#1
Posted: 11/29/10 at 10:39am
Going to see the new version tonight. Very curious about what to expect! Have heard it is an improvement on the original, which I enjoyed anyways. Anyone else been/going?
Love Never Dies - Version 2.0
#2
Posted: 11/29/10 at 12:39pm
i decided to go very VERY last minute to go tonight also(4th Time Lucky?)...very interested to see what Bills done with it - heading out shortly, will post views later!
The Artist Formally Known As 'Anon2'
Updated On: 11/29/10 at 12:39 PM
#3
Posted: 11/29/10 at 5:50pm
WOW! It is incredible different to before!
Till I Hear You Sing works so well as an opening number. There are new vocal arrangements for they Coney Island Waltz for the whole company. Sounds fabulous. There are now vocals in bits that were previously just instrumental. Not keen on the slow start to Only For You but great once it gets going.
Seemed to be a small technical problem with the scene change going into the scene after this.
Madame Giry now sings the whole "Who stayed with you"... etc when the phantom isn't present. Strange choice, not sure it worked, but I got the intention that she was annoyed.
The whole thing with Christine coming to sing for Mr Hammerstein works SOOO much better than the whole Phantasma thing. She seems very shocked at the appearence of the Phantom and it just works so much better. I didn't think the "Sing and you can leave with the child or leave without singing and i'll keep the child" thing made much sense. "Stranger than you dreamt it" was in here with new lyrics obv.
Freaks now on stage during Beauty underneath. End of act one worked a lot better, more between Christine/Phantom it seemed.
Onto act two, more intact than Act 1 structurally. Didn't seem to be a new song in there. "Invitation to the Concert" was just the "Ladies Gents!" bit. Bathing Beauty is much better with the addition of the male dancers. The main change in act two is the ending. It is still long BUT it works a heck of a lot better than it did, especially seeing as though Phantom/Christine are the only ones on stage for a fair bit of it.
Full on standing ovation. Lloyd Webber was sat two rows infront! The whole thing felt like a proper new version of the show. Very much enjoyed.
Till I Hear You Sing works so well as an opening number. There are new vocal arrangements for they Coney Island Waltz for the whole company. Sounds fabulous. There are now vocals in bits that were previously just instrumental. Not keen on the slow start to Only For You but great once it gets going.
Seemed to be a small technical problem with the scene change going into the scene after this.
Madame Giry now sings the whole "Who stayed with you"... etc when the phantom isn't present. Strange choice, not sure it worked, but I got the intention that she was annoyed.
The whole thing with Christine coming to sing for Mr Hammerstein works SOOO much better than the whole Phantasma thing. She seems very shocked at the appearence of the Phantom and it just works so much better. I didn't think the "Sing and you can leave with the child or leave without singing and i'll keep the child" thing made much sense. "Stranger than you dreamt it" was in here with new lyrics obv.
Freaks now on stage during Beauty underneath. End of act one worked a lot better, more between Christine/Phantom it seemed.
Onto act two, more intact than Act 1 structurally. Didn't seem to be a new song in there. "Invitation to the Concert" was just the "Ladies Gents!" bit. Bathing Beauty is much better with the addition of the male dancers. The main change in act two is the ending. It is still long BUT it works a heck of a lot better than it did, especially seeing as though Phantom/Christine are the only ones on stage for a fair bit of it.
Full on standing ovation. Lloyd Webber was sat two rows infront! The whole thing felt like a proper new version of the show. Very much enjoyed.
#4
Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:10pm
Oh wow, sounds amazing!
'Til I hear you sing was the opening!?
How did the end of Act I work exactly? Was screwed up before :S
I really need a recording of this new version, especially with more hints of Phantom in it!
'Til I hear you sing was the opening!?
How did the end of Act I work exactly? Was screwed up before :S
I really need a recording of this new version, especially with more hints of Phantom in it!
#5
Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:36pm
Is there a revised song list somewhere? I'm still a little confused. Does the show open with "'Till I Hear You Sing" and then go into "The Cony Island Waltz" or is it the other way around?
#6
Posted: 11/29/10 at 6:42pm
Totally agree with everything Mark says..
Clapyouhands...act one ended with Mme. Giry singing how pissed off was that gustave would get everything and all that...curtain came down on Mme. Giry looking down the stairs...no meg.
Complete rehaul, worked much better but i thought the prologue was Far too slow starting...they kept the whole Aerie (sp?) bit in with the christine bot holding that rediculous fabric over the fan (why they felt it necessary to keep that bit is beyond me?) would be so much better if they cut that tiny bit and went into TIHYS. Lovely opening.
