Why I Will NEVER See Phantom on Broadway Again — Page 2

Its funny about the Cliffs Notes, my h.s. students have never even heard of them--seems all the kids today use sparknotes.com instead.

But anyway, I don't agree with the idea the technology in Phantom looks quaint today. Especially with the chandelier--everybody loves to be hyperbolic about how slow it falls, but come on do people really expect it to just free fall down to the stage? Duhhhhh.

And yes lots of the Vegas technology is cool. And let's say they did shut down the b-way Phantom to incorporate new technology. What could really get changed? The Majestic doesn't have acres of backstage area built specifically for Phantom like the Vegas theater does.

I'd say respect your elders and leave the 80's Phantom alone--perfect the way it is.

And another thing....I am really (selfishly) lookin forward to the day in the not-too-distant future when this board is full of people whining about why Wicked hasn't closed after 15 years, and how the technology is so totally early 2000's and the cast is tired and Gershwin is falling apart. Won't that be a nice change of pace? : )

And for all you Broadway Phantom haters......I leave you with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-LFBNbDzBs

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see, yeah, moving it out of the theater would involve touching so, yeah, um, please refer to my video if youre still confused.

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I saw the Broadway company years ago, and will never go back. Besides the auto-pilot cast, can the chandelier go any slower? Even the fire effects were awful. This was after I had seen it many times in San Francisco, which was amazing every time I saw it. Even the touring production is better than what I saw on Broadway. Can't wait for it to come back to town. I also saw it in Las Vegas when it first opened and loved it. Phantom is just an enjoyable piece of fluff. And sometimes that is exactly what I need.

Really? A wax audience...?

Hmm...anyway, I will not be checking out PHANTOM again either before it closes. Twice was more than enough for me...it's just not that good of a show. It's dated, it's overblown, the music is its best feature even though at times, it seems really hammy nowadays, the casts I've seen have both looked immeasurably bored, and it's just kind of a big mess.

From the non-existent bootleg footage I watched of the Original Cast, the show seemed to connect on a stronger level during the '80s for multiple reasons, and understandably so. But it's just a very 80s-gimmicky-dated show, in my opinion. My mom went to see it (for free) a few weeks ago and walked out during intermission, something she only did once before. She said it was literally near painful to sit through and almost funny because of how dated it was.

And by dated, I mean, the special effects, the kind-of "rock meets horror movie" sound of the score, the grandly ridiculous sets/costumes etc...