Re: OT: Phantom of the Opera was Re: Lion King Overrated

Date: 30 Apr 2003 03:42:48 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney.parks
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GrumpyOne wrote:
> I assume you've seen Phantom,
>since you've seen a lot of theatre -- me too. What did you think of it?
I've seen Phantom twice. First time back in the late 1980s when the specatular
musicals were not the life's blood of musical theater they later became. At
the time I thought it was wonderful. I loved the spectical of the show. And
I've always liked the story. And it's one of Webber's better musical scores I
think, next to Sunset Blvd. Then I saw Phantom of the Opera several years later
after the spectacular musicals had glutted the market and I had become less
impressed with "big" and "glitzy". I was much less impressed by by the show
second time around. I don't know if it was the quality of the production,
being a bus and truck road show brought in here in Dallas as opposed to the
extended run I first saw in LA. But I found that I was not as impressed with
the big spectical of the show as I was the first time. I really wanted to strip
the show of all the special effects and let it stand on its own merits of the
music and the story. I was wanting the story and the music to stand on its own.
>I
>adore theatre, both musical and non, but for the life of me I couldn't
>figure out why so many people felt so strongly about this one. Maybe I was
>having an off day, but since you're open to giving honest opinions, I was
>wondering what you thought.
It maybe just was a case of it wasn't a show that was your style. That's the
way I am with Les Miz (Or "The Miserable Show" as my partner and I call it.) I
just can't see what people see in that show. Again, I've seen it twice, and
both times I spent a lot of time looking at my watch wishing it would all end.
I couldn't for the life of me understand why so many people loved it. People
who would not be caught dead at the opera were raving about this operatic
wannabe. I just wanted to stand up and shout, "Hey folks! The emporer isn't
wearing any clothes!" But as I often say, that's why Baskin & Robins makes 31
flavors. Not everyone likes vanilla or chocolate. Right?
Dave, Dallas, TX
"Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea
of making money." - Walt Disney