The scene change was messed up, was sitting on the aisle of Row M and heard very clearly a crew member shout "GET BACK UPSTAGE" to the new peacock Aerialist (who obviously had a clue what she was doing and looked a little bit like a sack of potatos hang of that ring! It made me laugh alot! The revolve had a squeak during 'LND' and was of the false prosceniums was knocked out of line.
A lot of new riffs added from Phantom (again i laughed) talking of shoe horned...when phantom said the quote about singing that Mark quoted - as he exited,the trombone played the melody of "in sleep, he sang to me, in dreams he came"..leading into angel of music...Tres Cheesy.
Didn't like the start of Only For You....again lacked any oompf until it really got going (which i liked the new arrangement of btw)
New Projections here and there , the preset mask has gone and replaced with the paris opera house (which then leads on to a video of the opera house burning down), a lot of visible stage crew standing in the wrong places, the guy in front of me drifted off to sleep at several points too!! The gustave was pretty bad tonight and very nervous bless him.
ALW was there with kenwright (with pad), theatre was full except nearly a full row infront if me which ALW looked a bit disgruntle about lol!
Definate improvements tho, i enjoyed it beforehand but its still weak in places - but if i pretend i dont work in theatre it was certainly an enjoyable evening, i had a great time...putting my theatre eye back on tho and i realise theres only so much one turd can be polished and i dont think anything else can be done to make any further improvements unfortunately. which is a shame...but i'm still pleased the ensemble have a little more to do now.
sorry if this seems a bit disjointed...i've wrote as i thought :P x
EDIT for ^ : Song List
Till I Hear You Sing
The Coney Island Waltz
Only For You
Are You ready To Begin
look with your heart
beneath a moonless sky
Once upon another time
Beautiful
The Beauty Underneath
Entracte
Why Does She love me?
Devil Takes The Hindmost
Invitation to the concert
Bathing Beauty
Before The Performance
Devil Takes The Hindmost
Love Never Dies
Christines Dressing Room
The Streets Of Coney
The Pier/Finale
Clapyouhands...act one ended with Mme. Giry singing how pissed off was that gustave would get everything and all that...curtain came down on Mme. Giry looking down the stairs...no meg.
Complete rehaul, worked much better but i thought the prologue was Far too slow starting...they kept the whole Aerie (sp?) bit in with the christine bot holding that rediculous fabric over the fan (why they felt it necessary to keep that bit is beyond me?) would be so much better if they cut that tiny bit and went into TIHYS. Lovely opening.
The scene change was messed up, was sitting on the aisle of Row M and heard very clearly a crew member shout "GET BACK UPSTAGE" to the new peacock Aerialist (who obviously had a clue what she was doing and looked a little bit like a sack of potatos hang of that ring! It made me laugh alot! The revolve had a squeak during 'LND' and was of the false prosceniums was knocked out of line.
A lot of new riffs added from Phantom (again i laughed) talking of shoe horned...when phantom said the quote about singing that Mark quoted - as he exited,the trombone played the melody of "in sleep, he sang to me, in dreams he came"..leading into angel of music...Tres Cheesy.
Didn't like the start of Only For You....again lacked any oompf until it really got going (which i liked the new arrangement of btw)
New Projections here and there , the preset mask has gone and replaced with the paris opera house (which then leads on to a video of the opera house burning down), a lot of visible stage crew standing in the wrong places, the guy in front of me drifted off to sleep at several points too!! The gustave was pretty bad tonight and very nervous bless him.
ALW was there with kenwright (with pad), theatre was full except nearly a full row infront if me which ALW looked a bit disgruntle about lol!
Definate improvements tho, i enjoyed it beforehand but its still weak in places - but if i pretend i dont work in theatre it was certainly an enjoyable evening, i had a great time...putting my theatre eye back on tho and i realise theres only so much one turd can be polished and i dont think anything else can be done to make any further improvements unfortunately. which is a shame...but i'm still pleased the ensemble have a little more to do now.
sorry if this seems a bit disjointed...i've wrote as i thought :P x
EDIT for ^ : Song List
Till I Hear You Sing
The Coney Island Waltz
Only For You
Are You ready To Begin
look with your heart
beneath a moonless sky
Once upon another time
Beautiful
The Beauty Underneath
Entracte
Why Does She love me?
Devil Takes The Hindmost
Invitation to the concert
Bathing Beauty
Before The Performance
Devil Takes The Hindmost
Love Never Dies
Christines Dressing Room
The Streets Of Coney
The Pier/Finale
The Artist Formally Known As 'Anon2'
Updated On: 11/29/10 at 06:42 PM
#7
Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:07pm
Clark I was in row M too, what number were you in? I was 32. Great place to see the show from.
#8
Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:08pm
well bugger me!! row M...Seat 33 haha!!
The Artist Formally Known As 'Anon2'
#9
Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:29pm
hes cut one of my fave songs! dear old friends!
