Posted by iNick1224 2013-02-26 11:36:38
http://broadwayworld.com/article/Reinvented-THE-PHANTOM-OF-THE-OPERA-to-Launch-US-Tour-in-November-2013-20130226
I knew it! Can't wait to see it!! Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by GatorNY 2013-02-26 11:40:45
Has anyone seen this version in the UK? Is this like "New Coke" and "Coca-Cola Classic?"
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by jimmycurry01 2013-02-26 12:33:31
From everything that I have read, this is "New Coke." I will still check it out anyway, but not for more than $30.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by Ed_Mottershead 2013-02-26 12:44:24
Excepting Phantom (the old version), I thought the British quasi-operas had seen their day and everyone could move on. Apparently not. The Broadway that I grew up with and loved for many years is simply, sad to say, dead. Guess the Brits are still smarting over losing the American Revolution (and I'm of English extraction) and they are still exacting their belated revenge.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by Princeton Returns 2013-02-26 13:23:12
ive seen it and thought it was good. some changes work for the better, and some not so, but its great to see a new take on it
the real hardcore phans probably wont like it
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by LizzieCurry 2013-02-26 13:37:04
Gator, it looks very different: http://www.whatsonstage.com/photos/theatre/london/E8831334158561/
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by thespian geek 2013-02-26 13:38:33
Cameron Mackintosh, you need to stop.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by GottaHaveAGimmick 2013-02-26 14:04:12
Ummm.....no, thanks.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by DEClarke 2013-02-26 14:43:03
I'm calling it now, it will panned all over the US. It is hated in the UK, why should we expect anything different here?
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by ukpuppetboy 2013-02-26 14:54:47
Ooo. Good call. Did you have all your money on Mitt Romney too? And tell Disney that Newsies will never work on stage. Dont go see it - your closed mind wouldn't fit through the door..
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by Wildcard 2013-02-26 14:59:21
I can accept the new sets. What I can't get over is not having the chandelier crash. It's the biggest selling point of the previous incarnation.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by DEClarke 2013-02-26 15:04:34
You're fun, ukpuppetboy! I plan on seeing it. I love PoTO, but I also have seen that fans nad non-fans alike have been highly critical of the new design concepts. Mostly they don't like seeing Maria Bjornsen's name used since they destory most of her creations!
I hope I enjoy it, but I'm also realistic enough to know that if it has been panned in the UK that it will fare just as poorly here. If anything, shows that the US pans have a better track record of being liked and loved by European audiences than shows panned in Europe being hits here.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by LizzieCurry 2013-02-26 15:08:26
There's a thread all about it on a massive Phantom board here: http://desertedphans.forumotion.net/t334-re-staged-phantom-in-2012
Lotsa bellyaching.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by Princeton Returns 2013-02-26 15:34:13
erm it is not hated in the uk! maybe amongst the obsessive phans but they are a small portion of the theatre audience. the general theatregoing public have liked it.
and if a show cant survive the loss of one effect then it cant be a good show in the first place
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by TheGingerBreadMan 2013-02-26 16:13:24
I am looking forward to this.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by TheatreKid3 2013-02-26 16:17:14
Just like the reinvention of LES MIS cost us the iconic turntable, the reinvention of PHANTOM costs us the iconic chandelier crash. I'll give them this, they've got guts to change such iconic features of these shows.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by FireFingers 2013-02-26 16:29:21
It isn't hated over here... As has been said, some things work better than the original, some things worse. But anything might change for the US run. Having a falling chandelier would be good. But it is still a good production and will do well in the US.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by HeyMrMusic 2013-02-26 16:41:26
There's no chandelier crash? I'm confused. But why? Isn't that not just a directorial choice but in the script?
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by Kad 2013-02-26 17:08:56
"Guess the Brits are still smarting over losing the American Revolution (and I'm of English extraction) and they are still exacting their belated revenge."
Wasn't their revenge burning Washington, D.C.?
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by Princeton Returns 2013-02-26 17:17:42
Yes its in the script but it doesnt say you actually have to see it crash. Just know that it happens. The end of Act 1 is very similar to the Albert Hall show, its not as affective but at least the chandelier looks like a proper chandelier unlike the one in the original production and it gets a decent reaction from the audience
I think it affects the start of the show more than the end of act 1 personally as the overture is more of a let down without the rising chandelier.
