Saturday 10 March 2012

Love Never Dies


Love Never Dies, the sequel to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, The Phantom of the Opera has somewhat of a chequered history. The unjustly maligned show was plagued with negative reviews before it had even opened to the public in March 2010. So passionate were ‘phans’ of the original, that the idea of a continuation seemed absurd, many carrying out personal vendettas against the show, forming a protest group aptly named Love Should Die. I saw the show twice in London and loved it. In a time where ‘juke-box’ theatre is taking over the West End, this sweeping, gothic fantasy was a refreshing piece that carried the storyline that many people know and love into new and daring places. The damage, unfortunately, had already been done, and Love Never Dies closed after a disappointing 18 month run. Not one to give up, Lloyd Webber, convinced this work was amongst the best he had written (and I agree!), allowed an Australian company, lead by Simon Phillips, to create an entirely different production. The result can be seen in a worldwide DVD and Blu-Ray release of this astounding, incredible piece of theatre. 
 
Love Never Dies picks up the story ten years after the events of The Phantom of the Opera have occurred. The Phantom flees Paris for New York where he lives amongst the freaks and oddities of Coney Island. Yearning for his love, he lures Christine DaaƩ, her husband Raoul and their young son Gustave to his glorious world in an attempt to win back her love, unknowingly setting off a chain of events that will have devastating consequences for them all.

Coney Island in Love Never Dies
Phillips’ production really is a sight to behold and I can only imagine what it is like to experience its magnificence in a live theatre. My one criticism of the London production was that it never used its greatest asset: Coney Island itself. Endless possibilities were ignored and forgotten in Love’s first incarnation, a point that Phillips addresses by making sure that we see the Phantom’s world in all of its glory. Gabriela Tylesova, set designer for this production, uses Webber’s material in the same way as Maria Bjornson did for Phantom, creating an incredible platform for the actors to use. Before we’ve even heard a single note, this production succeeds where London essentially failed. Love Never Dies’ mise-en-scene links this story to its predecessor, making its role as a sequel quite evident. See the ‘Carousel Scene’ during ‘The Coney Island Waltz’ as a prime example of Love Never Dies’ mysterious and enchanting roots. Visually, this particular production cannot be faulted. Every space is used, filled with gorgeous imagery that thrusts us into this dazzling, dangerous and dark world. I always felt the London stage felt a little bare at times, so for me, this is a major improvement.

Ben Lewis as The Phantom
Ben Lewis as the Phantom and Anna O’Byrne as Christine have been harshly scrutinised by many who saw the London production. After all, Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess from the original are so greatly known. I, however, think it is unfair to compare the cast. Karimloo is fantastic, yes, and I certainly think he has the better voice, but I think I prefer Lewis’ portrayal of the Phantom. He brings a sense of menace (that the Phantom should possess) back to the role, a feat I missed in Karimloo’s performance. Lewis manages to strike a balance between the crazed genius and the lonely man, emphasising the third dimensional aspect to his character. The same can be said for O’Byrne, a talented actress who oozes star quality whilst bringing forth her maternal nature for scenes between Christine and Gustave. Likewise, Simon Gleeson makes Raoul’s transition from hero to tortured soul all the more believable. The way in which these characters have changed from Phantom are unexpected, yet in context, make complete sense. A lot of the criticism of Love derives from where Webber takes his characters, yet I do not understand why this particular plot point has been targeted. A lot can happen in ten years; people can change and not always for the better.

The book has also attracted criticism from those who wish Love Never Dies had never come to fruition. Personally, I do not understand these negative comments. There may be a few plot holes or moments where believability must be stretched in order to accommodate for certain twists in the story, yet this is no reason as to why Love should be persecuted. In other words, it is still possible to enjoy the show if you take it at face value. After all, Love Never Dies is not the only show where suspension of disbelief is necessary.

'The Beauty Underneath'
Standout scenes, for me, have to include ‘The Beauty Underneath’ and ‘Til I Hear You Sing,’ featuring stunning performances from all the cast members involved. The DVD itself is incredibly filmed. Many times I forgot that I was watching a stage show. Universal Pictures treat this performance like a film, omitting applause from the audience and cutting scene changes so that there is little interruption. As a fan of theatre myself, I am hugely interested in the ‘mechanics’ of a show and how it runs, so this was a disappointment, although I understand why Universal made this decision. Without these scene changes, however, Love Never Dies is a little too ‘pacey.’ At times I longed for a pause, however small, so I could take in what I had just witnessed, yet as soon as the dialogue stops, the music begins and the next song is sung. I found this particularly evident of the ‘Look With Your Heart / Beneath a Moonless Sky / Once Upon Another Time’ scene. Whilst I agree that a show should not ‘hang around’ for too long, there are many moments that should be enjoyed. This particular film does not always grant us the opportunity. It is, however, a minor criticism in what is otherwise a terrific example of how theatre can be transferred to the screen. 

Now that a DVD has been released of Love Never Dies, it can find a wider audience. Whether it will appeal to a mass market remains to be seen, but its integration from ‘cult status’ (for lack of a better term) into the mainstream is increasingly evident. Having streamed in cinemas across America and released on DVD across the world, Love Never Dies is finally finding its feet. Essentially, Love Should Die has failed. There may never be another production of Love Never Dies on stage again, yet now there is a permanent record of a fantastic show widely available. Many can say to themselves that the story ended after the Phantom disappeared. Yet we now all know that the story continues, regardless of personal opinion. After seeing the Melbourne production of Love Never Dies, I am glad that these events do continue, if only to join these fascinating characters one last time. Love Never Dies is by no means perfect, yet it is certainly one of the better shows to hit our theatres in recent years.

You can purchase Love Never Dies on Blu-Ray here, and DVD here