No Doubt Our Paths Will Cross Again ! Matt
#10
Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:31pm
Sat right next to a fellow board member all the way through! Haha! I remember you laughed really loudly at one point (it was the bit about him taking Gustave if she didn't sing) and I was thinking exactly the same thing! So funny and a bit cringey!
Blatez should of said hello. Oh well lol, glad you enjoyed.
Dear old friends is still in!
Blatez should of said hello. Oh well lol, glad you enjoyed.
Dear old friends is still in!
Updated On: 11/29/10 at 07:31 PM
#11
Posted: 11/29/10 at 7:38pm
sorry i missed dear old friends off!...it remains my fave! sitting next to a bord member and i never knew!!! tho how coincidental!!!
And yes thats the part...it was the phantom melody on trombone that finised me off!!!
And yes thats the part...it was the phantom melody on trombone that finised me off!!!
The Artist Formally Known As 'Anon2'
#12
Posted: 11/29/10 at 11:51pm
l've never seen the show, so can only comment superficially, but isn't Devil Take the Hindmost just an AWFUL title for a song?
"I will join this conversation on the proviso that we stop bitching about people. Wigs, dresses, bust sizes, penises, nightclubs and bloody Kylie!" - Bernadette, Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical
#13
Posted: 11/30/10 at 2:18am
No devil take the hindmost is probs my second fave song in the show!
No Doubt Our Paths Will Cross Again ! Matt
#15
Posted: 11/30/10 at 3:37am
Haven't seen the changes and won't - once was more than enough - but the new ending actually sounds as if it's worse. Raoul is brought on stage to see his wife die and his child reject him??? He may be a drunk and a cad but he doesn't deserve that.
Faced with these Loreleis, what man can moralize!
#16
Posted: 11/30/10 at 4:20am
Ah, but Gustave isn't really his son, so it's fine!
Still not seen this yet...
Still not seen this yet...
#17
Posted: 11/30/10 at 4:45am
Thanks for the info.
Does "Til I hear you sing" get the same reaction so early on?
Think I'll have to go take another look.
Does "Til I hear you sing" get the same reaction so early on?
Think I'll have to go take another look.
#18
Posted: 11/30/10 at 7:08am
l didn't say the song was bad, just the title!
"I will join this conversation on the proviso that we stop bitching about people. Wigs, dresses, bust sizes, penises, nightclubs and bloody Kylie!" - Bernadette, Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical
#19
Posted: 11/30/10 at 8:22am
The ending sounds worse than the original
Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna
#20
Posted: 11/30/10 at 8:23am
Part of me is intrigued by what I read here and I would be slightly interested in going to see the show again to check out the changes. But I detested the score so much I just couldn't sit through it again - and certainly can't afford to spend £50 plus to see something I'm 99% certain I will hate even with the changes.
I'm also intrigued to read how some boaRd members' tastes and opinions are so different to mine lol. I honestly think Devil Takes The Hindmost is one of the most dreadful songs I've ever heard in my life - SO boring and predictable musically and the lyrics are beyond abysmal (just full of puerile and incredibly forced rhymes).
But I'm sure other board members probably hate some songs I absolutely love - so it will balance out lol.
I'm also intrigued to read how some boaRd members' tastes and opinions are so different to mine lol. I honestly think Devil Takes The Hindmost is one of the most dreadful songs I've ever heard in my life - SO boring and predictable musically and the lyrics are beyond abysmal (just full of puerile and incredibly forced rhymes).
But I'm sure other board members probably hate some songs I absolutely love - so it will balance out lol.
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
Updated On: 11/30/10 at 08:23 AM
#21
Posted: 11/30/10 at 10:16am
I never liked Devil Take etc either. But it sounds interesting. I hope people take to it as I quite like it and far prefer to Phantom...
#22
Posted: 11/30/10 at 12:53pm
Will this be re-reviewed by the critics soon?
#23
Posted: 11/30/10 at 3:03pm
Is Gustave still the Phantom's son? Cause Christine, the night before her wedding, going down in the sewers to screw the murderer who almost killed her fiance is the starting point of complete ****e this show is based on.
#24
Posted: 12/1/10 at 7:42am
Well, to be fair, they never said it happened in the sewers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27199361@N08/ Phantom at the Royal Empire Theatre
#25
Posted: 12/1/10 at 7:56am
Ah, the virtuous Christine turns out to be a bit of a slapper. The plot twists and turns like an Eastenders' Christmas special.
I saw the show a few weeks after opening and I was not at all impressed with its staging.
Going to give it another go in January because I really love the score and Ramin and Sierra are very impressive performers.
I saw the show a few weeks after opening and I was not at all impressed with its staging.
Going to give it another go in January because I really love the score and Ramin and Sierra are very impressive performers.
Updated On: 12/1/10 at 07:56 AM
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