There is no chandelier drop to make the production cheaper and easier to tour. Some theatres had to have extra support on the last tour and get ins were longer etc.
Some direction/set choices improve on the original, some dont.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by Ed_Mottershead 2013-02-26 19:27:06
"Wasn't their revenge burning Washington, D.C.?"
Another Phantom is far worse revenge.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by OperaBwayLover 2013-02-26 22:31:41
Well...it will be hard to top the magic of the original production, the set and effects. I remember seeing the tour in 1998 and looking around when the Phantom was speaking to the managers. It was like the Phantom was next to me speaking every time! Still one of my favorite theatre memories, even though I know what the trick was.
On the other hand, for those of us who aren't able to go see it in New York, it will be nice to hear the score live again. I hope they cast some really great voices.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by bwayphreak234 2013-02-27 03:08:45
I'm down. Looks pretty awesome to me!
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by ukpuppetboy 2013-02-27 06:50:43
Sorry. I'd have written something relevant to the show but my ipad was being annoying.
But glad that i have been backed up by people that have actually seen it. And i agree, there are some improvements and some unnecessary changes. But some of the reinterpretations are absolutely inspired. And the phantoms presence over the opera house is outstanding in the new direction.
Believe me. I was massively critical of the idea. And voiced those criticisms before seeing the show myself. Especially wrt Maria Bjornson's costumes, some of which have been changed from the Hal Prince but as was pointed out using other costumes from her designs and always in collaboration with her original Phantom cohorts.
And speaking as someone who always wanted to see the original Masquerade "disappearance" restored into the show, the end of show new version is a total homage to that - lovingly put there by people who love the show. Which seems, after seeing the show 10 months in (it took ME THAT long to want to see it) to be true across the board. The decent into the lair is both a technological and storytelling giant leap. Whether that be forward or sideways is up to the audience member i guess. But it is definitely well worth taking on it's own merit.
And the chanderlier? Hated the Albert Hall version - but though this is similar is a big improvement from that. True. Nothing can be as magical as having that lift slowly above your heads during the overture on first viewing, but the removal of this does not kill the show. In some perverse way it frees the show a little from being FX burdened. And if that's all phantom is to you, then probably you should be spending your cash at a theme park. But then it's your money.
I hope you enjoy it. I was forced to eat massive humble pie. Mostly. But i can definitely recognise that it wasn't a cheap, money making exercise. This will probably not make money. It's vast to tour and a crazy massive "folly" or labour of love.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by Princeton Returns 2013-02-27 07:20:58
Some audience reviews of a recent visit of the show can be viewed here. and before anyone says anything yes they always post the good and the bad comments
http://www.mayflower.org.uk/event.asp?show=OPERA13&info=comments
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by bwayto 2013-02-27 13:02:25
Hang on! What's the original masquerade disappearance?
I saw the show in London during the Olympics and the Tour in Toronto in 06'. Doesn't he disappear at the top of the stairs?
Someone want to clarify, share the story? etc.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by EricMontreal22 2013-02-27 18:53:42
I haven't seen it since the mid 90s, but was wondering what this "restored" Masquerade appearance was too...
Didn't Hal Prince complain about this because they used a lot of his direction ideas, uncredited?
I dunno, for me the main reason Phantom works so well is simply due to the Bjornson designs and Prince's masterful staging. That's a huge part of the appeal of seeing it live. I know nothing about the new director but, as with Les Miz, it almost seems like CamMac just hired someone on the cheap... Yeah, that's cynical, but unless I heard tons of praise about some crazy re-invention, it doesn't make me too eager to revisit the show (but I'm far from a diehard fan...)
But I'm sure it will do well on tour.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by LizzieCurry 2013-02-27 19:04:21
In the replica Mackintosh staging, he disappears at the BASE of the stairs. But there's a Red Death double at the top who appears along with the poof of smoke at the bottom.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by CATSNYrevival 2013-02-27 19:20:06
"I dunno, for me the main reason Phantom works so well is simply due to the Bjornson designs and Prince's masterful staging."
