The London production 1

No worries, Dolly-ry -- I hadn't read your posts that way at all! I find that the unfortunate bit about e-mail/discussion groups is that it's very easy to mistake someone's tone. That said, I hadn't read yours as off-putting in the least.

To the larger issue, I think everyone will have different perceptions about cast members, and that's probably a good thing. It's also why I think that if any of them actually do read the boards, they should take everything with a grain of salt: each performance is one of a continuum, and I think it's the overall 'run' and the way in which the performance grows and evolves that shape the impression rather than the individual performance. I'm glad to hear that Simon Bailey has been developing much in this way.

One thing we all agree on - we're lucky to have a fantastic principal cast this year.

Anyone fancy going in between the 13th and the 18th of this month? It's sort of hit me that the sequel is just around the corner, and I'm perversely dreading going to see it on the 20th and need the original to comfort me (don't ask me why I'm going to LND, I have no idea... ).

Also I should post this in the LND thread but I can't be bothered: anyone fancy going to the Strand on the evening of 9th March (sequel's opening night) to do some celeb-spotting? Was thinking if we spot the Lord, I could get him to sign whatever (before giving him a piece of my mind... ).

Sorry Auctioneer I am just being a bit overly cautious, it is a bit of a shame that you can't tell tones over the internet I agree. Anyway I am glad it hasn't come across like that at all that makes me feel better.

Scorp, would love to, but I've had my share of depression for this month already, I'll hold off until March, but I am definitely up for trying to get everyone together in June.

ETA: We already discussed the 9th So I don't need to answer that (in case you thought the end included that too lol.)

dolly-ry wrote:
Scorp, would love to, but I've had my share of depression for this month already, I'll hold off until March, but I am definitely up for trying to get everyone together in June.

Can you be certain of that, Signora? You know you want to.......

DAMN YOU SCORP!

Okay, maybe just maybe... MAYBE! I will have a good think, when would you prefer to go?

Scorp wrote:Anyone fancy going in between the 13th and the 18th of this month? It's sort of hit me that the sequel is just around the corner, and I'm perversely dreading going to see it on the 20th and need the original to comfort me (don't ask me why I'm going to LND, I have no idea... ).

Also I should post this in the LND thread but I can't be bothered: anyone fancy going to the Strand on the evening of 9th March (sequel's opening night) to do some celeb-spotting? Was thinking if we spot the Lord, I could get him to sign whatever (before giving him a piece of my mind... ).

You?! Speaking to the Lord!?

Pics or it didn't happen.

dolly-ry wrote:DAMN YOU SCORP!

Okay, maybe just maybe... MAYBE! I will have a good think, when would you prefer to go?

Tuesday or Wednesday evening? Tuesday might better as Weds I want to try and get myself one of the day tickets to see Stephen Sondheim speak at the National (speaking of which, feel free to join me for that if you want to, the person who I was going to go with can't come now so am going alone)...if I do then the event should be over by 7pm in which case I should make it to HM's on time...

Otherwise I'll try and hold out till 19th March and see Scott...

I'll look into both nights see which suit me better.

And carrying on my tradition... (I am better than west end understudies here) Will Barratt will most likely be on the majority of this week, he has one guaranteed day and the rest is a bit up in the air if anyone so wishes to go catch him performing.

Why do i find out Scott is on NOW, you know half an hour (well 40 minutes) into the show so I therefore can't go. Outrage I say. This makes me all the more eager for March.

ETA: Rohan is on holiday, so Andrew Keelan is (probably?) on. I don't think I've seen Andrew, I have seen Marc though.

Get in! Seeing the show on Saturday night for the first time in almost 3 years Looking forward! Should have an interesting cast, too!!

Oh enjoy and please do post your thoughts (even a tiny bit) I love reading reviews from people who haven't been in a while.

You should certainly get an interesting cast, you will most likely have Andrew Keelan as Piangi and if David goes off this weekend you would get Stephen as Scott is also away on holiday I think now. If that happens I'll be extremely jealous.

dolly-ry wrote:You should certainly get an interesting cast, you will most likely have Andrew Keelan as Piangi and if David goes off this weekend you would get Stephen as Scott is also away on holiday I think now. If that happens I'll be extremely jealous.

He was on when we saw the show in mid December. I prefer Tickell, but enjoyed Keelan too.

That cast sounds interesting, though!

I've never saw him myself but have heard a good few reviews that say he is good. I have seen Marc and while he is pretty good he is very small and they didn't give him much of a fat suit so the line "Our Don Juan must lose some weight" was pretty laughable.

I'll be sure to post a review, don't worry. I'd quite like to see David Shannon as he was playing Raoul the last time I saw the show (w/ Earl Carpenter and Rachel Barrell) and I've heard he's got an interesting take on the role - however, it's not often you get to see a 2nd cover, so I'm looking forward either way.

Can't believe it's been so long - very excited! It's only by chance that I'm in London on Sat, too, but not leaving til the early hours, so I thought what better way to pass the time, eh!?

Don't worry David Shannon is back today so hopefully he'll be on for you, it's good you are seeing him now he is a bit more settled in as well, he is definitely developing the character extremely well in his take on it. Out of interest what did you think of his Raoul? I never saw him as Raoul, I just find it is hard to find people who enjoyed his Raoul.

