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Review: Phantom of the Opera

★★★★★

Every reviewer probably dreams (secretly) of writing at least one particularly savage review. Some, like A. A. Gill, have even made a career out of it. But, fortunately, this review will not be my A. A. Gill moment. This production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, put on by Milk and Two Sugars, was simply draw-dropping. Fantastic, sublime, awe inspiring (forgive me if I gush – but as you can probably tell I loved it).

Phantom must be a daunting musical to stage. Lloyd-Webber’s musical score is rightly famous as one of the most famous in the history of musical theatre. The challenge of doing justice to the original, while also making it one’s own, is a large one. Inevitably, the question must always be: can the performance live up to the writing? This production has emphatically lived up to the original.

For this alone much praise must be given to the Director, Sarah Wright, the Musical Director, Callum Spiller, and the Choreographer, Laura Day. Putting such a huge musical on requires a certain amount of courage, making it work requires definite skill. Both were on show here and it is welcome to see something like this come off.

But, of course, the greatest directors are in need of a good cast. One gets the impression that this cast pretty much picked itself, as it is of an unusually high standard for a university performance. Perhaps most impressive was Indyana Schneider – fresh from the Sydney Opera House – as a Carlotta that was at once terrifying and hilarious. Laurence Jeffcoate, who himself has a West End pedigree as a former Oliver at Drury Lane, was admirable as Raoul (though having met his family in the queue I could hardly have said otherwise). Crucially, Charles Styles was excellent as a darkly menacing yet tender Phantom and Rachel Coll’s Chrstine was brought to life by virtue of a beautiful voice. Neither of these parts are in any way easy and both were carried with aplomb.

These were well supported by Josh Blunsden and Adam Carver as very humorous Andre and Firmin (both of whom threatened to steal every scene they were in). They, together with Harry Redish as Piangi offered some light relief which were juxtaposed nicely with more dramatic parts. All this was held together by strong performances from Zoe Firth and Kathy Peacock as well as a well-drilled chorus and Corps de Ballet. Special mention must also be made of the set, which was supremely impressive in its ingenuity.

Of course, as a student production, there were some minor things that didn’t go quite as planned. But really nothing could diminish the strength of this performance, which never dropped in energy and provided many touching moments. This was a show which has been worked on for months, and it showed. A standing ovation was what this cast and crew deserved and the audience did not fail to oblige. It was a fittingly powerful end to a wonderfully powerful evening.

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