Tag: Andrew Lloyd Webber

Love Never Dies, Even When It Should

On By cherylmahoneyIn Reviews23 Comments
The better Webber musical with the Phantom

I recently saw the filmed version of Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.  It was showing in a local theater, and two friends and I went. It was everything I had expected–it was terrible, and I had a wonderful time.

The short, quick review is that it is an awful, awful play, flawed on so many levels I can’t count them, funny when it’s not supposed to be, entertaining in much the way that Plan 9 from Outer Space is entertaining.  The long review is going to be complicated and slightly incoherent, because there are so many flaws on so many levels at so many points, it’s hard to get structure into the review.

First, a few notes on biases: I did not come into this with an open mind.  I expected to hate it.  But I also didn’t come into it with an uneducated mind–I had read a lot about Love Never Dies and listened to about half of the soundtrack.  Frankly, I had put plenty of effort into hating it, and I think that’s why I wanted to see it.  I’d built up a vast amount of morbid curiosity.  Another bias: I’ve been invested in my own idea for the last six years about how the Phantom’s life ought to turn out in a sequel (the brief version: he stays at the Opera House, becomes a renowned but never-seen composer, and marries Meg Giry).  Some of my reaction may be based on “but it’s not how I want it to turn out.”  But that’s not all the basis for my reaction.  Love Never Dies really is terrible–on so many levels.

The story is set on Coney Island (already we have a problem), ten years after Phantom.  Actually, it must be ten years and nine months, but more on that later.  The Phantom, now going by the name Mr. Y (why? not a clue, especially when he has a perfectly nice name like Erik) is running a freak show on Coney Island and writing really bad sideshow performances for Meg Giry, while he mopes about Christine.  Christine turns up in New York with Raoul and her son Gustave in tow, here to sing for Oscar Hammerstein in order to pay off Raoul’s gambling debts.  The Phantom quickly finds her, and really, really, really wants her to sing for him on Coney Island.  He offers money, plays on the sentimental past, and if that doesn’t work, threatens to kidnap her son–at least until he has a sudden GASP moment when he realizes how old the kid is.

That takes you about halfway through the play, and so many problems should already be apparent. Continue reading “Love Never Dies, Even When It Should” →

Favorites Friday: Phantom of the Opera

On By cherylmahoneyIn Favorites Friday8 Comments

This seems to be the month for anniversaries.  Yesterday, January 26th, was the 24th anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera opening on Broadway.  Just recently they had the 25th anniversary in London.  And I’m using the Broadway anniversary as an excuse to examine probably more versions of the Phantom than you ever knew existed.  Indulge me just this once.  🙂

I’m fascinated by all the different versions, by how different people and different mediums can start with the same story and tell it so many different ways.  And how they all interpret the character of the Phantom differently–terrifying or romantic, heartbreaking or horrifying.  I have read or seen at least twelve versions of The Phantom of the Opera (which is why I’m mostly keeping this brief!)  I don’t regret even the bad ones, because I’m interested to see HOW they did it.  So here we go–in chronological order, because that’s how my brain works.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (1909) is the original, and I don’t think he quite knew what he had.  It’s a pretty straight-forward monster story, and the Phantom is an almost irredeemable, terrifying figure.  He’s the most interesting one in the story, but still terrifying, and completely off his head.  It’s a good read, but don’t expect it to much resemble the Webber musical.  If you do read it, try to find the version edited by Leonard Wolf; it’s a particularly good translation and has some useful (and sometimes amusing) footnotes. Continue reading “Favorites Friday: Phantom of the Opera” →

A Bit of Humor at the Opera

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fiction FridayLeave a comment

It’s Friday, and I thought I’d share a little more fiction from my Phantom of the Opera novel.  This is a fun scene with the managers of the Paris Opera House, Andre and Firmin.  Context: this is a while after the usual story, but all you really need to know is that, with the Vicomte de Chagny fled in the night, the Opera has a new patroness who has thoroughly taken over.  Her nickname is Madame Laissez Faire–Lady Let It Be–because she doesn’t let anythng be.  She’s determined to wage war against the Phantom.  Meanwhile, Meg Giry and Erik (the Phantom) have become friends, though he’s still mourning Christine’s leaving, and is endlessly solemn.  But not above the occasional trick all the same.

