Does the 'Phantom' Sequel Live Up to the Original?

Ever since Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber announced plans to write a sequel to his record-breaking juggernaut of a musical The Phantom of the Opera, fans hit the internet in an uproar. Some fans were so committed to the original production that they openly criticized the sequel titled Love Never Dies prior to its opening on March 9 at the Adelphi Theatre in London.

In this new production, the story is set in New York’s iconic Coney Island. 10 years after the events of The Phantom of the Opera, the title character has moved to this new setting and furthermore, lures the famous opera singer Christine Daaé to perform at the amusement park.

In light of its high profile opening, The Vancouver Sun has summed up the reactions of some of theatre’s biggest critics. Some critics downright hated the new production. When addressing the musical’s book, Ben Brantley of The New York Times stated that “if you don’t know the first Phantom, you will be very confused; if you do know the first Phantom, you will also be very confused.”

On the other hand, the Daily Mail’s Quentin Letts wrote that “if it is a miss, it is… a noble miss, noble because Lloyd Webber’s increasingly operatic music tries to lift us to a higher plane.”

Despite these reviews, the production is expected to premiere on Broadway in November at the Neil Simon Theatre.