One Sentence Summary: Sequel to the Phantom.
Trivia: The show has been extensively rewritten since opening.
Best thing about it: The cast are great. It's unfortunate that, like so many recent shows, they have so little to work with.
What they could change: Where do I start!? The plot. It would be good if they had even one storyline that wasn't based on what happened in Paris 10 years earlier. I fell asleep about six times in Act I and somehow missed nothing. Also 95% of the music is dull. And they spell everything out too much, which miscarries the mysteriousness of the first show. Where before the Phantom character was both the protagonist and the antagonist, now he is neither. You just don't care about him at all. And interesting side characters, like Carlotta, are simply non-existent.
We left thinking: Sequels to a musical are always a bad idea. No wonder they're practically giving tickets away and still half empty.
Verdict: Avoid this show. 2.5 / 10.
- Author's Note-
I reviewed the London production of LND. I've heard that the Melbourne one (that coincidentally opened today) has had significant improvements. So, it may not be quite so bad. But view with caution.
oh. I really loved the music and the staging, even if the plot and other key aspects (lyrics?!?!) were somewhat lacking.
ReplyDelete- Kinloch
Couldn't agree more. When I went most of the theatre was empty. Let's hope everyone forgets about this embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteSorry you didn't love it. I thought it was amazing. Especially the score. :) The revamp in Australia looks way better then what we got in London. Then again London is just a testing site these days. :( Also, I saw it on a weekend and it was almost completely full.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. There were good moments, but they were fleeting, and I can't help but feel that this show could never have made it independently of Phantom... and that, in my book, is the telling sign of any unnecessary sequel.
ReplyDeleteHaving bigger and shinier props isn't going to make for the pathetic plot, and storyline it is so sadly lacking.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your view.
Yeah, LND = a shame on stage, rather than a show. And in Australia production they just changed costumes and sets, but didn't change plot or score or lyrics so basically it is the same crappy story with some cherries on the top.
ReplyDelete