Recommending Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks Love Never Dies is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s not exactly sequel to Phantom of the Opera. I saw it in previews, liked it very much but was not quite ready to recommend it for theatre breaks fans. I wanted to see if the show settled down and to let ‘his Lordship’ make the inevitable changes a preview period brings. Now the show has settled and people are happily booking their Love Never Dies theatre breaks and having a great time. ** Book Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks ** The Story of Love Never Dies Set on Coney Island, New York some 10 years after the events of Phantom, Love Never Dies is a more grown-up story of love. It has lost some of the teenage fascination with the Gothic that is such a huge part of the power of Phantom and in its place there is a much more human set of characters. There are plenty of places online where you can find a synopsis of the story but my advice is to go to the show without any preconceptions and enjoy it for what it is, a powerful piece of theatre, full of spectacle and gorgeous music. Love Never Dies Music I just adored the music. Some people thought there were not enough memorable tunes but my house rang to much whistling and humming for days after we saw the show. I think the music is more interesting and I actually enjoyed it more than Phantom (gasp!). Speaking of the gorgeous music just listen to the divine voice of Sierra Boggess: Click here to view the embedded video. Oh and how about the utterly wonderful Ramin Karimloo: Click here to view the embedded video. And that’s without mentioning the great performance of Summer Strallen as Meg Girey! Love Never Dies theatre stage set I thought the set was mostly wonderful. There’s good use of back projection and special effects but it’s the Art Nouveau aspects that just blew me away. Some of the sets looked like exquisite pieces of Art Nouveau jewelry or spectacular Tiffany lampshades. At times I was reminded of the film set of Moulin Rouge, but then I loved that too! It made a wonderful backdrop for the passionate story. A big question: One show or two? I know people were worried that they haven’t seen Phantom and would find it hard to follow the story. In our party we had someone who had never seen Phantom and she said that within the first ten minutes she had worked out enough to make sense of what was happening. She didn’t feel that not knowing the back story spoiled her enjoyment at all. Having read all the fuss about certain bloggers and forums I think there have been more problems with the devoted ‘Phans’. They’ve had to let go of their preconceptions about what the Phantom could be like and his relationship to Christine. People were too quick to judge a show that was still being ‘tweaked’ and seem to have forgotten that Phantom had its share of problems when it opened. I’ve seen both shows and I think the ideal solution is a double show theatre break. No one is offering one yet but there are rumblings from one or two of the agencies. Never fear as soon as they are available I’ll let you know! ** Book Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks ** a
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I posted to usefulwiki.com
Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks
http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/love-never-dies-theatre-breaks.html
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March 28 2010, 10:16am | Comments »
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I posted to usefulwiki.com
Theatre Breaks 2009 Roundup
http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/theatre-breaks-2009-roundup.html
Theatre Breaks Roundup for 2009 Winter 2009 is here and I’m just wondering what sort of a year this has been for theatre breaks. There’s been a recent survey that assures us reality TV has actually boosted ticket sales. The box offices are claiming the credit crunch has had little effect on bookings with theatre usually full. So what’s been the reality? Theatre Breaks Shows In terms of shows one or two have closed early but the old favourites like We Will Rock You carry on. Avenue Q was saved from oblivion by popular demand and has moved to a new theatre. The Lion King is as popular as ever and proudly boasts that it is so well booked that it has NEVER released tickets to the reduced ticket agencies. Some good shows reached the end of their natural life and wonderful though Spamalot was it really was time for it to say goodbye. It’s been replaced by Priscilla and that has been a fair swap. Carousel never really quite hit the spot and its closure wasn’t any great surprise. It was sad to see the end of Cabaret and a shame they couldn’t take a leaf out of Chicago’s book and find a constant stream of new familiar faces to keep us going back. Joseph went too and no doubt was mourned by thousands of Lee Mead fans but it was another one that seemed ready to go. No doubt it will be back someday. One show I thought should have done better was Spring Awakening, which I just loved. All that energy and a theatre full of young people the night we went. I felt positively ancient, and that’s a good thing! (honest!)
Oliver has of course been a total triumph with Jodie Prenger making a real name for herself. Who would have thought she’d still be there doing 8 shows a week nearly a year later? What a star. I saw her at West End live this year and she has a super voice and a lovely stage presence. She managed to upstage Christopher Biggins, to great comic effect and that takes some talent for comedy! I think we’ll see more of Jodie once she moves on but for now she seems happy where she is. She’s on her 3rd Fagin and this is the one I’d really like to see. I think Griff Reese Jones will make a great Fagin and be well worth seeing. Hairspray has seen some major changes with the departure of Micheal Ball. Still Phil Jupitus is doing a grand job and Brain Connely was very well received in the part. I wonder how long Micheal will stay away, I’m sure I heard somewhere that he’s thinking of coming back to Edna. We hope! Wicked is going from strength to strength and is the most popular musical at this witchy time of year. Kerry Ellis is just a distant memory now and Alexia Kadhim has made her own interpretation of Elphaba. I think she has a lovely voice, quite different to Kerry’s but wonderful all the same: Click here to view the embedded video. New shows coming in include Legally Blonde which I was less than keen on when first announced. Since then I’ve had a good look at the videos on youtube and listened to the cast recordings and I might just change my mind. It might be fun and has the sort of casting that makes me want to see it. What to say about Love Never Dies (apart from “I can’t wait!!”)? Well it’s definitely going to be a huge event and it should be a spectacular in the best Lloyd Webber tradition. The Coney Island setting should give it a great atmosphere, you know how creepy fairgrounds can be. We’ve all seen Scoobydoo It’s got two fabulous stars in Sarah Boggess and Ramin Karimloo (I’ve been doing this so long I can now spell these names without flinching!) In the next part of this series of posts I’ll look at the travel aspects and prospects for theatre breaks in London 2010. a
Related posts:Alexia Khadime in Wicked Theatre BreaksJodie Prenger at West End LiveJersey Boys Theatre Breaks
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- Lee Mead
November 25 2009, 6:32am | Comments »
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I posted to usefulwiki.com
The New Phantom of The Opera
http://usefulwiki.com/londontheatre/new-phantomoftheopera.html
The New Phantom of the Opera – David Shannon David Shannon is the actor who replaces Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom Of The Opera on November 9th 2009. Ramin Karimloo will do his last show as the Phantom on the 7th, until he plays another phantom role next year in Love Never Dies. David Shannon from Les Miserables David Shannon recently completed a run in Les Misérables as Jean Valjean.
( audio only ) From the evening show of the 10th October, which was the last day of David Shannon (Valjean), Earl Carpenter (Javert) and Katie Hall (Cosette) in the 09/10 West End cast, so some passages might be a bit emotional. Spine tingling stuff and a great choice for the Phantom I think! His other stage credits include Miss Saigon, Whistle Down The Wind, Cats, Martin Guerre and The Beautiful Game. Other Cast Changes in the Phantom of the Opera Other new faces to The Phantom Of The Opera cast include Rebecca Lock, Nicky Adams and Tabitha Webb. Rebecca Lock, most recently of Avenue Q who takes over as the awful Carlotta. Nicky Adams, joins as Madame Giry and Tabitha Webb will alternate in the role of Christine with Gina Beck.
a
Related posts:Phantom of the Opera Ramin KarimlooPhantom of the OperaPhantom of The Opera 5 Facinating Facts
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- jean valjean
- katie hall
- madame giry
- martin guerre
- miss saigon
- Ramin Karimloo
- Rebecca Lock
- Tabitha Webb
November 5 2009, 10:31am | Comments »
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