I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I went to see Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre. Was it going to be good or bad? How about the performances? Lloyd-Webber’s music? Of course, you could wonder like this about many new musicals, but this seems to specifically apply to Love Never Dies. So much hype has surrounded this show since it was first announced at Her Majesty’s Theatre (home to The Phantom of the Opera) just over a year ago that many people have said this show is marvellous, many (including hate group Love Should Die) have said that this show is the worst thing to hit the West-End in years and it will be and deserves to be a flop.
So, I went in with an open mind. The first thing that entered my mind was that the Adelphi is one of the ugliest theatres I have ever been in. I ignored this and hoped the show wouldn’t be the same. My worries were not easily silenced though – the show opens with a prologue of dialogue. The scripting and staging of this scene happens to be some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Discomforting? You bet. Any sense of discomfort disappeared, however, as the first bars of The Coney Island Waltz were heard. This beautiful waltz then replays the story of Phantasma, and Mr. Y (the new name of The Phantom) and Christine. This scene is achieved by some of the most incredible digital animations I have ever seen. At this point, we are immediately introduced to an extremely energetic chorus of singers and dancers who perform with dedication and focus to help construct the huge theatrical picture that is Love Never Dies.
In addition to the fantastic ensemble, Love Never Dies has some of the finest leading artists I have ever seen. Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess have a unique chemistry onstage. This chemistry clearly figured as one of the main reasons for their being cast together. This and the fact that they are arguably the best singers currently in the West-End. They are both young, attractive and great performers. The supporting cast (including Summer Strallen as Meg Giry, Joseph Millson as Raoul and Liz Robertson as Mme. Giry) were equally as strong. They created believable, charismatic characters and worked well together, establishing the Company of Love Never Dies as one that blends well together.
Summer Strallen and the "Ooh-La-La Girls"
As mentioned before, any doubts about Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s score were soon removed after the first bars were played (by the glorious orchestra). As the show went on, the sounds coming out of the orchestra pit turned out to be the lush melodies we have come to expect from the composer. Along with great arias (‘Til I Hear You Sing, Why Does She Love Me?) there are fantastic duets (Devil Take the Hindmost, Look with your Heart) and ensemble pieces (Bathing Beauty). The title song, performed by Sierra Boggess is simply one of the greatest things I have ever seen on stage, a scene I felt privileged to watch.
The score and the performances are the two strongest points of the show. As with most shows (if not all) there are weak points. One part of the show, which did not live up to the rest were the lyrics. Glenn Slater has been quite a trustworthy lyric-writer in the past (see Sister Act). But with rhymes such as “father/bother” and cringe-worthy lyrics like “Love gives you pleasure and love brings you pain” and “Love never dies, once it is in you.” It is apparent his penchant is not for sweeping, romantic lyrics on a par to Lloyd-Webber’s music.
Another weak part of the show was much of Jack O’Brien’s direction. A lot of it felt as if it belonged in a bad amateur production, and much of the direction felt wasted on the brilliant performers O’Brien had the use of. On this note however, Jerry Mitchell’s choreography was very effective, and brilliantly complimented the scenery and music in a way that the direction did not manage.
Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess as 'The Phantom' and 'Christine'
Paule Constable’s lighting design brilliantly lit Bob Crowley’s beautiful set and costumes (which included a hot air balloon and a giant gorilla) which did manage to detract the attention away from the disappointing lyrics, direction and book.
The joy of seeing this show was knowing that parts of it were brilliant, and the parts that weren’t were the parts that could be easily fixed. And that is exactly what has happened. In the time it has taken me to write this review, the show has temporarily closed, been re-worked and re-opened. I look forward to seeing the second version of Love Never Dies, one of the best musicals I’ve ever seen, and the finest theatrical score of the last decade.
4*
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ReplyDeleteWould that Lloyd Webber had written his beautiful music for a different story with different characters.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to feel sympathy for this "Phantom," who reverts to the selfish, self-centered character he was before he realized in the last scene of Phantom of the Opera what he was and what he had been doing, lets the woman he loves go--and wins the audience's sympathy in the process.
Christine, too, has somehow lost the growth she showed in Phantom of the opera and is back to being manipulated by the same two men as before.
Audience members who neither know or care about the fact this show is a sequel to the long-lived and much loved Phantom of the Opera will have a better time at Love Never Dies than people who do.