Tag Archives: Earl Carpenter

REVIEW: The Phantom Of The Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre, London)

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Oh. My. Gosh!

Regular readers of my blog will know that I am something of a musical theatre obsessive, however, tonight was my first time seeing The Phantom Of The Opera actually on a stage in front of me (a shocking revelation, right?!). I came out of the performance this evening and I was actually shaking. Seriously. Despite all my years of amassed musical knowledge, and the vast range of productions that I’ve sat through in my time, I can hand on heart say that The Phantom Of The Opera has totally revolutionised and changed the way that I think about musical theatre, just at a time when I though there was nothing more that could really excite me at present. Even in its 26th year, it still holds that magical power, and you really have to see the show before you to appreciate the true beauty and spectacle of this absolute masterpiece!

The production appears to have benefited well from the 25th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall production, though I really must stress that watching the DVD of this alone is simply not enough! :P

The staging itself was absolutely BREATHTAKING. We had the benefit of being in row H of the stalls, and so everything appeared ‘seemless’ and my eyes popped out of their sockets several times – especially during the Lair scenes, which were even more fantastic than I’d previously seen on the DVD or in photos in books etc. We were also directly under the chandelier, and I tell you now, when that bad-boy is hurtling towards you (they’ve sped it back up again now) then you instinctively duck for cover and yelp a little bit! Amazing!

I was fortunate to be taken to the show by my pal Paul, who actually saw the very original cast, in its first ever week – how amazeballs is that?! He was very surprised to find that absolutely nothing has really changed in the time since – something which amazes me, as the production looks so fresh, and, even now, 26 years on, it is still able to blow my mind, despite all I’ve seen on the stage before! I cannot imagine just how revolutionary this must have been back in 1986.

The orchestra was simply devine. I had goosebumps throughout the production; not just where I normally look for them (Overture, and The Phantom Of The Opera), but in parts of the score where I never usually get them! Absolutely nothing compares to hearing this score played live, and, though the word ‘masterpiece’ is bandied about a lot with this show, it is a very suitable word. This score is one of the ones that really made me get into musical theatre as a kid and regard Andrew Lloyd Webber so highly (I even used to help moderate the official RUG and Phantom message boards), and I genuinely cannot think of another score which moves me as much as this one does.

The ultimate treat was that the Phantom is currently played by musical theatre stalwart Earl Carpenter. For those who read regularly, you’ll know that this is going to be my last West End show for quite some time, as I’m moving back to Manchester on Saturday, and so Phantom was the one show that I desperately needed to see before I went, and, prior to tonight, Earl Carpenter was the only West End legend that I had yet to see before me on a stage. That the two massive desires that I had desperately wanted to fulfil prior to my leaving the West End behind (a massive deal for me!) were made true on the same night will stay with me forever I think (also in keeping with the advertising strap line ‘remember your first time…’ too, ha!). It was made even better as I didn’t even know that Earl Carpenter had returned to the show in advance of my attendance this evening – I only found out at the end! (I had a bit of a Phantom style revelation myself it seems haha!)

Several times, and owing to our proximity to the stage, I found myself staring right into the Phantom‘s eyes, and he chilled me to the core – I had to keep breaking my gaze! The depth of emotion that Earl Carpenter was able to convey was magnificent, and I’m not ashamed to say that come the end of the show, I was in floods of tears! Such a beautiful performance.

Sofia Escobar as Christine was an absolute find. I may get shouted down for saying this, but her voice was even more perfect, for me, than that of Sarah Brightman, who the role was written specifically for! Perfect look for the role, an astonishing voice for someone who is fairly fresh to the wider world of musical theatre, and I really hope that she stays with the production for a long time.

Killian Donnelly as Raoul was fabulous. Raoul is that slightly simpering second male lead role that I usually find it hard to attach to in a musical, however in this case, Donnelly totally grabbed Raoul and gave him a decent pair of bollocks, and completely sold the role to me! Really enjoyed his performance.

I cannot discuss the cast without mentioning Wendy Ferguson’s Carlotta – I genuinely cannot imagine anyone more suited to the role. A gorgeous voice, a fantastic way of portraying the role, and I love just watching her, even if she’s not in the foreground. She’s secretly my favourite! :P

You only have to flick through the programme to see what a wealth of musical theatre royalty is in the current cast – everyone has really fabulous experience in the field, with many people previously appearing in significant roles that I really look up to!

I genuinely, genuinely cannot implore you enough to go and see this show, I guarantee that you will not regret it. I’m not normally a fan of the premium seating model, however for this show, I would definitely recommend those seats, and in fact, for the 25th Anniversary touring production, soon to be in Manchester, I am insisting that Max and I splash out on the premium seating!

