Masterful acting, top-notch designs and iconic 80s melodies bring the classic play to life in a whirlwind of light, colour and music. The Phantom of the Opera returns to the West End in all its glory.

 

Andrew Loyd-Webber’s stunning adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera first graced the stage in 1986, making it one of the longest running musicals in the West End and the longest on Broadway. This show stands the test of time; surviving a record-breaking thirty-six years, springing back from the disruption of the pandemic which otherwise devastated the theatre industry.  

 

The Phantom of the Opera tells a tale of love, mystery and deception. We follow the Phantom (Killian Donnelly) through his obsession as he tries to get closer to Christine Daaé (Lucy st Louis), posing as ‘the angel of music’. Christine instead falls for Raoul de Chagny (Matt Blaker), a childhood friend. The phantom, in jealous wrath, enacts a plan to force Christine into marriage, haunting the opera house.

 

The music was easily my favourite aspect of the play: the blend of opera, pop and 80s synth created a crowd-pleasing mix. When hearing that classic, 80s organ riff, I was counter-intuitively jolted into a 19th century opera house. Lucy St Louis’ delicate vibrato and clear voice perfectly suit the character of Christine. A fellow theatre goer, Ivie T, exclaimed “Her voice was an utter marvel”. No less flawless is Killian Donnely’s strong, dramatic voice which conveys emotions of the slightly unstable, misunderstood Phantom. My favourite song had to be the gorgeous love ballad ‘All I Ask of You’ between Chrisitine and Raoul with its rich orchestration and floating melody. Overall, strong chemistry between the romantic leads led to a convincing performance through all of the songs. 

 

The set doesn’t disappoint either. Uncompromising designs transport the audience into a willing suspension of disbelief, notably when the Pegasus statue moves, seamlessly revealing the Phantom. I would be unable to complete this review without mentioning the stage tricks. They may not have been particularly innovative, but they are certainly effective! Plumes of fire burst from the stage and sparks shoot from the Phantom’s cane provoking ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from the audience. The high level in skill of creating sophisticated, realistic sets did however result in a realistic hanging scene which would not be suitable for younger audiences!

 

The Phantom as a character particularly interested me. Our titular character is a tragic villain, or perhaps even an anti-hero that I simultaneously sympathised  with and recoiled from. I would have liked the play to have delved further into the Phantom’s background as the book did, which would have added greater complexity to his reasoning and actions.This Is Local London:

 

Ultimately, The Phantom of the Opera is a musical I’ll never forget. Ivie T asserts “It was utterly beautiful and had me gasping at times”. Unfortunately, this review has a bittersweet ending. After three and a half decades, Broadway’s Phantom of the Opera is planning to close permanently in February 2023. On the other hand, the West End performance will still be continuing and is booking tickets with the current cast until March 2023 (it’s unconfirmed whether they will tour again after this period). Either way, the show will go on until March and I encourage you all to experience the music of the night!