The London production 1

If any dancers are reading this the LONDON PRODUCTION are holding open calls on June 2nd.

Pretty inactive thread at the minute but if anyone cares to watch, here is Phantom's soundcheck for West End Eurovision https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_cHbwDzfT0

Oh dear!!! This years Eurovision video entry from the London team isn't as funny as the one last year (just because that one was too cute), but it comes pretty close.... LND team raiding Her Majesty's for people to the new musical.... Kidnapping them! Hahaha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUtHUk-UCd8

Looks like we're adding, officially, Stephen John Davis to those leaving in September. What a purge!

New interview with David Shannon: http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/phantoms_lair/ramins_blog/davidshannoninterview1.php

auctioneer wrote:Looks like we're adding, officially, Stephen John Davis to those leaving in September. What a purge!

NOOOOO!!

I have to see the show again before he leaves. Ideally with him as the Ghost.

I haven't been following this thread properly. Is it definite Gina's leaving in Sept too? What about Simon? Rebecca Lock's definitely leaving right?

My favourite Buquet and a truly excellent Christine and brilliant Carlotta...gone!

What's happening to Mr Bailey? No, wait, I don't want to know.....

Anyone who wants to see Will Barratt as Raoul (and I highly recommend you do) he will be performing 7th - 12th June.

ETA: Gina Rebecca and Simon are all definitely leaving. Simon goes to the Donmar Warehouse then off to America. Gina has no current plans and Rebecca Lock starts filming a movie.

Not sure if this was posted on another thread or not. It's an interview with four "Phantom Ladies."

http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/Ladies_of_Phantom_Past_and_Present_20100525

Does anyone else besides me think that Rebecca Caine could make a comeback and make a great Carlotta? I saw her twenty years ago as Christine in Toronto. That was a long time ago, but I believe she's only in her forties. I think she could do it.

dolly-ry wrote:Anyone who wants to see Will Barratt as Raoul (and I highly recommend you do) he will be performing 7th - 12th June.

ETA: Gina Rebecca and Simon are all definitely leaving. Simon goes to the Donmar Warehouse then off to America. Gina has no current plans and Rebecca Lock starts filming a movie.

OMG. I will definitely have to change my plans and find time to go in August then so I can see Simon and Gina's beautiful AIAOY one more time. There's no possible way it could be better (unless we went back to the OLC)...

Well, it could be worse. At least none of them are leaving Phantom for Love Never Dies...

Any rumours re replacements?

I am going to be annoyed if they the 2010/11 cast is crap. The original needs to stay strong through these difficult times....

Auctioneer, I love your idea re Caine. Apparently she went to see the London production for the first time ever since performing in it herself a couple of weeks ago. Don't think she ever wants to go back to performing in the commercial musical theatre, though...

Well they are still auditioning at the minute so it would appear to be a bit too soon for rumours re: replacements. Offers are usually put out around the end of June/beginning of July. I would personally love Katy Treharne to be bumped up to alternate (I can't see her getting principal.)

I have tickets for cast change... will be a sad day.

Yes, I remember seeing that on Twitter. I'm not sure what to think. She is still young enough to be an active performer, and I know that she has been auditioning. She has been "semi-retired" for quite some time now, doing a combination of teaching and performing, so you might well be right. I would think that someone of her calibre would be able to take on the Carlotta role without breaking too much of a sweat - though doing the show eight times a week would be a major lifestyle change, for sure!

Dolly-ry, I might see you at cast change. I'm hoping to make it. I'm booked for the afternoon performance that day for sure (for the funnies). Hope to go in the evening, too, if the schedule permits.

Would be lovely to see anyone there although I'll be emotional, I know that much already. I am going to both shows, I think I'll need some light relief with the funnies!

operafantomet wrote:Oh dear!!! This years Eurovision video entry from the London team isn't as funny as the one last year (just because that one was too cute), but it comes pretty close.... LND team raiding Her Majesty's for people to the new musical.... Kidnapping them! Hahaha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUtHUk-UCd8

OMG hilarious! Anyone know who's the Phantom there?

