I was in Row H seat 5 of the Upper Circle last night (22nd February 2010) and the view was great, there is nothing that happens above the stage so the overhang for people downstairs should have been no problem. The leg room was fine for me and I am over six foot. There is nothing major that happens at either corner of the stage so there should be little restriction in the Dress Circle "restricted view" seats.

As for the show, sad to say I found it a rather dull stinker, there is no menace or threat from the Phantom now he lives as a "normal" man amongst people and it is very predictable. They currently reuse "Til I Hear You Sing" and the "Coney Island Waltz" every five minutes and there are quite a few moments of unintentional humour that should have been dramatic (check out the sequence where the Phantom enters the room to see Christine for the first time).

I loved a few elements of the set design that everyone will be talking about but really not that spectacular to look at apart from the digital projection sequences which are amazing.

I am going again on the 8th March in Row C of the Stalls, hope it has improved!!

Lee.
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My daughter and myself went to the Adelphi Theatre, The Strand, London which is close to Charing Cross Station to watch the first preview of 'Love never Dies' on Monday 22nd February 2010 at 19:30. On entering the theatre there was a strong smell of paint; and we made our way up 3 flights of stairs and finally we were seated.

We sat in the upper circle seats number G16 and G17 priced at £47.00 each - which we found a bit on the high side considering where they were. Our view was OK but not recommended if your sight is a little weak, as you can't see the Phantom's makeup. Most people kept still throughout the performance until the end scene when most of the performers were at the very front of the stage and most people lent forward.

At the start there was a technical fault; the director came on stage with his apologies, which made the audience laugh. The stage effects at the beginning were fantastic and quite mind blowing at times. The story line is easy to follow. I feel that you needed to have seen 'Phantom of the Opera' to enjoy this, as you feel it is a follow-on.

The songs were good, and there was also a couple of tunes that are recognisable from 'Phantom of the Opera' e.g 'Masquerade' with different lyrics (which was a nice touch). It felt as if the story line finished too soon as there wasn't really closure.

The cheapest place we found to buy tickets is via the www.reallyuseful.com/tickets.

If (when) I see this production again I will pay more to get seats in the Royal circle row C upwards.

Mrs Frances Thomas,
Dartford,
Kent.
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We had the great fortune to be invited to a trade night for 'Love Never Dies' last night, Monday 22nd of February 2010; which, because the Friday performance was cancelled due to technical problems and the Saturday one was deemed the final rehearsal, turned out to be the first actual performance.

There was tremendous buzz of excitement , anticipation, and expectancy before the show started for this long awaited sequel to the Phantom. We had superb seats D15 and 16 in the Dress Circle - albeit that it was a bit tight on my knees, and the theatre looked great with lovely new pink carpets and upholstery.

There were a few problems with sound particularly at the start when we couldn't hear the voices of the first two characters which no doubt will be dealt with later, this was after all the first night of preview , and the 5-10 minute break after it had only been running about 10 minutes, due to a technical problem, rather broke the developing mood and left us a little tight for catching our train afterwards at 10.40, but at least it did start again albeit an instant replay of some that we had already seen, but at least there was not a repeat of last Friday and the show did continue.

Ramin Karimloo (Phantom) has a superb voice, and so does Sierra Boggess as Christine, albeit that I understand she was not well. The absolute highlight of the show is her singing Love Never Dies.

There are some very clever cinematic and stage affects of Coney Island and the pleasure ground. Just how do those legs walk across the stage? Must be a magicians illusion.

This show should come with a 'Mousetrap' request to the audience not to reveal to anyone how it ends. I certainly will never tell anyone. It would really spoil it to know. Everyone needs to see it for themselves and take a hanky. I hope it does not leak out.

Has there ever been a sequel that equalled the original? There are some great moments but I was left with the thought that 'Phantom of the Opera' will still be running long after 'Love Never Dies' has closed. In the cloakroom queue after I overheard a man say "that won't run 20 years".
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Upper Circle K18: Not a bad seat! Probably the best of the cheaper seats at the back of the upper circle as there is nobody directly in front of you. The only thing bad is that it is a distant view. Still with the binoculars you can get a nice view of the facial expressions, which I used during some of the more intimate moments.

The show itself is very good. The Music, Set, Story, Acting, Orchestrations go together so well and create something very special on the stage.
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I went to see 'Love Never Dies' on Monday 1st March 2010, one of the preview performances. A 'House Full' sign greeted the audience but there was the odd empty seat dotted around the theatre. Myself and a friend had excellent seats in the front row of the Dress Circle, seats A13 and 14. The view was fantastic with no safety bars or lighting rigs to spoil the scene. The seat wasn’t very comfortable, though, and legroom was pretty poor even for someone of my average height.

