Love Never Dies

[queenie82]

Just wondering if any Melbournians or Sydneysiders have seen this or plan to see it?

http://www.loveneverdies.com.au/

Saw it last night an LOVED it...

So just curious if it's on the radar of other people and if anyone in that southern city have seen it?

In terms of target audience - Fans of The Phantom of the Opera AND the movie that came out a few years ago. While telling the same story the movie format Andrew Lloyd Webber created is like a bridge into Love Never Dies.
The same musical motifs are used to blend and weave the new songs.
And there's some scenes that use the same melodys with different words.

Don't research the story fully. It's basically set 10 years later and is another tale of Christine, The Phantom and Raoul.

Here's hoping Andrew Lloyd Webber can now get this Aussie production (which has been a raging success compared to the original West end release) back into London and onto Broadway

 

[emum]

It's on my radar with DD1. We saw Phantom 4 years ago and loved it, and as soon as I saw the promos for Love Never Dies, thought we'd probably like that one, too.

Thanks for the positive review !

Got to get Annie out of the way first - taking DD3 in 2 weeks' time (Annie is her nickname for Annabelle).

Cheers,
Sally

 

[Travel Mum]

Well I'm a Wellingtonian but we flew across to Melbourne to see it so does that count?! I agree, it was very good

 

[queenie82]

Well I'm a Wellingtonian but we flew across to Melbourne to see it so does that count?! I agree, it was very good

What....like people VISIT Melbourne

My only reason for being specific is because this isn't something that's "finally" arrived having beeing on Broadway and West end for years etc....
It isn't even the same as the West end production
[Why I say don't research it. I've gone to youtube to hear that wonderful Phantom sing for me again and the comments are all 'comparing']

Glad you enjoyed it.
It's hard to go in without being dubious. And I understand some people just don't WANT a sequel.
But it is so so wonderful the music Andrew Lloyd Webber creates and the set is amazing

 

[PrincessInOz]

I saw it. Got my tix for half price.

It's good; but not great (sorry Queenie. It's only my opinion...but I'm only a Melbournian ...and ducking for cover) and I'm glad I only paid half price for my seats. It is a great set and a strong enough story line but the music is patchy. Some of it really great; some of it...not so great.

It does suffer in comparison from PotO. I think it was universally panned in the West End; so it never opened in Broadway. It came to Oz to try to 'tweak' it and generate some hype.

I have to say that I saw Dr Zhivago around the same time as LND. I thought Dr Zhivago was more interesting than LND musically....and Anthony Warlow was fantastic in that.

 

[queenie82]

I saw it. Got my tix for half price.

It's good; but not great (sorry Queenie. It's only my opinion...but I'm only a Melbournian ...and ducking for cover) and I'm glad I only paid half price for my seats. It is a great set and a strong enough story line but the music is patchy. Some of it really great; some of it...not so great.

It does suffer in comparison from PotO. I think it was universally panned in the West End; so it never opened in Broadway. It came to Oz to try to 'tweak' it and generate some hype.

I have to say that I saw Dr Zhivago around the same time as LND. I thought Dr Zhivago was more interesting than LND musically....and Anthony Warlow was fantastic in that.

Melbournians are welcome to their opinion. It's just whether anyone takes any notice

As someone with a music degree I know I hear things differently. So where I hear power and beauty I DO KNOW others will not. My university lecturers force you to listen to things you previously would not and you start to hear things differently. In terms of quality of the lyrics in song...I don't think the music is as strong. It isn't as 'popular' and easy to take in as POTO. But at the same time the quality of the orchestration and blending I feel is quite superior. It really is magic what he's done.

As for the panning. This IS a superior 'tweak' and the panning was largely a snap response of - I don't want a sequel. So when it wasn't 'perfect' it was panned. [I have London sources remember...]

[I don't want to debate this but just adding to my perspective.]
I'm not a fan of Wicked or much of what has come out over the last 10 years beyond Disney productions. I have no desire to see Annie or Billy Elliot. I don't like the Boy from Oz as much as I adore Hugh Jackman and appreciate his skills.

 

[australiankaren]

confession is good for the soul so they say.....

