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The Theatre
Royal has done it's best to say this is Ken Hill's Phantom of
the Opera and it's to be hoped few patrons make the mistake
of thinking they'll be hearing Music of the Night and
other Lloyd Webber classics.
This version
of Gaston Leroux's famous story of the Phantom who haunted the Paris
Opera House plays it very much for laughs.
In that respect
the production is an absolute winner.
The characters
are so over the top and each has traits which makes sure they stay
in the audiences imagination long after the final curtain.
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| All tied
up and no where to go. Christine waits for the Phantom to return |
Special mention
must go to Fascinating Aida star Adele Anderson who plays
Madam Giry in such a menacing style she manages to scare everyone.
Her make-up makes her look like Morticia from the Adams Family.
Jay Marcus
must have spent months studying Hugh Laurie, such is his depiction
of Raoul, the son of the theatre's new manager who's in love
with Christine (Sarah Ryan). Sadly for him, Christine is also
the love interest of the Phantom, not someone you'd wish to
cross.
60's pop star
Mark Wynter does a fine job as theatre manager Richard but in fairness
each member of the cast has something to offer, especially the ballerina
who spends the whole performance on her points and flexing her legs
to the extent it begs you to ask the question "how did she
do that?"
The songs are
predominantly a parody of Gilbert and Sullivan with amusing lyrics.
Despite being twenty five years old the production has been revamped
for 2001. Keep listening for references to the Vicar of Dibley.
It's so much
fun and the characters are so well defined it could easily become
a cult classic like Return to the Forbidden Planet or
Rocky Horror. Indeed, the Phantom himself (Thor Kristinsson)
is more Meatloaf than Michael Crawford.
There's a bizarre
second half involving a Persian Prince and an attempt to cook our
heroes as they bid to free the captive Christine. It's almost pantomime
and no worse for that.
It's a great
night out and all the better for seeing a show based in the Paris
Opera House in a theatre. Just don't expect anything too serious.
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