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| - VENUE -
There is no waiting in line for entrance if you already have your ticket. Dress code is extremely casual, so your shorts and sweaty t-shirt from a day on The Strip won't be a problem. They let cameras and food in (just don't try to record anything), so there is no need to leave your stuff at the hotel and disrupt your enjoyment of Vegas just so you can get into the show. There is a free shuttle that runs from the Rio (and other places?) to Harrah's, which is right next door to the Venetian. The Venetian itself is well worth a visit as one of the more attractive hotels on The Strip. Just make sure you get directions to the theater as soon as you walk in, or you might otherwise get lost due to the lack of helpful signs.
Remember that this is a Vegas show, and that involves the Vegas crowd. We sat next to a group who used outdoor voices to talk with each other during the show. One of them decided to play with a plastic bag throughout the performance, ruffling it, constantly shifting it around, wrapping it around her hand, etc. The audience was otherwise quite respectful, but keep in mind that distractions and rude audiences may be part of the deal.
THE SHOW -
The GOOD:
The set and effects are at times stunning, and generally very well done. The show, which is an abridged version, runs about an hour and a half and has no intermission. This is good if you don't want your entire evening swallowed up by the show. Andre and Firmin were good, though not great. Madame Giry, Meg, and Raoul were performed well enough that they did not detract from the show. The orchestra gave a masterful performance. The interpretation of the score was excellent and the ensemble was able to handle the intense sections without becoming overpowering. Articulation was wonderful.
Overall, the set, effects, and orchestra were the most powerful elements of the show, beautiful in every way and going a long way to create the mood that the performance itself utterly failed to.
The BAD:
Crivello's understudy's performance as the Phantom was entirely lacking. His interpretation of the character is far removed from the dark, mysterious, commanding persona that the Phantom is meant to be. His pacing is horrible, slowing down or speeding up phrases seemingly at random, with no regard for the actual flow of the music or the feeling it is meant to convey. He delivers almost every line with the same bold projection, whether it is written to be joyous, melancholy, angry, or tortured and despairing. A prime example of this is his train wreck delivery of "Music of the Night", in which all of the romance, seduction, and flow is bludgeoned to death by his loud and bellowing delivery. He emphasizes words at random and lacks any of the emotion that qualifies anyone to play this part. Thankfully, at least, his voice (and perhaps performance) is better than Crivello's (seen on Youtube and Vimeo).
The understudy appeared incredibly awkward as he stumbled through the choreography. Some of this is the fault of the director, but much of it is simply poor performance. Nothing about his movements was confident, smooth, or commanding. It all seemed so out of place, as if he were performing the hand motions from Napoleon Dynamite. It was like watching a 6th grade music class perform before a gymnasium full of reluctant parents. His weeping was comical (and snickers could be heard in the audience). Other choreography (such as the final kiss between the Phantom and Christine) was as if we were watching a whimsical Saturday morning Looney Tunes adaptation of the musical.
In general, the Phantom was nothing that the Phantom should be. He was instead comical, awkward, whiny, and entirely unconvincing. His singing was uninspired, his interpretation lacked insight, his performance lacked passion, his Phantom was less compelling than the barrel-organ monkey. This was far from professional, and I honestly cannot fathom what the casting director saw in him (or Crivello).
The other performances were good, as noted above, but far from great. Raoul was young and pompous, but not dignified or charming. Madame Giry was strong and generally well interpreted, although she came across, perhaps to achieve the desired comedic effect, as a bit slave-driving and cranky. Meg was sufficient, but there was no feeling of the companionship held between her and Christine. Andre and Firmin were perhaps the strongest characters, though here, again, the comedic effect probably took precedence over a classy or respectable performance in one or two instances. The auctioneer was a bit over the top when discussing the chandelier, as if he were trying to communicate through every word, "I AM PERFORMING I AM PERFORMING."
Lastly, this suffered some as a result of being an abridged version.
This was not the seductive, compelling show that Phantom is meant to be, yet still The Phantom, enjoyable and worth watching.
Reviewer: A fan, saw the full show twice elsewhere, enjoyed the 2004 movie
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