25th Anniversary Restaged Tour

Count-Alexiel-Ravenswood wrote:
Possibly because he is so famous and well loved in the role, starting with a unknown, in a new redesigned tour? Seems like a huge risk, I think the bosses wanted to play it safe. So cast some of the best loved actors in the role on the West End at the moment.

Agreed. Christening the new tour with a well-known Phantom with an established fanbase is a wise way to start off.

operafantomet, I noticed Apollo's lyre substituting for Björnson's Angel directly above the mask when I was looking at the ad in the RAH souvenir brochure. Do you think that and the Garnier chandelier may indicate more of a "Palais Garnier" influence in the new production design?

TAFKaR

Raphael wrote:operafantomet, I noticed Apollo's lyre substituting for Björnson's Angel directly above the mask when I was looking at the ad in the RAH souvenir brochure. Do you think that and the Garnier chandelier may indicate more of a "Palais Garnier" influence in the new production design?

Oh definitely. I just get the vibes they want what Bjørnson did well, but they don't want to pay the price tag. I wish they would make something completely new, costumes too, instead of giving us a "new" production with just a twist on what we already know. But I think we'll see even more Palais Garnier, and I like that.

I also agree that JOJ is used to "christening" the tour.

operafantomet wrote:And because I had hoped for something brand new, and not something pretending to be new, but which is basically just a cheapened down Prince/Bjørnson version made easier to tour.

Amen.

I just get the vibes they want what Bjørnson did well, but they don't want to pay the price tag.

I thought of that when I was sitting in the theater watching the 25th concert. The price (royalties, licensing?) that they must have to pay to Bjornson's estate has to be a factor. Same for Hal, who's gotta be expensive. Hey, one way to cut down on the cost of touring is just to put out a generic drug, so to speak. The same thing, the same look, just not quite the same.

Also, I have a feeling with the poster that it's just a teaser and doesn't really give us any clues on the ultimate set design, which may not even be finalized yet.

SenorSwanky wrote:

operafantomet wrote:And because I had hoped for something brand new, and not something pretending to be new, but which is basically just a cheapened down Prince/Bjørnson version made easier to tour.

Amen.

I just get the vibes they want what Bjørnson did well, but they don't want to pay the price tag.

I thought of that when I was sitting in the theater watching the 25th concert. The price (royalties, licensing?) that they must have to pay to Bjornson's estate has to be a factor. Same for Hal, who's gotta be expensive. Hey, one way to cut down on the cost of touring is just to put out a generic drug, so to speak. The same thing, the same look, just not quite the same.

That, plus actual running costs by moving and installing the sets. According to several sources, this is what shut down the US tour. They felt the sets took too much of the costs. They even toured with double sets, so that one could be installed in one setting when the tour finished its run in another city.

I had ultimately hoped they would come up with a way of making the false proscenium and the boat "deck" easier to operate. Instead I'm thinking this UK tour is a try-out for what they'll send on the road in the US eventually. Most US tour cast members said there were talk of a new tour down the road, they just had to cut on the set expenses. I think the UK tour is the "solution", and if it's a success we'll see it across the pond in a year or three.

But yeah, the royalties paid to original creative team is surely also an expense they would be happy to cut.

Generic drug... Yup.

If that tour does come here, which I bet it will within a few years, I imagine neither JOJ nor Earl nor any of the UK Tour cast will be with it, just as they weren't with the same Les Mis 25th Tour they toured over there with that's now here. Equity will want an all-American cast, and I don't blame them. As cool as it would be to see JOJ or Earl (and we did have JOJ in Les Mis on Broadway briefly, but only when we sent Drew Sarich over there...sorry, guys ), we've got plenty of talent over here. Though I have little faith in the people who cast the show over here. Not that I have much in those who now cast it over there (exhibit A: Peter Joback).

Hey everyone,

Not sure if anyone has posted the new website link for the upcoming tour which will be beginning March of 2012, I looked thru this thread but didn't see it. So here goes:

http://www.thephantomoftheoperatour.com/

I am happy they are sticking with Maria's original costume design. :-)

Any rumors about casting for the other roles (beyond Simon Bailey as Raoul)?

The only other one I've heard is apparently Daisy Maywood (Meg from the concert) is Meg in the tour but I don't know if that was from a reliable source.

Apart from that I've heard nothing, a lot of the ensemble members are known however and they seem to be able to speak freely but those in "principal" roles aren't allowed to at the minute (bar JOJ, Earl and Katie.) I could try get a full list if you like but I know off the top of my head that Richard Woodford (he's covered Javert in Les Mis in London before) is ensemble/ cover Phantom.

Devon wrote:Hey everyone,

Not sure if anyone has posted the new website link for the upcoming tour which will be beginning March of 2012, I looked thru this thread but didn't see it. So here goes:

http://www.thephantomoftheoperatour.com/

I am happy they are sticking with Maria's original costume design. :-)

Thanks for the link, Devon.

I noticed this style of ad in the RAH Program and purely from an aesthetic perspective it's intriguing to me about what it could implicate for the design of the show and the art of advertising. Essentially from the beginning, the iconic white mask on the usually plain black background symbolized the show. Sure, sometimes they'd throw in some roses, or snow/Christmas motifs to celebrate a milestone or holiday, but generally black and other cool colors predominated. When they did employ visual imagery, it often involved menacing images of the Phantom in his full black regalia or in the Red Death costume. So, a lot of emphasis on the mysterious and dark aspects of the show.