I thought that no musical could ever affect me in such a significant way again – I thought that I’d seen all that the West End had to offer, and was ready to face the final curtain, and retire a contented man; especially as I thought I knew what I was getting tonight. However, seeing this show, in the ‘flesh’, has totally reignited the passion that I have for musical theatre, and I now find myself wishing that I could see this show a couple more times before I leave; if only!! For a show to do this, and totally blow my mind, it has to be worth a look, right? :D

The Phantom Of The Opera is playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre, and stars Earl Carpenter as The Phantom up until 17th March 2012. For further information, and to book tickets, please visit the show’s official webpage.

REVIEW: Les Misérables – Barbican Centre (25th Anniversary Tour)

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I’m just home from seeing the 25th Anniversary touring production of the classic Boubil-Schonberg musical, Les Misérables.

Simply put, I cannot rave enough about this production – I’m at a loss as to where to even start with the review, there’s so much I would like to discuss! I had been chasing all across the UK for an invite to come and see this anniversary production (and had been doing so for over a year!) before I had a last-minute chance come up yesterday, and I am so so chuft to have finally seen it (and yes, I did get sniffly during bits of it heh!) – the wait was well worth it, and it was made even more special by getting to see it at the Barbican, where the magic all began on October 8th 1985 – exactly two months after I was born!

First off, I feel that I should put this review and production in context – considering it as is, i.e. a (just about Off) West End show, this production is totally awesome, however when taken as intended, as a piece of touring theatre, this is absolutely phenomenal. There are simply no other words for it!

Coming from Manchester originally, I’ve sat through more than my share of touring productions, and whilst they’re usually fair-to-good, they’re not even close to being comparable with the quality of this production. The money, care and attention that has been devoted to this production only serve to do the brand proud and this actually now excites me for the precedent and legacy that this hopefully establishes for other touring productions, who should see that if you get it right, you can charge those premium prices out in the regions, and really provide a top quality show to the masses!

Let’s move on to the casting for this 25th Anniversary production, and I have to hand it to casting director, James Orange, it was absolutely spot on! Flicking through the program, it transpires that nearly everyone in the cast was incredibly stage experienced, and there’s actually not one of the many principles who I’ve not already seen in at least one other show it would seem.

I’m very much inclined to agree with the New York Post who said that the casting of John Owen-Jones was second only to Colm Wilkinson, Owen-Jones was absolutely phenomenal in the role. West End stalwart Earl Carpenter’s portrayal of Javert gave me several of the vocal highlights of the night (check out his version of Stars below – I can’t rave about it enough, WOW!) and he was perfect in the role, and I’d also like to call out Rosalind James who played Eponine, as she really moved me with her hair-tingling rendition of ‘On My Own’).

I have to say, that I had a few early issues with Fantine, played by Madalena Alberto, and I somehow managed to sit through I Dreamed A Dream without feeling a shred of emotion… which was absolutely unforgivable in my opinion! Perhaps I was comparing it too much to Ruthie’s vocal, however I really didn’t get the feeling that Fantine was on the edge, had realised that she’d lost everything and had started to become so bitterly jaded. Acting wise, she was great, and in the following scene, I felt all those emotions, it’s just a pity that they didn’t seem to connect through the vocal. I should add that this isn’t any kind of criticism of the actress (after all, I am just a blogger!), however for such a high-profile song, I just think that it needs to be absolutely perfect and credible as I feel that a lot of values surrounding the whole production rest on it, and of course this may well influence the perception of others who are perhaps less-well-acquainted with the Les Mis story, and ultimately how they may judge it.

My friend, Brett, and I both agreed on the above point, and we also had a few other minor likeability issues with other characters in Act One (we’re looking at the Thénardiers here!), but these were all swiftly ironed out by Act Two and in the end, the other characters that we’d initially questioned, we found we ultimately loved a lot! :)

Of course, this production also has a certain (and yummy!) Gareth Gates in it! Whilst he’s vocally no Michael Ball, we found that in Act Two he really got into his stride with the acting and was actually rather good in the role. His portrayal did leave us with perhaps a more naive and ‘innocent’ Marius as opposed to the confident cocksure Michael Ball portrayal, however I think that this really worked with this production and helped make his character a little more likable!

Much has been made of the staging of this 25th Anniversary production, and rightly so, for it is a thing of magnificent beauty! The use of the video technology, props and all of the flats is simply remarkable and not something seen on the touring theatre circuit on this scale before. Certain moments of the production (e.g. Javert’s Soliloquy) really lend themselves to the use of this technology and the attention to detail was fantastic!

Hats off also go to Peter White and his orchestra, for it was absolutely divine to hear a full orchestra in the pit for this show (the decline of the use of which is my biggest bug-bear about the West End at the moment). I found it especially awesome when the horns kept coming in during the opening bars of At The End Of The Day, I actually got goosebumps and shivered – my favourite bit of the entire score.

Perhaps the only real ‘let-down’ for me (aside from I Dreamed A Dream) was how the end of Act One was staged – I felt that there could have been a more visually arresting display to close the act on, however this is only a very minor niggle, and certainly doesn’t impact on my over-all enjoyment of this production.

