Love Never Dies - for FANS of the sequel

I'm going next week. Debated about it, but I haven't seen anything about LND except a trailer or two. If it's truly based on Forsyth's book, I won't like the plot. Hoping to enjoy the music and get a glimpse of the "why" behind Webber's decision to create this sequel.

Mme Reyer wrote:I'm going next week. Debated about it, but I haven't seen anything about LND except a trailer or two. If it's truly based on Forsyth's book, I won't like the plot. Hoping to enjoy the music and get a glimpse of the "why" behind Webber's decision to create this sequel.

It's not so much based on Forsyth's book as Forsyth basing the book on Andrew Lloyd Webber's idea for a sequel. ALW's idea first resulted in "Phantom of Manhattan", and later in "Love Never Dies". So the ground frame is the same, but many details has been changed.

The only thing I genuinely liked in "Phantom of Manhattan" was the chapter of the opening of the new opera house in New York; the reason why Christine Daaé was invited to sing. This was cut from LND, as Christine was invited to Coney Island instead, and by Mr. Y. But they partly reinstated it later, having Oscar Hammerstein the Elder inviting Christine instead of Mr. Y. Hammerstein was the one opening the opera house in the book, if I'm not mistaken (too lazy to check). I think this detail was kept in the Aussie version.

Please tell us what you think when you've seen it! If nothing else, the design is splendid.

operafantomet wrote:
The only thing I genuinely liked in "Phantom of Manhattan" was the chapter of the opening of the new opera house in New York; the reason why Christine Daaé was invited to sing. This was cut from LND, as Christine was invited to Coney Island instead, and by Mr. Y. But they partly reinstated it later, having Oscar Hammerstein the Elder inviting Christine instead of Mr. Y. Hammerstein was the one opening the opera house in the book, if I'm not mistaken (too lazy to check). I think this detail was kept in the Aussie version.

Yeah, PoM's Phantom was the mysterious head of a business empire who built a new opera house and wrote an entire opera in order to lure Christine across the Atlantic to perform -- the Coney Island thing is almost relegated to a set piece. All in all, PoM!Phantom had a lot more class and prestige than LND!Phantom.

(I can't believe I'm praising that book...)

R.

Raphael wrote:

operafantomet wrote:
The only thing I genuinely liked in "Phantom of Manhattan" was the chapter of the opening of the new opera house in New York; the reason why Christine Daaé was invited to sing. This was cut from LND, as Christine was invited to Coney Island instead, and by Mr. Y. But they partly reinstated it later, having Oscar Hammerstein the Elder inviting Christine instead of Mr. Y. Hammerstein was the one opening the opera house in the book, if I'm not mistaken (too lazy to check). I think this detail was kept in the Aussie version.

Yeah, PoM's Phantom was the mysterious head of a business empire who built a new opera house and wrote an entire opera in order to lure Christine across the Atlantic to perform -- the Coney Island thing is almost relegated to a set piece. All in all, PoM!Phantom had a lot more class and prestige than LND!Phantom.

(I can't believe I'm praising that book...)

R.

Why do you think the book has more class and prestige?

SweetChristine wrote:Why do you think the book has more class and prestige?

Not the book, but the Phantom in the book as compared to the LND version. To explain (and please excuse me if this isn't 100% accurate, I haven't read the book since it first came out)

"Phantom of Manhattan" Phantom: Smuggled out of Paris to America and arrives with nothing; uses his skills to create the rides and funhouses that make Coney Island a success, taking the money he makes to build a business empire that stands toe-to-toe with the biggest businessmen in New York,; builds his own opera house to compete against the Metropolitan Opera; writes an entire opera to open his opera house and secretly requests that happily-married and successful opera star Christine come to perform it.

"Love Never Dies" Phantom: Smuggled out of Paris to America and arrives with nothing; uses his talents (and LND!Meg's) to create and run Fantasma, a Coney Island amusement park; writes a song and secretly requests wife to a bitter, alcoholic husband "who can never truly understand her because he's not a musician" Christine come to perform it at the park.

To me, the former sounds like the character retained his desire for control over his surroundings and his sense of grand ambition.

R.

Nice and veeery long interview with Sharon Millerchip, original Australian Meg, plus original Aussie sequel Meg:

http://www.stagewhispers.com.au/news/sharon-millerchip-love-never-dies-and-so-much-more

The most interesting parts for me was that she told the people making costumes for the Aussie LND were the same as those making costumes for the original Phantom production there (and which probably still works for the World Tour). Also, she tells that she hasn't danced en pointe since leaving Phantom, and was glad she didn't have to in LND.

Further on she tells she was the first non-blonde Meg in the world, but that she now use a blonde wig for sequel Meg. I remember there was a dark haired Meg in the UK tour around the same time, but she probably followed after Sharon Millerchip's adaption.

So there was a talent show at UCLA last week and this lovely young lady sang 'Love Never Dies' and completely knocked it out of the park. I just had to share this.



Hope she gets into theater seriously in her future!

Danke Maya, she sings wonderful!

But, wait! There's more:

http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/Lloyd-Webbers-LOVE-NEVER-DIES-to-Tour-UK-in-Early-2013-Bill-Kenwright-Production-Plan-Rumors-20120502

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright will produce a touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's LOVE NEVER DIES, to debue at the Churchhill Theatre, Bromley in January, 2013, according to rumours posted on WhatsOnStage.com.

Love Never Dies seems to fit this...Like the Energizer bunny, it keeps going and going and going.

Great Copenhagen and then a UK Tour! Would be great with actors/actress who played before in the original.

I'm not a fan of the LND plot but I do like a lot of the music. I really thought the lady in the video above did a wonderful job with the song. Well done.

The Copenhagen production of LND at Det Ny Teater is very good. Can't fault the stage, set, actors, costumes, music, sound system etc etc etc.

Have seen it twice now, saw LND twice in London. The London production can't hold a candle to Copenhagen.

The two Phantoms, Thomas Ambt Kofoed and Bo Kristian Jensen are both awesome, and Christine, Louise Fribo is a delight. For more raving about the show, feel free to check out my review in the review thread.

If there was an Oscar for stage machinery, I think the LND travelator should get it.

Nominations for LND Australia:
http://www.stagewhispers.com.au/news/2012-sydney-theatre-awards-nominations-announced

2012 Sydney Theatre Awards Winners
http://www.sydneytheatreawards.com

*JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL-Ben Lewis (Love Never Dies)
*BEST COSTUME DESIGN Gabriela Tylesova (Love Never Dies)

I´m back from Copenhagen. I had a great time there.
They made an amazing production and I like it better now then the Australian version.
I´m completely lost in the show. I saw it 3 times.
2 times with Bo Kristian Jensen and only one time with Tomas Ambt Kofod.
In all shows I had Louise Fribo. She is a strong Christine and I love her voice.
I like both Erik´s but a little more Tomas.

I like the many changes and ideas. The costumes and sets are great and what I´ll never forget - Erik and Raoul on a table play cards in Devil take the Hindmost.

I decided to come again before it ends.

Thank you for starting a thread for PHANS of Love Never Dies, on most POTO social media sites I feel like the only Phan that likes Love Never Dies