Phantom of the Opera Tour Question

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 1:28am

I saw the show tonight here in Birmingham, AL. While I thought physically it was beauitful, and the actors could sing really well, but has it always been horribly overacted? Just some moments were hilarious, and the guy playing Raol just overacted everything. But to give him some credit, at the curtain call he was the same way, so maybe that's just his personality.

[BrianS]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 1:42am

No, it shouldn't be overacted. When the actors are really in it, that show overcomes a lot of it's flaws and is really moving as anyone who saw Lisa Vroman play Christine can tell you. Did you see John Cudia as the Phantom? Because I was very impressed with his Phantom when I saw it.

Overacting isn't always bad. Depends on the tone of the show. Edna in Hairspray wouldn't work any other way... though maybe that's more being self-aware than overacting.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 1:55am

It just depends on the cast you see and your opinion. It wouldn't be fair to say it's always overacted. The show is a bit of a melodrama, though, so it does sort of call for some big cardboard cut out characterizations. Raul and Carlota are most guilty of this.

[JulianHookbucks]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 9:53am

When I saw it in Syracuse a few weeks ago... Sarah Lawrence played Christine... she was the most real Christine I've seen... and the most beautifully sung I've ever heard... considering I've only seen Willis on Broadway (who was miscast in my opinion), seen the movie, and heard countless others... but... she played the character so well, with mostly small nuances... and really made it her own... which is impressive for an understudy. But she didn't overact... and it made the character come across beautifully. The phantom always seems to be... not overacted... but... bigger than it should be... I don't know if it's trying to get past the makeup... or the direction, the stipulations of the role, like they are told to make it huge by the stage manager at their put in rehearsals... or... what... but... it usually comes across as a caricature whenever I've seen it... I'd like to see someone try the Phantom smaller and nuanced, and see what happens. :)

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/16/07 at 9:59am

I saw Sarah Lawerence as well, and I agree with everything you said. She sang the role beautifully. However, we had a Phantom u/s. He seemed to be way too old for the role, and he seemed to be using a weird character voice. He also did some really strange things with the role, but then again he was an u/s so I can't really expect him to be perfect, I guess. I'm excited to see John Cudia in the role. But the overacting I was referring to was mostly Raul. He just seemed to be acting in a different play. Even at the curtain call he seemed to puff his chest out and "pop and lock" every movement.