Phantom of the opera coming to the grand canal theatre

Rhalliord

I was at the 25th anniversary production in the royal Albert hall at the weekend . At the back of the programme they had listed where the new 2012 tour will be. And to my delight it will be playing on the grand canal theatre for four weeks starting in July
I'm assuming they will be implementing the digital aspects that were in the 25th anniversary production

Lpfsox

cheers for the heads up - I booked tickets for that on broadway as a surprise for my mum a few years back and it was cancelled because of the actor's strike. I'll get her tickets for this show instead.

John Owen-Jones is playing the phantom. This will be spectacular. I'm assuming they will be using the digital sets like they did in the Royal Albert Hall

Minier81

Tickets on sale from this Friday :-)

Has anyone seen this yet?

athtrasna

Only opened on the 5th!

hayser

Anyone been to see it yet? Is it good?

fonpokno

Going to see it next Thursday, haven't heard any about it yet! Can't wait though.

froggus

Let me know how it is - not going until Aug 2nd.
Saw it in the West End but had really really crappy seats. 2ns balcony on the left-most and obstructed view of the stage. Sods law dictated that all the action would happen on that part of the stage I couldn't see and the place was sold out

Elliejo

I saw it last night. I was very impressed as usually touring productions don't have elaborate sets. I saw it in the West End two years ago, but for personal reasons, the night was a bit of a blur. No doubt the musical purists may be a bit more negative, but I'd definitely recommend going.

Uriel.

hayser wrote: »

Anyone been to see it yet? Is it good?

Went to see it last night.
I am now feverishly trying to work out my budget to find something to sacrifice so I can justify splashing out another 50e to see it again.

Absolutely amazing. Really really really loved it.

I can't find a bad thing to say about it except maybe some of the male vocals being slightly washed on a small number of occasions. I'm not sure about the casting of carlotta either but not a major issue

The acting and singing was superb, particularly the girl who played Christine. But it certainly wasn't a solo effort. All around great show. One of the best productions of a play or musical I've seen ever. Particularly as a travelling show. Trumps Shawshank which I seen last yr.

I also have to say the stage/set/props designers and developers deserve immense praise. The set and the various changes were unbelievable. So detailed. You'd almost feel you were living the story. Blew me away.

I love the phantom of the opera anyway. Probably my all time favourite musical but I love it even more now after last night.

When the signature music plays for the first time during the auction at the start of the musical I quite literally had tingles down my spine for 30 seconds and then hair on my neck raised. At the interval My gf said the same happened to her.

Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't recommend it highly enough. For an evenings entertainment, 50euro couldn't be spent better. Excellent production

SlightlyRandom

I went on Monday. Having seen it twice in the West End, I would say that for a touring production it was excellent. The only problems were sound balance - couldn't always hear the vocals very well - and the orchestra, which wasn't great (a couple of major issues with the horn player!). However, there was no weak link on the stage and two exceptional performances - John Owen-Jones as Phantom and particularly Olivia Brereton as Christine. It is her professional debut, but she was superb and received a standing ovation. I know Katie Hall is the big name for the role, but she isn't nearly as good from what I have heard from her before. I disagree about Carlotta: I rather liked her slightly eccentric take on the role.

d@rk l0rd

Both Katie and Olivia share the role of Christine, usually Katie doing 6 shows and Olivia 2 per week. Same as with the London show, Sofia Escobar does 6 per week and the alternate, I think it's still Katy Treharne does 2.

SlightlyRandom

I realise it is a shared role. I was really just commenting on how good Olivia Brereton is given it is her debut. In the words of the Phantom: "Brava, brava, bravissima!"

athtrasna

I was there last night and was totally underwhelmed. Loved the Phantom and Madam Giry. And the set was astounding...bar the absence of a staircase for Masquerade.

Sound was poor and at least two songs weren't sung live. The power Christine had in her voice for those two was nothing like her singing in the rest of the show. Hated Raoul and Meg.

