Hellooooooo! We will make no pathetic excuses for being so lazy. Although we have published nothing in the time Katie Price has penned 2 new blockbusters, we have not been totally idle. Several draft posts have been languishing in our editing vaults, awaiting fairydust. The post below was first penned on 20th March 2011, and we have decided to post it unaltered..... we are pretty chuffed with our predictions thus far!
20th March 2011
Fairy-imaginations are a-whirring.
We witnessed the spectacle that was Les Mis at 25 years and loved every single second of it. The fact that anniversaries of musical theatre productions receive this level of attention and respect is in itself awesome, and naturally we like to be in the thick of it. Sadly Cameron Macintosh never asked us before putting on his show at the O2 (and ended up with Nick Jonas as a result. Just a quick word with us would have sufficed, Cammack. Really. we are full of suggestions...), but we're just going to put out a few ideas, ruminate over them...and see what happens. Yes, Lord Lloyd Webber; you are being 'fairied'!!!! Here's what we would like to see for a celebration of he Phantom Of The Opera at 25 years...
Venue
The Royal Albert Hall. For a couple of nights. The O2, though huge on a grander than massive scale, can be a bit impersonal (let alone chilly) and POTO needs to be seen by many, but in a slightly more intimate setting. Her Majestys Theatre, although the home of Phantom, isn't quite the venue. Namely because the last time we were there we had restricted view seats which were SO restricted we caught roughly one third of the action on stage. So from a purely personal point of view it's a no from us! RAH, please. Nice big stage, giving scope for all kinds of things, a beautiful setting, majestic even...
Type of event
Should it be the full stage show or should it be in concert format? Difficult. One argument is that as it has so much dialogue it might not lend itself very well to a concert. But it could work...if it was songs and scenes from the musical with 'guest stars', you know, surprise duets and pairings...oooh, quite liking the idea of that! Though, what must be remembered is that this is the most sumptuous of shows which prides itself on magnificent staging, special effects, beautiful costumes and stacks of dry ice (ALW likes dry ice. Ramin Karimloo would appear to have his very own dry ice machine in 'Love Never Dies'...). But a specially staged show might limit the choice of casting. Nonetheless, it would be an amazing setting (if it were in the RAH), a 'once seen, never forgotten' type of event.
The Cast
Yikes. this could prove tres difficile. If it was for the show, this is the cast we'd like to see...maybe...
Phantom - Ramin Karimloo (but we already knew that)What can be said about him that hasn't already been said? He is perfect in every way.
Christine - Sierra Boggess. Many would say this was too twee a pairing, taking into account 'Love Never Dies', but Sierra is good and we think she has the right look and sound.
Raoul - Murmurings abound that Lee Mead could potentially be up for this part. There is a time we would have said the same...but he needs to prove himself to us before he is launched into something this big. We would love him to get the part but we would worry for him constantly. He doesn't need any more negative press. Now if David Thaxton sang the part , we'd know that the moment he opens his mouth a guaranteed beautiful sound would emerge. And that guarantee is what you want for an occasion like this. However. As he's in LND already, some would argue it would be a casting 'too close to home'...and some may say that we are utterly predictable. So. Well, we are not proud.
Madame Giry - Karina would like to see Elaine Paige, possibly, in this part (See? I hold no grudges - Karina), but saying that, someone like Ruthie Henshall? Patti LuPone is a wonderful possibility for a cynical aging madame.
Meg Giry - Tricky. Young and innocent looking. What about Nancy Sullivan? She'd have the look. And although she hasn't the best voice in the world, Meg doesn't sing that much. But Nancy has always been very emotive on stage. Hayley Westenra? Tamsins Nan would approve....., Niamh Perry? Sweet voice.
Carlotta - Maybe Elaine Paige would actually suit this role better. Bit of a Diva, Grand Dame...been there...seen that....Could work. Another common 'wish' would be Sarah Brightman. Hmm. Our choice...? Penelope Keith..... we are not sure she can sing, but she would add a certain "Margotness" to proceedings. And arent opera divas supposed to be a little older?? Rebecca Caine? (No offence on the older thing...)
Monsieur Firmin - Michael Ball Michael Ball Michael Ball Michael Ball
Monsieur Andre - John Owen Jones or Earl Carpenter!!!! The Earl of Carpenter!!!!
Ubaldo Piangi - Message boards reckon this part should go to Alfie Boe. Does he have to crop up in everything?!?! He sings well. Note perfect, even. But we get no emotional punch from his performances (Oliviers were a good example of this. He sang 'Some Enchanted Evening' perfectly. But we didn't feel it. He sang, we listened and weren't moooooved!! ( Again.). So Alfie wouldn't be top of our wish list. But then , he is supposed to be a pompous berk with no redeeming features.....maybe a bit of stunt casting like Rhydian Roberts...(just kidding!). Or Peter Polycarpou...? He could be very good...
So. If it wasn't in a 'show' format and was a concert instead, we'd like most of the people from above (other than maybe EP. And Nancy Sullivan; (not that she isn't sweet, but she's not really spectacular...so maybe we shouldn't cast her...dilemma...). And maybe the original cast members (a bit like 25th Miz we suppose, very copy-cattish, but it would be awful not to include them) and maybe other phantoms past and present. And Christines. Lots of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment