Coveney who has created the Phantom’s iconic mask. For the first time all the team gathered in a dressing room at The Palace Theatre with Ramin, to apply their handiwork for the first time. Neill prepared Ramin and began applying the prosthetics. For Love Never Dies the prosthetics will be made in silicone rather than the foam used for The Phantom of the Opera. This material – although slightly heavier than foam – allows the actor much more freedom for facial expression and also looks much more “skin like†in texture.

As Neill worked he gave a running commentary on the process so that Sandra O’Brien (Biddie) who will be Wigs Mistress on Love Never Dies and Debbie Goodship (Lolly) her Deputy, could take notes and photographs. The process at this early stage takes well over an hour, but Biddie and Lolly are confident that over time they will be able to complete the make up in around 45 minutes. Before Naomi took over to put the finishing touches to the make up, Campbell stepped in to apply the wig and complete the transformation. Then Ramin was helped into his costume and led to the stage so the final look could be tested under the lighting. Oh… and sitting in the auditorium to witness this was Andrew Lloyd Webber, Director Jack O’Brien and key members of the creative and production team

Obviously it was a time of great excitement for all, as the months of hard work became a reality. It is safe to say that everyone involved was thrilled by the result.

Check out our exclusive video clip for a little teaser of the make up process and a few words from Naomi and Campbell…

More video!

[cybrsal]

Thanks again Deb. Very interesting. I can't believe they showed us part of the phantom make-up look. Awesome how they want to give him dark curls, a more romantic look.

[Phantomess]

LOVE NEVER DIES has cancelled its first preview on February 20, 2010 [...]

In that case, you can keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow ... please .

Most of all, thank you for the info -links and articles !

Edited February 19, 2010 by Phantomess

[Knight Phantom]

Look what I missed when I neglected my twitter...

http://pikchur.com/M9C

phantomess~ I hope you get replacement tix for today. It looks like the first public preview will be on Monday.

[Knight Phantom]

Here it is just over 24 hours before the first preview performance of Love Never Dies! It has finally arrived!! After many false starts, and catastrophic events (nod to ALW's kitten who deleted the entire score) and now Sierra's illness...the sequel that we have been waiting for is about to take center stage!! Let's all wish them to 'Break a leg', and wait for the reviews to start coming in.

I have enjoyed bringing you all the news, these past months; and will continue to keep everyone updated.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/artic...-falls-ill.html

Leading lady pulls out of last rehearsal for Lloyd Webber's new Phantom musical

By Baz Bamigboye

Last updated at 1:08 PM on 21st February 2010

The leading lady of Andrew Lloyd Webber's new Phantom musical Love Never Dies was forced to withdraw from a final dress rehearsal after she fell ill with a fever.

American actress Sierra Boggess plays Christine in Love Never Dies, which has been rehearsing for several weeks with previews due to begin at London's Adelphi Theatre on Monday.

The £8million show is the highly-anticipated sequel to the Phantom of the Opera, with the Phantom having relocated to Coney Island in New York where he runs an extravaganza. He launches a show and invites Christine, the opera singer whose voice he loved so much in Paris, to sing for him in America.

A star is born: Celia Graham

Originally previews were to have started yesterday, but were delayed to give the show's creative team and cast more time to get the production in shape.

Last Thursday the musical was hit with further delays when the fire alarm went off at the Adelphi Theatre while the cast was rehearsing.

Understudy Celia Graham stepped into Boggess's shoes for yesterday's performance, and wowed the show's creator and director with her performance.

At this stage of a production's life - before a public performance has been given - an understudy wouldn't be expected to be up to speed with the role, but Graham was, although her costumes weren't.

Performing in a white underskirt, she earned a standing ovation from Lloyd Webber, director Jack O'Brien and a small audience of the show's crew.

Among the audience yesterday to see Graham step into the role were mother and daughter Judy and Emily Leonard, who had travelled from Oxford and Taunton to see the preview, unaware it had been cancelled.

Lloyd Webber and O'Brien bumped into the disappointed pair outside the theatre and invited them inside.

'I couldn't leave them there,' Lloyd Webber said. 'They seem to know more about the Phantom of the Opera than I do and they've given us some excellent notes on this show.'

Emily said Phantom fans would love the new musical: 'They are going to be so surprised. The story is so strong and it's full of surprises that they're going to be excited.'

The full show wasn't run, it had to stop with 20 minutes still to go because of child labour laws, but Graham played the full first act ,most of the second and got to sing the title song Love Never Dies, a soaring, heart-breaking ballad.