Despite this being a preview performance the show went without a hitch apart from a door in one of the sets that wouldn’t stop wobbling. Talking of sets, they were spectacular, and taken with the multitude of special effects made it an eye-popping evening. The sound was excellent too, although it was sometimes hard to make out what the actors were saying all the time. Either they were speaking too quietly or the mics weren’t turned up enough.

There were fewer memorable melodies than in the original Phantom, and the score, whilst having some good songs, was what I would describe as "safe" apart from one number towards the end of Act 1 that changed tack completely! No tunes were carried over from Phantom 1 as far as I remember, apart from one or two odd snatches of music.

The acting was spot on and a great cast has been assembled all with good singing voices. A special mention must go to Richard Linnell who played Christine’s son, Gustave, on the night we went. It is quite a big role with a lot of singing to do, but he carried the part perfectly and was warmly applauded at the end.

So whilst Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score is not as energetic or as memorable as in Phantom 1, the scenery, special effects and story more than make up for this.
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We went to see this on Thursday 4th March 2010, booked via a Dress Circle evening. I had read various reviews of the show, good and not so good, but had not heard any of the music before, and as a 'phan' of the original Phantom, was not sure exactly what to expect. I enjoyed the show - although I think you need to have seen the original to know who the characters are - most of the core characters are back, and some interesting new ones are introduced.

I think the story flowed quite well, although the ending, although unsurprising, seemed a little rushed (and bought to mind scenes from Blood Brothers and Les Misérables). The sets and effects were amazing - the projections were great - watch out for the horses near the beginning - stunning work. The music - well, I didn't leave the theatre humming any of the tunes, but I think when the CD is released (Mon 8th March), the tunes will grow on me as I listen to them.

The cast were fantastic - Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom was outstanding, especially in 'til I hear you sing'. The boy playing Gustav - Charlie Manton - also deserves special mention for his singing and acting ability.

Our seats were D10 and D11 in the stalls. very good seats for seeing details of the makeup, costumes and expressions, however, the stage is quite high, and I think we may have missed some movement and action further towards the back of the stage. Also, at the end of the show, the barrier forming part of the pier set obscures the view of the Phantom and Christine at a rather crucial moment! Loads of leg room in front of the seat, but the seat itself is one of the narrowest I have ever sat on. Oh, and take a cardigan along - the air conditioning is quite fierce!

Ali
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Possible Minor Spoilers

I saw one of the final previews on 4th March 2010. We were in the Stalls Row B 22 and 23, which were fantastic seats giving superb views - almost putting us in the show, especially during the breathtaking projections. The performers feet were often missing though. The legroom was great too. I would consider changing these to Green.

Christine and Raoul and their son Gustave journey to Coney Island at the request of Mr. Y to perform in his show and meet two old friends Madame Giry and Meg Giry. The reuniting of the main protagonists helps to ease the audience into a feeling of familiarity, although it soon becomes clear that the previous ten years have not been particularly kind. Raoul is now a debt ridden bully and Meg is the main singer at the Phantom's show, obsessively seeking his approval.

The Phantom's obsession with Christine is unabated and the point at which she discovers who Mr Y is, is very cleverly and subtlely realised. Obsession, betrayal, anger and love overwhelm our main characters, and this interplay between them is one of the shows strengths.

The set design is wonderful. It retains some of the simplicity of the original, but replacing the gothic with the grotesque. The Phantoms new lair, high above ground being the best, a feast for the eyes. The music score is of course enchanting, although the main tune Love Never Dies is not as haunting or dominating as The Phantom of the Opera which always seemed to connect with the show and viewer better. 'Til I hear You Sing Again is, in my opinion, far more beautiful. And speaking of which, Beautiful performed by Phantom and Gustave is an absolute rock yer socks off belter!

Love Never Dies has a lot to live up to, and just fails to do so. At least when compared to it's big brother still going strong at Her Majesty's. And you can't help comparing. The biggest concern for me was that the Phantom's immense menace has dispersed and he doesn't engender the same level of fear in the character's or audience as before. Raoul isn't handled very well in the second Act. Events which during the first Act, build up the tension and suspense don't quite carry through to the end, and the finale isn't as heart pounding as perhaps it should be.

