Love Never Dies tour

[imklepcyk]

Posted: 7/22/18 at 5:12pm

Gosh was I so disappointed, this really is the worst national tour I've seen. Saw it last night.

[njf1003]

Posted: 7/22/18 at 10:24pm

Is it the only National tour you've ever seen? 

It's not outstanding, but I've seen several worse.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/22/18 at 11:49pm

I didn't think it was great, but I did stay for the entire show, which is more than I can say for the Newsies tour. But yeah, there's been countless touring shows over the years worse than this one. If you think this is the worst, consider yourself extremely lucky.

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 7/24/18 at 10:54pm

I thought the tour set was beautiful to look at and the music astounding...however, the story is flawed and a tad boring.

[JPeterman]

Posted: 8/4/18 at 5:38pm

We just got out of the matinee in Dallas. We all thought the show was fantastic. The actors playing the Phantom and Christine both had PHENOMENAL voices. The boy playing Gustav was super cute. The music is gorgeous. It reminded me of Sunset Boulevard.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/4/18 at 6:56pm

It reminded you of Sunset Boulevard? That's an insult to the 8 melodies in Sunset Boulevard that get repeated over and over.

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 8/4/18 at 8:50pm

I’ve seen various incarnations of this live and filmed and I think there is a show there. I just think it needs some editing and restructuring.

‘Til I hear you sing at the top of the show is bizzare and personally I loved the mimicking of the original when it’s the Giry’s looking back.

I think the show suffers from whether it wants to be a spectacle or intimate and hasn’t found the balance the original found.

The story is the Giry’s and that just wasn’t developed enough. While I understand the juxtaposition of Daee the star vs Giry as a side show girl Giry’s songs didn’t work for me in the show.

I think having the child was the wrong idea there was too many sub-plots. It should be Christine coming back to get her man because she is unhappy and Meg not taking it well that Christine just slots back in.

Just my thoughts.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/4/18 at 10:26pm

CATSNYrevival said: "It reminded you of Sunset Boulevard? That's an insult to the 8 melodiesin Sunset Boulevard that get repeated over and over."

Though it still has more melodies than Phantom of the Opera.

 

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/6/18 at 1:14pm

Gizmo6 said: "Til I hear you sing at the top of the show is bizzare and personally I loved the mimicking of the original when it’s the Giry’s looking back."

I totally agree with this; it's like starting the original Phantom with "Music of the Night". I think the opening in the London production was much better.

Updated On: 8/6/18 at 01:14 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/6/18 at 2:25pm

Lot666 said: "I totally agree with this; it's like starting the original Phantom with "Music of the Night". I think the opening in the London production was much better."

I'd like to see how it would play without a prologue. Just have that brief opening prelude lead right into the "Cony Island Waltz" as it is performed now and put "'Till I Hear You Sing" back in its original spot. But, the easiest thing to do now is just stop fiddling with it. It's never going to be completely satisfying.

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 12:52pm

CATSNYrevival said: "I'd like to see how it would play without a prologue."

Did you see the original London prologue, with Giry out on the boardwalk at night? I thought it was breathtaking when it came to life.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 1:50pm

I did not see it. Just listened on the album.

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 2:56pm

CATSNYrevival said: "I did not see it. Just listened on the album."

It wasn't particularly striking to me when I first listened to the album, but seeing it was a very different experience.

Similar to the original Phantom prologue, it was a flash-forward scene that began in what was essentially black and white. The stage was completely bare and black, backed by a black curtain with only dim outlines of billboards created by small points of off-white light to suggest strings of light bulbs.

When Fleck appeared and urged Giry to "Remember how it was?", the orchestra began "The Coney Island Waltz" (the original, slow-building arrangement) and the billboards and posters on the boardwalk began to colorize, one by one. Various sideshow characters and carnival performers then stepped through the signs and onto the stage, each bowing to Giry, as the audience (similar to the original Phantom prologue) was transported back in time to the era of Phantasma. My favorite part was a projection of a carousel at stage left, which turned slowly as the horses leapt off and into the projected surf. It was surreal, ghostly, and gorgeous.

