Sunday, September 9, 2012

Love Never Dies, but Continuity Sure Does

A few years ago, it was announced Andrew Lloyd Webber was going forward with a sequel to his megahit “The Phantom of the Opera.” The theater community was…intrigued, yet cautious. It had been so long and the show was (is) so beloved. Also, Andrew Lloyd Webber hasn’t really had a hit on Broadway since Phantom opened. “The Woman in White” closed before the Tonys! So, we kept our ears open for news. And got a laugh when it was reported one of Webber’s cats deleted the score.

But it seemed Webber was serious about pushing forward with it. At a festival held on his estate, Webber debuted the first act. The reviews were positive though fans continued to remain cautious. Especially when it seemed Webber would follow the plot of Frederick Forsyth’s novel, “Phantom of Manhattan.” (It is a “sequel” to the book musical). Most shuddered when they considered that. But things pushed forward. Webber announced plans to debut the show simultaneously in London, New York and Hong Kong. As time grew closer, though, those plans were dropped for an opening only in London with plans for other productions to be determined.


The London production opened and the word coming out was not good. The story was confusing and contradictory to the original show. And changes were being made constantly. Theater bloggers dubbed the show “Paint Never Dries” due to these changes. Webber took a critical look at the show, maybe more so than he did while writing it due to his illness. He brought in friend and theater producer Bill Kenwright to help overhaul the production.

And these changes were implemented in the Australian production which opened before a Broadway transfer. There still doesn’t seem to be a Broadway production in the foreseeable future. But the Australian production garnered a bit more praise than the London production. A performance of this production was filmed and released for brief showings in movie theaters. I believe this is to drum up interest—both amongst the audience and investors—for a Broadway transfer. The production was released on DVD/Blu-Ray and this was a long-winded way of introducing my review. But the backstory, I felt, was necessary.

Warning: Spoilers may abound.

According to the notes prior to the show, the events of the original musical take place in 1895. The show has barely started and the continuity fairy has died. Most literature about the show states it takes place in the early 1880s. But then the narration claims the opera house was destroyed by fire. That’s…not in the original stage show. It is in the movie, though. Perhaps the timeline comes from there, you are thinking. Nope. The movie is set in 1871. So how does it make sense for the show to claim this year? Then it’s established it takes place 10 years after the original musical. Which means “Love Never Dies” takes place in 1905. According to “The Phantom of the Opera,” that’s when the prologue of the musical takes place. You know, where the opera house is in ruins and Raoul is old, confined to a wheelchair?

Once again, this is the first five minutes of the show. We’ve got a while, folks.

The first song is “Till I Hear You Sing.” This is the musical’s answer to “Music of the Night.” And it works. It is one of my favorite songs in the show. Scratch that. It IS my favorite song in the musical. The song conveys the Phantom’s longing and how much he’s missed Christine. It’s some of Webber’s best work to date.

From there, we learn what has been going on in the Phantom’s (Ben Lewis) life. With the help of the Girys, he escaped France and settled in Coney Island, New York. There he built up the boardwalk and a popular show, complete with freaks and with Meg Giry (Sharon Millerchip) as his star. She revels in her fame but longs for his attention, hoping she’ll catch it. Then news comes in that Christian Daae (Anna O’Byrne) is coming to perform for Oscar Hammerstein (grandfather to the famous lyricist). The Girys know he’ll go after her.

Christine arrives in New York with husband Raoul (Simon Gleeson) and son Gustave (Jack Lyall). Reporters and others flock to see her. In this scene, it is revealed that Raoul has gambled away most of his family’s money. And he’s an alcoholic. Meanwhile, Gustave wants to go to Coney Island and learn to swim. The de Chagnys go to their hotel and when Raoul is conveniently out of the room, the Phantom visits. Christine faints and when she comes to, she is angry. After all, she assumed he was dead. They talk, well, sing about their night of passion ten years ago.

