Hopefully they take the time to work on it and not just freeze the show. I think the Australia staging improved the show but didn't get it just right. It's also missing that magic "moment" that Phantom has - the chandelier falling, the melodies that get lodged in your head.
I'm not a huge fan of the story, but the music is gorgeous. If tickets aren't outregeous, I'd probably go see it.
I don't think that there is anything they can do to instill the "magic" that the original show had in more than just a moment or two--- from the first Preview on. LND has been done and redone and re-staged and revised. The Aussies improved the staging a lot and the story a little, but trying to inject a magic moment or two just isn't going to work.
Well somehow Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, Pippin, and a host of movie musicals have hit DVD and yet people sill pay to see the show.... Chicago ain't hurting yet and it even made them dust off Les Mis. I think LND might have gotten a larger fan base because of the DVD. People that liked it enough can go see it live. I liked it. While the book has.... well.... issues, the score is tuneful and very ALW. It was entertained that's all I asked for.
I saw version 2.0 in London and while the Australian staging is an improvement, the other changes really didn't improve much and no amount of staging can mask the bizarre and silly story. I can't imagine that London audiences are clamoring for yet another version of the show they didn't seem to like all that much to begin with and probably already watched on DVD.
I think they need a new boo and some cut to the score. The Australian version was beautiful visually but I did not like the new placement of Till I Hear You Sing.
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