Love Never Dies - all views allowed

I think I have to see this just to appreciate how bad it sounds. To me it is sounding like a comedy... and that spoiler about the doll... less said about that the better.

I take back what I said before. I'm not laughing anymore. But I am dangerously close to vomiting.

I'm rather glad it's mostly out in the open now, all the tension & speculation has been earthed. I've found it rather cathartic to read the early reviews and spoilers... A little like being sick; you know it's coming and dread it but feel much better afterwards.

And I've actually begun to feel a little sorry for ALW. The early reviews seem almost entirely negative and he's clearly put a lot of hope and work into it. I'd imagine he's experiencing some distressing tension of his own around now, that of a bubble on the brink of bursting.

*reads spoilers*

WOW, I think I'm going to vomit now.

I've seen several OMGAWESOME posts in various places, but the more detailed ones seem to be mixed-to-negative.

Part of me wants to post a long angry rant about the spoiler information, but right now I'm too nauseated by the whole thing.

~LCD

OK, I can't stop laughing now. This sounds like it must be seen to be believed. Is this gonna go down in history as another Dance of the Vampires?

Spoiler:

have you seen the post about some mass of singing heads that move their mouths in time to the background singing? I actually fell out of bed reading it.

The audio clips from each track are available to preview again on the German Amazon website.

Cape Twirl of Doom wrote:OK, I can't stop laughing now. This sounds like it must be seen to be believed. Is this gonna go down in history as another Dance of the Vampires?

Spoiler:

I'm sorry, what the hell is this?! Omg. SOMEONE PLEASE DRAW THIS?! Or, idk, make a cartoon of this?! I need to know.

ML6 wrote:

Cape Twirl of Doom wrote:OK, I can't stop laughing now. This sounds like it must be seen to be believed. Is this gonna go down in history as another Dance of the Vampires?

Spoiler:

I'm sorry, what the hell is this?! Omg. SOMEONE PLEASE DRAW THIS?! Or, idk, make a cartoon of this?! I need to know.

If only I could... Unfortunately, I can only draw from observation, and I'm not so sure I want to observe anything like this.

It sounds so horrible, though. A visual representation would be wonderful.

How utterly sad. I have loved the original ALW production for years, and this is just an abomination.

I've read many better plots on FanFiction.net.

A pretty detailed and fair(as in not too one sided)review here. http://www.geniimagazine.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=216496

I'd take Dance of the Vampires over this any day. Andrew Lloyd Webber is the George Lucas of musical theater.

ETA: I wish Coalhouse Walker Jr. would just come in and blow sh*t up. That would make more sense.

My love for phantom has died tonight..........No more comment.

Enjolras wrote:My love for phantom has died tonight..........No more comment.

Speak for yourself. My love of Phantom will never die just because some crass, poorly-conceived sequel or interpretation of it is released. Love Never Dies should in no way reflect upon the achievements of the versions that came before - particularly the original Webber stage musical.

~Madame~

I agree. PotO is bigger than this silly piece of nonsense, just as it's bigger than the damn movie or any other individual version out there (okay, except maybe the original novel).

~LCD

Madame Giry wrote:

Enjolras wrote:My love for phantom has died tonight..........No more comment.

Speak for yourself. My love of Phantom will never die just because some crass, poorly-conceived sequel or interpretation of it is released. Love Never Dies should in no way reflect upon the achievements of the versions that came before - particularly the original Webber stage musical.

~Madame~

But the thing is that Phantom was my muse....It introduced me to the once beautiful world of music. It also made me want to go and perform. Now knowing that this has happened.....All that I love is dead to me.....Now the only thing that is making me chuckle is Jeremy Brett's laughter in Sherlock Holmes...Which is pathic if you ask me.

I realize that you're certainly entitled to feel however you wish. In my case I absolutely refuse to let this sequel ruin the Phantom that I've come to know and love.

It was my introduction to musical theatre and in a way my muse as well. I wouldn't be in the work that I am now if it wasn't for the original show. I previously would have never wanted to or set foot on a stage in any capacity. It made me dream and to continue to dream.

I've had 21 years of joy from Phantom and so many awesome times with Phantom friends, at shows, backstage, or just reading the novel itself. I'm not going to forget all that and turn my back on what I love. ALW wrote LND a sequel to his version but I by no means have to accept it.

(off topic - Thanks to the US ice dancers who skated an awesome Phantom program tonight. You have truly made my night )

Enjolras wrote:
But the thing is that Phantom was my muse....It introduced me to the once beautiful world of music. It also made me want to go and perform. Now knowing that this has happened.....All that I love is dead to me.....Now the only thing that is making me chuckle is Jeremy Brett's laughter in Sherlock Holmes...Which is pathic if you ask me.

In light of your admission, allow me to take a moment to quote the personal motto of the unimpeachable Mr. Jeremy Brett.

"Onward and upward."

Do not let this traversty destroy all that you love, enjoy, and hold dear. It is not worth such senseless sacrifice.

~Madame~

MasqPhan wrote:

(off topic - Thanks to the US ice dancers who skated an awesome Phantom program tonight. You have truly made my night )

That was so cool!! They were amazing!

This is a very complete review and gives a much better picture of everything. The ending happens a little different than how I thought from what other reviews have said.

StageTalk review

Cape Twirl of Doom wrote:

MasqPhan wrote:

(off topic - Thanks to the US ice dancers who skated an awesome Phantom program tonight. You have truly made my night )

That was so cool!! They were amazing!

I feel a strong sense of pride because they live 10 mins away from my house and they chose Phantom. And nothing ever comes from MI that's awesome.

But no official reviews yet, right?