Miss von Krolock wrote:OMG hilarious! Anyone know who's the Phantom there?

Actually, no. But he was definitely the funniest part, ha-ha! Christine seems to be Rachel Spurrell. And one of the kidnappers (with ALW face) must be Phillip Griffith, he has a distinctive voice and pronunciation. And of course it's Ellen Jackson at the stage door.

operafantomet wrote:

Miss von Krolock wrote:OMG hilarious! Anyone know who's the Phantom there?

Actually, no. But he was definitely the funniest part, ha-ha! Christine seems to be Rachel Spurrell. And one of the kidnappers (with ALW face) must be Phillip Griffith, he has a distinctive voice and pronunciation. And of course it's Ellen Jackson at the stage door.

I think Christine looks a lot like Katy Treharne. Not a 100% sure, though.

There's a really great interview here with four Phantom ladies who've all been in the London production, 2 Christines and 2 Carlottas: Rebecca Caine, Gina Beck, Margaret Preece and Rebecca Lock: http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/Ladies_of_Phantom_Past_and_Present_20100525

Interestingly, in answer to our little discussion about Caine coming back to do Carlotta, she says she couldn't see that happening in this interview. Maybe someone could persuade her...

The Phantom is Matthew Gent second cover Raoul (he is also The Phantom double in the title song hence him having the costume to fit)
Christine is Katy Treharne.
Meg is Alison Connell.
Madame Giry and Carlotta are both played by Melanie Gowie here.

dolly-ry wrote:The Phantom is Matthew Gent second cover Raoul (he is also The Phantom double in the title song hence him having the costume to fit)
Christine is Katy Treharne.
Meg is Alison Connell.
Madame Giry and Carlotta are both played by Melanie Gowie here.

Thank you! Did they leave Raoul out on purpose? It's a bit peculiar, but very in sync with LND...

I believe it was a pun on the whole LND thing. However, I also believe there was something about not having someone in who could wear the Raoul costume... with Matthew Gent being the Phantom, Simon Bailey was off and Will Barratt was one of the kidnappers (I believe...)

http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/Ladies_of_PHANTOM_Past_and_Present_Part_2_20100530
part 2 of the ladies of phantom.

Am I missing something here, Rebecca Caine says she was in 3 productions. Was she?
I thought just London and Toronto?

She did the Canadian touring production, too, I think.

Not particularly relevant to the London production as such, but kind of:

I see that CamMac has announced the 25th anniversary "celebration" of Les Mis at the 02 arena for 3 October with a bunch of people who largely have had nothing to do with the show singing the title roles, while the London and touring casts 'support' them. Can't say that this thrills me. I'll be giving it a miss, but I'll be at the Queen's Theatre on 8 October.

I wonder if there will be plans to mark the 25th anniversary of Phantom on 9 October 2011. If there is, let's hope that it's at Her Majesty's with a gathering of people with storied connections to the show (like the January 2006 gathering in NYC - what a gathering that was) and not something designed to sell as many tickets as possible and blatantly disregard the contributions of those who have treaded the boards night after night in service to a great show.

Maybe others will disagree, and all are entitled to an opinion. Still, I'd like to see a fitting tribute to Phantom when it hits the big 2-5.

Oh, but I agree! But as long as a similar concert isn't set up for POTO, I don't see them grabbing random soloists and put them on stage.

But so far, B'way POTO has been the king of celebrations. I wish they would do something similar for West End. Or better yet, make a decent fan event out of it. Fan gathering, meeting cast, auctioning off a costume or prop, RUG making a silly little clip or two for their web site, maybe dressing up a fan in costume like in Vegas, backstage tour, inviting original cast members, presenting long-time cast members (Ellen Jackson and Phillip Griffith, I'm looking at you...), champagne and cake... Hey a gal can dream, right?

