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Post by scarpia on Sept 20, 2022 16:21:46 GMT
Agreed he grew into the role. He was rather wobbly I thought back in the standby days but then he made the role his own. I was quite astonished by the transformation after he became principal and then discovered that next to me in the front row, his father was sitting there...which might explain Carpenter putting all he had into it on that particular night.
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Post by inthenose on Sept 20, 2022 17:37:28 GMT
Agreed he grew into the role. He was rather wobbly I thought back in the standby days but then he made the role his own. I was quite astonished by the transformation after he became principal and then discovered that next to me in the front row, his father was sitting there...which might explain Carpenter putting all he had into it on that particular night. I once sat next to Earl’s (now ex, I believe) wife at one show (the wonderful Becky). I’ve also met his Dad! Weird! Earl has had personal knocks from people I know (who worked with him nightly) for coming across a bit above it - Earl has a lot of other interests outside of performing, and isn’t short of money. He phoned in one night I saw at Evita on tour. Looked really bored, wasn’t great in the role. Mark Heenehan (who covered Perón in the 2006 Grandage Evita) was hugely superior. I never saw Earl give a flat show as The Phantom though. He improved tremendously and wasn’t even close to bad to start to with. I’d rather see Earl on a bad night than any of the last handful of Phantom’s I’ve seen - they keep trading down. |
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Post by max on Sept 20, 2022 21:32:53 GMT
Tim Howar, although I don't think he's currently a Phantom anywhere. He was Phantom in the West End back in 2018 I think? I don’t remember him? I think this may spell bad news for Phantom in London. Let’s hope not. I guess this could be a further twist to this saga - if Phantom in London endures because the running costs were brought down, in a way Broadway's weren't. It certainly means London will soon be indisputably the closest to The Brilliant Original - lol! Would be great to see them really invest in some daring and interesting casting to make it more of a talking point here. Les Mis seems to be kept more current and in the public eye. But I expect there's more on this in the International thread, so I'll take a look. |
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Post by inthenose on Sept 21, 2022 1:03:31 GMT
I don’t remember him? I think this may spell bad news for Phantom in London. Let’s hope not. I guess this could be a further twist to this saga - if Phantom in London endures because the running costs were brought down, in a way Broadway's weren't. It certainly means London will soon be indisputably the closest to The Brilliant Original - lol! Would be great to see them really invest in some daring and interesting casting to make it more of a talking point here. Les Mis seems to be kept more current and in the public eye. But I expect there's more on this in the International thread, so I'll take a look. With the casting I think they tried. Lucy St. Louis was cast, an Asian Carlotta… there was a reason both of these things happened (finally!!). It turned out they weren’t great shakes, but then the show is all about “him” (despite only being on stage under 40 minutes per show). They keep screwing up the casting. With a world class cast I’d be more inclined to be kinder to a budget production - but they just can’t/won’t deliver. I feel bad for the current Phantom, being pushed way beyond his level of ability. It must feel like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. |
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Sept 21, 2022 6:32:16 GMT
I don’t remember him? I think this may spell bad news for Phantom in London. Let’s hope not. IIt certainly means London will soon be indisputably the closest to The Brilliant Original - lol! That should be on the new posters! |
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Post by og on Sept 21, 2022 8:54:49 GMT
I don’t remember him? I think this may spell bad news for Phantom in London. Let’s hope not. I guess this could be a further twist to this saga - if Phantom in London endures because the running costs were brought down, in a way Broadway's weren't. It certainly means London will soon be indisputably the closest to The Brilliant Original - lol! Would be great to see them really invest in some daring and interesting casting to make it more of a talking point here. Les Mis seems to be kept more current and in the public eye. But I expect there's more on this in the International thread, so I'll take a look. Fairly sure the Japanese production is an original replica. The world tour edition that was doing the rounds pre-covid 2019 in Manilla and Singapore was original and the creative team involved in the world tour are working on the Mandarin Production to open 2023, so it's quite possible that set may end up in China next year. Which would be quite ironic, China getting the original production and London housing the knock-off. |
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Post by scarpia on Sept 21, 2022 10:06:19 GMT
I guess this could be a further twist to this saga - if Phantom in London endures because the running costs were brought down, in a way Broadway's weren't. It certainly means London will soon be indisputably the closest to The Brilliant Original - lol! Would be great to see them really invest in some daring and interesting casting to make it more of a talking point here. Les Mis seems to be kept more current and in the public eye. But I expect there's more on this in the International thread, so I'll take a look. Fairly sure the Japanese production is an original replica. The world tour edition that was doing the rounds pre-covid 2019 in Manilla and Singapore was original and the creative team involved in the world tour are working on the Mandarin Production to open 2023, so it's quite possible that set may end up in China next year. Which would be quite ironic, China getting the original production and London housing the knock-off. Yes, Japan is still the original production, complete with the original designs. The World Tour edition is not quite the original as there were some cutbacks...notably a very strange-looking 'half' chandelier and a missing chunk of the proscenium that housed the Angel (which instead put on the stage). The statues on the sides on the proscenium also went AWOL. |
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Post by SuttonPeron on Sept 21, 2022 11:37:27 GMT
I do have a feeling RUG will replace Hal Prince´s associates who directed Japan and the World Tour with Sklar-Heyn, "for consistency´s sake" or whatever.
