PULP TRAVELS: The Phantom Phantom Fan
Words by Kiran Gupta
On my last day in Europe I had a slight logistical issue. I had to fly from the Croatian island of Istria (Pula Airport) to the infrequently used Southend Airport in London. I then had about 6 hours to head through Central London to get to Heathrow Airport for my flight back to Sydney. It was an odd period of time. I did not want to do anything that could jeopardise my flight home, but it was a little too long to be sitting at an airport. As I needed to go through Central London anyway, I worked out that I had just enough time to see a West End show.
The next problem I faced was finding a show with a Thursday matinee. Luckily, my favourite musical Mamma Mia was one of the two shows with a Thursday matinee. The problem? It started oddly late for a matinee meaning the connection with my flight was just a little too tight. That left one show that worked logistically… The Phantom of the Opera.
I must admit that I have never been a huge fan of the soundtrack and it has never been a musical that has truly grabbed my attention. Nevertheless, I managed to get a fantastic last-minute seat and was curious to see the show (and of course, the famous river).
One thing that is always concerning with shows that have run on the West End for a long time is that they will become “stale.” The same company performing the same show for years on end, it is only natural they might get a little bored. There were certainly some elements of this in the production however, overall the leads did a fantastic job of maintaining the energy.
The vocal score is a challenging one. With a lot of high soprano belting, it is easy to fall off course and sometimes, it did feel like the vocals were slipping. However, the Phantom gave a truly inspired and indeed, masterful vocal performance. Although the Phantom’s score is not as challenging as other leads, it is one of the most dramatically complex roles in theatre and it was performed impeccably. The raw emotion of his performance was awe-inspiring and to me, a masterclass in what strong musical theatre performing should be. Heartfelt emotions combined with strong vocals and dramatic complexity.
The costuming was quite exquisite. Going through opera performances and period clothing, a wide range of stunning costumes were on display which really lifted the performance. Vibrant colours, ornate jewelry and vivacious, larger than life But it was the set that stole the show. The initial lifting of a gigantic chandelier off the stage onto the roof was something to behold. The much-anticipated river was expertly handled and worth the wait.
So, would I recommend seeing The Phantom of the Opera? It was a solid, if not spectacular musical however seeing a musical on the West End with the slick production that accompanies is certainly an experience and one worth having if in London.