However, sequels are rarely as good as the originals, and if you keep that in mind, you will adore Love Never Dies. Ramin Karimloo is sensational as the Phantom with a powerful voice. Sierra Boggess' Christine is gorgeous and enchanting. Joseph Millson gives us a more arrogant, swaggering Raoul and is very good.

On it's own, Love Never Dies is another masterpiece from Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Compared to the original it's a slightly flawed masterpiece. But in my opinion, required viewing and worth every penny.

Darren
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We saw the show on the final preview (8th March 2010), having had our original first preview tickets refunded when they cancelled it due to technical concerns. We were in Upper Circle K3 and 4 (note, this is the very end of the row) with a distant but clear view of the stage. Row J sits directly onto the aisle / corridor behind the front block of Upper Circle seats and there is a rail which I would think restricts the view from these seats. It didn't obscure our view in K even when we were sitting back.

I'm not going to provide any spoilers, but overall I was underwhelmed and my friend frankly found it somewhere between hilarious and farcical. If anyone is planning to go thinking it will be anywhere near as good as the original Phantom then you will be disappointed. If however you go to see where Andrew Lloyd Webber has taken the story, and go with not very high expectations, then you will probably enjoy the evening.

The projections and interpretation of Coney Island at the start of the first act are innovative, clever and impressive. There are a few ok/good songs but no immediately memorable ones - bearing in mind that Andrew Lloyd Webber has set the bar very high with some of his previous work. The lyrics were nothing special for the most part and definitely clunky in places. The set design and staging is generally good. The start of the second act and the start of the first act were, I felt, the strongest parts of the performance. The characters are much more one-dimensional than in the original Phantom, and as a result I cared much less about them and was thus much less involved in the story. Emotions conjured up / portrayed by the original Phantom: menace, love, fear, tenderness, pity, joy, loss etc. Emotions conjured up by Love Never Dies: not many, really.

The cast generally sang well (my friend, who is a trained singer, loved the Phantom's voice but did not love Christine's) but I generally wasn't impressed by their acting. Maybe they did the best with the limited material they were given, or maybe that's how they were directed. As an aside, those who enjoyed "I'd Do Anything" should keep an eye out for Niamh who creates a role as one of the Phantom's assistants.

I will be interested to see the critics' response to the opening night. I suspect it may be in for a mauling but that won't stop it from making a lot of money initially from Phantom fans. I suspect it will run for a year or two but if other Phantom fans love it then who knows? There are more than 100 million out there, that's a lot of ticket sales.
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I thoroughly enjoyed Love Never Dies on 10th March 2010. We sat in Row D seats 8 and 9. Had a good view but as the stage is very deep could not quite see the back. Seats further forward in my opinion would be too close as the stage looks quite high. When I go again I will try for Row E or F or even Dress Circle.

The sets are wonderful – a lot happening all over the stage. Sierra Boggess as Christine is great especially when she sings Love Never Dies which is amazing to see this performed live on stage.

Liz Robertson is excellent as Madam Giry. Although the music is different from Phantom you can still hear a few similarities in some parts. I will definitely see the show again.
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I saw the matinee today (March 13th 2010) - and left with mixed feelings.

It is really dark, with very few moments of humour at all, which would be fine - but there isn't much of a plot (you could summarise it on the back of a postage stamp and it's not very convincing), or many memorable tunes. It reminded me heavily of "The Woman in White," but without the story or as many good songs.

However, I do think the music will reward repeated listens, even if it isn't instantly catchy. Good if you own the CD, less so if you go and see it at the theatre.

The sets are a mix of projections and solid backdrops, which works sometimes but makes the stage seem a little bare at other times. I didn't feel a sense of the mystery at Coney Island, and felt there were occasional props that referenced it rather than evoking a sense of it. The opening is spectacular though.

On the plus side, the performances were generally very good. Ramin Karimloo sang beautifully as did Sierra Boggess, and Summer Strallen came across confidently and convincingly. Raoul seems to have undergone a total personality transplant since Phantom 1, which confused me too much to think about his acting abilities. Liz Robertson was the only one I thought was struggling - her voice was perhaps showing the strain of a month of previews and rehearsals and she struggled in her upper register.

Good news is the action usually stays behind the proscenium, so sightlines are good from all areas of the theatre.

All in all, worth going to see whether or not you've seen Phantom 1, but perhaps only for those who prefer more meaty musicals or operettas.
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I went to see the show on Saturday 13th March 2010. Sat in row S of the Stalls, yep the circle above does cut off the top of the stage but you still didn't miss anything. I'm 6ft 3 and its the best legroom I've had in a theatre.