Footy101

Was lucky enough to see POTO on Broadway last year. Amazing show! Good and bad points in the Grand Canal show to be sure, but still think it's worth a view.

woodchuck

Footy101 wrote: »

Was lucky enough to see POTO on Broadway last year. Amazing show! Good and bad points in the Grand Canal show to be sure, but still think it's worth a view.

Same here... decided not to see it in the Grand Canal just incase it tarnished my memory of it :P

jazzzzy

Put off going to see it after having seen it in London the past two Summers, but after hearing reviews on the radio of people saying 'better than the west end show', I was intrigued :P But then looked up tickets and all the cheapest options were booked out for the remaining shows, so won't be getting to see it. Pity the price range is so high, seeing as I've gotten to see it on the west end on both occasions for cheaper prices than offered in Dublin.

SlightlyRandom

jazzzzy wrote: »

Put off going to see it after having seen it in London the past two Summers, but after hearing reviews on the radio of people saying 'better than the west end show', I was intrigued :P But then looked up tickets and all the cheapest options were booked out for the remaining shows, so won't be getting to see it. Pity the price range is so high, seeing as I've gotten to see it on the west end on both occasions for cheaper prices than offered in Dublin.

Definitely not better than the West End show, but if you go to see it realising that it is a touring production you probably will be impressed. On tours they have to make sure things work for any stage and theatre and because the run in any given place is short there will be a few issues - here the sound balance isn't great. In the West End it is always in the same theatre so they have had a long time to perfect it, so of course it will be better polished. But if you can see past that then this production is well worth seeing.

d@rk l0rd

Finally got watching this last night. The new sets are amazing though why no staircase in Masquerade? Those mirrors in the background looked a bit naff. Why no elephant in Hannibal? And not much use made of the gondola. Also the Phantom's entrances and exits, which are so dramatic in the London show were missing here. And the chandelier didn't do anything other than lowering a bit at the beginning and letting off a few pyrotechnics. The chandelier falling is really important, it was up high, surely they could have dropped it a bit? But other than that I found it totally underwhelming compared to the London production.
John Owen Jones was as usual very good but looked and sounded tired last night. Olivia was great as Christine and was pleased she was on as I've seen Katie before a few times.
I hated the Carlotta, thought she was awful. Her acting and voice too weak for the role. I also didn't like Simon Bailey's Raoul or the Andre/Fermin pairing.
The Meg and Madame Giry were OK.
The sound also wasn't great some of the time and the Grand Canal Theatre is just so big that the intimacy that you get in Her Majesty's was completely lost.
Was glad I went but wouldn't go see this touring version again.

Waesfjord

Hi,

Woudl you be able to advise what time the show starts at - tickets mention 19:30, however hoping for dinner in town beforehand, so possibly cutting it a bit fine if show starts at that time.

Thanks.

d@rk l0rd

On Saturday it was nearly 10 minutes late starting, and even then people were arriving late! :rolleyes:

CarrickMcJoe

Was there Sat too, enjoyed the show but never saw it in England. Agree with the Lord about the sound.
As was pointed out the travelling show wil lnever be as sharp as the English one, it was the same as We Will Rock You when it toured here.

Don't stay in the Pearse Hotel, it's a Kip :eek: Booked a non smoking room and was given a smoking one that smelt like an old ashtray. Staff were not nice when we complained but in fairness eventually moved us to another better room.

By the way, Good review Darklord..

