Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
leeinlondon
Leading Actor Joined: 5/22/03
#1Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/27/06 at 12:46pm
I am a bit of a phantom fan so was looking forward to a 90 minute (no breaks) documentary on BBC2 last night but any fan of theatre would be hooked by it.
They covered the whole show from inception after ALW saw The Phantom of the Opera by Ken Hill, casting, rehearsal, disaterous previews and opening talking to everyone concerned.
Amongst stuff I never knew included:
1) They sacked Hal Prince at one point because they were worried about his then recent failures and appointed Trevor Nunn to direct. Cameron was left to sack Prince in New York and as you can imagine after working on the show for six months Hal was not best pleased. Then when Les Miserabl opened to bad reviews they changed back. Prince was suprised they knew the story for the programme but the documentary makers said Cameron had told them about it so he gave his side on the sacking.
2) They had given the role of the Phantom to british rocker Steve Harley and for five months or more he worked on the songs and was asking why they didn't announce him. ALW said leave it to him to pick the right time and then Cameron, Prince and ALW decided he was not right and ALW suggested Michael Crawford who had the same singing teacher as Sarah Brightman. They paid Harley £20,000 hush money.
3) Cameron took Crawford out to lunch to tell him it was not his star vehicle and he had to accept that or he would be miserable in the show. Crawford stormed off and kicked a bollard outside the restarant in a fit of anger. There were many stories form all concerned about how difficult Crawford is to work with including stage hands who were regularly shouted at so loudly that everyone could hear it round the theatre. Everyone seemed to have fits of anger working on Phantom including ALW who tried to storm off carrying his score saying he was withdrawing it from the show in previews but it was too heavy for him to carry.
There were stories about the staging that they tried to make work and scenes that were cut... a very interesting show that included film of the original Sydmonton staging for the first time with Colm Wilkinson as Phantom..
Phantastic !!!!!
#2re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/27/06 at 12:48pmSome of that (I think) was mentioned on the two-disc set of the 2004 DVD movie release, including the Sydmonton footage. I had no idea about Trevor Nunn, though.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
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AshleyBrownFan123
Broadway Star Joined: 3/24/06
#2re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/27/06 at 1:09pmWill it air on BBC America, unlike HDYSAPLM?
Let us milk the cow that is theatre-Monica Trausch
leeinlondon
Leading Actor Joined: 5/22/03
#3re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/27/06 at 1:11pmI wouldn't be surprised if it was included on a DVD of the film or a taping of the live show in future.
#5re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/27/06 at 2:03pm
It's definitely not.
A whole lot more info here
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
leeinlondon
Leading Actor Joined: 5/22/03
#6re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/27/06 at 2:34pmNo it has not been seen before although confusingly it has the same title "Behind the mask" as a previous doc for the DVD.
Fosse76
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/05
#7re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/27/06 at 2:47pmA documentary with some of the freakiest people out there? Did they mention the psychotic woman who legally changed her name to Christine Daae?
phantomCA26
Understudy Joined: 5/6/05
#8re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/28/06 at 7:09pm
Did anyone tape the show? Would love a copy.
jasonyoung@dslextreme.com
#9re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/28/06 at 8:24pm
Ditto, I would really love to see this, if anyone has it.
I've been searching Youtube for clips or whatnot, but none of the searches I do (for anything, not just Phantom - even videos I know are posted) are showing anything that was added less than six days ago.
rockfenris2005
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#10re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/28/06 at 8:41pm
Hahahaha
was Michael Crawford an ego-tistical monster in this too? Ouch. Thank God they had Hal Prince and Mackintosh around to shut him up, they didn't have that on Vampires
*sigh*
Who can explain it, who can tell you why?
Fools give you reasons, wise men never try
-South Pacific
#11re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/28/06 at 10:10pmUgh, why do I not get any BBC channels? Damn Cablevison.
#12re: Truly amazing Phantom documentary on BBC...........
Posted: 12/28/06 at 10:36pmThey almost fired Hal Prince? Lucky they didn't. He kind of saved the show from being a total piece of ****. Folks, Merrily We Roll Along was a lot better than Frank Rich made it out to be.
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