I was reading OSC's review of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera", and while I may not agree with everything he said, I must admit he makes some valid points. Therefore, I thought you all might be interested to know that there is another musical version of Leroux's book by American's Yeston & Kopit called simply "Phantom". They actually began work on theirs before Webber, but couldn't get any backing for it because of his. This version gives the characters depth and motivations and it really makes you feel for them all. Has anyone else seen it? If anyone lives in Utah, the Alpine Playhouse (www.alpineplayhouse.com) will be preforming this version in October, and it's definitely worth checking out!
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
I can say that I've heard of it, but that's about it. I wish it had come first and been better than Webber's.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
I happen to like Webber's, thank you very much.
But I wish I could see this one too. Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Webber's play is brilliant.
The movie of it, on the other hand, should be cut into small pieces, doused with gasoline and set afire. Every last copy.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
Ron's parents really liked that movie, so we gave tem tickets to see it at the Fox.
Huge sets, lots of pyrotechnics.
They thought it was funny that the big fight wasn't done with swords (as in the movie), but featured the Phantom hurling balls of fire. O_O More theatrical, I guess. The cast was very experienced Broadway credited, even. They still used mics.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I could see if you had never seen the play that the movie might be "enjoyable." The songs are there...one or two of the actors could sing the parts adequately.
But they mangled the story arc something fierce. And continuity was just thrown off the top of a building. Literally. There's a major statue that just disappears in one scene only to reappear in the next. And it wasn't "magic."
The fire spitting cane in the play is a bit hokey, but overall, the staging is superb. The scene with the boat and the candles rising from the water...wow!
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
I agree with Bob. Stage musical = wonderful. Movie = horrible on so many levels...bad structure, bad plot ripping-apart, bad costume & set, bad character undermining....
I could go on for a good long while, and it's been almost a year since I saw the movie!
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
Olivet: Mics are pretty standard now for musical theatre. Opera is about the only place where they'll still go mic-free now, and I'm not even sure that applies to all opera houses.
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Some of those old 30's/40's Phantom B&W movies are fun to watch, though . . . I can't remember for the life of me which version Nathan and I brought home from the library, but he watched it a few times before we had to take it back, and had lots of insightful and interesting comments. 11 year olds see things in such fresh ways . . .
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)