Love Never Dies in Concert - Theatre Royal Drury Lane

God that was beautiful. The ending is still bad (I don’t mind Christine dying or the way it happens, it’s the way it’s done on stage that I hate).



Looking forward to going back this evening!

OMG me too!  I thought I must be missing something when everyone raved about the Australian version (saw it at a special screening I think the Really Useful put on).  I thought ALW was spectacularly unfair to the London direction/cast & crew when he said he preferred that version to the UK version - there were so many changes to the London production I practically had whiplash.  Putting the main song right at the beginning still doesn't work for me - people are just getting into their seats and settling in and getting into the vibe ....  

Anyhow.  Back to the Drury Lane show ..  

I wasn't going to add my comments until tomorrow after the last show as I didn't want to put my thoughts (the pre-recording, other issues) but ...  Christine's first dress looked like something Scarlett O'Hara would knock up from curtains, and what the heck with the dangly things hanging off her chesticles?  Just me?

It did feel like it was forever! It was so random, though because he was literally singing "till I hear you..." then silence. 

Amazing review Steve thanks!

Agree with all.

Including opinion that Ramin and Sierra and the original version will never be beaten! It was sublime.

But the concert was still sensational.

I was there this afternoon and loved it. Hadn't realised how much I missed this glorious music. That wonderful orchestra!

4.5 stars for me

Sublime music, I cried

ALW appearance the cherry on the cake

-.5 stars cus Norm couldn't project his voice, particularly on those high notes

I went to today’s matinee performance. I saw the original Adelphi production (my first brand new Lloyd Webber show), and have loved the show and its score from the moment I first heard it. As others have said, it is his best score, and one of the most achingly romantic pieces ever written for the stage. I don’t have issues with the book. I see it as just like an opera or operetta in that respect.

This concert production was the strongest case for the material that there is ever likely to be. Firstly, the score as played by this orchestra was glorious! I thought that I had died and gone to heaven! I had goosebumps, shivers and tears in my eyes throughout (much more so than when I saw the original production). I could barely speak by the time the interval came around, as I was feeling quite emotional. This continued well into the second act, and I felt the same in the final scene.

I was really impressed with the staging and choreography. It was very slick, and looked as though they had been performing the show for months. This was particularly the case in the two vaudeville numbers ‘Only For Him’ and ‘Bathing Beauty’ (the placement of which I have never liked. It dissipates any dramatic tension that has been created in ‘Devil Take The Hindmost’, and would be much better placed in the first act. However, I didn’t really seem to have that problem in this iteration). I also liked the simple, but effective stagings of the carriage scene in Act One, and how they created the impression of a piano in certain scenes without them actually having one. The lighting was a particularly highlight - I loved the lighting at the end of ‘Til I Hear You Sing’, during the ‘Coney Island Waltz’ sequence and the fog and lighting during ‘Once Upon Another Time’ to name but a few. There were too many to mention then all. This concert could run in the West End for 6 months as it is, and no-one would feel short changed.

The cast (with one exception) were uniformly excellent.

I think I may be in love with Celinde Schoenmaker! This is not the first time I have seen her on stage (that was in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA), but here she just completely knocked me sideways! Her Christine was just gorgeous! It is certainly the best I have ever heard the role sung, and some of the best singing I have ever heard on the musical theatre stage period. Every note was perfect from the bottom of her voice to the top. Not only that, but she coloured the sound to reflect the text and dramatic moment - sometimes strong and forceful (as in her first meeting with the Phantom), sometimes vulnerable (as in the final denouement), and in others just a beautiful enveloping of sound (‘Love Never Dies’). Hers is a rare voice in musical theatre these days. Every time she opened her mouth I could have burst into tears. I was shaking in my seat throughout her ‘Love Never Dies’, and could have given her a mid-show standing ovation. She had such poise and elegance. She needs to release an album of musical theatre songs as soon as possible. I can’t wait to see what she does next, and will be watching her career with interest. What she could do with Francesca in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY!

Matthew Seadon-Young was a strong Raoul, with a slightly different take on the role than I have seen previously. He didn’t lean so much into the self-pitying drunk, and was more formal and business-like, as someone has said above. It was again very nicely sung.

Cian Eagle-Service was a lovely Gustave, and gave such a stirring performance for someone so young.

Courtney Stapleton and Sally Dexter were good in their roles of Meg and Madame Giry respectively.

I’m sorry to say that I was bitterly disappointed with Norm Lewis as the Phantom. Yes, there was that line flub during ‘Til I Hear You Sing’, but there were other such moments throughout as well (such as missing some entries when Christine and the Phantom were meant to be singing together). I could have forgiven these (it was a concert presentation with little rehearsal after all) if the rest of his performance was up to scratch, but I just thought that the score was beyond him. His voice was uneven throughout, and strained in parts, particularly in the higher register. He appeared even weaker alongside Celinde, because she was just on fire. He just became a little uncomfortable to watch at points for me. This was not entirely his fault. He is a baritone in what is essentially a tenor role. Had this been something like Sweeney Todd or Porgy, I’m sure he would have knocked it out of the park. However, in this role, I would have much preferred someone like John Owen-Jones. That being said, I can totally see why they cast Norm, and I am glad I have seen him live, as it is an all too rare occurrence on these shores. It was special for that reason alone.

Overall, this felt like a real event, highlighting the score for the absolute marvel that it is. Here’s hoping that it leads to a full production some time in the not-so-distant future (preferably with Celinde as Christine).

4.5 stars (would have been an easy 5 if not for Norm).

10/10 for this concert production, certainly one of the best of these events there has been.

But the source material is still duff. Such a waste of some gorgeous music on such banal lyrics and such a ridiculous plot. I can never keep a straight face when they are recounting their night of passion (“and I licked you, and I flicked you, and I sucked you, and I f…” etc) that has been conjured out of thin air to enable them to have a son.

Didn’t think Norm Lewis was right for this at all either.

I'll give my view tomorrow as toast and marmite and my bed is number 1 priority.

I was thinking the exact same thing today.

ChatGPT - write a better book for “Love Never Dies”…