One other note: this is mostly based on Webber, but I tried to work in at least one nod to every version of the Phantom I was familiar with.  This scene has my nod to Terry Pratchett’s brilliant parody, Maskerade.

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The first thing the managers did, as they did most mornings, was to go to their office, which for a rarity was empty of their patroness.  It was also empty of everything else.

André and Firmin stood in the open doorway and stared at the empty room.  There was no desk.  No cabinets.  No files or books.  Even the half-eaten sandwich Firmin had left behind the evening before had vanished.  There was, in fact, only one item in the entire room: a single scrap of paper lying on the bare floorboards (even the rug had gone) in the precise center of the room, held in place by a single nail driven into the ground.

“Merde,” Andre muttered, as Firmin entered the room and yanked up the note from the floor.  He brought the note back to the doorway and they read it together.  It was very brief.

If you can invade my private domain, I see no reason why I can’t invade yours.

The Phantom

André groaned.  “He knows we were in the labyrinth.  I knew that was a bad idea.”

“What are we going to do?  This is bad, all our records and papers and…”  Firmin trailed off with a sudden thought.  “I left my favorite coat here last night.  He stole my favorite coat!”

“That red one?”

Firmin nodded vigorous assent.

André shrugged.  “Just as well.  It made you look like a turkey.”

Continue reading “A Bit of Humor at the Opera” →

Jesus as a Rock Star

On By cherylmahoneyIn Ruminations6 Comments

I got myself into a spiritual theme this week, but I don’t really have anything that fits for Fiction Friday.  So instead of sharing some writing today, I’m going to talk about a Good Friday tradition of mine–while keeping on the story theme of this blog.  🙂

I’m sure there are endless retellings of the Passion of Christ.  It has, after all, been described as “the greatest story ever told.”  A particular favorite version of mine is Jesus Christ Superstar, the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber.  I’ve listened to the soundtrack every Good Friday for the last several years, and last year I finally bought the DVD.  So I’ll be watching that tonight–after the Good Friday service at my church.

For those not familiar with Jesus Christ Superstar, it’s essentially the last week of Jesus’ life: the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the betrayal by Judas, the Last Supper, the trial, the crucifixion.  Except it’s a rock opera and, at least in the 2004 DVD, it’s set more or less in the modern day.  The Roman soldiers have guns, and there’s a sort of industrial feel to the minimal sets.  I think bringing it (more or less) into the modern day makes some parts more accessible, or at least gives a new perspective on them.  Jesus as rock star.  It’s pretty cool. 

I think you already knew I love the Webber Phantom, and I love the music in JCS too.  Few melodies get stuck in my head like Webber’s.  There are powerful songs throughout the musical–Judas has some good ones, although my favorite may be “Gethsemane.”  I have a version of Michael Crawford singing that one, and after a really frustrating day, few things are more satisfying than “Gethsemane” at high volume (and Crawford holds a note in the middle for 16 seconds, which is really long if you’re trying to sing along).

This is also a good version of the story.  Not all of it is Biblical–nowhere in the Bible does Jesus tell the crowds to heal themselves, although he does keep trying to get off by himself for a while when they press around too much.  But a lot of it is very close to the Bible, enough that you can see Webber and Rice had the book open when they were writing the musical.  The confrontation between Jesus and Pilate is especially close to the Biblical version:

Pilate: Listen, King of the Jews, where is your kingdom?  Look at me, am I Jew?

Jesus: I have got no kingdom in this world, I’m through–through–through.
There may be a kingdom for me somewhere if I only knew.

Pilate: You are a King?

Jesus: It’s you that say I am.  I look for truth, and find that I get damned.

Pilate: But what is truth?  Is truth a changing law?  We both have truths–are mine the same as yours?

