Who's going to see PHANTOM 25th in theaters today?- Page 3

[metropolis10111]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 8:52am

I think because of the time in getting things on and off stage, Its still there in the stage show but truly it is not needed for the plot. (Thank goodness they dropped it from Love Never Dies)

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 7:16pm

Overall, it's clear in this thread as to who's concerned with actual performance versus the tech geekery that's been introduced by the British mega musicals. While I never liked Phantom for the 'effects' that people got all wet over, I think this latest version worked well when you had that level of talent on stage, selling the living *hit out of the material.

They ALL made good choices as actors and vocalists. They made ALW's music sound better. For that, I could care less about the lack of falling lighting or why this or that prop wasn't used as per usual. Get over it folks. This is still musical theatre: Appreciate it for what it is at the very base of things... People telling story through song.




BN

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 7:50pm

SO TRUE. Why are Phans so picky?

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 8:34pm

Ben- You keep hitting the nail on the head!

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 8:51pm

Quick question... RUG is selling the live CD of the performance, the cheapest I've found so far, and I am wondering if CDs have specific regions like a DVD would. I won't buy the DVD from them which will probably be Region 2, but wanted to know about the CD. PLUS it is being released sooner than it would here in the US. Also, I hope the entire show is featured, since it has 2 discs.

http://shop.reallyuseful.com/Store/DII-8878-the+phantom+of+the+opera+25th+anniversary+concert+albu.html

Another quick question, which recording of PHANTOM do you listen to the most?
Updated On: 10/3/11 at 08:51 PM

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 9:09pm

I thought it was great.

It was my first time experiencing a live event in a cinema, and it was a little odd hearing the applause at the Albert Hall and mostly silence from the crowd (full house) that I was sitting with. Applause moments for us were after Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, after which some people got quite animated, with the man behind me louding proclaiming "stunning!".

There must've been some Colm Wilkinson fans there too, 'cos he got a ripple of applause and a few exited squeals.

Updated On: 10/3/11 at 09:09 PM

[erinmackeyfan]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 11:03pm

jacobsnchz14-CDs don't have region codes like DVDs do. Which I'm glad for because a lot of the singers I am fans of (Kylie Minogue, Cheryl Cole, etc.) only release their music in the UK. So it doesn't matter where a cd is released.

With DVDs, some brands or types of DVD players can come Region-Free or can play different regions of DVDs. Owner manuals usually tell you what the player can and cannot play. For me, I pre-ordered the UK release of the concert because I'm really lucky that 4 out of 4 of the DVD players in my house play DVDs from the UK.

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 10/3/11 at 11:15pm

Thanks! I'll try to order the CD through RUG, then. Price is not so bad. :)

[canmark]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 12:16am

@Jay Lerner-Z, Colm Wilkinson got applause in Toronto (where I saw the show) likely because he was the original Toronto Phantom (and I think he continues to live in Toronto).

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Terrific show. I was expecting more of a concert-type performance (like Les Miz), but it was a full staging (minus the Hannibal elephant!).

I haven't seen Phantom in ages (since the Toronto production closed), but it seemed like an old friend--those costumes, the production design, it all brings back memories.

Sierra Bogess and Hadley Frazer were fine as Christine and Raoul.

But, my god, Ramin Karimloo was amazing as the Phantom. I was in tears on more than one occasion. Stunning, touching performance. I was very moved.

Updated On: 10/4/11 at 12:16 AM

[EvanK]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 2:32am

Just got back from seeing the show in Vancouver. Absolutely incredible.

Sierra's voice was simply amazing, beautiful performance..

Ramin BLEW ME AWAY. Seriously. I was practically in tears at the end. He was just simply insane..

I have never had the chance to see the show, I just knew the music, but I loved it. It was simply magificent.

I took my friend who does not know musicals, didn't know the show, she was so happy. She screamed when she left the theatre. On such a high right npw!

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 3:32am

It was a great celebration of a fantastic musical, with (for me) the strongest performances from Hadley, Liz, Wendy, Wynne Evans, Barry James and Gareth Snook.

Sierra was nice but she IS too old and her singing can occasionally be a little sharp (not to mention her odd vowel shapes!) - I don't find her believable as an opera singer. I did, however, enjoy the majority of her performance.

My biggest issue was with Karimloo. I maintain he is still too young, he lacks vocal and physical presence and he simply didn't sing the score accurately. His positioning of the voice is very odd, which leads to a constant sharp tone, not to mention the fact that he shouted/spoke more than he sang. The other performers I mentioned got the right balance of acting and singing (i.e their singing was accurate) without completely abandoning the score.

And then, of course, John Owen Jones came on at the end and showed them how it's done...why he wasn't offered the role in the concert is beyond me, but THAT'S how the role should be played.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 9:55am

John Owen-Jones is, in my life, the greatest I have ever seen in that role. But, even beyond Phantom, his performance in the role was one of the best I have ever seen in anything...ever. Here is why:

Firstly, he goes to an extraordinarily ugly place as the Phantom. It is so terrifying to watch him in that Final Lair sequence that it can't help but make one uncomfortable or emotional (depending on the person). He is often labeled as overacting, which I disagree with...he is totally truthful in his devastation, and I think sometimes audiences get frustrated with messy, rather than embracing the ugly truth.

