Copenhagen April 4. 2009 (Enevold - Bokor - Kofod)

Re-posting some of the Danish reviews:


COPENHAGEN APRIL 4.th 2009 (evening performance)


PHANTOM: Flemming Enevold
CHRISTINE: Teresia Bokor
RAOUL: Tomas A. Kofod
CARLOTTA: Malin Landing
ANDRÉ: Morten Staugaard
FIRMIN: Steen Springborg
PIANGI: Mads Calvén
MADAME GIRY: Marie Bo
MEG GIRY: Jennifer Wagstaffe
AUCTIONÉER: Uffe Henriksen
REYER: Kim H. Henriksen
BUQUET: Jørgen Brorsen



AUCTION/OVERTURE:
.....so what else is new....


HANNIBAL:
Malin Landing as Carlotta fustrates me. She has a lovely voice, defined timbre, and an excellent diction. But she tends to clip the high notes completely (all through the musical), and the high end note in the opening sequence was not good. Despite of this, I like her very much. Usually I shun singers with weak upper registers in the role of Christine and Carlotta (I mean, it does something to the whole credibility of the role...). But Landing... She is so good in so many aspects I can't but like her.

Nothing really new in this scene. I noticed how quick the "Il Muto" backdrop was put in place (I think it's around the time Reyer interrupts the rehearsal to yell at Piangi), for some reason I though this happened much later.


TOM:
I've previousy said I wished for a bigger contrast in Teresia Bokor's singing in the first and second half of the TOM "audition". Well, she didit this time - she gained a fuller and stronger voice towards the end. Very effective. Also, Firmin made the cutest angry "NNNNNGH" sound when quarreling with André, amusing.

Bokor sung the song gloriously for this performance, I think it's the best version I've heard her do. The skirt was as off-center as it usually is...

I love watching Tomas Kofod's Raoul in the box, he does a LOT of acting, especially before his lines. It's like he suddenly realize there's something familiar. He looks at Christine through his own binoculars, then through Mame Firmins binoculars, and then it looks like he asks the managers about the singers name, and when hearing it he looks bewildered (leading up to his lines). I know it's a small thing, but it still makes the biggest difference.


AOM / LOTTE:
I like Marie Bo as Madame Giry so much better now than what I did when I first saw her, I dunno if it's her or me who's changed... Maybe both. But she seems more defined now, more firm, but with a sympathetic touch. She also appears to actually have a dance talent (noticeable when she instructs the dancers, and when she is dancing in Masquerade).

I love how the lead ballet girl counts in French, "Un... et deux... et trois... et quatre...", when they're rehearsing. Pretty sure at least the West End production does it in English? That', combined with the "kissing Christine on both cheeks in French manner" Madame Giry does (Raphael: I've said it before, and I'll say it again: No, I'm NOT referring to French kissing!! ), adds a nice Parisian flair.


MIRROR:
We-hey, Flemming Enevold's Phantom was in an angry mood! He was spitting out the words, almost running out of breath. Cool to listen to. Enevold's and Bokor's voice compliments eachother so well, both have lots of volume in their voices.


TITLE SONG:
It IS doubles doing the whole song until the boat appears.


MOTN:
Flemming Enevold was so passionate in this performance, it's like he lived and breathed the role instead of playing it. And what's wonderful about him, is that you'll never know which way he'll go ("...you can't dissect him, predict him", to quote Anatoly in "Chess"...). You think you know the MOTN blocking by heart, and certainly - he does it as prescribed. But yet not. He adds funky details, does creative twists, like in the "stressed" way he's walking, or the grand gestures he'll suddenly do. It's impossible to describe, or at least it's impossible to describe how impressive it is to watch him live. I've seen my fair share of Phantoms, but I've never seen anyone with Enevold's approach. Very, very unique.

The end of the song was mostly performed sitting on his knees, again very passionate in body language, before he stood up for the very last word ("....the niiiight)". He ended the song with a very defined K (Danish "musiiiii-K"). Lots of applause.

Today (April 8.th) is his last Phantom performance.... *sob*


STYDI:
"Din lille jæææævel...."

Josefine pointed out a very interesting thing: Flemming Enevold's Phantom is not running after Christine, he's walking threatening behind her, stomping the ground with every step, clearly both pissed and fustrated.

His crawl towards Christine was awesome. Around "But Christine...:" he was sitting on his knees and stretched out for her, so far it made him fall forward, towards her (definitely on purpose, it wasn't a mishap, but I think it was impulsive).


NOTES / PRIMA DONNA:
It seems Steen Springborg (Firmin) has toned down his funny portrayal to make more room for Morten Staugaard's very nervious André portrayal. If this is the case, it's definitely a good decision, because two very goofy managers was a bit too much. I think they've achieved a better balance now.

Again, I like all the acting Tomas Kofod does when he's not in focus/singing. It makes his Raouls appear genuine instead of wooden.


IL MUTO:
Don Attilio had started doing a new thing... he wiggled his rear (towards the audience) when watching "Serafimo/the Maid" wiggling his/her rear. Veeery cute!

Malin Landing keopt skipping the high notes here too, but did a very good croak.


ROOFTOP:
I was happy to see Teresia Bokor doing a bit more acting in the rooftop scene this time, last time I saw her it was rather bland. She's so good when she's good!

Actually lots of emotion in AIAOY, highlight being Raoul kissing Christine's hand after the proposal, Raoul swinging her around like mad at the end, and Raoul not letting her go after "I must go!". They appeared so in love. Cuteness!


I GAVE YOU MY MUSIC:
I'm LOVING the opening with only the Phantom's white hand being visible over the angel's golden hand! Enevold also seemed to echo the pose of the angel by raising his hand in *almost* the same position when he heard Christine and Raoul singing in the distance.



INTERMISSION:
There appeared to be something wrong with the red curtain/drape again, so they did a few testruns with it before they sent the chandelier back up.



MASQUERADE:
Still very impressed with two things:

1. that the dancing is very precise and defined, and in sync with the music
2. that the threatening element of the dance (especially the instrumental part) is clearer than other versions I've seen. The female dancers seems to form threatening formations splitting Christine and Raoul, and the cloaked male dancers are more.... mocking, in a way. I prefer it this way to the more joyous and elegant versions out there.

I noticed something ODD: Meg is doing some can-can like dancing right before Christine and Raoul enters, kicking her legs up high. I've never noticed it before - Is that standard? I think she's making "waves" with her hands in other productions. I would love input on this one!

I love how Red Death's singing is broadcasted by speakers placed under the staircase - makes the sound come from where he's standing/walking. Coolness.


NOTES II / TWISTED:
Again lovely singing and acting of Bokor, she seemed full of emotion in this performance. It was a most welcome addition!


DON JUAN REHEARSAL:
I like how everyone jump in their chair when Reyer claps his hands together to re-start the rehearsal (this is right after Madame Giry has yelled at Carlotta).


WISHING / WC:
Teresia Bokor seemed to play a bit with various crescendo effects, something WYWSHA highly benefitted from. I've heard more emotional versions of the song, but I've seldom heard it as well-sung as here. She has some serious pipes, that gal!

C'mon Copenhagen, upgrade the fire-shooting-skull-stick thing again, will ya'? It looks mostly sad as it is now... And it also seems to malfunction a bit - every now and then you see the Phantom trying to shoot, and nothing happens. Too dull. I'd rather have it setting hats and wigs on fire occationally, than the embarrasing "pfffts" it's giving out now... But I can see how the theatre might not agree...


DON JUAN TRIUMPHANT:
I rarely write anything about this part of the show. But I want to mention the extremely cute Policeman in the pit. His proud "Javel!" (="You got it!") response to the mission he's been given, before his insecure "But how would I know?" is very well executed.

Another cool detail is when the Phantom is singing his last "orders" before "Don Juan" starts - it appears the managers, Raoul and the firechief is almost under the Phantom's spell, schmacking their heels together and marching off stage, like small tin soldiers the Phantom controls. Is this done elsehwere?


PONR:
Teresia Bokor's Aminta is SO playful and charming. I still get the "drunk vibes" from her, something I dig. She's throwing the apple in the air, playing with her skirt, seducing "Don Juan" just as much as he seduce her. AND THE COSTUME SHE WEARS IS SO PRETTY! Ahem...

Flemming Enevold did a wonderful "Don Juan", playing up the erotic "tango" foundation of the song. He flubbed his lines, twice (or the second time might have been on purpose, it was more a variant of the lyric), but somehow it just added to his unpredictable character.

A very cool moment was when he sat on the bench. He was turning towards Aminta, stretching out for her, but rapidly turning away when she did her "major skirt twirling" movements. He also jumped in his seat (=the bench) when she schmacked her leg onto the bench, bending into him. SHE became the one seducing HIM, and thorougly. Awesome power struggle.

Tomas Kofod's Raoul is actually yelling lots of stuff when he sees the Phantom slips away with Christine (like "Let me go! She is being dragged away with him!"), and this makes me wonder: why exactly IS the managers holding him back? For his own safety? Because they got a plan? The story hadn't need to be altered if Raoul had runned after them - we would just assume he couldn't find them immediately, eh? Madame Giry could still have showed him the way (maybe she found him lost in the corridors?). He could still do his awesome jump. Opinions?


DOWN ONCE MORE:
The red curtain didn't close 100%, so from my seat I could see Teresia Bokor getting seated in the boat. He-he. And again a lyric flub/variation by Enevold. I sometimes think that the more flubs he has during a performance, the more he is into the role... He was extremely angry and violent in this "Down once more", and it was quite a contrast to Christine who reached out to him and looked like she tried to communicate.

The boat seemed to go a bit backwards when they stopped. Whoops... Or maybe it was to get clearance of some of the candles.


FINAL LAIR:
Josefine, I totally agree with your comment - it's so funny to watch how annoyed Enevold's Phantom seems to be of Christine not only looking at him, but she's also SAYING something... He appears surprised that she dare speak at all.

I like the echo effect they put on (at least) the Phantom in the Final Lair. It really sounds like they're in a cellar or underground. And I love how disturbed and totally nuts Enevold's Phantom appears when he's dressing up Christine as his bride - he spends a lot of time getting the veil right, and the more she speaks/sings, the more focused he gets on the dress details. The contrast to his awareness of the situation when Raoul enters is just too cool.

Cudos to Bokor's Christine for TRYING to communicate... She looks like she's trying hard to get some sort of contact with him, to appeal to reason. But her patience is definitely gone when she sees Raoul trapped in the lasso - from this point she's ANGRY.

Lots of great acting from Tomas Kofod again - he's struggling hard to get INTO the lair (even climbing the portcullis), and even a lasso (one would think that goes without saying, but some Raouls just stand there, waiting for their next line...).

Another curious detail: before the kiss, the Phantom didn't yell out his lines, instead he said them almost... in an... erm... asking manner, very calm. I though I had heard all versions of how to deliver those lines, but no - this one was brand new to me. And then he seemed to collapse, long before the kiss, bending forward, his head hanging, his hands grasping in mid-air.... AAAAW!

I like how Tomas' Raoul is collapsing on the floor after having been freed - I actually wish he hold this pose even longer. No, I'm not a Raoul hater, he-he. I just like the effect of it.

The return of the ring was as heartbreking as ever, the "Raoul kissing Christine on the hand when sailing away" as cute as ever, and Enevold's end note was very powerful. Even before Meg picked up the Phantom's mask I wanted to applaud, because the trio in the leads this evening delivered a helluva show, so extremely powerful and genuine, with lots of great singing and acting.

Add the fact that we sat there in costumes (at least two of us), in the best seats the theatre had to offer, knowing that more great stuff was to happen in a few minutes... And you can imagine the extreme feeling of happiness and phan-emotions I had inside.... I'm the living proof of it being impossible to die of excitement, because I was super-über-hyper-over excited, and I'm still around....!

(and dear God, don't let that be famous last words.... )