Whatever the problem was with the original Love Never Dies in London, Andrew Lloyd Webber has fixed it. The Australian production is spectacular.
“I wasn’t really happy with this in London and here it is exactly as I wanted it to be,” Lord Webber told the audience at the curtain call of the opening night performance at Melbourne’s Regent theatre last night (May 28).
He even hinted he wanted to move here. “I hope there is an immigration lawyer in the house,” he said.
Even as recently as the day before opening night Lord Webber was changing music and adding new lyrics. With director Simon Phillips, the show was given a complete new look compared to the original London production.
‘Love Never Dies’ is the sequel to Lord Webber’s most celebrated musical ‘Phantom of the Opera’. The story is set in 1907 and is set about 10 years after the Phantom story ends.
Ben Lewis is the new Phantom, Anna O’Byrne is Christine. Lewis had appeared in Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Spamalot. O’Bryne played the Christine role in the last production of Phantom of the Opera. Both are going to be major stars.
Visually, ‘Love Never Dies’ is stunning. Phillips made the right choice with Gabriela Tylesova as Set & Costume Designer. There is activity all of the time in this production, something critics panned the lack of in the London production. Tylesova was given the chore of bringing Coney Island at night to life and succeeded. There is so much happening on stage that I’m sure seeing the show a second time would give you a whole different experience.
It will be interesting to see how the Australian theatre critics write-up ‘Love Never Dies’ over the coming week. Theatre purists that I spoke with after the show were the most critical but casual theatre goers who generally attend rock concerts absolutely loved it.
‘Love Never Dies’ is on at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne for 6 months. It will then head to Sydney.
VIDEO: Love Never Dies, Undercover talks to Ben and Anna:
