The Phantom of the Opera - His Majesty's Theatre

I find this website useful for past London musicals casts www.londonmusicalsonline.com/cast.php?CastID=POTO1112 That gives you who the principals were when you saw it. Of course there's no guarantee they were all on that night but unless you happen upon someone who was also there that night, & has a good memory, then checking for understudies 4 years on is tricky.

Seeing this tomorrow at 2.30pm! Not a big fan of Ben, so I hope I get the alternate.

I'm on a serious Phantom kick these days, so I think I will pledge my allegiance to the Opera Ghost in two weeks and day seat for the Thursday matinee. Any tips on how early the line forms? And is it a first row seat that you get? If so, if I sit on the far left side of the stage would I not be able to see the mirror scene? I Can't tell if the dressing room is tilted so that it's visible from all angles or if it's completely blocked off if you're sitting close and on the left. Theatremonkey? Anyone?

Is Alfonso still conducting? He's so adorable. Last time I had a nice conversation with him.

Yes, it is. I sat in Row D and was third row.

Yes! B is front row! I'll be in B12 today!

Just out of this afternoon's matinee (row K centre stalls, box office, £25 at 2pm today).

Once again a short preface as per my Les Mis/Go-Between reviews last week. Phantom is my second favourite show and again, I've seen it an embarrassing number of times here, on tour, on Broadway, in Hungary, you name it.

This afternoon was really, really bad from virtually every aspect. A midweek matinee - this much is true, but the show from the get-go was badly lacking in energy. It felt tired and limped to a finish. In fact, when the front tabs get bounced in the curtain call for the final bow, the applause had all but stopped such was the apathy.

It was a such where nothing seemed to go right. Errors left, right and centre; from memory "Why So Silent" ended with the Phantom running off stage into the wing (this looked pre-arranged, as everyone reacted in advance) instead of falling through the trapdoor. Then the crew managed to crash the Masquerade staircase trucks into the masking curtain during Madame Giry's tale. The candle in the Final Lair first didn't click on, then the lasso pyro didn't pop. The Phantom's fire stick thing only fired three shots before breaking, then when the flames went up at the end of the scene two were missing entirely.

There were a couple of lyric flubs from principals and the start of "Prima Donna" was messy with the managers out of time with one another.

It just felt very lazy and phoned up by all really, but here's a breakdown;

Ben Forster: Hmmm!!!

The good: he's tall and looks good in the costume. Vocally adequate to be on the stage in the role (see below). Not the worst to have played the role in town.

The bad: distractingly camp. His gestures seem exaggerated and flamboyant, not in a seductive, cool as ice way but in a screaming out and proud way. I should add I don't know anything about the bloke but I understand he was in a talent show and did Jesus Christ Superstar. I didn't see that but I'm afraid I did see him in Elf.
Next, what the hell is that accent? Is he Irish? American? Australian?
His vocals reminded me of Peter Jöback (not a good thing). He is attempting to put on a "Phantomy" voice, but it keeps slipping into a bit of a nasally whine. His acting is outrageously hammy at times (his comical organ bashing after Music of the Night) and in the Final Lair.
To finish on a positive, in recent years we've not exactly been spoiled and he didn't look much worse than some of his predecessors on a bad day (Jöback, Rauch, Shannon).

Celinde Schöenmaker: I really liked as Fantine. She sings fine as Christine, arguably looks a touch older (which is fine) but has a weird singing technique I didn't notice before. She sort of belts through her teeth ala Ruthie Henshall or Kerry Ellis and it can make it look like she's constipated and straining. She also seemed to be on autopilot this afternoon and if she couldn't give a **** why should I.


Nadim Naaman: A bit of a poor man's Ramin in the role. Vocally quite good (if reserved) but plays the role ala Robert Finlayson as a boring toff with no charisma or chemistry with Christine whatsoever. Also looks quite short next to Schöenmaker onstage. Very average.

The managers (both the principals) oddly felt like understudies to me. It's hard to describe, they just weren't "right".

Carlotta was understudy Charlotte Vaughan. She was fine. Looked younger than Christine sadly. Singing was okay. Tried hard.

Paul Tabone was just about the standout of the cast and he played Piangi, one of the naffest main parts. His singing was great and accent sounded natural.

Nothing to say about Meg and Mme. Giry. They were exactly the same as always.

So disappointed with this, it'll be a while before I go back

Why would there be a problem doing the trap door?

John Owen Jones had a back problem didn't he, but BF is a young fella. What's the problem?

I saw it in JOJ's final week abd it was decidedky lacklustre and that was a Saturday night. 

Um... I think this really belongs in the Phantom thread fellas...

Just after Ben started, he got injured during the fall through the trap door and was off for a couple of weeks, so he may still be a little wary. That said, I have seen him twice and he went down the trap door both times.

hmmm..i could SWEAR he went through the trap door when I saw it a week ago.
Some of the items you've mentioned about him are true (yes when he plays the organ..weird..singing is very good at times, very meh at times).

What did fail when I saw it though was the Phantom red death double who would run down the stairs. He did but the laughter cue did not click in, so I actually didn't really notice him until he was done running down the stairs.

I would disagree though and thought the show was generally very slick and in good shape. Then again the last time I saw it was in 1999 with a horrible Peter Cousins as Phantom.