I had the best sleep during the second half of Phantom....Im so sorry...but at least i wasnt snoring like the guy sitting next to me

I guess I am more Disney musical orientated....

and dont get me started on miss Saigon

 

[PrincessInOz]

confession is good for the soul so they say.....

I had the best sleep during the second half of Phantom....Im so sorry...but at least i wasnt snoring like the guy sitting next to me

I guess I am more Disney musical orientated....

and dont get me started on miss Saigon

You and I could have been sitting next to each other!

 

[Travel Mum]

What....like people VISIT Melbourne

Yep, my sisters and I took our Mum on a totally surprise trip last year for her birthday. Our parents live in Auckland and Mum flew down to Christchurch to visit my sister and her family for a few days. I flew secretly flew down to Christchurch and my sister and I surprised my Mum with the Melbourne trip and took her to the airport that afternoon. We flew to Melbourne and our other sister, who lives in Sydney, flew to meet us there so Mum had a birthday trip to Melbourne, including Love Never Dies, with her three daugthers. It was a great surprise and lovely weekend.

 

[queenie82]

Nearly fell asleep during Cirque Du Solei...

 

[PrincessInOz]

Nearly fell asleep during Cirque Du Solei...

I've done that too. We were in Vegas and caught the later 10.30 pm showing of O. I was 5 months pregnant and by the time 11 pm came round, DH had to prod me a few times....the snoring was disturbing the people around me.

 

[queenie82]

Nice....

This was severe jetlag and the music of mystere lulling me to sleep...

 

[australiankaren]

I have to say I am so proud to be one of you..we the majority, the ones who pay $$$$$ to sit in uncomfortable seats, low lighting and in other peoples personal space just to get an hours kip........

so I've fallen asleep in
phantom
last 20 min of pirates with jon english..yes I know
circus de sola thingy..the beatles one in Vegas..10.30 pm show as well
numerous soccer games
volleyball at the Sydney Olympics
too many professional development days to even put a number to it
CPR revision courses
friends wedding receptions..although that may have been the open bar
school assemblies, staff meetings, I.T lectures,
carousel of progress
& the list goes on

but I can never, ever , ever fall asleep on the damn plane ......go figure

 

[queenie82]

I have to say I am so proud to be one of you..we the majority, the ones who pay $$$$$ to sit in uncomfortable seats, low lighting and in other peoples personal space just to get an hours kip........

so I've fallen asleep in
phantom
last 20 min of pirates with jon english..yes I know
circus de sola thingy..the beatles one in Vegas..10.30 pm show as well
numerous soccer games
volleyball at the Sydney Olympics
too many professional development days to even put a number to it
CPR revision courses
friends wedding receptions..although that may have been the open bar
school assemblies, staff meetings, I.T lectures,
carousel of progress
& the list goes on

I agree with falling asleep in the things on this list you DON'T pay for...as well as ANYTHING to do with the Sydney Olympics...
But You aren't WITH me in paying to fall asleep at a show you pay for... if you think that is the majority...then I'm happily in the minority...

but I can never, ever , ever fall asleep on the damn plane ......go figure

I don't know many who can fall asleep on a plane...I tend not to even try and sleep on woodworking tools...
As my boyfriend says -
It's not a plane, it's an AIRCRAFT. a plane is something you take an inch off a door with.....

 

[Anaheim boy]

We flew in from Auckland and had a show weekend. We saw Salitmbanco, Love Never Dies, Dr Zhivago and Rock of Ages. Loved them all for different reasons. I too used to be a musician so I tend to hear more technical things that most wouldn't, but can enjoy things for what they are too. LND was quite good, but agreed that the music wasn't the same as the original Phantom. The scenery and staging were amazing!!! Something very unique and inventive for stage theater I thought. We all walked out saying wow, with the vocal performances quite impressive from all. I've seen Phantom about 4-5 times, once with Micheal Crawford so can appreciate this sequel a bit.
We like Dr Zhivago, thought I'd saw it wasn't my fav. What brought it up for me were, again, the vocal performances. Warlow was amazing in that and so were the others. Very well sung. One thing my wife and I really envy, you guys get SO MUCH better musical theater than we do in Auckland. Guess we'll just have to keep going to Aus.