As it ended, the small audience stood in applause, before O'Brien called for quiet.

'Stop there everybody,' he cried. 'Just stop and give it up for Celia Graham who has been a terrific Christine tonight.'

The cast then returned to the stage and Ramin Karimloo, who plays the Phantom, handed her a bouquet of white roses.

Lloyd Webber said he hoped his star actress would be in good health and able to perform on Monday and was full of praise for Graham's performance.

[Knight Phantom]

By this time tomorrow, we should have the first 'reviews' whether from the press, or bloggers, on Love Never Dies!!!!! :tens:

[mommaduck]

I am absolutely beside myself waiting for the reviews which I hope and PRAY are good ones.

Cannot wait until tomorrow evening when we should be hearing something!

Hugs,

Judy

[Knight Phantom]

Let's all give Anna a standing ovation for giving us this wonderful pressie!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/phantomloveneverdies

BTW~get your kleenex out!

I will post reviews later, I just don't have the time right now.

eta~ to fix link!!

eta~ AGAIN!

Edited February 23, 2010 by Knight Phantom

[ladyfran]

Said this page can't be found?????

Frannie

[Knight Phantom]

Well, what can I say...... I HAD to read this one and share with you!

OMFGJB! I'm soooo gonna die in November!

I need to warn you~ THERE ARE SPOILERS ON THE ACTUAL ARTICLE! I did not read nor post them, and I ask the you all PLEASE do not discuss them here on the thread. If you want to talk about it, keep it to PM

http://www.stagetalk.co.uk/reviews/review-...er-seeing-this/

Mon, Feb 22, 2010

Reviews

You Will Believe ‘Love Never Dies’ After Seeing This…

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies opened on Monday, 22 February 2010 at London’s Adelphi Theatre to a packed house full of excited theatregoers and Andrew Lloyd Webber himself. The audience was all a buzz with anticipation. It seems that a lot of time had passed since this new show was announced formally at the press launch on 8 October 2009 at London’s Her Majesty’s Theatre but it is here now and is a must see! The world premiere performance of Love Never Dies is scheduled for 9 March 2010.

It is unimaginable all the people required to make a production like this but a thank you goes out to all involved for making such a remarkable and history-making musical. Bravo. Andrew Lloyd Webber must be very proud seeing this idea finally come to life.

It opens on the pier at Coney Island on a dreary, cold, moonlit night with Madame Giry (played by Liz Robertson) reminiscing of Coney Island in its day. The sound effects complimented the set with seagulls and the wind blowing. Even the moon turned into a ferris wheel – how imaginative. The visual effects were stunning as screens and projections enhanced / portrayed what she was thinking about. The tall man, acrobats, fire baton performer, trapeze artists and the circus acts were terrific and their costumes authentic looking. This is just the beginning as it only gets better.

Before I go further into the story, I must comment on the fabulous music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and conducted by Simon Lee. It intensified and supported what was being performed by the talented actors. Be prepared to get shivers when you hear The Phantom (passionately and perfectly played by Ramin Karimloo) sing ‘Til I Hear You Sing. All the songs are special but my three favorite are ‘Til I Hear You Sing, Look with Your Heart, and Love Never Dies.

The wonderful actors are commended on delivering such convincing performances. A list of the main characters follows but it is not to disregard the ensemble who all add to a successful show.

The Phantom is absolutely perfectly played by the talented Ramin Karimloo. The beautiful Sierra Bogges makes her West end debut playing Christine Daae. Christine’s husband, Raoul, is played by Joseph Millson. As mentioned above, Madam Giry (manager) is played by Liz Robertson and her daughter (and performer), Meg Giry is played by Summer Strallen. The Phantom’s devoted trio Fleck, Squelch, and Gangle were played by Niamh Perry, Adam Pearce, and Jami Reid-Quarrel. And last, but not least… Christine’s son, Gustave (the only new character) is played by a multitude of children but on this night, the character was wonderfully played by Harry Child who sang with a pure voice.

I must reiterate Ramin Karimloo plays such a passionate character. You can feel it in his songs, you can see it in his actions. He is absolutely brilliant. Sierra Boggess is beautiful and delicate with a softer voice. All of the actors are talented in their own right, of course. It is easy to see why everyone got a standing ovation.

