The "Phantom" Chandelier

[Oscar Jaffee]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 12:44pm

I'm one of probably five people who has never seen "The Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway. Is the chandelier effect as good as some people say, or is it a disappointment? Just curious.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 12:48pm

I found it pretty disappointing, especially when you can see a fat guy in a white shirt come out from behind the curtain to break its fall at the last minute.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 12:48pm

The first time I was amazed. The second time, not so much.

I guess for the time (1980s) it was spectacular. Nowadays, not so much.

Fat guy in a white shirt?

I think that was the chandelier.

Updated On: 5/6/05 at 12:48 PM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 12:55pm

I remember waiting for that moment when I first saw the show opening week in 1988 (I was familiar with the London cast recording) - and thinking that it descended so slowly that it would not have been frightening even if you were sitting directly underneath it. Friends who saw the show in London tell me that in that production it fell much more quickly.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 12:58pm

Watching it ascend during the overture is much more interesting than watching it descend.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 12:59pm

I think having the chandelier rise at the start of the overture to the ceiling really lessens the impact at the end of Act 1.

[ChristineDaae]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 1:00pm

The Chandelier is great. I took my little borther to see Phantom a couple months ago and when the chandelier crashes was his favorite part. I recommend you seeing Phantom! You'll love it.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 1:03pm

I agree with Thenardier. Its affect the first time you see the show is profound. But the more you go, the less surprising and climactic it seems. It also depends on where you sit in the theater. Dead center, a few rows back is perfect.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 1:04pm

Wicked, that is true of any special effect. The more you see it, the more you expect it and the less impact it will have. Same thing with Javert's suicide when he "jumps" from the bridge. The first time, it was amazing. After that, not so much.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 1:06pm

Very true, Baddadnpa.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 1:12pm

badd - I always love Javert's Suicide...different actors do it differently.

But you are right.

I think the first time I saw the chandelier I was like, ooo. But also, my friend hyped it up so much I thought it would be different.

I still think it would have been cool if the phantom swung on it by the mezz.

The Chandelier itself isn't that impressive. The one in the movie is obviously a lot nicer.

[OnTheAisle]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:03pm

I remember thinking it sort of "wafted" down from the ceiling - and I agree with baddadnpa that having it come up from the stage in the beginning diminishes the effect... I think the time dragon in Wicked is much more interesting, simply because when the show starts, you really don't have a clue that it can be active... (of course that's comparing effects in this century v. last century, but still...)

[morosco]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:07pm

It's a nice effect if you are sitting directly under it and you look straight up at the right moment. Otherwise it looks kind of silly.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:17pm

The first time I saw it I had no idea it was coming. It almost gave me a heart attack (in a good way). The next two times I still found it quite powerful.

[jynni]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:20pm

The chandelier going up during the Overture is just about one of the coolest things. Coming down, not so much - unless you happen to be sitting under it. The effect is lessened the more times you see the show.

I took my boyfriend to the tour a few years ago. He knew nothing about "Phantom". I wanted to ensure that he got the full experience so I got tickets on the center aisle, three rows back. That put us directly under the chandelier. When the thing finally came down he was ready to move out of the way (I'll admit - seeing come down on top of you - even if not at breakneck speed can make one a tad anxious - I was ready to move too). After it was over he said "I didn't think the thing was ever gonna stop". Needless to say, he found it impressive.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:23pm

I think the chandellier's assension is much more interesting than it's fall. I did sit in the front row in London though..and it was pretty frigtening both on the way up and the way down..and it seems to fall much faster when you're sitting right underneath it!

[morosco]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:23pm

I think the effect would be more exciting if it didn't start out on the stage floor at the beginning of the show and "float" up to the ceiling. I wish the first time the audience sees it move is when it falls at the end of Act I.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:27pm

I agree Morosco, but must say that the Phantom Overture sequence is (in my opinion) one of the most thrilling moments on Broadway right now.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:33pm

It looks rather fake nowadays. But the opening is incredible as it raises up above you and you are in like the 1rst row and u can almost touch it (my experiance) its awsome.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:33pm

I agree with a lot that was said. The first time I saw it I was in Row N on the left side and was pretty amazed. The second time was interesting--I was in row C on the right side so I was quite close to it but obviously being on the side not directly under it. Though it was less impressive, it was cool having to look up and being so close. And the people sitting under it looked terrified and covered their eyes and stuff, that was slightly amusing.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:43pm

I sat in the very front row center and it scared the %$*% out of me. The cast was on stage and, in that scene, they are taking their bows. All of a sudden, Christine's face had this look of horror and she pointed to the ceiling and WHOOM! here comes the chandelier over my head! It was pretty cool. I would recommend sitting further back because it wasn't until later that I found out that the lights blink and it shakes a bit, I guess, and you can watch it fall all the way. I thought it was a cool effect; I've never had a chandelier fall above my head!

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:47pm

OntheAisle, or anyone else...what does the time dragon do?
I haven't seen wicked... so I really don't know.

I'm not trying to thread jack....but it has caught my interest.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:56pm

I actually think the Phantom overture is very weak. They play it at a very quiet volume and it fails to give chills.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 2:59pm

Oh, when I saw the show, it was very loud and chilling. That organ gives me the heebie-jeebies every time.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/6/05 at 3:04pm

I saw the show when it opened and about 2 years ago because a friend was in it, and I thought the same thing, that the raising of it is much more effective than it crashing.