Off mode

The first week back at Uni is almost over (only have the longest day to look forward to tomorrow) and what's the verdict? I have none because I've been too busy studying. Really, I've been studying everyday of this week. To be honest it was a pretty difficult to get back to the studying again (euphemisn for trying to make myself stop being on Tumblr 12hrs a day), but I did what I have to do.

So I was writing a review of the 25th Anniversary concert of Phantom of The Opera from Sunday. You know the glacial pace I work on these things but my plan was to have it done by Tuesday. But then out of nowhere my Reporting and Journalism teacher just threw us out on the street to find a story, write it and send to him before the end of the day. So that totally screwed up my plan, and with the review being outdated now, should I even bother?

Review: Love Never Dies



Photo: andrewlloydwebber.com

Any person's reaction to finding out that Love Never Dies is the sequal to Phantom of The Opera is usually either a frowned brow, a scornful chuckle or simply a long 'What?!' (Mine was certainly the latter)

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's decision to spin-off Gaston Leroux's classical story about the impossible love between a deformed musical genious and his apprentice still baffles people today (that is if you exclude the improbable reason to wanting to heave in thousands of pounds of course).

Set out across the Atlantic in New York, Love Never Dies takes us ten years after the Paris Opera House has burnt down. The Phantom (Ramin Karimloo) and his protegés Madame Giry (Liz Robertson) and Meg (Haley Flahrety) have established themselves at the vibrant funfair, Coney Island.

As the title suggests, Phantom is still very much in love with Christine (Celia Graham) - the obsessive love of his life whom married another man, and yearns to get her back. Such plans are at work when Christine comes to New York for a special performance together with her now drinking-and-gambling-happy husband, Raoul (David Thaxton), and their neglected 10 year-old child, Gustave.

While Karimloo does a strong and intimidating Phantom, the real star of the show is Thaxton, whose troubled Raoul is impeccably portrayed. After Thaxton's moving performance of the melancholic 'Why Does She Love Me', one would a heart of stone not to root for him in the strife over Christine.

From the inside of the Phantom's tower to a lonely beach, the set is consistently breathtakingly extravagant. One of the most ingenious scene arrangements were the introduction of Coney Island, in which the curtain is used as a projector showing the funfair's surroundings while the actors move behind it, giving the scene a vivid sense of Coney Island's vibrant atmosphere.

However brilliant and stunning the acting and set may have been, Love Never Dies couldn't make up for the dull and overreaching story line - and not to mention the awkward personality changes of the main characters. What's most puzzling is still why they insisted on creating a relationship between Phantom and Christine that never was intended. Adding to the awkwardness is 'Beneath A Moonless Sky', in which Phantom and Christine sing (more or less) word for word about their night together.

How much one may have wanted to know what led to Christine death in Phantom of The Opera, we definitely could've done without.

Love Never Dies (2010) Andrew Lloyd Webber, Aldelphi Theatre, London
Performance: 19/04/11

Tiffany

Phantom Of The Opera: Twitter style

Insipired by Twitterature I decided to have a go at Phantom of The Opera (rewatched it yesterday). However, rather than retelling the book (by Gaston Leroux) I'm retelling the movie (Phantom of the Opera, 2004). Yes, it's somewhat vulgar but that's all in the spirit of the Twitterature.

Phantom of The Opera
@ChristineOftheOpera

Got this awesome song teacher. Don't know his name but he sounds hot. Let's call him Angel of Music or Phantom.
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OMG, the new opera patron is my childhood sweetheart Raoul. Yup, he still wants me.
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Phantom took me down to the dungeons tonight. T'was awesome and not scary at all. He groped me but it's ok.
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Despite that scary ass mask, I'd totally tap that.
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Think Phantom likes me. He told everyone I should have the lead in the next opera. Think daddy would've been proud.
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Opera owners decided to give the lead to that diva bitch who can't even sing. Phantom wasn't happy, he killed a guy.
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I went to the roof with Raoul. Yup, we totally did it. Think some perv was watching us from behind the statue. #privacyplease
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PARTY TIME! Raoul proposed. Don't want to tell anyone yet. What would daddy think?
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Phantom totally crashed the party and was pissed at everyone. He had a black mask. My panties dropped to the floor.
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He said I was his forever? Wuut?! Confused. Wish daddy was here, he would sort this out. Right, gonna visit his grave.
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Daddy? Is that you? Darnit, it's just Phantom. Raoul's here too. They're fighting each other now. Too tired to intervene. #boyswillbeboys
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Raoul made a trap to capture Phantom. Planning-Raoul is so hot!
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Shite, I must be the bait. What if Phantom takes me? Did I tell you the dungeons stinks?!
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Haha! Tore your mask off in front of the whole audience. That's what you get for groping me!
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In the dungeon, listening to Phantom's sob history. Nobody loves me sob sob... Oh yes Raoul's here to save me!
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Feel sorry for the deformed dude. Alright I'll kiss you and you better let us go!
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We're free! But the opera burnt down. Oh well. Andrew Lloyd Webber better not make a sequel and call it Love Never Dies or something stupid like that.