This may be a continuation of the most famous love story but it is a separate story all it’s own. Taking place 10 years after the infamous Paris Opera House, it offers one surprise after another. The Phantom is a Man in his own right having created a mysterious and intriguing world on Coney Island, his Phantasma. He sends for Christine to perform there. Due to monetary problems, Christine accepts and brings her husband and son with her, no one realizing who Mr Y is. Her husband seems like a pompous jerk who complains about everything but her child seems to share her qualities and is kind and innocent. Just when they think no one is there to meet them at the dock, a ‘glass’ horse and a seemingly empty carriage with a glass skeleton driver pulls up. The door opens and The Phantom’s Devoted Trio get out to greet them and take them to their master. The visual imagery projected was terrific as it showed ‘the carriage’ travelling over a bridge and a map showing where they were going from and travelling to. The combination of projection, the actual scenery/stage set, and live actors complimented one another and helped to portray the story.

My first opinion of Raoul is confirmed by the way he treats his son and talks to his wife soon after they arrive at the Hotel. He does nothing but complain and his drinking problem evident (which is added to by the gambling problem referred to more than once). Their son, Gustave, has a pure voice to match his pure heart and it is easy to see that Christine loves him dearly. It’s even apparent that she loves her husband and is devoted to him though one wonders why. Raoul leaves for ‘fresh air’ (at the local bar) and Gustave goes to bed after his mother comforts him when he questions if his father loves him. Then Christine, left alone, plays the musical toy that was given to her son and recognizes the music. She is standing there obviously feeling a presence as The Phantom enters from the balcony. They sing the ‘why’ and ‘what if’ game. The love, history, and attraction is so transparent but she remains the dutiful wife. By the way, the detail in the hotel room, particularly the door / balcony was splendid. Gustave awakens from a nightmare and meets his mother’s ‘friend’, Mr Y (the man who brought them there).

The next day, Christine and Gustave go backstage at Phantasma for business-related reasons when who should she run into but Meg Giry. They are joined by Raoul and Madame Giry where they have a surprise reunion. As they sing, Dear Old Friend, it is apparent that it is an awkward reunion and not a welcomed one especially for Meg and Madam Giry. This is when Raoul finds out who the boss is and he is not pleased about the news.

The Phantom calls for Gustave and his devoted trio brings the boy to his room. The boy is intrigued with all the inventions / gadgets (like the walking skeleton with lady’s legs) which pushes a table across the stage). He also plays the piano for The Phantom. The Phantom marvels at his musical talent and enjoys that Gustave is at home there. There is some important news that is revealed before the intermission and not something that makes everyone happy.

After the intermission, the Orchestra plays Entr’acte, a beautiful introduction to Part II. The rest of the scenes are as good as the first half. There are humorous parts throughout the musical… one being in the bar when The Phantom (pretending to be a bartender) reveals himself to Raoul. That was a good scene between the two men in Christine’s life. I will say that Christine obviously will have to make a choice but I won’t say any more. I don’t want to spoil anything so will just continue that it is full of intrigue, surprise, laughter, tears, and an undying love. The ending was very unexpected but again I can’t divulge more because I want you to go and enjoy it. I want you to be surprised and moved. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or a sceptic of love or whether you just want to see how the story continues… you’ll want to see Love Never Dies. Go, take it in, feel it, and enjoy!

[Knight Phantom]

I fixed it Frannie!

[zanyzombie]

GREAT article Deb!!!

It sounds like ALW has another HIT on his hands!!!

I wonder if the Phantom of the Opera Venue in Vegas will play it as well?

Maybe, then I would be able to see it!

[Knight Phantom]

GREAT article Deb!!!

It sounds like ALW has another HIT on his hands!!!

I wonder if the Phantom of the Opera Venue in Vegas will play it as well?

Maybe, then I would be able to see it!

Does this mean you're coming to Vegas???? Hope hope hope!!!

[zanyzombie]

GREAT article Deb!!!

It sounds like ALW has another HIT on his hands!!!

I wonder if the Phantom of the Opera Venue in Vegas will play it as well?

Maybe, then I would be able to see it!

Does this mean you're coming to Vegas???? Hope hope hope!!!

sorry no Deb...should of said "when" I can make it to Vegas.

(((hugs)))

[Knight Phantom]

Boo hoo! I won't get to see my good friend Zanes!!!

But here is some good news! The first blog post from Love Never Dies with video!

FIRST PREVIEW BLOG

Tuesday, 23 Feb 2010

It has seemed like a very long haul for all concerned, but last night saw the first public performance of Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre. The show is now in preview until the official opening night on March 9th which is when the press get in to see the show and give their verdicts.

There was a small technical hitch after the first number, and then director Jack O’Brien took to the stage to assure the audience “that’s not it… !†and â€that has NEVER happened before†before he asked for a little patience as the crew worked behind the curtain to fix the issue. After only a few minutes the show was ready to restart (it had all gone so swimmingly in the afternoon’s dress rehearsal too!).

With the show back in full swing the audience reaction was, on the whole, positive with many people rising to their feet to give the cast a standing ovation at the end. Not bad at all for a first preview! We obviously don’t want to give anything away but we did ask a few audience members for their initial reactions during the interval and at the end of the show, see the clip below.

After the final curtain we asked the two leads for their views. Ramin Karimloo, who plays the Phantom, was ecstatic about performing in front of an audience at last. “We were so ready for thatâ€, he grinned, “you can work through the scenes systematically, but there is nothing like getting the sense of pace you gain from audience reactions.†He added that “it was great to get a few laughs tooâ€. With typical gallantry he referred to his leading lady’s performance (ignoring the fact that his rendition of ‘Til I Hear You Sing’ in the first act had also provoked a rapturous reception) “Did you hear the reaction Sierra got for her aria (Love Never Dies)? God, it was amazing, they couldn’t get enough…insatiable!â€.

And indeed she did both look and sound fabulous. Sierra herself was unable to stop grinning widely… “Wow, I am in the West End!†reality was hitting clearly hitting home. I asked how she was feeling, having missed the first dress rehearsal on Saturday. “I feel great, it was so weird, it literally came from nowhere and just knocked me out, I suddenly developed a temperature of 103″, but clearly Sierra is right back on top form having been given a thorough check up from the doctor “he was stunned by how quickly I had recovered, the fever disappeared as quickly as it arrived, he had never seen anything like it!â€

If you are lucky enough to be one of the first to see the new show, we will be adding a feature to this site very soon to enable you to post your own reviews and share them with the world!

[Poppy]

Well, I just can'y wait!!!!!!

[mommaduck]

Well, looks like the dream is realized!! I am happy, beyond words. Thanks so much for

posting this review, and I will be looking for more as they come out. I have the deluxe

cd ordered to arrive on March 9th. The plot is much as I expected, and however it ends,

will be good.

Thanks,

Judy

[Knight Phantom]

Here's another! I will try to keep up, but there may be so many that it will take awhile.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre...he-Phantom.html

Love Never Dies: Laying the ghost of the Phantom

Jack O’Brien is the director of Love Never Dies, the follow-up to Phantom, the most successful show in history.

Published: 5:05PM GMT 23 Feb 2010

'You have no idea how much pressure I’m under between now and opening night!†Jack O’Brien tells me, with such a degree of drawling self-composure that you’d swear you could dangle him out of an upper-storey window and he’d barely bat an eyelid.

Actually, albeit that we’re sitting in a dressing-room backstage at the Adelphi theatre, an oasis of hushed tranquillity, I think I can take a reasonably shrewd guess at the frenetic scenario that awaits this seasoned American theatre and opera director the minute we shake hands and part ways.

O’Brien, 70, is tasked with bringing Love Never Dies to the London stage – after which it will open in New York and Melbourne, and, all being well, at various times after that, around the rest of the world, in the steps of the show that spawned it, The Phantom of the Opera.

This isn’t just the follow-up to the most successful musical yet penned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It’s the follow-up to the most successful entertainment product in history. If you’re aware of nothing else about Phantom, you know it’s a huge hit, but the stats are awesome: it has enjoyed bigger takings than Star Wars, Titanic, and (so far) Avatar, with earnings of £2 billion; and it has been seen by over 100 million people in more than 25 countries.

Simply put, Love Never Dies is the sequel without equal. If anything, the pressure on O’Brien is greater than that faced by Harold Prince, entrusted with directing Phantom in 1986. As O’Brien reminds me: “The hot number that year was Chess [written by Lloyd Webber’s erstwhile regular collaborator Tim Rice]. Phantom wasn’t anticipated nearly as much as Chess was.â€

This time, the anticipation isn’t only greater, it’s distinctly double-edged. Instead of drawing from Gaston Leroux’s 1911 novel about the deformed musical genius who haunts the Paris Opera House, the plot, which jumps from 1881 to 1907 and takes in the fairgrounds of Coney Island, has been conceived from scratch, with input from Frederick Forsyth’s 1999 novel The Phantom of Manhattan, Ben Elton and American lyricist Glenn Slater.

