just back from LOVE NEVER DIES - Loved it- Page 3

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 3/7/12 at 5:18pm

I saw the show in London and I saw the video of this Australian production. Visually, Australia wins hands down. The new placement of Till I Hear You Sing made less sense to me than in London, but it's hardly an issue since I believe the book alone will keep this show from coming to NYC. The plot devices are as plausible as a bad episode of One Life to Live. I like most of the score (I did catch the one snippet of Aspects, but much of the score and orchestrations sound like Woman in White), but I truly wish they would replace The Beauty Underneath completely. I know he was trying to mirror the feel and sound of the title song from Phantom of the Opera, but it feels far more forced and out of place in this show. Thank God Australia dumped the original London staging which was one of the worst numbers I've ever seen on stage.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 3/7/12 at 5:33pm

I thought Beauty Underneath was the worst song by far.
And Huss...in my opinion it wasn't worth 18 dollars and there's no intermission.

[Huss417]

Posted: 3/7/12 at 5:58pm

Oh well I will have to judge for myself. I Booked it online a cpl hours ago and heading out now. But thanks on the no intermission info.

[somethingbypuccini]

Posted: 3/7/12 at 10:25pm

I just got back from the show. Other than some moments that left me shaking my head, I liked it more than I thought I would. The plot was a bit ridiculous, but I was expecting as much. The score was pretty, but only Til I Hear You Sing really stood out to me.
I thought the production itself was gorgeous. Loved the use of space, and though the staging was lovely.
I thought the Phantom was terrible. Gorgeous voice, but I'm sorry, his acting was laughable. I felt that there was nothing going on emotionally, and some of his line readings were unintentionally hilarious. Liked the rest of the cast though. did anyone else think the Mme Giry was channeling a bit of Patti?

[SayitSomehow]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 12:09am

@somethingbypuccini - I totally got the Lupone vibe! Glad somebody else did too.

**SPOILER ALERT** Nothing but spoilers ahead...

I really enjoyed the show and all its pretty-looking, pretty-sounding melodrama. Although, I thought all Meg's numbers were very uninteresting and out-of-place, and the ending was extremely weak.

The death at the end leaves Rauol, Phantom, and child - like a twisted version of a 2 1/2 men, and still nobody really knows who's wearing the pants. It doesn't leave much to be imagined, beyond... huh?

If I could rewrite the ending, I would have Christine sing "Love Never Dies" but then opt to stay with Rauol and try to save her marriage. Then, Phantom gets shot while trying to save the child from Meg, leaving him as the sympathetic hero, while still earning him a big wet kiss from the love of his life before he passes.

This leaves Christine and Rauol to mend their once beautiful marriage and live in thanks to the Phantom for saving their son, and ultimately proving himself a really classy dude.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 2:50am

"Is it "A Memory of a Happy Moment?""

Which part of the Love Never Dies score are you referring to, specifically?

[Matt2]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 3:30am

Wow, there are people who actually liked this show? That's, um.. interesting. I guess it's all subjective, but whoa. I thought the show was laughably bad, the music uninspired, the characters lifeless and unlikable, and the book was beyond ridiculous. Lloyd Webber said in a documentary about The Phantom of the Opera that he didn't want his show to be "campy"-- and that's just what Love Never Dies is: pure, unadulterated camp. Say what you want about the original Phantom, but the show had a beautiful score, brilliant direction and (very importantly) heart. Lloyd Webber created the show for his then lover (later wife, then ex-wife) Sarah Brightman. She was definately his muse and inspiration during the process, and his passion showed through the beautiful music he composed. LND, on the other hand, is soulless. It just comes across as an attempt for Lloyd Webber to cash in on his previous success. I've read his cat previously erased the score from his digital piano. I wish he would have taken that as a sign from God and abandoned LND altogether. I don't mean to come across as cruel and I do hope that Lloyd Webber will one day write another great score of the caliber of Evita or Phantom (or at least even a good one). It just seems that after his major successes in the 80s, he completely abandoned substance for style.

Updated On: 3/8/12 at 03:30 AM

[pdjennings]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 9:00am

"Love Never Dies" has me stumped. Not the show, but the reaction to it.

No, I never got to see London, but I fell HEAD OVER HEELS in love with the cast recording.

Now that I've finally been able to see this version ... I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT even more. I liked the changes from the cast recording (those that I could actually catch from only having listened).

And I'm SOOOOO not understanding the hate of "The Beauty Underneath." It might be my favorite song ... and the scene itself was excellently staged.

If I'm disappointed in anything after watching it, it would be when Gustave screams "No" in the finale scene. On the recording, I always thought he was screaming in grief for his dying mother (it was so powerfully emotional!), but now I see that he was more screaming about the fatherly revelation. Not a big deal, it's still effective, just wasn't what I expected.

Anyway ... my 2-cents.

(Speaking of maligned shows ... seeing Carrie on Saturday ... can't wait!)

[AngelorPhantom1359]

Posted: 3/8/12 at 4:55pm

I also thought that this was very well done. I really enjoyed the music on the album, but I found that because of the horrendous book I was unable to emotionally invest myself in the show, but I think that they sorted out many of the issues.

The only thing I disliked was Ben Lewis. He did okay, but I felt extreme indifference to his portrayal of the Phantom. And his giant eyes are freaking weird.