I'm very suspicious of the StageTalk review. It seems rather unbalanced, badly structured and somewhat over-excited.

Mandrake wrote:I'm very suspicious of the StageTalk review. It seems rather unbalanced, badly structured and somewhat over-excited.

Well it's certainly not a professional review by any means. It's full of bad grammar. Just some random excited audience member. Are you still seeing the show now, Mandrake? I've lost track.

operafantomet wrote:But no official reviews yet, right?

No, there won't be till press night at the earliest, but I'm not sure when the hell that is. It's not 9 March, it's before that.

Even though we already knew the story, seeing this actually happen is like something really...traumatic. I completely forgot about yesterday night being first preview night and then saw all this LND crap everywhere this morning. Haven't had time to go through it all, but the WOS posts are (encouragingly) very negative.

I forwarded the email I got from Leroux's estate when I asked them many months ago about what they thought of the sequel (their answer was along the lines of "not much") to LSD this morning. Maybe the press will pick up on that? They did last time when there was Phantom fever on Broadway (there were issues because I think Leroux's estate weren't happy with the fact that his name wasn't on the poster or it said something weak like "Inspired by...")...though LND is hardly generating the same buzz here in London.

I'm just going to completely ignore this sequel now. The only sad part is that reading what the first preview was like today, I am now developing a very bitter feeling towards ALW. I don't know what to call it, but it feels very like the feeling I have towards Joel Schumacher. Part of me wishes now that I screamed at him when I bumped into him last week for doing this to Phantom. I have to say it is hilarious how it seems like the plot of LND is basically PoTO all over again just with a different ending in to satisfy the fangirls. I hope they're satisfied now because I'm not going to tolerate any more of this nonsense.

I know this sounds really harsh and isn't really fair on those being employed by LND, but I can't wait for London to be shot of this sequel. I really do hope it goes the same way as ALW's last few shows.

Scorp wrote:

Mandrake wrote:I'm very suspicious of the StageTalk review. It seems rather unbalanced, badly structured and somewhat over-excited.

Well it's certainly not a professional review by any means. It's full of bad grammar. Just some random excited audience member. Are you still seeing the show now, Mandrake? I've lost track.

No, I'm not going to see it now. I'd have gone to see the first performance but am glad now it was cancelled. I'm done with it. It's pointless.

I was relieved to see the vast majority of early reviews were very negative. I hope the official press reviews are, too, and that it will close very quickly.

I'd feel a little sorry for ALW if it turns out as badly as it seems it might but he's largely only got himself to blame.

A few thoughts since last night...there's too many different posts to really do quotes.

First, this singing Medusa head chandelier thingamabob...what exactly is the point of it? I mean, aside from being a "look what we can design" doo-dad, what purpose does it actually serve? To illustrate how freaky the sequel Phantom's decorating taste it? I mean, Maria Bjornson's designs had a reason behind them...the candles rising from the mist, the embracing gold statues. This just seems like designers showing off their tricks for the sake of doing so.

Second, I'm not even going to start on the plot/characters except to say that it really is coming across as worse that PoM and a pile of bad phanphic combined.

Third, this really, really diminishes whatever respect I have ever had for Andrew Lloyd Webber. There was no good reason for this sequel. It's not his best work...a brilliant late career gem. It's a rehash of recycled tunes...some good, some not-so-good...with painfully trite lyrics. It's not something that there was a massive demand for...not within the "phanbase," not with the greater musical theatre fanbase, and not with the general public. And that's not even counting the fact that the original story leaves no room for a sequel without some pathetic tampering.

Fourth, as revolting as the whole thing is, I absolutely won't let it tarnish how I feel about the original musical. The first Phantom has all the right elements...gorgeous memorable music, a beautiful tragic story, excellent direction and design. And it's been with me for pretty much half of my life...and I've had so many good experiences because of it. From my best buddy in high school whom I caught singing "It's over now, the music of the night..." in the stairwell to Hugh and many other people along the way, I've formed a lot of terrific friendships because of it and learned about a lot of interesting things I might never have heard of otherwise...

I have to say it is hilarious how it seems like the plot of LND is basically PoTO all over again just with a different ending in to satisfy the fangirls.

In a way, it satisfies them and, in other ways, it won't. It gives them one major thing they wanted all along...S...E...X. I've encountered people who act like THEIR lives depend on The Phantom (usually in his Gerik incarnation) getting laid. So, now they get that...except they don't get to see it played out in front of their eager eyes. It doesn't have to be graphic, but I know there are phans who want to see a love scene for the Phantom. On the other hand, while the Phantom finally does get his consummation with Christine, a lot of the same people who have their hearts set on that happening also have their hearts very set on a happy ending in which the Phantom and Christine LIVE happily ever after...in which they spend eternity shagging, singing, and having a couple of incredibly beautiful children who are, of course, prodigies. LND doesn't give the fans that key element.

well, based on what I've been reading, I am loosing hope.

It is hard to be openminded but I am still trying to. And if all goes according to plan I will go see in January in NYC (unless the NYC production gets delayed)

The Head Singing Chandelier, Robots, Magic Horses all scream to me that the money went there and not to the set. Mind you I have read very little about costume.

Seems to me again that ALW's biggest problem is the lack of Cameron Mackintosh.

Not that he would have done this. But asside from Sunset, none of his post Cam Mac shows looked like it could be hit-worthy. And Sunset's main failure was the high running costs.

It seems that he needs someone that can pull everything together and that again just in not happening with this show, it seems.

It isnt too late to do slight tweaks, but in terms of scenery, what is done is done and may be edited for the Broadway run. Unless they do a Sunset and close down for a few weeks and teak things, and in that instance, I don't recall any of the scenery being edited to a great deal.