^This.
And the whole point of this Phantom tour and the 25th anniversary Les Miz tour was clearly to rake in money off the title while not having to pay royalties to the original directors and designers. It's a total sleazeball thing to do, but if that's what CamMac wants to do it's totally his right to do it. I just wish the public was more aware of it.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by EricMontreal22 2013-02-27 19:20:54
Thanks Lizzie--I think I remember that. So, I'm still confused--that has been dropped from the current Prince productions? (Since the poster mentioned he/she was hoping it would be restored?)
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by PitPro2004 2013-02-27 19:39:35
I have heard thru the grapevine that NETworks is handling this tour. Whereas they've done wonders for the current LES MIS tour, I have to admit that I have no desire to see this production. It's simply not necessary.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by LizzieCurry 2013-02-27 19:46:50
Eric: I'm pretty sure it is, but I don't know offhand. I bet that giganto thread I linked to earlier would tell you. :)
PitPro: Yes, it's NETworks. Here's one of the audition notices. http://playbill.com/jobs/find/job_detail/50444.html
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by boggess 2013-02-27 20:23:03
The lack of a chandelier crash was the most disappointing thing to me about the 25th Anniversary at RAH. I can understand cutting costs for the tour, but still a disappointment nonetheless.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by ukpuppetboy 2013-02-27 21:11:10
Ok. Well you're probably about 20 years too late there but yes in the Hal Prince show, as opened, the Phantom disappears through a star trap at the btm of the stair case, giving an audio cue that he's in position by singing his line live (after the rest of the decent is prerecorded) - hence why that line sounds muffled or echoy depending on the mask position wrt to the mic). I digress.
In early rehearsals/tech rehearsals Paul Daniels had developed, as I understand a semi structural costume with Maria Bjornson when the Phantom was lowered through the costume while his prerecorded lines were that, such that the audience was totally taken by surprise when the Opera populaire company edged closer to the Phantoms' costumed frame and then the whole fabric of his costume collapsed and he had disappeared into the ether from "within" it. A la Ben Kenobi at the end of Star Wars.
complications/time constraints in tech meant that AND the decent into the lair on horse back down the travelator (whose tracks still may be present under the refloored London bridge) meant the existing version was put in place.
As I said the final Phantom disappearance in the UK tour is an homage to this. And a few peoples knowledge was really just a geeky fanboy thing untilI just went a ruined it. But for a valid point. That its not all about money. I got paid a few hundred quid to help make that happen. Uncredited. And you know what. I couldn't care less really. And the Joseph Bouquet hanging in the UK tour is as breathtaking as it is unexpected.
But whilst Cameron Mackintosh may have decided to, and believe me i
i am fully happy to criticise him where it's valid, restage the show - the original Hal Prince version remains in London, New York, and many versions worldwide. If you're a purist and the Maria Bjornson drapes are all you need in your life you may need to book a flight but they are still there and not erased from existence. If you fancy seeing a new fresh look then enjoy the tour.
And I really doubt whether Maria Bjornson would be outraged.. But I only met her twice so that is total speculation. She always came across as lovely to me. But then I was 10/12 and star struck both times..
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by ukpuppetboy 2013-02-27 21:17:58
And i reread that and pretty sure i didnt blow any secrets wide open really. Apart from the fact that he doesnt really vanish cause he isnt really a ghost, he's a talented actor singing in a pretty damned entertaining musical written by some Brits and directed by an American and designed by a Parisienne of Norwegian Romanian parents.
And for the record. I have never seen Love Never Dies and probably never will. In Melbourne I went to see Next to Normal instead. Regrets? None whatsoever.
Peace out. Probably wont post again.. X
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by AEA AGMA SM 2013-02-27 21:19:32
I'm just happy to see that it is going out on a full Production Contract. Not a lot of shows are doing that these days.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by ukpuppetboy 2013-02-27 21:29:51
Not quite final post..
