This is the watch! It was a gift from Matt to Adam for the Manchester press night that never was
Oh wow this is so beautiful, thank you so much for sharing! Genuinely they were the Perfect Managers, no offense to current casts but. These Guys. My Best Guys. Recipients Of Notes Extraordinaire.
Here are some of my thoughts on the performance I saw earlier this week at His Majesty's Theatre. Apologies for the bad photo quality - I took it through the door before the doors opened.
Overall, the cast were really on point.
Colleen is quickly becoming my favourite West End Christine - she has a beautiful voice and really manages to portray Christine's growth from childlike naivety to ferocity. James was so good, as always and he is such a sweetie at stage door. Ashley seemed improved from the last time I saw him, he has a lovely voice but his acting at points was a bit weak.
The supporting cast were great - Joanna grows on me every time I see her, Bradyn and Adam are both treasures and Helen has really nailed the duplicity of Madame Giry and how torn she is about keeping the Phantom's secret and protecting the people she loves.
Continue under the cute for some more specific comments about the performance.
In Hannibal there was a moment where Piangi turned and glared at Madame Giry, as if there is already a bit of a feud going on between them.
Tim and Adam are so good as Firmin and Andre - Andre is so giddy and excited, while Firmin is so done he's studying the walls.
Colleen's wig is so curly - just gorgeous
Joanna plays Carlotta as so done after her version of Think of Me.
Colleen and Ashley were so cute during Little Lotte - they really gave childhood sweetheart vibes and I could absolutely believe they'd grown up together.
Colleen plays Christine as so sweet and excited, like a giddy child
Colleen and James have such good chemistry.
There was a bit in Music of the Night when the Phantom approaches Christine from behind so slowly while reaching for her hand. Christine spoils it by turning around too soon, and he gets anxious and instead pushes her face away as he goes into "Turn your face away..."
When Christine goes up to the Phantom at the portcullis, after she runs away Colleen acted so breathless, like she was struggling to hold herself together after the near kiss
Colleen went from scared to excited to turned on so much it wa hard to keep track, but I loved it.
Colleens gave this dreamy little smile in "I Remember" when she sings "there was a man"
In STYDI before she hands the mask back, James leaned in so close I thought he was going to kiss her and Colleen flinched so viscerally at seeing his face again, it broke my heart
The way Serafimo looks between the Countess and Don Atilo during their goodbye and kiss was hilarious
Colleen was so good - you could really see how much Christine changed after the unmasking and how haunted she was by what had happened.
Colleen was great during the rooftop scene - initially pushing Raoul away when he tries to tell her it was all a dream, and then entranced when she spoke about the Phantom's music and then so giggly during AIAOY. Ashley's rooftop was a bit uninspired, but he and Colleen do give very innocent young lovers.
James did his signiature heart clutching and muttering of "My angel" on the horse during AIAOY reprise
The thunder of James's voice when he sings "...betrayed me" before he goes all soft again gave me goosebumps
Ashley and Colleen were great in masquerade, lovely dancing and acting both together and apart
Guys, I think James stroked her face before he snatched the ring in Why So Silent
Ashley's Raoul feels colder and harder in Act 2 after he listens to Madame Giry's tale
In Notes II, Firmin drops the score and then steps on it - then Andrew picks it up and starts dusting it off - they are just perfect as Firmin and Andre
Colleen's Twisted and Wishing were just beautiful - what a voice!
Colleen's Christine is so sweet - she touches Piangi's arm reassuringly when he can't get the note during the Don Juan rehearsal. She's also so done though - she practically collapsed into the chair after she sings her part
FATHERING GAZE
James and Colleen were so good in Wandering Child - she was reaching for him and he was so soft, but then you can tell he was so pissed as he taunted Raoul
James' Italian accent
Colleen is so fierce in PONR - she realises its the Phantom early on and pulls away, silent. The Phantom seems to realise she knows and for a moment, he looks like he's ready to run off stage but then she starts to sing and he stays. Later she presses her face to his mask under the hood so he knows she knows.
THE TOUCHING IN PONR - James acts like he's never been touched before - I can't
No boob grab or running hands over her body, instead James did the same arm movement around her neck that he did in MOTN. That's when she turns and seems to brush against the mask and realise that its the Phantom and not Piangi
Love the moment where he and Madame Giry have a face off after Christine pulls of his hood
James does this little "no no no" when he's cornered after the mask reveal - my poor heart
What a final lair - I mean Ashley just kind of stood there, but James and Colleen acted and sung their hearts out.
When James sang "...an eternity of this..." he came really close and turned his face so the deformed side is right in front of her
Growling Gantom
He kissed back, hand in her hair and then slowly stepped back - no sudden recoil - and their fingers were kind of brushing.
You could really feel how torn Gantom was after the kiss
Colleen really did not want to leave even with Ashley trying to drag her away, she got really close to the throne before James chased them away
When Christine started singing "AIAOY" as she and Raoul rowed away, James doubled over and sobbed like he was in pain as soon as he heard her voice
Classic Gantom veil clutching and sobbed my angel
He reached out to her as she and Raoul rowed away, she looked at him the whole time
I got to meet James, Colleen, Millie and Adam at stage door too. No photos because I hate myself in photos. But all in all it was a fantastic night.