There are those – resentful of Phantom’s juggernaut unstoppability, smarting at its composer’s wealth, or simply unresponsive to Lloyd Webber’s lushly romantic, rock-tinged treatment of Leroux’s melodrama – who would relish the spectacle of Love Never Dies showing up dead on arrival.

Then there are those who are possibly as obsessed with the long-runner as its skulking anti-hero is with the virginal young soprano, Christine, who falls under his spell. And this die-hard contingent are cautious, sceptical, fearful even. At Her Majesty’s, I recently sat next to one such fan, a chap from Munich, who had seen Phantom 25 times, and swore he wouldn’t be seeing Love Never Dies until it had been given the thumbs-up by reviewers.

Towards the new show’s already lurking detractors, O’Brien displays scant regard. “People will say what they want without seeing it, and they’re almost always uninformed.†He sympathises, though, with the apprehension. “We’re not taking this lightly. I have said from the beginning: no one will thank us for doing this. We have to dot every i, and cross every t, in showing why we’re continuing to tell this story.’

Lloyd Webber’s motives, he maintains, are impeccable. “No one had him at gunpoint saying, 'Please come up with something.’ He has thought about this for over 20 years. It has been at the back of his mind, haunting him. If this just was about the franchise, he would have done it years ago. This is about something else.â€

What that is, what drives Lloyd Webber’s desire to burrow deeper into the story, involves some guess-work that O’Brien is only partly prepared to indulge in. It hardly escaped notice at the premiere that, with Lloyd Webber’s then wife Sarah Brightman occupying the role of Christine, and Michael Crawford’s misfit Phantom akin to a composer, there was an element of self-portraiture about the business.

'I don’t think there’s any question about that,†he replies. “I don’t make assumptions, but you’d have to be very insensitive not to see this as a curious, mythological parallel universe. I’m aware that there’s a deeply personal template to which I’m not invited that feeds the stream.â€

Further than that, he won’t go. But hand on heart, he’ll swear that Lloyd Webber – with lyricist Slater – has delivered the goods, and even trumped the original.

“I think the score is richer and more varied. The colours are more astonishing. There are vaudeville American elements and those great throbbing rock-opera moments, too. He uses everything at his disposal.’’

O’Brien launches into a full-blown aria of appreciation: “We’re in a new country, a new century. From gaslit Paris, we’ve moved into the age of electricity. So there’s a different perspective. We’re picking up, but we’re looking back. The fact that Erik, the Phantom, goes to Coney Island, which at that time was about five times more popular than Las Vegas is today, means that he’s now part of a landscape of people allowed to behave in an unconventional way. That gives him a chance to grow. I don’t know what anyone’s anticipation is but I bet anything they’re going to be really surprised by the direction the story goes in.â€

As for the look of the thing, O’Brien adds: “Someone said to me, 'Is there a chandelier moment?’ [referring to the famous first-half climax in Phantom when a chandelier comes crashing to the ground]? I said: 'As far as I’m concerned, the whole evening is going to be a chandelier moment.’’’

For more than 20 years the artistic director of the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California, O’Brien got this potentially mega-lucrative gig almost by chance – meeting Lloyd Webber for a drink in Covent Garden two and a half years ago, while supervising the hit London transfer of Hairspray.

“We had such fun talking, that I got involved in the creation of it at that point.†In his time, O’Brien has had the odd brush with flops – his own musical, The Selling of the President, closed after five performances in 1972. Yet I realise that not once while we’ve been locked in conversation has the slightest look of fear or doubt entered his eyes. This guy knows something we don’t. Yet.

[Swansong]

Since yesterday afternoon, people began tweeting live from the 1st preview. I started following those tweets which then led me to some very interesting reviews and discussions. If you are brave and want to read the vast array of honest opinions, this site has a very insightful conversation taking place:

http://www.whatsonstage.com/board/index.php?showtopic=16096

It's 20 pages and counting, as more people come on to post their impressions of the show.

Swannie

[BlueJean]

Thanks for all the links/articles. I'm loving this!

BlueJean

[Knight Phantom]

Good Morning Ladies!

I had a thought~ with all of the reviews that are and will be coming in, I think I will start a new thread just for them. I will move the earlier ones to this new thread and if you want you can move your comments as well. Just trying to keep things 'kinda' organized. I will also ask Jilly if she can pin it as well.

*sigh* I love me some Erik!