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Post by distantcousin on Sept 22, 2022 10:53:56 GMT
Agreed he grew into the role. He was rather wobbly I thought back in the standby days but then he made the role his own. I was quite astonished by the transformation after he became principal and then discovered that next to me in the front row, his father was sitting there...which might explain Carpenter putting all he had into it on that particular night. I once sat next to Earl’s (now ex, I believe) wife at one show (the wonderful Becky). I’ve also met his Dad! Weird! Earl has had personal knocks from people I know (who worked with him nightly) for coming across a bit above it - Earl has a lot of other interests outside of performing, and isn’t short of money. He phoned in one night I saw at Evita on tour. Looked really bored, wasn’t great in the role. Mark Heenehan (who covered Perón in the 2006 Grandage Evita) was hugely superior. I never saw Earl give a flat show as The Phantom though. He improved tremendously and wasn’t even close to bad to start to with. I’d rather see Earl on a bad night than any of the last handful of Phantom’s I’ve seen - they keep trading down. Also, there were a lot of rumours around the Sunset Boulevard first UK tour, all those years ago. He didn't finish the run and I'm sure I heard that there was conflict with Faith Brown.... |
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Post by inthenose on Sept 22, 2022 11:37:28 GMT
I once sat next to Earl’s (now ex, I believe) wife at one show (the wonderful Becky). I’ve also met his Dad! Weird! Earl has had personal knocks from people I know (who worked with him nightly) for coming across a bit above it - Earl has a lot of other interests outside of performing, and isn’t short of money. He phoned in one night I saw at Evita on tour. Looked really bored, wasn’t great in the role. Mark Heenehan (who covered Perón in the 2006 Grandage Evita) was hugely superior. I never saw Earl give a flat show as The Phantom though. He improved tremendously and wasn’t even close to bad to start to with. I’d rather see Earl on a bad night than any of the last handful of Phantom’s I’ve seen - they keep trading down. Also, there were a lot of rumours around the Sunset Boulevard first UK tour, all those years ago. He didn't finish the run and I'm sure I heard that there was conflict with Faith Brown.... Faith was very close to Norma, if you get me, so I’m not sure how much Earl is to blame for this one! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2022 17:35:43 GMT
I honestly don't see anything wrong with Killian Donnelly and Lucy St Louis and find the criticism of them here rather unfair.
Is Killian the best Phantom I have ever seen? No, possibly not. Is he much better than many from the last 15 years? Oh yes, absolutely. He has a strong voice, and ok whilst perhaps not the most dynamic is very much a "safe pair of hands." And I think that is exactly what this show needed emerging from the coronavirus disaster-scape!
LSL again, not the vocally strongest Christine I have seen, but I think has a very sweet quality to her voice. I also find her a very charming Christine and has a sweetness, subtlety and vulnerability that makes her deserving of this role. She's also so delightful in interviews and publicity - every bit the leading lady!
They are also both consummate professionals. Reliable, hard working, giving of their time at stage door (but without the madness and frankly very odd antics that happens at some stage doors these days). Positive, humble people, who lead a company brilliantly. Well of course you may say, what relevance is that to what the good paying British public see on stage? But I would say these things do translate my Dears. Happy companies give the best shows, they really do!
Anyway, not really sure where I am going with this other than putting across that IMHO they are deserving of their roles and putting in great performances. And I don't really understand where the negativity comes from (other than, interestingly, from many people who don't actually seem to have gone to see them.....)
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Post by steve10086 on Sept 22, 2022 18:16:16 GMT
I get where the negativity about Killian comes from. He’s awful. Maybe there have been worse Phantoms, but that’s not the point. He’s totally unsuited to the role.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 22, 2022 18:28:55 GMT
I don’t think he is as good as Phantom as he was as JVJ (and I thought he was fantastic in Les Mis) but I don’t agree with “awful”. Why is he unsuited? Isn’t that what they said about Michael Crawford?