GiveEmHellKid

I saw it Thursday night and I was so amazed. John Owen-Jones is incredible and I had the joy of watching Leigh-Rhianon Coggins play Christine (I hate wanted to see Katie Hall but Leigh knocked it out of the park!) She's has a fab voice and such intense stage presence! She's wasted as an understudy!
The sets where mindblowing too (especially those floating candles and steps) I love how they helped the scenes flow! There's nothing worse then a jolty performance.
Now I have to go to the West End and see it there just for the experience! It'd be nice to see our own Killian Donnelly as Raoul in London too!

d@rk l0rd

Thanks. Though there were loads more things I both liked and disliked about the touring production. I really liked the descent into the Phantom's layer and the steps appearing and disappearing, but the wires hanging onto them were easily visible. The candles descending from the top as they enter the Phantom's layer were really beautiful. The revolve is a great idea and works really well. The office scenes looked a lot better too than in London. Il Muto looked very similar to London as did "Past the Point of No Return".
The Phantom's final disappearance was impressive but I still prefer the original way of using the chair.
Masquerade was very disappointing. It's my favourite track but it looked a bit sad without the staircase and so fewer dancers. The drama of when the Phantom grabs Christine's chains was lost as he just walks off rather than vanishing.
Also, I'd have loved if they kept the hanging ornament thing that descends just before the roof scene with Christine and Raoul towards the end of act 1, and then the Phantom crawls out of it above the audience. So dramatic and effective. 3 naked statues with the Phantom hiding behind them just doesn't have much effect!
As for the chandelier, it's such a disappointment that it doesn't fall or really do anything at all other than emit a few pyrotechnics and bangs. It's so central to the Phantom carrying out his disaster.
I really was so disappointed with Carlotta. Both vocally and acting. She had no stage presence at all and Carlotta is meant to dominate the stage as the diva.

I was with a friend & it was her first time seeing it and she thought it was amazing so I was happy about that. I think if you haven't seen it in London, you'd be far more likely to find this version amazing. But everything about seeing it in Her Majesty's is perfection. Yes, some of the sets are a bit dated there, but the sounds, the smells, the sudden appearances and disappearances, the tingles you get down the spine - all those were missing in the touring production.

It's very rare for Leigh Rhianon Coggins to be on as Christine, I think she's only ever played it once or twice before. Olivia was very good, was impressed with both her "Think Of Me" and "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again".

Not sure if you know but Killian leaves the London show in early September. He's a fantastic Raoul, so too is his understudy Nadim who plays one of the best Raouls I've ever seen (and is also leaving).

SlightlyRandom

I think some of the critical remarks from d@rk l0rd should be somewhat mitigated by two things. The first is that, having seen the show in London twice previously, I would say that I spotted a lot of problems the second time round because I had got past the awe that a first viewing engenders. As you get to know the production you will spot mistakes/problems and have preferences based on previous experience, so you are more likely to take issue with things.

The second factor is that some of the things that changed such as the change in the disappearance of the Phantom in the final scene and the reduction in the use of the gondola may be partially due to the restrictions of the various theatres, so I would be a bit careful to be too critical. Also as the Phantom is (among other things) a magician and illusionist, they probably want to change things up a bit to keep the air of mystery for the regular patrons.

fonpokno

athtrasna wrote: »

I was there last night and was totally underwhelmed. Loved the Phantom and Madam Giry. And the set was astounding...bar the absence of a staircase for Masquerade.

Sound was poor and at least two songs weren't sung live. The power Christine had in her voice for those two was nothing like her singing in the rest of the show. Hated Raoul and Meg.

Agree with you! Finally got to see it last night and I was really very disappointed with the miming. Was very disappointed with the chandelier moment too.

I have to say the audience directly around me were awful too. One girl in front kept looking at her phone and the teenagers to our right just kept talking. I think I would've enjoyed it more but those people kept pulling me out of it. Air conditioning was blasting really noisily throughout also. The cast were great but all these other things just took away from it.

I guess I'll just have to go back to London to see it again.

d@rk l0rd

Unfortunately in a venue the size of the Grand Canal Theatre you're always going to get these sorts of issues.
With a crowd of 2,000 there will always be at least one on a mobile, a phone ringing, people arriving late (even when the show is 10 minutes late starting) and one thing I find quite unique about going to the GCT compared to theatres in London - the amount of people getting up and going to the toilet mid-performance! :rolleyes: