Phantom of the Opera at Orpheum Theatre on 5/15/09
By: Nicholas Leeman
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Phantom of the Opera (there's a completely different show entitled simply "Phantom") is based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, published in 1909. Its eponymous character has taken up residence in the sewers beneath the Opera Populaire in Paris around the turn of the century. Maimed terribly since birth, he is described as a genius inventor, architect, magician and composer. Years of brooding there have finally given way, and he has fallen in love with a chorus girl in the Opera's resident company, Christine Daae (Trista Moldovan). Preying on a story told to her by her dying father, he has assumed the identity of her "Angel of Music," playing the role of both obsessor and tutor. Normally this is not behavior we'd tolerate in a teacher, but the stage is a funny place. Enter the opera's new owners: Monsieur Andre (D.C. Anderson) and Monsieur Firmin (Michael McCoy), who have brought with them the young and handsome Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny (Sean McLaughlin) who also happens to be a childhood friend of Christine's.
As a welcome gift to them, the Phantom disrupts a rehearsal just as the diva Carlotta Giudicelli (Kim Stengel) is squawking through an aria for her new producers. Carlotta throws her first of many, many tantrums and leaves the theatre, vowing not to return until the Phantom is dealt with. Christine is tapped to replace her and opens the show to a raving audience. Her success emboldens both Raoul and the Phantom to begin vying for her affections. Raoul enters her dressing room to relive a few memories and then orders her to dinner despite her protests, and the Phantom kidnaps her, taking her to his underground lair where she reveals to her a mannequin dressed as Christine in a wedding gown. Such choices. And so begins the action of the show.
The Phantom himself, played by understudy Stephen Tewksbury during the opening week, is a difficult character to properly portray. He is both a bloodthirsty killer and tender lover, tortured by his deformity and forced to live outside of society's eye. Tewksbury instantly owns the duality of the Phantom as he seems perfectly natural both dulcetly serenading young Christine and killing whoever may stand in his way. His Phantom tiptoes the very thin line between obsession and devotion with remarkable alacrity, giving way to an antagonist the audience catches themselves actually rooting for on more than one occasion. Vocally, Tewksbury dominates every song afforded him with gravitas and a chilling softness that reflects that schism in the Phantom himself.
The object of his affection and living up to every accolade given her by the characters around her is Moldovan's Christine. Moldovan has a voice that seemingly knows no bounds as she effortlessly belts out notes challenging human hearing at several points in the show. The role of Christine is vocally demanding, with nearly every production casting two women to share the role throughout the run. Moldovan never once shies away from the challenge however, and appears equally at ease softly cooing songs like "Angel of Music" as she owns the entire stage with her voice in "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again." When Moldovan and Tewksbury combine in several numbers, the audience is breathless just listening to them. In fact, her vocal quality is so powerful that the demureness she portrays when not singing seems almost like a facade.
In fact, with so much going right in this production, it's actually quite easy to forgive these smaller pieces that just don't quite work. McLaughlin's Raoul is by no means a liability, but is played with such affected bravado that it almost seems as though he's bullying Christine into falling in love with him. An accomplished singer, McLaughlin clearly has the chops for the role, but is directorially pushed in a direction that doesn't make us want him to win. In fact, direction for this show is choppy, to say the least. There are moments of absolute joy to watch, which can quickly devolve into actors standing on stage mechanically gesturing outwards or to each other without ever really seeming to know why themselves. These moments are fleeting though, and the cast is strong enough to pull the entire audience right back into the world of the show.
The supporting cast has some truly wonderful assets as well in both John Whitney's Piangi, and Kim Stengel's Carlotta. Whitney builds an adorable Piangi who is just as big of an egoist as Carlotta, but is infinitely more lovable; it’s hard to look away form Stengel's Carlotta whenever she is on stage. Both actors completely commit to their characters, and both are worth watching closely every moment.
Musically, this show does not disappoint. The score is a driving and pulsing heartbeat, ever-pushing the action of the show forward, and the moments it does take to stop and breathe for a moment are so well executed that they don't feel a bit out of place. David Caddick's musical direction picks us up from the moment the chandelier raises off the ground and doesn't let go until the house lights come up and we realize where we've been for the last two hours.
Finally, huge credit must be given to Maria Bjornson and the rest of the Production design team. Elaborate and gorgeous set pieces flit on and off the stage so fast, you'd think they were ghosts themselves, and the special effects are Hollywood-worthy. A boat glides across a foggy lake, explosions and crashes startle the entire house, and more than a little magic is at work in the faux-proscenium surrounding the stage. There are a few moments where you will be at a loss for how they did it. (Don't try to figure it out.) The entire production is a smorgasbord of light and sound, sight and spectacle that keeps your heart pumping to the music of the night.
Location Info:
Orpheum Theatre
Artist Info: Phantom of the Opera Touring company
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