Okay, time out. I was going to wait to address this after the recap but I can’t. It is difficult to think Christine willingly sought out the Phantom. Not even Phantom of Manhattan included this. For all the problems with Forsyth’s book, I admire the fact he left Gustave’s conception up in the air—was it consensual or not? This is clear it was consensual. And it makes no sense. This is the creators forgetting the original book and musical and following what the phans want: The Phantom and Christine together. He terrorized her. Tried to kill her. So why would she seek him out? And sleep with him?

Oh well, moving on. The Phantom pretty much blackmails Christine into singing for him by threatening to harm her son and she caves. The next day, she and Raoul run into the Girys and aren’t too thrilled to hear the news of Christine’s performance. And for who. Meanwhile, Gustave sneaks off and is taken to the Phantom. The two bond over their shared love of all things macabre. Except for his face. His screams send Christine running. She sends him back to the hotel and the Phantom confronts her, demanding to know if he’s Gustave’s father. He is and he tells Christine everything he has goes to the boy. Mme. Giry (Maria Mercedes) overhears this and is devastated.

And that’s just Act I! Let’s move on to Act II…

Raoul is in a bar, drowning his sorrows. Which are that his wife…loves…him? Anyway, he keeps ordering alcohol as Meg comes in after her morning swim. She sings about how she feels dirty and the water makes her clean, to establish Meg Has Issues. They bond over their Issues before the Phantom shows up. He makes a bet with Raoul. If Christine sings, she is the Phantom’s. If she doesn’t, she is Raoul’s. Notice who doesn’t get a say in this? So the competition is on. Who will win? Who will lose? And who will get a psychotic break?

Most of Act II is just the performances at Phantasmic. Including Christine’s grand aria. It ends with the discovery that Meg has taken Gustave and a confrontation follows. People who have read “Phantom of Manhattan” or spoilers online know what happens next.

So, how is Love Never Dies? It’s not bad. The music is gorgeous. “Till I Hear You Sing”? “Love Never Dies”? “Beauty Underneath”? “Coney Island Waltz”? All beautiful. The problem lies with the story. I don’t think a sequel was necessary. Yes, the Phantom disappeared at the end. But he had gotten his redemption. Christine kissed him and he let her go. Game over, everyone go home.

This? This is Webber pandering to those who yelled that Christine should end up with her stalker. This is giving into the fandom that’s vilified Raoul. Of course, I already dislike love triangles that only work because the hypotenuse is made to be a complete villain. Was there a way to do a sequel? Of course! I just don’t think this was the best way to do so. The fact there are about four writers credited with this may be partially to blame as well.

It is well acted and sung. Anna O’Byrne handles the title song well and conveys Christine’s fear—rather than love—for the Phantom. Unfortunately, this doesn’t jive well with the story, which wants you to think Erik and Christine are true love forever. Ben Lewis is great as the Phantom, commanding yet passionate, and Simon Gleeson does his best with an unforgiving role. But the true star of this is Ms. Millerchip, who plays Meg as a girl longing for attention and affection while haunted by her past.

Should you see it? If you’re a Phantom of the Opera fan—yes, go ahead. Or if you’re curious about it.

Bottom line: The music is beautiful. Too bad the story doesn’t match it’s quality.

3 comments:

Helen The Mad Hermit said...

Same here. Liked the music, hated the story.

It would have been far from ideal, but I think it would have been better if they didn't bring Christine in it at all and have Phantom end up with someone else. Would Meg work? Or just bring a new girl like in Hunchback sequel?

Not good, I know, but better than this.

Allie Brim said...

As I said, I don't think Phantom of the Opera needs a sequel. But it is possible to pair him with Meg and only include Christine as some phantom (ha!) preventing their romance.

My other idea was to have the Phantom come into Christine and Raoul's life, test her fidelity but in the end realize she is in love with Raoul and he leaves. I think he would either have to die at the end or perhaps have a relationship tease.

Unknown said...

I though Love Never Dies was wonderful, both in music and in story line. At the end of Phantom, you could see that Christin had feelings for the Phantom, no one can act that pashionett, but she choses Roule because she thinks that he's her true love, be as they had known eachother for many years. Personaly i didn't care who she chose, she oviously loves both of them,if Roule hadn't of changed, she most likely would have stayed with him. But as he did...