Secondly, his vocal control with both speech and singing is outstanding. This man can SCREAM and then sing soaring notes the next moment 8-times-a-week. But he lives truthfully within it, and it's just stellar. Even if you've seen Phantom a ton (or haven't), if you're interested in just seeing really titanic work on stage, see the show for him, if for nothing else.

I am seriously going to rave about his work for years to come. It was mind blowing.

Updated On: 10/4/11 at 09:55 AM

[metropolis10111]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 11:07am

LizzieCurry Phans of Phantom are NOTHING compared to Follie-files. I remember the first post on the transfer to broadway I think on ATC was that Peters's dress was different and someone now carries a handbag to the party and several people got into a discussion over how that changed the character . I just about peed myself laughing over that
Updated On: 10/4/11 at 11:07 AM

[zepka102]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 8:26pm

Wait, Sierra is too old for Christine? Isn't she one of the youngest to play the part lately?

[bryan]

Posted: 10/4/11 at 11:55pm

no but i think that this show should colesd because 25 years good greif.

[phantomvegas2]

Posted: 10/5/11 at 9:19am

http://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Opera-Royal-Albert-Hall/dp/B005SFR7YE/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1317820621&sr=8-10

Now for pre-order on Amazon.

Never witnessed such beauty. Will definitely be purchasing DVD and CD.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/5/11 at 11:37pm

I saw this tonight and really enjoyed myself. I thought Sierra was fantastic and sounded just gorgeous in the role and I also thought the staging and projections worked very well. The only thing that did make us laugh was when Ramin "lit" the electronic candle at the end and you saw him flip the switch.

After the performance, when Webber came out I decided that he is in fact, the creepiest human being ever born. He looked like Gollum looking at "his precious" and Brightman's face was PRICELESS when he tried to touch her and she just wanted nothing to do with it. As for Colm, he got a huge round of applause tonight as well.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 12:29am

It's sh*t that the US has to wait until February. You'd think the other country with the longest run would get the DVD during the first release. Or at least soon after...

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 12:31am

I think it's stupid not to release day and date all over the world since only a few hours after the first person gets ahold of it, anyone anywhere will be able to download it.

[Little-Lotte]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 5:50am

Got to see some clips on the tube before they were taken down and it really was a beautiful production with some wonderful performances. I do agree Ramin is too young, however he is very good. I can't wait to see him return to the role 10-15 years from now, he'd be incredible. My favorite, and very first, Phantom is Hugh Panaro so it's nearly impossible for anyone to top him. Though I LOVE John Owen Jones and was kind of shocked that he wasn't offered the part too. If I'm not mistaken he's played the role the longest of any actor on the West End, I could be wrong though. But Ramin and Sierra are ALW's golden couple of the moment, so I can understand why they were given the roles.

Sierra is a wonderful Christine and there's no way she is too old. The girl is only 29! There are women playing the role well into their late 30s and sometimes early 40s.

I actually really enjoyed the AIAOY reprise after the Final Lair. While I don't really agree with the sequel of the show, the whole second kiss and returning of the ring signify characteristically that there was a part of Christine that wanted to stay. Granted some Christine's haul ass out of there as soon as they can but others do linger. And I remember during Hugh Panaro's first final performance, Sandra Joseph actually kissed the ring before she handed it to him, granted of course there was more going on there than just the show but still. There's many ways that exit can be played and I really enjoyed how it was done in the concert.

Can't wait to pick this up on DVD/CD!!

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 12:51pm

Will the DVD be a mish-mash of all three performances or the actual performance that was beamed live?

And why in the promotional artwork do they use a two-eyed mask?

Updated On: 10/6/11 at 12:51 PM

[Wildcard]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 1:33pm

Saw the screening last night and loved the show. Based on the screening, it came out that Christine was truly the star of the show and deserved the final bow. Sierra sang and acted the role beautifully. "Wishing You Were…" was truly a highlight. Hadley gave us a Raoul that actually had balls. He portrayed Raoul in such a way that I can tell he was aristocratic, has pride yet still likable. It makes it easier to believe where the character heads in LND. I also loved the characterization of La Carlotta. She seemed very much helpless and a victim of the Phantom much like everyone else. As for Ramin's Phantom, I thought he was a bit whiny in the first act though his acting decisions in the second act, especially the Final Confrontation was remarkable. I have seen this show over 15 times and I still managed to tear up a little bit with his performance. Finally, I liked how Christine said goodbye to the Phantom. She was truly pained. After all, she had been with the Phantom longer than she had been with Raoul.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 2:31pm

"And why in the promotional artwork do they use a two-eyed mask?"

Just the way it's always been! :)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 2:39pm

Watching this last night, I realized it was the first time PHANTOM has ever made me cry at the end.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/6/11 at 4:51pm

"And why in the promotional artwork do they use a two-eyed mask?"

Harold Prince explained on one of the dvd extras for the movie that he thought the full mask would be difficult for the actor to play behind, so the solution was to make it a half mask vertically instead of horizontally. The solution came after the artwork had been finalized and it was decided at some point not to change it.