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Wednesday 8 September 2010

Theatre - Love Never Dies - Adelphi Theatre


Star rating – 5/10

Well I do love a good musical, and although I would not say that The Phantom of the Opera is one of my all time favourites, I did really enjoy its memorable score and dramatic special effects when I finally got round to seeing it a couple of years ago. So I didn’t go along now to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel, Love Never Dies, with tremendous trepidation, wondering if would desecrate a holy thing, as some of the more avid Phantom fans apparently have. And I do think that Lloyd Webber is tremendously talented at what he does, even though his recent forays into the world of the TV talent shows leave me stone cold.

The story has moved on 10 years since the previous murderous antics. The Phantom is now transformed into Mister Y, an amusement park owner in Coney Island. He seeks to get his beloved Christine to cross the Atlantic to sing for him one more time, and what do you know, she dutifully arrives, complete with her loser husband and 10 year old son in tow. The massive signpost is in the boy’s age – and the Phantom is totally moved when he finds out he has a son, as you would be.

The central plot device is whether or not Christine will agree to sing. It didn’t seem to me to be in much doubt really, and a good job too as the vocal performance given by Sierra Boggess in the central role is fantastic, particularly when singing the title song. Not one to be a party pooper, but that song aside, the plot is really wafer thin, and aside from some great musical numbers, the piece seems very contrived. It lacks the stunning special effects of the original, no crashing chandeliers here then. But credit also to Ramin Karimloo in the phantasmic role. So I had good night out with friends, but not a particularly moving or memorable musical Mr Lloyd Webber. You have done, and doubtless will again, do much better.

3 comments:

  1. Phantom Needs NO Sequel!
    Raoul becomes a drunken wife beater, Meg becomes a topless dancer who murders her best friend Christine, Christine sleeps around before her wedding night and bares Phantom's child, and Phantom moves from the majestic Paris Opera House in France to New York's Coney Island theme park. Webber's ludicrous sequel to Phantom - LOVE NEVER DIES - destroys the original story and characters created by Gaston Leroux.

    Theatre critics disliked the show giving it less than 3 stars, while many audience members are calling it 'Paint Never Dries'. Phantom Needs NO Sequel! LOVE SHOULD DIE!
    www.LoveShouldDie.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. "many audience members are calling it 'Paint Never Dries"

    And many are not.

    Critics didn't like POTO either.
    Form your own opinion.

    To the Poster: How is it can YOU critique LND if you haven't even seen it??? I'm puzzled.

    ReplyDelete
  3. To "loveshoulddie": PLEASE GET A LIFE!

    ReplyDelete