This new design seems to me to be like luxury branding. It feels more like an advertisement for some exclusive gala or fancy white-tie ball. The use of the rich textured tapestry, the warm wine color, the shining gold lettering, strikes me as playing up the opulence and spectacle of the show. To be fair, one of the reasons why the show has endured for so long is the fact that it is really a lavishly designed production (Thank you, Maria). However, I'm afraid that the brighter, more colorful and saturated lighting that we saw at RAH (which, I would argue, was basically necessary in light of the type of event and venue that it was) will bleed over into the new staging of the tour, where it is not really needed/appropriate. Likewise, I think that the very textured aspect of the background implies that there will be less of the 'black box' look employed in the original production, which may, as others have speculated, be replaced with projection screens (again, per RAH). Personally, if they go that route, I would much prefer flying backdrops instead of projections.

I think the creative powers behind the new ad designs for the tour are aware that in this day and age you really have to grab the audience's attention. Trotting out the same old, dated (and I mean that in a sense that it's a basic design that's been around for so long that people have become accustomed to seeing it) ad design won't draw in the people who have only seen the show once and don't expect to see something new when it tours again. If they see this slightly reimagined, colorful, visually rich ad, they'll take another look and perhaps read how it's a new production/staging, and think about going again.

All this being said, overall I rather like the new poster design, particularly because it incorporates visual cues to the Opera Garnier. I think I would prefer the Phantom title lettering to be in silver, because the gold strikes me as a hair too gaudy, but I wouldn't be opposed to having it hang on my wall.

Just some ramblings in the early stages of the waiting game to see what the new Tour will look like.

~Madame~

Ooh, I like Woodford's Javert and Grantaire. I wonder what he'll be like as the Phantom. Do you know what ensemble roles he'll be playing? Maybe Don Attilio and Passarino?

Aled_Boyo wrote:

Scorp, I'd be up for a Bristol trip to catch JOJ. It's only 45mins away from Cardiff. What do you say?

I'm tempted...although I think I'll be going up to Manchester to see it. I'll let you know though soon if I change my mind. How odd that the Welshman isn't doing the Cardiff leg of the tour.

Change of plan: I think I'll go to Bristol instead to see this. Going to try for a Saturday matinee, maybe 26 May if I can get tix.

EDIT: Yep, I'm going on the matinée of 26 May. Other people come!

There is now a trailer on the website.

No idea if this is a clue of what is to come or just something qhipped up to stir interest.

If it is a taste of the actual design, I sort of like it, the interaction with the LED screens at the back and the real elements, but it's just too 'warm' colour wise, so I am thinking this is just something put together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VieIU1lzWeA&feature=feedu

O.o
Wow.
That was gold. Too gold. Flashbacks of the movie gold.
I so hope they will tone it down. Like a lot.

I agree. The first couple of seconds were promising. Then they kept "golding" it up. And then it was over. Not even sure what they wanted to tell in that clip.

I saw that either before or after the movie screening of the RAH concert. So it's been around awhile, and I don't think it has anything to do with the new design. At least, I hope not. Though I'd rather they do something new than use projections of Maria's curtains and set designs.

Just to check, is Phantom coming to the hippodrome in Birmingham? I thought I saw somewhere that it was, but now I can't find anything.
OG

The locations announced so far:

Plymouth
Theatre Royal
27 Feb – 31 Mar 2012

Manchester
Palace Theatre
5 Apr – 19 May 2012

Bristol
Hippodrome
23 May – 30 Jun 2012

Dublin
Grand Canal Theatre
4 Jul – 4 Aug 2012

Leeds
Grand Theatre
8 Aug – 15 Sep 2012

Edinburgh
Playhouse
19 Sep – 20 Oct 2012

Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes Theatre
24 Oct – 24 Nov 2012

Cardiff
Wales Millenium Centre
4 Dec 2012 – 12 Jan 2013

Southampton
The Mayflower
22 Jan – 16 Feb 2013

http://www.thephantomoftheoperatour.com/

I'm just throwing this out there.

Ad for the tour from the Irish Times Weekend Review 12/03/2011:

Liesl Dowsett is leaving the London production to join the tour.

This means there will be an opening for another Meg u/s in London. I wonder if the current second cover Layla Harrison may get bumped up?

Is Leisl playing Meg? I like her in the role.

I'm not sure sorry, just know she is leaving London to join the tour, could be a possibility though as why else would she leave London? She has kids etc so touring is a big upheaval, but obviously, perhaps she just wants the opportunity of being in a new production. I like her in the role too, as does my mum. I think she'll miss seeing her in the ensemble when we see the show at the end of January.

I thought the Meg from the concert was going to be the Meg on tour?

justin-from-barbados wrote:I thought the Meg from the concert was going to be the Meg on tour?

I thought so too... But Liesl Dowsett might join as a member of Corps de Ballet and not as Meg?

Yes I thought so too.

I only made the argument for her perhaps being Meg due to the fact I wasn't entirely sure if she would go from corps de ballet to corps de ballet if you get me? I've not heard anything confirmed about any roles that haven't been announced and only heard two strong rumours. I know a lot of the ensemble names though but everything else is very hush hush.

Anyone know if Oliver Eyre (Raoul u/s from last years cast) is involved? Just a feeling.

PMB1034 wrote:Anyone know if Oliver Eyre (Raoul u/s from last years cast) is involved? Just a feeling.

And I have a feeling Simon Bailey will be Raoul.

Liesl Dowsett will be Dance Captain and ballet swing, by the way.

Oh, that's good for her then!

Yes I can imagine Oliver Eyre being involved and I think it's quite obvious about Simon Bailey but time will tell...

I was about to propose she might be a swing, as that usually pays well and she has been in Phantom long enough to know the choreography for many tracks. But dance captain and swing is even better, yay for her.

So they're safe casting for the leads, picking long timers and/or Cameron Mackintosh's favourites... I wonder if any of the roles will show new faces. I kinda hoped for it. New design, new blocking, new faces. But so far only the staging seems new.