Review: Phantom of the Opera, Majestic Theatre, New York City 23/08/2014

Picture from Broadway.com

When I went to the Majestic on August 23rd, I was immediately thrilled because I had a front row, stage left seat; I could literally lean slightly and peek over the low wall in front of me into the orchestra! I also couldn't believe how much I paid for the seat - around $150 for front row, Saturday night, on Broadway.  

Having seen Phantom in London's West End back in 2007, I knew the basics of what to expect from the show but I still got chills after the auction scene, when the main theme starts and the chandelier is pulled up. From the front, the sound of the orchestra was absolutely huge, but not overwhelming and I was immediately hooked. I'd originally thought the stage at the Majestic was a bit small, but it was at this point that the curtains around the sides fell away to reveal the golden statues and I was bowled over.

The show was absolutely incredible. Norm Lewis was unbelievable as the Phantom; the rest of the cast were phenomenal, but he absolutely owned the stage when he was on. His voice is absolutely huge, and his performance was completely believable. It was mostly because of him that I found myself crying my eyes out at the end of the show. I cannot begin to explain how much I enjoyed his performance - Norm Lewis' Phantom is a definite must-see.

I also adored Michele McConnell, who played Carlotta; she was the perfect mix of glamorous and hilarious. She definitely had Carlotta's character down to an art, sweeping around in elaborate costumes and demanding attention and respect, which the audience gladly gave. Her voice was out of this world too - some of the notes she can reach are absolutely unbelievable!

Picture from Playbill

All in all the entire cast, right down to the last ballerina, did such a good job of bringing the show to life; the performance was polished and well-rehearsed, but came across as entirely natural. Another honorary mention has to go out to Laird Macintosh and Timothy Jerome (Monsieurs Andre and Firmin), who absolutely cracked me up. They worked fabulously as a double act! The sets were also absolutely stunning - I particularly enjoyed the Phantom's underground lair, and the staircase scene for 'Masquerade'. I also loved the final few seconds of the show, when Meg Giry (played by Polly Baird) held up the Phantom's mask, and the lights slowly faded. My heart was pounding for most of the show, and I had a constant knot in my throat.

At the end, I was one of the first audience members on their feet; it was like my legs were spring-loaded. I cannot say how appreciative I was of every cast, crew and orchestra member involved in the show - Phantom means so much to me, it's been my favourite show for many years, and I suppose I'm a bit protective of it. In the Majestic, it is in good hands, and seeing it this year was just as awe-inspiring as it was when I was 15 years old. The standing ovation went on for so long, and crescendoed when Jeremy Hays (Raoul), Mary Michael Patterson (Christine), and of course Norm Lewis appeared for the curtain call. 

Picture from BroadwayWorld

I would definitely recommend that you try to catch Phantom of the Opera if you're in New York; even if you're not a big theatre person, you will enjoy it simply for the wonderful aesthetics and obvious effort and hard work every person on that show has put in to making it perfect. The theatre is definitely a nice way to spend the evening in NYC, and this is one of the ultimate shows not just on Broadway, but in the whole world. Even now as I write this, I miss the sheer magic that I experienced that evening, and I wish more than anything I could go back and watch it all over again.