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Post by scarpia on Sept 22, 2022 18:46:50 GMT
I honestly don't see anything wrong with Killian Donnelly and Lucy St Louis and find the criticism of them here rather unfair. [...] LSL again, not the vocally strongest Christine I have seen, but I think has a very sweet quality to her voice. I also find her a very charming Christine and has a sweetness, subtlety and vulnerability that makes her deserving of this role. She's also so delightful in interviews and publicity - every bit the leading lady! [....] And I don't really understand where the negativity comes from (other than, interestingly, from many people who don't actually seem to have gone to see them.....) From reading the thread it looks like everyone criticising Killian has gone to see him. I haven't seen LSL and am indifferent to her as a performer from the clips (other than in the released title track where she sounds bad), but I don't find her delightful in publicity interviews. Not only did she keep repeatedly peddling the 'bigger and better' thing, which I thought was cruel and insensitive given the job losses and the decimation of the orchestra, but she also outright lied in that interview to the Guardian where she says what an achievement it is to sing on the travelator and then hit a high E in the title song...when the whole thing is pre-rec. |
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Post by scarpia on Sept 22, 2022 18:48:55 GMT
I don’t think he is as good as Phantom as he was as JVJ (and I thought he was fantastic in Les Mis) but I don’t agree with “awful”. Why is he unsuited? Isn’t that what they said about Michael Crawford? Did anyone say that about Crawford after seeing him in the role? |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2022 18:51:10 GMT
I don’t think he is as good as Phantom as he was as JVJ (and I thought he was fantastic in Les Mis) but I don’t agree with “awful”. Why is he unsuited? Isn’t that what they said about Michael Crawford? Yes I agree, he's a brilliant JVJ. And like I said, not the best ever Phantom. But a very good one. He has a strong powerful voice, accurate in pitch and classic MT really, you know. And his acting works for me personally. I don't get "unsuited." The nightly audience in Her/His Majesty's find him rather "suited" one could say! Just opinions really. Preferences if you will. Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto..... |
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Post by sukhavati on Sept 27, 2022 0:40:00 GMT
I don’t think he is as good as Phantom as he was as JVJ (and I thought he was fantastic in Les Mis) but I don’t agree with “awful”. Why is he unsuited? Isn’t that what they said about Michael Crawford? Did anyone say that about Crawford after seeing him in the role? I think Crawford was lumbered with the Frank Spencer character at the time he took the role. He did a lot of physically dangerous stuntwork in "Barnum," but I think the theatre going public simply expected it thanks to "Some Mothers." That was still light musical comedy. The tragic Phantom character was a 180 from his typecasting, and I honestly can't think of anyone who actually saw him live as the Phantom who claimed he was unsuited. He was brilliant in the role, definitely worlds apart from Frank Spencer. |
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Post by inthenose on Sept 29, 2022 19:26:33 GMT
Will this last long enough for Jaden to even debut? Anyone know when Killian leaves?
Worrying times right now at HM’s.
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Post by og on Sept 29, 2022 20:50:03 GMT
£165 for centre stalls, even on a Monday/Tuesday, erg. Fan of the show but it deserves to close at these prices.
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Post by sukhavati on Sept 30, 2022 8:15:31 GMT
£165 for centre stalls, even on a Monday/Tuesday, erg. Fan of the show but it deserves to close at these prices. For £165 I'd expect a full orchestra and all the moving candelabras plus the original "kritzy kritzy" costumes. And the angel. |
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Post by og on Sept 30, 2022 8:34:42 GMT
£165 for centre stalls, even on a Monday/Tuesday, erg. Fan of the show but it deserves to close at these prices. For £165 I'd expect a full orchestra and all the moving candelabras plus the original "kritzy kritzy" costumes. And the angel. For £165 I'd expect Andrew Lloyd Webber sat next to me giving a commentary on the production's history, development and scene-by-scene musical analysis. |
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Post by Dr Tom on Sept 30, 2022 8:38:57 GMT
Go for the £30 day seats, released online at 10am each day. They are often in the prime areas.
I don't blame any production for attempting to sell seats at a higher price point first (to the people who can afford to pay, or just have to be seen in the top priced seats), but they're hardly ever going to sell out at those prices.
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Post by scarpia on Sept 30, 2022 21:40:57 GMT
For £165 I'd expect a full orchestra and all the moving candelabras plus the original "kritzy kritzy" costumes. And the angel. For £165 I'd expect Andrew Lloyd Webber sat next to me giving a commentary on the production's history, development and scene-by-scene musical analysis. I'd probably pay that amount to keep him out of sight. |
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Post by sukhavati on Oct 4, 2022 3:56:19 GMT
For £165 I'd expect Andrew Lloyd Webber sat next to me giving a commentary on the production's history, development and scene-by-scene musical analysis. I'd probably pay that amount to keep him out of sight. That's it - pay Cammack and ALW to NOT interfere with the original production. Kind of like what used to be called "greenmail" in bad business deals... |
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Post by kyvai on Oct 4, 2022 5:58:15 GMT
There are £30 day seats direct and it’s on TKTS every day for £40/£50. No one needs to pay £165 if you don’t want to.
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