The Phantom of the Opera - His Majesty's Theatre

I guess you make a good point.


If they were planning to scrap the original, they would have made a statement by now wouldn't they? With Les Mis, they announced that the original production was going to close in Jan/Feb last year and be replaced by the newer one, as the original was still running. Surely if they were planning to do the same to Phantom, it would have been announced months ago wouldn't it? 

I'm fine with doing some maintenance/refurb work on the sets, but what worries me is if they sacrifice any big and spectacular moments, like the chandelier coming down or making the sets smaller. For many of us, we just find it hard to trust Cameron Mackintosh whenever something comes up like what's been going on recently.  

You may joke but some of the smaller props have been remade quite often along the run, stuff like the Hannibal skulls etc. I read once that someone passing by saw them leaving some replaced props out for waste disposal and asked if he could take them, they said yes.
Thats one reason I'd be tempted to linger around rn.

Also, if a lot of the work to the theatre is to rip out the old machinery and fit new kit in its place, surely the Phantom set as it was would just get in the way?

Even if (and assuming that) everything will go back after, it's probably far safer/quicker to strike it and then put back in rather than have people working around it. You never know, parts of the set may well be getting refurbished (or rebuilt) elsewhere during this period too.

Indeed; for the recent tour, the producers even tried to give reassurance that the chandelier would "rise" but in fact was never on the stage to begin with in the auction scene. The worry is that they'll move the recent tour sets (which are smaller and less opulent than the originals) into the home of the original production. 

RUG and CML have got to be aware of all the commentary online over this, so why don't they just give reassurance in a statement rather than leaving this all unsaid? ALW's tweet didn't help matters as it suggested it's possible the show won't return in its original format.

I know posters on here sometimes say the show is dated, but I don't think people are against genuine improvements. The issue is that nothing Cameron has done for this show in recent years has constituted any kind of improvement; rather, it has been a cheapening. An improvement might be implementing some of the stuff that was in the Vegas production, which Hal Prince oversaw (I mean set-wise rather than cutting the material, though I didn't necessarily think everything in that production was an improvement).



The Broadway production regularly sells its old used notes and even beads from the chandelier in the Broadway Flea Market. I was really disappointed with what the first West End Flea Market was offering (basically nothing of interest). It would be a good way to raise money for the production and even maybe some of the out-of-work actors.


 

So do we know for certain that the show will look like this...



...rather than like this?



And like this...



...rather than like what's on the right below?

Poster J, am I correct then in saying that you are confirming that the pictured changes WILL be happening in the London production? And it's accurate to say that it is the EXACT same because 99% of patrons won't be able to tell the difference between the two set designs? AND you are saying that it is more economic and efficient to remove the original design and replace it with what's pictured above? Just trying to get a clear answer from someone who hopefully knows one way or the other.

People go to Her Majesty’s to see the chandelier fall. The set pieces in POTO are intrinsic to the show and where they’ve tried to tour the show without them people have been disappointed. There is no money in disappointed customers, especially if the show attracts the number of repeat visits that Phantom does. POTO will be at Her Majesty’s theatre for many years to come so there’s no reason not to reinstall a better, modern, possibly FASTER Chandelier. Same goes for the other set pieces. I really think people are worrying unnecessarily. As far as the orchestra is concerned, yes it’s a shame if it’s smaller, but nevertheless it will sound the same to all but the most discerning ears. And while it’s sad that some jobs are replaced by technology that’s something that’s happening in every industry.

Now you’re going to say that Cam Mack did it with Les Mis to which I would reply most people didn’t go to Les Mis to see a revolve, and that in my opinion the new version is visually more spectacular and yes, better than the original.

I don't think anyone on the thread is disputing showbiz is, well, a business. But I can understand why the outrage is warranted if the changes are artistically worse and there is no reason for them other than to make the show cheaper. Yes, it might mean the show will run for longer, but it would be artistically worthier to close the original and conceive a revival that wasn't simply a watered down version of it. To add to that, the fact they've appeared to wait until the three main design/staging creatives of this show have passed away leaves a very sour taste. And add to that the fact that, if a watered-down version reappears, CML will still market it with the tagline 'The Brilliant Original'.

Saying 'Joe Public' won't notice is not really a very good argument when the likelihood is ticket prices will be even higher when the show reopens. It's quite disrespectful to 'Joe Public' too. This is also a show that's been seen worldwide for three decades. There's a very good chance Joe Public WILL notice - if they really lapped everything up and just came to Phantom for a chandelier, then they'd have shoved in Laurence Connor's substandard production in ages ago. But they didn't, and that production has been junked, and it's because Joe Public didn't buy it. I think the difference in the last picture above is clear, and the public will notice.

I used to have a lot of respect for Mackintosh as he seemed to care about the product he was giving audiences and had an honesty/integrity I considered lacking in other producers. Obviously, I was wrong.

How mature. I had thought this board was over its phase of petty sniping but clearly not. Sometimes I wonder why I bother posting at all anymore, it isn't enjoyable when people follow you from one thread to another just to take another swipe.

I think there is a confusion here. Aren't the second set of photos in Scarpia's post of Paul Brown's designs and chandelier from the non-replica tour which has now been scrapped. I think the worry is that the production will retain Maria Bjornson's designs when it reopens but that they may be cheapened, dumbed or scaled down for economy and some of her effects such as the rising candelabra may be compromised.

I find it interesting that the people on this very forum who saw the latest tour version at the Curve have not commented on how close it was to “the brilliant original “. Sorry if ive missed the post.