That’s pretty much straight out of Chapter 18 of John’s Gospel.  And where Webber takes more artistic license, I mostly like where he goes.  The story is, largely, from Judas’ point of view, and I find the more sympathetic portrayal of Judas to be fascinating.  I think the musical still leaves some debate as to why Judas betrayed Jesus.  Did he see the prophecy and knew someone had to carry it out?  (“You used me–and you knew–all the time!”)  Was he afraid of the Romans? (“I am frightened of the crowds–we are getting much too loud.  And they’ll crush us if we go too far.”)  And of course we can’t really know.  But this explores some interesting ideas.

The one part I don’t like is the portrayal of Peter.  The first time I encountered the musical, watching the movie in a religion class, it struck me that Jesus seemed so alone, surrounded by people who didn’t understand.  And I kept thinking, where’s Peter?  Peter’s my favorite of the apostles, because he usually says the wrong thing, but nearly always has his heart in the right place.  That “nearly” comes in because of the famous three denials, which is practically the only part of Jesus Christ Superstar when Peter is identifiable.  Nice job, shine a spotlight on the man’s worst moment and pay no attention to the rest.

But other than that, it’s a good retelling.   The musical walks a nice line with the miracles too.  It’s not overt, so you can take it any way you want.  The most miraculous moment is when Jesus predicts Peter’s denials–and you could interpret that by saying he just knows Peter well. 

If Webber was willing to go more miraculous, it seems to me that, if he really wanted to go back and write a sequel to a successful past musical, he should have come back to Jesus Christ Superstar (instead of writing that debacle of a sequel to Phantom).  I’d love to see a musical about the Resurrection.  The resurrection accounts in John are amazing stories too (especially at the Sea of Gallilee, when Peter–heart in the right place!–goes jumping overboard to swim ashore because he sees Jesus on the beach).

Oh well.  Until I get a musical for Easter, I’ll just go on watching Jesus Christ Superstar on Good Friday.

Watching Opera with the Phantom

On By cherylmahoneyIn Fiction Friday3 Comments

Looking back over my Fiction Fridays, I find there’s at least one representative of almost all my major writing projects.  My Golden Age of Piracy story and my Fairy Tale Retelling, as well as the significant interests of my fanfiction years, Star Trek and Pirates of the Caribbean.  But–I am missing my one other fanfiction interest.  And the Phantom of the Opera does not like to be ignored (somewhat paradoxically, he also doesn’t like being noticed–a complex character).

My Phantom Programs

To round things out, and keep the Phantom happy 🙂 I thought I’d share a scene from my Phantom novel.  There’s not a lot of context needed for this particular scene.  Backstory (spoilers for the original, you have been warned)–the Phantom is a masked musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opera House.  One of his demands for the opera company is that Box Five be reserved for his exclusive use.  He falls in love with Christine, a singer at the Opera, there’s a romantic triangle and a lot of upheaval, and she eventually leaves and he’s left at the Opera House with a broken heart.

My story picks up from there.  It’s mostly but not exclusively based on the Webber musical (the original, NOT in any way, in any form, in the slightest bit, on the sequel–and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, good, you’ve been spared).  It primarily focuses on the Phantom, whose name is Erik (not something Webber mentioned), and on Meg Giry, a supporting character in the original.  She’s not actually in this scene, although she’s loosely referenced in the remarks about blondes.

This scene is a little while into the story, a few months after the original ends, and the management of the Opera has just decided to sell Box Five for the first time.

I think I’m okay on copyright here…Leroux’s Phantom has got to be public domain by now, and nothing here is directly from any other version.

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            The young man who bought the seats in Box Five was named Pierre.  His lady friend, whom he had met exactly two days previously, was named Jacqueline, and so far he had done very well impressing her.  They greatly enjoyed Act One.  Then, in the middle of Act Two, the voice started.

            “You’re in my box, you know.”  It was really a very nice sounding voice.  Definitely male, almost melodious in nature, and conversational in tone.

            That didn’t stop Pierre from taking issue with the words.  He rose from his seat and turned to address the apparent direction of the speaker.  “It so happens that I paid for these seats—”  He broke off abruptly, looking wildly around the box.  There was no one there.

Continue reading “Watching Opera with the Phantom” →