A quick note now about the Barbican itself, if I may indulge slightly, for I have never been to this venue before. I loved it! The swooshy doors at the wings of the auditorium were fantastic (I want some!), and the seating at the theatre was perfectly placed from what I could tell / experienced. We were sat in the centre at the back of the stalls, next to the tech desk, and we had a perfect view over everything. I liked that when I went to buy some water during the interval, the shopkeep asked if I would like it at room temperature or cold – I’ve never had a choice before! (FYI, cold!).

Speaking of the interval, those huge jaw like safety curtains are very scary. Also, when I went to use the bathroom during the interval, I came across something that I have *NEVER* seen happen before – all of the men that were in there using the facilities *ahem* (and there must have been about 30) were all whistling along in time to Master Of The House – heh!! Amazing! (and yes, of course I joined in, heh!).

The audience, incidentally, were the most well-behaved that I’ve ever seen an audience be – nobody got up to go to the loo halfway through the Act, there was little coughing, and no sweet paper rustling – everybody was sat captivated completely by the action on the stage, and the thunderous standing ovation that the cast received at the curtain call was, without doubt, the loudest and most enthusiastic that I have ever heard in any theatre that I’ve been in – wow!

The one production that I’d now really like to see would be the O2 25th Anniversary Gala performance on 3rd October (alas, I’ve been told there’s no way I’ll be able to get invited to see that, gah) – which looks to be absolutely epic! If you’ve got tickets to this, I am very jealous! :)

All in all, I will hands down say that seeing Les Misérables at the Barbican has been the theatrical highlight of 2010 – I cannot praise this production highly enough and would urge everyone to go and see it if presented with the opportunity!

The Les Misérables 25th Anniversary tour will end on October 2nd at the Barbican after a near-year long tour of the UK, so this really is your last chance to see it! GO!

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As an aside, earlier on, I posted a (hopefully!) fun little SMS exchange that I had with my pal Brett after seeing this, feel free to check it out :)

SPOTIFY USERS: You may be interested in the 25th Anniversary Cast Recording

Touring Les Misérables production

It has just been announced that Les Misérables is to tour to celebrate it’s 25th anniversary.

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The press release is as below.

I am a little dubious about the suitability of the casting of – the ever hot -  Gareth Gates (pics via link) as Marius… that said, I am sure that he is eager to break the mould and try something serious for a change, and good luck to him, especially if it gets the kids interested in this type of musical! I think that the rest of the cast announced thus far looks very strong.

They’ve not yet announced the casting of Fantine, and though I’m sure that they won’t, part of me dreads that they may try to get Susan Boyle for this… erk!

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that John Owen Jones will star as ‘Jean Valjean’, Earl Carpenter as ‘Javert’ and Gareth Gates as ‘Marius’ in the exciting new 25th anniversary production of the World’s Longest Running Musical “LES MISÉRABLES,”. The production will have spectacular new designs inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo and will embark on a major international tour commencing in the UK at the WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE CARDIFF on 11 December 2009 where it recently went on sale, breaking all box office records in the theatre’s history! Current tour schedule attached.

Broadway and West End star John Owen Jones was recently hailed by the New York Post as the best Jean Valjean since Colm Wilkinson. As well as starring in “Les Misérables” in both the West End and on Broadway he has also appeared as ‘The Phantom’ in “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Earl Carpenter who is currently playing ‘Javert’ in the West End production of “Les Misérables” has also starred as ‘The Phantom’ in West End as well as the starring role of ‘Darryl Van Horne’ in “The Witches of Eastwick” at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Gareth Gates needs no introduction. A multi million selling popstar who still has the 2nd best selling single this decade. More recently he has played the title role of ‘Joseph’ in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre and was a semi finalist in ‘Dancing on Ice’ 2008.

The magnificent score of “LES MISÉRABLES” includes the songs, ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ (currently the world’s most popular song!), ‘On My Own’, ‘Stars’, ‘Bring Him Home’, ‘Do You Hear the People Sing’, ‘One Day More’, ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’, ‘Master Of The House’ and many more.

“LES MISÉRABLES” originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on 8 October 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on 4 December 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on 3 April 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When “LES MISÉRABLES” celebrated its 21st London birthday on 8 October 2006, it became the World’s Longest Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by “Cats” in London’s West End.

Seen by over 56 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, “LES MISÉRABLES” is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe. There have been 34 cast recordings of “LES MISÉRABLES”, including the multi-platinum London cast recording and the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold nearly two million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,000 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 100,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools.

Cameron Mackintosh’s production of “LES MISÉRABLES” is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. The original London production of “LES MISÉRABLES” was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.

This new production will be directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell and designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the works of Victor Hugo and John Napier. Original costumes by Andreane Neofitou, lighting by Paule Constable and sound by Mick Potter.

Further information (including dates and venues) can be found on the official production website.