So I am a Star Wars kid. And what George Lucas has done, and continues to do with overwriting what everyone loves about the original trilogy is reprehensile to me. Pretty soon puppet Yoda will be totally replaced by ninja kicking CGI Yoda, i'm sure of it. He has no idea what people love and are drawn to about the charm of the originals.
I REALLY dont think that is the case here. As I said, in the UK (realtively small as it is) we have the choice of both, until the tour ends in Birmingham. I guess that is the joy of live theatre and why kids should stop playing computer games and go see Spring Awakening or something.. But I'm not political and am starting to bore myself, so apologies.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by EricMontreal22 2013-02-27 21:41:02
UKPuppet--thanks for that. So you mean the effect (and the horse) never actually made it past tech? (Just to be clear, as originally I thought the other comment meant it was in it for a few years...)
I admit, I am not being openminded. But I am not too impressed by the video clips--and, being completely snobby, replacing Hal Prince by an essentially no name director when you're doing a major tour and are a big wig producer does seem cynical to me.
Anyway, I saw the Toronto production and Canadian tour a number of times, I loved it as a young teen--and really that's enough for me right now, so this doesn't bother me in any extreme way--just slightly. I sorta wish if they were going to restage it they'd try some totally new vision--this feels half baked to me (though, again I think it would be hard to make it work without Prince's vision--as the film proves.)
I haven't seen the Star Wars movies since I was a kid (and then it was only the first one and the Ewoks TV movies), so have little to say there--but I think it's different anyway. CamMac clearly wanted to do a new production that could play theatres that the original couldn't-anniversary or not, I'm sure that was the top reason--and meh. That makes sense, though when they sell it as this grand new vision, I cringe a bit... :P
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by PB ENT. 2013-02-27 21:51:04
Maybe they'll bring in the turntable. After all it would enhance the whole love triangle thingee. How about some flying monkeys?
Seriously, I am glad it's going to be available on tour again. Shows like Les Miz and Phantom will not die. "Love May Die" but not these shows. Maybe the Phantom can slit some throats and send them down the shute. Hey not a bad idea, A Sweeney/Phantom!
Hope this puppy stops in Philly.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by ukpuppetboy 2013-02-27 22:17:58
EricMontreal you're a sensible guy so here I am contradicting myself again!!
I'd pretty much say we're on the same page fella. Phantom was the first show I wanted to see, aged 9 and the third I ever did see. Probably took up too much of my formative years but i guess never did me any harm. Better that than glue or meths..
I think the use of Maria's costume was a nod to the old, but the staging is pretty new. And whilst it may have started off as a brief to be a cheap and easy tour version it actually isn't. The original is mostly drapes with the occasional desk and piano and chair. Granted the staircase and stage deck are costly, fabric isn't. This is a revolve that takes up half the stage with a very imposing central drum with some brilliant tricks up its sleeve. Like I said it took me 10 months to come around (and I was there for tech in Plymouth) so i can't say anything..
If you like Phantom, and seems you do, I'd recommend it. So long as they cast well. And it's North America so of course they will. Toronto had some of the finest Phantoms and Christines going. I know. I flew there to see the. As I also said. Geeky fan boy. Just don't spread it around.
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by ukpuppetboy 2013-02-27 22:19:43
Oh. And yes. Never made it into previews i think. But the hole for his staff to "ground" the costume WAS on Her Majesty's deck next to the trap and the rails for the horse were on the travellator until successive stage replacements hid them..
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by eatlasagna 2013-02-28 01:59:51
so in terms if the re-imagined tour compared to Cam Macintosh's other shows (Miss Saigon and Les Miserables)... which of the three is better... or would you rank them in? because I believe Laurence Connor directed all three, right?
Re-imagined Phantom Tour coming to the US
Posted by EricMontreal22 2013-02-28 03:58:23
Puppy--thanks, I really appreciate all those details (though in defence of curtains--I *love* how so much of Phantom is done just with curtains...)
Back to being cynical--lasagna, it does seem that Connor is essentially a MacKintosh lackey I know he started off helping out with direction on Phantom's long run (I think), but otherwise it seems like all of his major work is doing easier to tour CamMac shows--Saigon, Les Miz, Phantom as well as the Sam Mendes' Oliver he produced.
