Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, had its Australian premiere in Melbourne's Regent Theatre just over two months ago and since then the critics have been singing its praises and audiences flocking to the sho
Love Never Dies by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Regent Theatre
Melbourne
Until October 11
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, had its Australian premiere in Melbourne’s Regent Theatre just over two months ago and since then the critics have been singing its praises and audiences flocking to the show.
Andrew Lloyd Webber himself praised the Australian cast and creative team, calling it “the finest production of my work I’ve ever seen.”
In an interview with Lloyd Webber, The Age’s arts writer, Ray Gill reported: “He is nothing less than ecstatic about the Melbourne version after attending previews, technical rehearsals…hovering over the orchestra pit and writing new snatches of music on notepaper hand delivered from his penthouse suite at the Westin Hotel to the Regent Theatre across the lane.”
Describing the Melbourne production as ’extraordinary’, ‘fabulous’, ‘seamless’ and ’bliss’, Lloyd Webber said he knew about five minutes into seeing its first run-through that he and the new production team had achieved something special. “I have the great joy of being able to say that I think this production is probably the finest one I could ever, ever hope for.
The English press gave uneven reviews to the show when it opened in London. The Guardian’s Leo Benedictus in his round up of reviews said that “Despite a host of quibbles, the Independent's Paul Taylor deploys all five stars to herald the "technical excellence" of Love Never Dies, its "sumptuous production", the "splendour of the orchestra" and the "yearning melodies". Charles Spencer of the Telegraph joins him in acclaiming "Lloyd Webber's finest show since the original", which he thinks "will linger potently in the memory when frothier shows have been long forgotten". Apart from these two, however, the critical opinion is moderate at best.”
The Guardian's Michael Billington, sees a problem in Lloyd Webber's decision to transpose the phantom character to Coney Island, 10 years after the original, where he has somehow (despite being deformed, mad, violent and probably dead) established a thriving theatrical business. "Romantic obsession may be common to both shows," Billington observes, "but where one may feel sympathy for a doomed outsider, it is hard to feel much for an omnipotent impresario."
The 100 million people who have seen the original know that for many years the Phantom haunted the depths of the Paris Opera House and isolated himself from the world. It was not until he fell fiercely in love with a young soprano, Christine Daaé that he first felt the rush of his existence. His love quickly grew into obsession, and his madness drove Christine into the arms of another - her childhood sweetheart Raoul.
With Love Never Dies we move forward ten years to 1907 and the Phantom has escaped to a new life in New York where he has found a place amongst the screaming joy rides and freak-shows of Coney Island.
In this new electrically-charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar but he is still seeking fame and misguided love of Christine Daaé.
Now one of the world’s finest sopranos, Christine is struggling in an ailing marriage to Raoul. So, it is with excitement she accepts an invitation to travel to New York and perform at a renowned opera house. In a final bid to win back her love, the Phantom lures Christine, her husband, and their young son Gustave from Manhattan, to the glittering world of Coney Island and a new fate awaits her.
Following its less than enthusiastic reception in the UK the show has been extensively re-worked by an Australian creative team put together by Tim McFarlane. McFarlane says they changed the whole show making the story more plausible. “We even changed the structure of some of the music so that the song which opens the show, “To Hear You Sing” was previously twenty minutes into the work”.
He says of the set which is a combination of the earlier style Phantom and Cirque du Soleil “We wanted a design which was more sympathetic to the story and reflects something of the menacing character of the Phantom”
In an Auckland media preview the star of the show Ben Lewis showed of his talents with “To Hear You Sing” which brings together intense romanticism tinged with despair and unhappiness, the hallmarks of a great but flawed artist. This opening song hints at the memory of his previous life as well as exposing the complex personality of the enigma that is the Phantom.
Lewis has a technically brilliant voice, producing a silvery tone etched with acidity and handles the exquisite intimate sequences as well as the huge emotional outbursts.
Directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert - The Musical) with new set and costume designs by Gabriela Tylesova, choreography by 2011 Astaire Awards winner Graeme Murphy, lighting design by Nick Schlieper, sound design by Mick Potter and musical supervision and direction by Guy Simpson, the show is one of the few instances of a major West End musical being given a complete makeover by an Australian creative team.
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