(maybe I'm just inspired by Det Norske Teatret's presentation of "Next to Normal" yesterday. Now THAT'S communicating with the audience. More about that elsewhere)

I agree, Operafantomnet. I'd like to see a celebration of those who have stayed with the show -- I'm looking at the long-serving cast members, but also the eight original orchestra musicians who still play in the pit, Lynn Jezzard, and undoubtedly some of the front-of-house and crew members who have been there for a long time. If they want to invite back Crawford and/or Brightman and company, that's fine with me, too, but I'd like to see the spotlight shared. And hopefully they won't close off the show so that us regular customers can snap up tickets to the special event...!

Anyway, might meet some of you this coming 9 October at Her Majesty's. I presume that the occasion will be marked at the evening performance rather than the matinee, though one never knows....!

auctioneer wrote:I wonder if there will be plans to mark the 25th anniversary of Phantom on 9 October 2011.

That's a Sunday, but I hope something special happens.

Or better yet, make a decent fan event out of it. Fan gathering, meeting cast, auctioning off a costume or prop, RUG making a silly little clip or two for their web site, maybe dressing up a fan in costume like in Vegas, backstage tour, inviting original cast members, presenting long-time cast members (Ellen Jackson and Phillip Griffith, I'm looking at you...), champagne and cake... Hey a gal can dream, right?

I LOVE that idea! It would be so much fun.

Anyway, might meet some of you this coming 9 October at Her Majesty's. I presume that the occasion will be marked at the evening performance rather than the matinee, though one never knows....!

I haven't thought about booking yet. I'm in London that weekend, so the chances are I'll be there.

If Crawford and Brightman don't get their butts on-stage and sing a rendition of Phantom together before I croak, I'm going to scream.

Now that's out of my system.

I'm curious to see how that concert version of Phantom would have been like if Webber's 60th B'Day didn't cancel it. A part of me was MILDLY curious to see how Josh Groban would have been as the Phantom - though I think his voice is FAR more suitable as Raoul. But there you go, I would have loved to see that in London. Oh yes.

ML6 wrote:

I'm curious to see how that concert version of Phantom would have been like if Webber's 60th B'Day didn't cancel it. A part of me was MILDLY curious to see how Josh Groban would have been as the Phantom - though I think his voice is FAR more suitable as Raoul. But there you go, I would have loved to see that in London. Oh yes.

Josh Groban sang MOTN at the Kennedy Center Honors a few years back and it was not good. His high note made me want to turn the channel. If he would have sung the material and not Grobanized it, I think he would have been fine. What kills me about it is that his vocal coach is David Romano, the original Piangi from NY, so I'm not sure why it sounded so off.

And don't get me wrong--I'm a fan of Josh's. Met him and David back in 2005 at the Today Show in NYC.

I remember that there were rumors some time ago that Howard McGillin might make a transfer to London for a run as the Phantom. I wonder if that's still on the cards. One would think that he is well and truly tired of the role by now, but a chance to do London might tempt him. Fuel for the fire...

auctioneer wrote:I remember that there were rumors some time ago that Howard McGillin might make a transfer to London for a run as the Phantom. I wonder if that's still on the cards. One would think that he is well and truly tired of the role by now, but a chance to do London might tempt him. Fuel for the fire...

Hopefully that's just a rumor. Like people don't like Michael Crawford, I don't like Howard. The word 'goat' comes to mind.

If anything happens that involves fans for London's 25th, I will truly be amazed.

There isn't a great track record for these kinds of things for the original production, sadly.

Remember the 10th anniversary? Yeah. Fans bought tickets. All of them declared invalid (except Christine Daaé's, because she made a fuss and went to press about it -- quite rightly). Celebrities attended. No-one paid much attention. Meanwhile, Miz gets its Royal Albert Hall celebration.

'Nuff said.

P.S. I would not put it past RUG to use the occasion not to celebrate Phantom, but to use it to promote a certain standalone show. That is if it's still around by then.