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nineveh_ukI thoroughly enjoyed last Friday's Phantom broadcast, and also got to stop feeling foolish that I hadn't gone to see the production live, because although I still remember the advert from the Observer I had forgotten that it was only on for three performances, and I never knew that the tickets sold out within hours anyway.
Some thoughts:
* The orchestra is enormous. I love seeing a live productions with a really big band and cast. Admittedly on the music front this is rather more impressive in the theatre than streamed via YouTube.
*antisoppist and I appear to be diametrically opposed in what we consider the best bits. I like the Phantom of the Opera/Music of the Night sequence and Past the Point of No Return to the end. She likes the mystery "what is going on in the theatre" plot.
* Notwithstanding that I like Past the Point of No Return, I have to ask, what the hell was the Phantom's plan there? I assume it is that the scene is a set up whereby he gets to exit the stage with Christine once not!Leporello arrives, and thus is able to kidnap her at a time of his own choosing. But probably he should have thought of a better fall-back option than "propose on stage to woman who is in on a plot to kill you".
* Likewise the sharpshooters really needed more guidance on when to shoot. Still, Raoul is young and no-one else seems to be very inclined to come up with a plan as opposed to flap about in panic.
* I felt the production had been romanticised a bit since I saw it in the mid-90s, though it could be my memory. I want it to make me feel a certain sympathy for the Phantom, but he is also a self-obsessed killer, there's only so far sympathy can go. I feel it should be "he might have been a decent person, but unfortunately he is both completely mad and kills a lot of people" not "poor woobie", and this did tip slightly over my preferred line. But even so, it was eminently clear that in the end the Phantom is his own worst enemy, Christine running off with Raoul is definitely the best option, and there is no set up for Love Never Dies (see below). There is a poor quality video on YouTube of the the final scene from the original production with Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, and Steve Barton and I really liked it. Crawford's Phantom is dangerous, deranged and pitiable. I must explore what else is on there.
* ETA One flaw of the filming, like a lot of filmed staged productions, they do too many close ups of individual actors or pairs, not enough that take in the the wider stage. But unlike film or TV, the design is for an audience expected to be taking in the whole scene.
Obviously I am now wandering around the house singing bits, if croakily, and digging out the piano music.
Unfortunately, no good things last forever, and this Friday's musical is the terrible PotO sequel Love Never Dies. I've given my opinion on this before. As a friend put it, it is one of ALW's better scores, but the worst book.
I can therefore only recommend that if come Friday evening you want to watch a musical about a nineteenth-century woman in a pre-Raphaelite wig who is the object of the creepy obsession of a weirdo who lacks key social skills and who when the woman rejects him turns to manipulate her through her young son instead, and whose husband doesn't understand her - watch Elisabeth das Musical instead. It's a lot better. That said, I'm going to be watching LND, though probably on Saturday over the ironing so I can look away, because it is an opportunity to gaze on the horror for free.
Elisabeth DVD version with English subtitles here.
Original cast here (no subtitles).
Some thoughts:
* The orchestra is enormous. I love seeing a live productions with a really big band and cast. Admittedly on the music front this is rather more impressive in the theatre than streamed via YouTube.
*
antisoppist and I appear to be diametrically opposed in what we consider the best bits. I like the Phantom of the Opera/Music of the Night sequence and Past the Point of No Return to the end. She likes the mystery "what is going on in the theatre" plot.* Notwithstanding that I like Past the Point of No Return, I have to ask, what the hell was the Phantom's plan there? I assume it is that the scene is a set up whereby he gets to exit the stage with Christine once not!Leporello arrives, and thus is able to kidnap her at a time of his own choosing. But probably he should have thought of a better fall-back option than "propose on stage to woman who is in on a plot to kill you".
* Likewise the sharpshooters really needed more guidance on when to shoot. Still, Raoul is young and no-one else seems to be very inclined to come up with a plan as opposed to flap about in panic.
* I felt the production had been romanticised a bit since I saw it in the mid-90s, though it could be my memory. I want it to make me feel a certain sympathy for the Phantom, but he is also a self-obsessed killer, there's only so far sympathy can go. I feel it should be "he might have been a decent person, but unfortunately he is both completely mad and kills a lot of people" not "poor woobie", and this did tip slightly over my preferred line. But even so, it was eminently clear that in the end the Phantom is his own worst enemy, Christine running off with Raoul is definitely the best option, and there is no set up for Love Never Dies (see below). There is a poor quality video on YouTube of the the final scene from the original production with Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, and Steve Barton and I really liked it. Crawford's Phantom is dangerous, deranged and pitiable. I must explore what else is on there.
* ETA One flaw of the filming, like a lot of filmed staged productions, they do too many close ups of individual actors or pairs, not enough that take in the the wider stage. But unlike film or TV, the design is for an audience expected to be taking in the whole scene.
Obviously I am now wandering around the house singing bits, if croakily, and digging out the piano music.
Unfortunately, no good things last forever, and this Friday's musical is the terrible PotO sequel Love Never Dies. I've given my opinion on this before. As a friend put it, it is one of ALW's better scores, but the worst book.
I can therefore only recommend that if come Friday evening you want to watch a musical about a nineteenth-century woman in a pre-Raphaelite wig who is the object of the creepy obsession of a weirdo who lacks key social skills and who when the woman rejects him turns to manipulate her through her young son instead, and whose husband doesn't understand her - watch Elisabeth das Musical instead. It's a lot better. That said, I'm going to be watching LND, though probably on Saturday over the ironing so I can look away, because it is an opportunity to gaze on the horror for free.
Elisabeth DVD version with English subtitles here.
Original cast here (no subtitles).
(no subject)
Date: 2020-04-21 09:45 pm (UTC)I don't want to watch the sequel, but am compelled by a power greater rush my will to resist. I expect to cringe continuously.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-04-22 09:28 am (UTC)I think I'll resist temptation to watch it just to see how awful it is!
(no subject)
Date: 2020-04-23 07:42 pm (UTC)