Re-watching Love Never Dies: The Re-written Version

Today met up with Johnny who I haven’t seen for almost 2 months and we are both in London! This is a shame! We went to see Love Never Dies tonight.

So I talked quite a lot about the show last time I saw it. I thought the plot was poor, but there were some touching moments and beautifully staged scenes. This time, they’ve re-written some parts and lyrics. And it felt like a new show. It was much darker.

It opened with ‘Til I Hear You Sing’. The way Ramin Karimloo (Phantom) sang it was so different from last time. Last time there was much more tenderness. This time I could feel more angst and desperation. I prefer the former version in terms of the music but this version probably suits the show better. Anyway, you could tell they’ve changed the characterisation of the Phantom.

The opening scene and the following 2 scenes as a whole made a better beginning. It got straight to the point. Madame Giry was not as mean in the beginning of the former version. Now she was the bad woman all the way through.

1st important change came during the scene where Raoul, Christine and Gustave were brought to their room. In the former version, Raoul went out for drink on his own accord but now it was the Phantom who tricked him out of his room. On the whole the Phantom is much darker in this newer version. I think there were criticism of how the Phantom was not dark enough and too romantic when the show first came out. It’s good to take on criticism but it’s not good to overdo it. In the former version, Christine did not know that the Phantom and Raoul had a bet on whether she’d sing. But now, the Phantom threatened her to sing. if not, he’d take away her son. Damn! I thought he loved her. He was such a jerk! And before the performance when Christine chose to sing, it just didn’t feel right.

The 2nd change that I hate was during ‘Beauty Underneath’. In the original version, it was Gustave who took off Phantom’s mask and the Phantom was totally hurt. In this version, the Phantom took it off himself and revealed his face to Gustave. Then after Phantom confronted Christine, he said he’d let Christine and Gustave leave even if Christine doesn’t sing. But that was just because he knew she would sing. And he made Christine promise him not to tell Gustave about the truth.

They kept the scene where Phantom and Raoul came face to face. Same scene. So, basically the Phantom is doing more wheel and deals in this new version.

The change I hate most, absolutely most was the final scene. The original was so beautifully staged. While Christine was dying, Gustave looked for Raoul, she told Gustave Phantom was his real father and Raoul never appeared again. So, the focus was on Phantom, Christine and Gustave. In this new version, while Christine got shot, she was desperate to tell Gustave that Phantom was his father. Gustave didn’t ask and Christine even said to Phantom that she knew she promised him but she couldn’t keep that fro Gustave. C’mon! Who wrote the lines? The original flow was much more touching. When Gustave knew Phantom was his father, in the original, he didn’t run away. In the new one, he did. And unexpectedly he appeared with Raoul again! What was Raoul doing there? In the old one, Gustave gave Phantom a hug and then Phantom kneeled know and slowly took off his mask. That was one very touching and tender moment. Now, Gustave gave Raoul a hug and then Phantom a hug. And that’s it. Curtains closed. Why ruin the last scene? Why? In the old one because the Phantom never wanted to take off his mask in front of Gustave. So, when he took it off after Christine’s death, he exposed himself and be true to who he was. He let Gustave see the real him. Now, with Raoul on the stage and the mask not taken off... Poof! They ruined it.

By making the Phantom darker, they’ve made him a jerk. Now I hate him. And, just as Johnny said, it’s just pretty hideous to imagine the Phantom and Christine engaging in the act of procreation.

But I’ll see it for the 3rd time because it’s amazing to listen to such beautiful live music. Amazing voices of Ramin Karimloo (Phantom), Sierra Boggess (Christine) and Liz Robertson (Madame Giry). And to see the old and new version of the same show is some special experience. You can see how the actors change the way they sing a song as their character changes. I’d still recommend everyone to see it.