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 3:43pm

Lot666 said: "CATSNYrevival said: "I'd like to see how it would play without a prologue."

Did you see the original London prologue, with Giry out on the boardwalk at night? I thought it was breathtaking when it came to life."

I saw it. That was absolutely breathtaking as you say. They really could have expanded on that plot line. 

And that really worked with her ending Act One was stunning and chilling. 

I think back in the day with directors like Prince they steered Webber but nowadays he has to much control and he’s so populist and cannot stop chipping away at things. 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 8/8/18 at 4:03pm

The PRODUCTION is great. The cast is excellent and the show looks beautiful. The actual script and score are absolute trash. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 9:12am

IdinaBellFoster said: "The actual script and score are absolute trash."

The script, while not perfect, contains some good ideas, and the score is gorgeous.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 11:15am

Did you see the original London prologue, with Giry out on the boardwalk at night?

I did.  It was visually stunning and one of the best things about that production.  I also loved the sets for Christine's hotel room and the final performance stage.  I actually liked those designs more than the current designs.  And the original production really did make good use of the cyclorama screen (much more so than the overuse of them with Woman in White).  It was effective without feeling intrusive.

The actual script and score are absolute trash.

I'm not a fan of the book, but the score is mostly lovely.  The biggest offense is The Beauty Underneath.  Both versions of that particular number are garbage.  Forcing another "Phantom of the Opera" number into this show is transparently trite and unnecessary.

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 1:07pm

Adam Chris said: "I thought the tour set was beautiful to look at and the music astounding...however, the story is flawed and a tad boring."

Ditto. I thought the sets, costumes and actors were amazing but the book is just...not good.

[Lot666]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 8:27am

Mister Matt said: "I also loved the sets for Christine's hotel room and the final performance stage. I actually liked those designs more than the current designs."

I also liked the London hotel room set better, and I thought the final pier scene in London looked and felt more desolate and forlorn than in the touring production.

[chernjam]

Posted: 9/28/18 at 1:59am

So - any news at all about LND?  Continued US Tour (a year ago they were touting how it was a hit on the road?)   Ever coming to NYC?

[Lot666]

Posted: 9/28/18 at 9:50am

chernjam said: "So - any news at all about LND? Continued US Tour (a year ago they were touting how it was a hit on the road?) Ever coming to NYC?"

I'm dying for some word, but there hasn't been any. I follow several of the touring production cast members on social media, and while they all seem to truly love what they're doing and the audience response to it, none have even hinted at Broadway so far.

[RemlapLBC]

Posted: 9/28/18 at 2:35pm

Show has some major plot holes if you paired up against the original show.   However, it's not horrible like the OP implies.   Standing on it's own, it's a good, but not great show.   (Note I saw the US Tour at the Hollywood Pantages, I can't speak about original London show)  I'm glad I saw it, but would probably skip it if I came back thru Los Angeles.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 9/29/18 at 3:04pm

"The PRODUCTION is great. The cast is excellent and the show looks beautiful. The actual script and score are absolute trash. "

I almost totally agree, think the score was better than "trash", saw it in Charlotte NC. Actually won tickets in a contest which included dinner at nice restaurant in Charlotte.

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 9/29/18 at 3:43pm

I saw the tour.

I thought the sets were fine and the design was fine.  I thought the cast was serviceable.

I thought the material was laughably horrific.  

Material wise?  One of the worst national tours I've ever seen and one of the worst musicals I've ever seen.

 

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/3/18 at 8:55am

chernjam said: "So - any news at all about LND? Continued US Tour (a year ago they were touting how it was a hit on the road?) Ever coming to NYC?"

On Stage: Don’t call it a Phantom sequel, but…

Sean Thompson (Raoul): “We’ll be out for a little more than a year and close on December 2 in Austin, Texas. The producers are looking at Broadway. That’s no secret. They’re also looking at Asia and another National Tour. This tour has put the numbers up. I don’t think they expected it to do as well as it’s done."

Updated On: 10/3/18 at 08:55 AM