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ifyouhappentoremember · 2 years

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Quick Thoughts - Phantom of the Opera - London - August 27, 2022 - Matinee

- As I didn’t have access to the cast list for the performance when the show started, I went in blind, not knowing who I was seeing. I want to know why, despite not actively following the London cast, I managed to correctly guess all of the actors for the principle roles

- Main trio was James Gant, Lucy St. Louis, and Matt Blaker

- This write-up is specifically about my thoughts on the performances not my thoughts on the London production and changes made to the show post reopening. That will be its own separate post.

- I would die for Louis St. Louis’s Christine. There is just something so precious, gentle and caring about her (almost Disney Princess like?) She gives a delicate quantity to Christine (which is only amplified by her delicate, almost siren -like quality to her singing voice). I can’t recall at the moment who it was who wrote that Lucy St. Louis’s Christine has a weird girl energy to her (I am running on 3 hours of sleep and some adrenaline right now - it will come to me at a very inopportune moment) and I do agree with that assessment. Of course she would have an element of weirdness in her if she’s believes that the Angel of music is giving her lessons and she follows the phantom into his lair.

- Matt Blaker’s Raoul just had so many good details. He can be confident and charismatic but also has a dorky side to him. I’m obsessed with the way he spun when he sang “then say you’ll share with me…” Enthusiastically earnest, yet so dorky

- When Matt Blaker did the jump into the “lake” he landed with a loud bang. My immediate thought was “did Raoul just die???” He seemed ok in the final lair scene so I guess the landing was safely done, just loud.

- Let us now discuss James “Ganthom” Gant.

- What I like best about his Phantom is that he is very pathetic and desperate (in a good way).

- He reeks of desperation even in the scenes when the Phantom is in control. The way he touches Christine, the way he longs for Christine to touch him in the first lair, but is too desperate for his own good that he pulls away… I felt that.

- Also the way during music of the night he held Lucy’s hand with both of his hands before leading her to the mirror bride during the line “let the dream begin…” I was floored. That was an option on the table this ENIRE time????

- On the Pegasus when he softly cried out ‘Christine, my Christine’… Sad, but also pathetic

- In the final lair this pathetic (affectionate) man is crying Christine’s name into the veil.

- When I chose my seat in the balcony section (yes, my knees still hurt) I made sure my seat would have a clear, unobstructed view of Raoul and Christine on the boat. It paid off because Lucy’s Christine was looking at this pathetic (affectionate) shell of an opera ghost until the very last moment as the boat drifted away.

- I was feeling so emotional at the end of the final lair (maybe on the verge of crying??? I almost never have the urge to cry during the final lair) but then the little girl behind me had to start chattering away about her thoughts on how the Phantom was going to escape the mob and my moment of emotional vulnerability was over.

#yeah the London cast is great!#if matt blaker was to be the next Raoul on Broadway that is ok by me #I am only half joking of course #quick thoughts #poto london #James Gant #lucy st louis #matt blaker

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