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Went to see Phantom on Thursday, having last seen it when it first came out with Michael Crawford and then the following year with someone else.

Hmmmmm.....

While I LOVE the story, and became more engaged with it in the second half as the emotions are cranked up, I was really disappointed by the actual singing. Perhaps "disappointed" is unfair - more underwhelmed. The Phantom really struggled to hold the easily attainable but long note at the end of "Music of the night", to the extent that it almost sounded like an amateur by the end of the phrase, and Christine now seems to be cast as a young version of Carlotta (voice-wise) rather than the sweet, innocent tones of the last 2 girls I saw. I checked out the cast list at the interval and realised that the guy playing the Phantom is a Swedish pop star, which I guess explains a lot, but I just don't understand when drama schools are churning out hundreds and hundreds of incredibly talented young performers, the production company are using a technique like that to cast the lead? Christine wasn't English either, so spoke with a heavy accent (from Portugal, I think), indeed it was hard to find someone on the first 2 casting info pages that WAS from Great Britain!

Overall, an amazing show but badly let down by mediocre singing - could it be because we were at the matinee? Oh, and it was full to the gunnells - if they can fill it like that for 9 shows a week, do they really need a "famous" lead?!

Nicola were you at Manchester? It is supposed to be John Owen Jones! We are booked for Sat evening performance 12th May. It had better be him as the Phantom or I will be incredibly upset

No, no - we were with the Americans in London, and so it was cheaper to do the London show!! I only bought the tickets on Tuesday so they were in the stalls at the back (but they were still £50 each) - the place was a sell-out.

I'm sure Manchester's going to be fantastic - and of course, even thought I moan about the vocal detail, it still made me weep, as it has on the previous 2 times, so it can't have been that bad!

We saw it in Manchester last Saturday and it was AMAZING! John Owen Jones was unbelievable and had a standing ovation! The whole cast is excellent and so was the set. You wont be disappointed!!

DD and I have just had a fabulous day out packing in some KidsWeek shows.

First up - The Phantom Workshop - was worried she wouldn't enjoy this as top of age range BUT we bumped into an old chum, and she loved the activity - learnt how to stand still!! hold a pose and a simple routine, but felt she had something from it.

The show - well, we loved it.....but not without reservation. It is interesting reading posts from last year reviewers. We felt the same vocally, The Phantom was weak on some parts, and off key on sustained notes. Christina lovely, Meg..hmmm well, she is a Ballerina..
The staging and set always work wonders, I last saw it 25 years ago...and I remembered it like last week.....was it better now? Would have hoped so, but maybe I am spoilt! Still, we really enjoyed it and DD will be learning a song or two...

I hope anyone else seeing it has a great time.