The Phantom Of Manhattan Update

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 9:26pm

Sorry if this has been posted (I searched, couldn't find any results, so apologies if it has.) Andrew Lloyd Webber posted a video blog at his site confirming he's going to do "The Phantom Of Manhattan", based around the Frederick Forsyth novella. He also says "The Master & Margarita" is on a backburner (or that's the impression I got anyway). So...

Looks like Phantom 2 is his next big one. This could SINK or SAVE him, IMO

[PaintWordPictures]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 10:19pm

The man still has several good, basically epic and extremely popular shows, so I don't think one horrible stinker is going to kill his career. His credibility has been put in question long before this show was talked about... I mean, how many of this last shows were not successes? Whether he writes something horribly absurd next, I'm not going to enjoy the original Phantom music any less (though a bit overdone, still majestic in person.)

Yes, this show sounds like an AWFUL idea, but the work he's done in the past still stands.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 10:56pm

Can anyone elaborate on the plot of this supposed sequel?

[musicalangel12]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 11:04pm

I've read "The Phantom of Manhattan"...ignore the fact that at the end of the novel, Erik dies. This author follows Webber's version where the Phantom disappears. He reappears in Manhattan, now a famous opera composer. Christine, Raoul and their son come to Manhattan and Erik tries to contact her again especially since, if I remember correctly, there is a death threat against the family. There is also some mystery about the son that if you want to know, PM me and I'll tell you since it gives away the ending.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 3/1/07 at 11:39pm

Here is the blurb from the Forsyth book:

"As 'The Phantom of the Opera' draws to its breathtaking climax, the Phantom - one of the most mysterious and romantic figures ever created - carries Christine, the young opera singer, and victim of his obsessive love, into the labyrinthine depths of the darkened Paris Opera House. Pursued by her fiance and a vengeful mob, the Phantom disappears into the shadows, never to be seen again. Until now...

In one of the most unexpected and brilliantly conceived fictional departures, master storyteller Frederick Forsyth picks up the story, following the Phantom's miraculous escape to New York where he begins a new and secret life, carving out for himself a kingdom of fortune and power - a life where he constantly watches but is never seen.

As he realizes one of his most ambitious dreams - to build the greatest and most glittering opera house in the world so he plans to lure Christine, by now a famous and celebrated diva, to perform his new creation. In a climax of explosive triumph and tragedy, 'The Phantom of Manhattan' continues the brilliant and evocative legend of the Phantom, and gives the world the sequel for which it has long been waiting."

[Sally]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 12:41am

"The Phantom of Manhattan' continues the brilliant and evocative legend of the Phantom, and gives the world the sequel for which it has long been waiting."


This blurb is full of it, and I think ALW is too. The book was deservedly unsuccessful; most fans disliked it; many hated it.

I would bet that most of the feedback he got from fans was negative, but when has he ever paid any attention to fan opinion.

He plans to make some changes to the plot as soon as he can get ahold of "Freddie" (Forsyth), and that can be only good, but I hate the whole idea of a sequel. The original show ends perfectly.

As far as I'm concerned, the only good thing that can come of this sequel is a couple more good ALW tunes.
ALW's video blog

[C is for Company]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 12:46am

"The man still has several good, basically epic and extremely popular shows, so I don't think one horrible stinker is going to kill his career."

I agree he has several good shows that are even epic, but come on, ONE horrible show? The Woman in White, Bombay Dreams, and Starlight Express weren't exactly fantastic. I believe MargoChanning posted the list of actual financial successes Webber has had and it was surprisingly only a few productions.

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:15am

The book is terrible. I was struggling to read the whole thing. Any reputation it has as such is well deserved.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:35am

I agree he has several good shows that are even epic, but come on, ONE horrible show? The Woman in White, Bombay Dreams, and Starlight Express weren't exactly fantastic.

