Phantom of the Opera
Perhaps the best of all the Lloyd-Webber musicals,
Phantom
of the Opera is a masterpiece of music and voice; not to mention staging,
direction and acting. Again, it’s a story which treads familiar ground, and has
indeed being treading said ground for over 23 years, but it still manages to
move and engage audiences every night.
Telling the story of a stunning young Opera singer in Paris and her tragic love
affair with a scarred, masked composer who haunts the tunnels and catacombs
beneath the venue, the sinister romance which really speaks about the beguiling
seductive nature of music and secrets, is played out perfectly in the Victorian,
majestic setting of
Her
Majesty’s Theatre. This is certainly not a production which relies on subtly
and moments of quiet introspection; classic numbers are belted out to the
audience as huge set-pieces. “Music of the Night” “That’s all I ask of you” and,
of course “Phantom of the Opera” echoing ominously round the grand setting.
If you’ve seen the film and think you’ve had the full experience, think again.
Until you’ve heard that sinister organ music now synonymous with the show played
live just feet from where you have sat you’ve certainly not had the full
experience. The singing talents of the cast are also something to behold. Almost
mocking the forced, trained nature of many ex-theatre school voices, the
wonderful operatic notes hit in this musical are simply breathtaking; this is
not ‘musical’ singing as you might imagine it, this is just singing. Pure and
brilliant.
Because of the stellar nature of the show, you could end up paying anything up
to £52 for a ticket, although prices do start from around £20, but if you want a
good view and a chance to feel close enough to immerse yourself in the action,
you probably should be prepared to pay a little more. If you’re thinking of
taking children along then be aware that the music alone can be very scary, and
that some of the set pieces within the show may certainly not be suitable for
younger children. This is certainly a more adult-orientated musical, because of
the subtleties of what the plot is attempting to get at.
It’s nice to see a musical which doesn’t rely on dance routines and cheesy lyrics to get its
message across; this is a mature musical, with sweeping soundscapes and
mesmerising lyrics.
 |