Well I hope you have a fantastic time and as you said, no better way to pass the time.

dolly-ry wrote:Don't worry David Shannon is back today so hopefully he'll be on for you, it's good you are seeing him now he is a bit more settled in as well, he is definitely developing the character extremely well in his take on it. Out of interest what did you think of his Raoul? I never saw him as Raoul, I just find it is hard to find people who enjoyed his Raoul.

He-he, me too. I saw him a couple of times, and although he sung well and did everything "right", I never got that good ol' Raoul feeling from him. He just... was there. But I might have been mighty biased at the time, so maybe I would perceive it differently today?

Looking forward to a new London review!

I saw Shannon as Raoul, he was fine. He wasn't the best Raoul I've ever seen nor the worst. I didn't really understand why some fans really didn't like his Raoul.

I'm so hungover, I woke up at 3pm, my day is ruined...

dolly-ry wrote:Don't worry David Shannon is back today so hopefully he'll be on for you, it's good you are seeing him now he is a bit more settled in as well, he is definitely developing the character extremely well in his take on it. Out of interest what did you think of his Raoul? I never saw him as Raoul, I just find it is hard to find people who enjoyed his Raoul.

Well I hope you have a fantastic time and as you said, no better way to pass the time.

Ah, good news! Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing how far he's come and how he's making the role his own. His Raoul wasn't bad actually. Agree with Scorp that he wasn't the best, but by far not the worst! He definitely put a lot of emotion into it, like, he was actually fighting for Christine's love. A bit shouty at times I seem to recall, but it worked.

I'll be pretty busy once I get back home, so expect a review sometime next week

Anyone know who's on for Christine?

It will be Gina Beck as Christine, you may (and it is a small may) get Will Barratt as Raoul, but I'd go expecting it to be a David, Gina, Simon show.

I hate double posting but this link deserves its own post:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1249843/Angel-Of-Music-Leona-Lewis-tries-Phantom-Of-The-Operas-mask-size.html

I always love seeing them right after a show, everyone looks a bit worse for wear, and to the average person reading Scott Davies plays The Phantom everynight!

ETA: It mentions the award but not how to vote, grr could have been good publicity. Also Scott Davies might be on tonight... I can't keep up with The Phantoms!

Cool article and very cool to see new pics of Scott Davies at the Phantom!

...but Leona Lewis looks very orange next to the POTO cast...

Yes, she is quite tan in those pictures, not like her actually, she has a lovely skin tone without it.

Technically they were also on the Alan Titchmarsh show yesterday but it isn't even worth linking as they aren't physically there it was just the EPK and a woman recommending people go see it and pronouncing Raoul "Rye-ooool" that has to be the first time I've heard that pronounciation.

I was glad to see the original get some fresh recognition and then she ended with "I must add the much anticipated sequel..." and then I smacked my head off the desk.

Leona Lewis wrote:But actor Davies has to spend two hours in make-up in order to have his facial disfigurements applied.

The face is moisturised, closely shaved and the prosthetics are fitted, setting immediately, before two wigs, two radio mics and two contact lenses (one white and one clouded) are placed.

She must have read George Perry's book or some other account, because the contact lens and time allotment are no longer the case.

SenorSwanky wrote:

Leona Lewis wrote:But actor Davies has to spend two hours in make-up...

The face is moisturised...<snip>, and two contact lenses (one white and one clouded) are placed.

She must have read George Perry's book or some other account, because the contact lens and time allotment are no longer the case.

I wondered about that too as I'd thought they stopped using those lenses ages ago. Boo boo aside, I loved getting to see some new pics of Scott Davies. He was the last London Phantom I saw(back in 2000) and was such a good one.

Maybe it's just the lighting here, but he seems to look younger rather than older. And his mask doesn't seem to fit him as well as when he was principal.

Didn't MC stop using the lenses during his Broadway run after someone came backstage and told him to stop doing that to himself every night? I've forgotten who, now. No idea how long it carried on for in London and whether Dave Willetts ever bothered with them.

Anyway, today I have fully repented. I have found someone who will buy my sequel preview tickets, which I really was dreading seeing, and then used the funds to get far cheaper tickets to a far superior show at Her Majesty's Theatre for the same night. Ruth will be joining me in our non-violent anti-LND protest (well, non-violent until we start vandalising the sign outside and repainting HM's black...).

Scorp wrote:Didn't MC stop using the lenses during his Broadway run after someone came backstage and told him to stop doing that to himself every night? I've forgotten who, now. No idea how long it carried on for in London and whether Dave Willetts ever bothered with them.

He stopped using them in L.A. It was Lucille Ball who told him to stop wearing them.

As Scorp has said we are going to have a non-violent protest on 20th February, I am actually very much looking forward to it.

IIRC did they not say that MC could harm his eye sight if he kept using the contacts?

dolly-ry wrote:As Scorp has said we are going to have a non-violent protest on 20th February, I am actually very much looking forward to it.

IIRC did they not say that MC could harm his eye sight if he kept using the contacts?

The contacts actually rendered him blind, and it was far worse during masquerade with the full face mask on. Someone literally had to lead him to the elevator that took him up to the top of the stairs. This was also, too, written in his autobiography.

operafantomet wrote:I miss Phantom so much, and especially the London production. Haven't seen it since the summer of 2006. Bleeeh. My promise to myself:

I WILL visit London by the end of 2009. I will. I shall. And according to "the Secret", if I think that long enough, and visualise it in my head, it'll happen...

Quoting myself from ages ago... I DID manage to see POTO in London at the end of 2009!