It may not have been fantastic, but Starlight Express was mildly successful on Broadway and closed one of the longest running musicals in London. and I believe it did okay here on the road and in Vegas too.
Updated On: 3/2/07 at 01:35 AM

[Color and Light]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:45am

"The Phantom of Manhattan" is possibly one of the worst and most ridiculous books I've ever read, and I do not say that lightly. I'm no fan of ALW's Phantom of the Opera, but I do enjoy a few of his shows and absolutely nothing deserves to be followed up by a show based on that brick of baked sh*t.

Updated On: 3/2/07 at 01:45 AM

[mcphan19]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:04pm

*bangs head on desk repeatedly*

The Phantom of Manhattan is possibly the worst book I've ever read - it's not even worth the paper it's printed on. Between the changing 1st person narratives to the bland ending, it's poorly written and confusing to follow.

If it were fanfiction, I'd dismiss it as a feeble attempt at continuing the Phantom story, but seeing that it's written by a reputable author, it makes me wonder if he read the original novel. Also, considering the fact that ALW has endorsed this book makes me shudder at the thought of musicalizing this story.

Quoting the last line in the musical "It's over now, the Music of the Night" - it's best to leave well enough alone. Why would he risk tainting the one true financial success he has? I'd rather he focus on getting Sunset Blvd. on the big screen.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:11pm

Why doesn't he just hire a ghost writer, forsake any shred of credibility he has left, and dedicate the rest of his life to judging second rate talent competitions?

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:30pm

Why do people act like he wrote "Bombay Dreams?"

Anyway, this is a HORRIBLE idea because the book is one big stinker. And is it ever confirmed in the original novel that Erik was indeed dead? I know he falls into the river (or something to that effect) and people think he is dead, but does it actually say it? It's been a long time since I read it.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:32pm

Well, if he can lure Hal Prince back to direct this one, get a good lyricist, possibly throw in a few familiar themes from the previous "Phantom", and make sure that the book is solid and intelligent, he may not fail. Let's not pass judgement until (and if) it happens. No matter what anyone thinks about "Phantom of the Opera", it is a mega-hit, and the longest running show on Broadway - obvioiusly, they got it right the first time around.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:34pm

But the original novel was 150% better than the one he is planning to base the sequel off of.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:36pm

As far as I remember, the story of the "Phantom of Manhattan" was the original plot of ALW's Phantom 2, before the book was even published. However, for some reason, the musical didn't come to fruition and all we got from it was "The Heart is Slow to Learn". They just turned the idea into a book and that is why it serves more as a sequel to the musical than to Gaston Leroux's original book.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:38pm

I am so glad he changed "The Heart is slow to learn" into "Our Kind of Love" <---God, that is a gorgeous song.

[tazber]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:41pm

I am not going to condemn this yet as I have no idea how he intends to adapt it for the stage. I am very skeptical however.
Question - Do any of you think he could Sarah Brightman back? Is she too old?
If he got Hal Prince, Sarah, and, dare I say it, Crawford back
there would be a lot of interest.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 1:52pm

Andrew Lloyd Webber did not write Bombay Dreams.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 2:04pm

spiderdj82: Um, the last line of the novel basically is "Erik is dead."

URGH, don't get me started on the Phantom of Manhatten. I hope Gaston Leroux rises from the dead and crushes ALW. It's bad enough what he did to his novel the first time; this is just criminal.

[Weez]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 2:24pm

/me dies a little more on the inside.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 2:26pm

spork--Oh! Again, I haven't read it in a VERY long time. haha.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 2:26pm

spork--Oh! Again, I haven't read it in a VERY long time. haha.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 3/2/07 at 4:08pm

Who said that ALW wrote Bombay Dreams, I missed that.

[Sally]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 2:08pm

It's second-hand news, but I heard that ALW appeared on BBC1 Sunday morning (March 4) and was asked if he was working on anything new at the moment. He said, "yes" but refused to say what it was. He did say that he had a producer for it but no lyricist. He said he was off to NYC next week to meet people about this new project.

The project could be The Master and Margarita, but considerng the recent blog, it sounds more like the POTO sequel. I have a feeling he would find it easier to get a producer to sink money into that rather than a show based on a comparatively unknown and very bizzare novel.