Thursday, October 08, 2009
Lloyd Webber unveils Phantom of the Opera sequel
Reuters: "British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber Thursday unveiled his latest musical 'Love Never Dies,' a sequel to hit show 'The Phantom of the Opera' which has played to more than 100 million people around the world."
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I am both confused and intrigued by this sequel. Things like this I usually don't expect much out of. I will say that I am glad Andrew Lloyd Webber is passionate about continuing the story of one of his most popular characters but I am always concerned when people make sequels so many years later. Many times they are unsuccessful because audiences tend to not like changing or lengthening stories that they consider "classics". I am curious as to the response the theater community will have to this new project.
I'm not terribly enthused for this show, but I can't help but be afraid that any merits the show has will be overshadowed by the stigma against a "Phantom sequel" by the critics and audiences. Regardless of how well-intentioned Webber's efforts were for the continuation of his storyline, the project feels like it will be clouded with creative criticism (it's unimaginative to simply continue a story) and suspicion of greed (Phantom made so much money that ALW wanted to milk the franchise for as much as it could bear). Only time will tell how the show is received, I suppose...
(Note: Posted during lunch break, Basic PTM is at 1:30pm today instead of the normal time.)
I feel like this could be good if done right, but then again thats the key to everything: that its done right. This could go either way. Regardless, i want to see it anyway. but then again i wish he would come up with something new. I love the story of the phantom of the opera, so i hope this doesn't ruin it.
From seeing headlines about a phantom sequel, I've been very worried about whether the show would be any good. Seeing that "Phantom" isn't in the title makes me feel slightly better, but I don't see a reason why haunting Coney Island would involve a phantom from the paris opera house. My opinion has been that some of Lloyd Webber's later works haven't been so good (definitely haven't done well on Broadway, eg Woman in White), so I am still skeptical about this show. My opinion would be better about this new show if it weren't a sequel to phantom, partially because of my dislike of sequels (it's hard to do a good one).
What in the world is left to tell, I wonder. That strikes me as Disney making direct-to-DVD sequals to the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Never mind the Disney changes...everyone DIES. Seriously, did the Phantom like not really die, but instead was sent back in time until Superman gets a wish machine from the Watchers and brings him back to Gotham to take over from Nightwing pretending to be Batman and Hush pretending to be Bruce Wayne? Just pretend that sentence made sense to and was about Phantom of the Opera and not Batman RIP.
But like...all the characters are matched up. There's nothing left. It's not even set in Paris, is it? Is it like Christine's daughter, who becomes infatuated with her mother's past? Does Erik return from beyond the grave as part of a zombie infestation in Pittsburgh?
I am baffled.
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