Now the show. Having seen the bad reviews, I was really expecting the worst. But I have never been so into a show in years. Parts of it were fantastic; the opening ,the sets, Sierra and Ramin singing beneath a moonless sky.

When Sierra sings "Love Never Dies" you couldn't hear a pin drop.

The show got a standing ovation; and when you think off all the 'Jukebox' musicals about, at least Andrew writes the songs.

It was also a privilege to hear an orchestra of such a good standard and, despite the special effects, it is like seeing a musical 50 years ago.

Michael.
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We went on 20th March 2010 and were sat in upper circle row A seats 11 to 15, view was fantastic. No obstruction or need to lean forward, the action was always in the middle of the stage. I would definitely recommend these seats for the price.

The show is amazing and has everything, with magic and beautifully sung songs and the sets and special effects fuse remarkably well. It's 10 years since I saw 'Phantom' so is a bit sketchy now - so enjoyed this in its own right without the need to keep drawing comparisons like so many people seem to be doing.

This is one hell of an experience and thoroughly enjoyable which seemed to be shared by the audience who gave a standing ovation at the end. This will run and run and I won't be leaving it ten years to go back. Well done Lord Webber!!

Mike.
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I have previously given my opinions on a March 2010 preview performance of 'Love Never Dies.' I saw the show again on 8th April 2010, so here are my views from last night!

The only major disappointment of the evening was that two of the five main characters were played by understudies which seemed rather odd considering the show has only been running a month, excluding previews. The Phantom was played by Tam Mutu and Madame Giry was played by Janet Mooney. I queried this to one of the theatre staff at the interval and was told that Ramin Karimloo was sick and Liz Robertson was on holiday. "On holiday", I said, "so soon after the show had opened?" I was told, rather snootily I thought, that she had been rehearsing for six months prior to the show opening and was due a break (my italics). Humph. Paying £67.50 for a ticket you expect to see a full cast line up - these tickets are not exactly cheap. The staff member did add though, that all the main actors are contracted to do all eight shows a week, leaving aside holidays and sickness.

Anyway, credit where credit's due, both understudies were excellent! It didn't really matter in the case of the Phantom as by the very nature of the part, 95% of the time he is heavily made up and you wouldn't notice he was being played by a different actor!

Previously I was sitting in the Dress Circle, seat A14. Last night I was in the stalls, seat D16. What a difference a seat makes, which is the main reason I'm writing to you now! Love Never Dies is one show where it really does pay to sit mid-way back in the stalls or towards the front of the Dress Circle. I've read yours and other reviewers comments about seating at the Adelphi and offer some further opinions.

Good points about D16. A relatively comfortable seat with excellent legroom. It doesn't matter that the rake is non existent here because you have to look up at the stage, over peoples heads. You are also close enough to feel part of the action and to see the expressions on the actors' faces and all their little mannerisms!

Bad points about D16. The stage is high and you can't see the actors' feet, even though this is not a dance musical. Several pieces of the set are quite low down and are hidden from view which was annoying. You are often aware of the conductor. David Charles Abell is very animated and stands quite high up and I really pitied the people in row A sitting right behind him. In fact, I wouldn't recommend row A at all, especially as the seats are sold at full price.

But the main advantage of sitting further back and higher up is the spectacular view you get of all the sets, on screen projections (in particular!) and special effects. The site said in its review, that it sat in stalls row E. I do urge you, however, to see the show again from the front row of the Dress Circle (if you can get tickets!) and try to put up with the poor legroom.

I said in my first review that there aren't as many memorable melodies as in the original Phantom, but I think this is definitely one of those musicals that the more you listen to it the more the tunes grow on you! I just love it and have bought the original cast recording! The sound balance seemed much improved to when I was at one of the preview shows. I don't know whether this was due to the position of my seat, or if the "noise boys" have now got their act together, but most of the time everything was clear and focused.

By coincidence I had the same Gustave as last time, Richard Linnell, and he is brilliant in the role which is not an easy one for a young actor. He and the rest of the cast were warmly applauded at the end and there was even a standing ovation!

So to conclude, my partner and I really enjoyed the show and we'll definitely be going again, but will sit further back than row D!
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I spent £67.50 a ticket to see the April 10th 2010 evening performance of ‘Love Never Dies’ thinking I would get a slice of Coney Island, but I didn’t realise that I would get such a rollercoaster of an evening.

When I arrived at the theatre I was disheartened to find that the role of The Phantom was played by Tam Mutu and Madame Giry was played by Janet Mooney (who were both very good in their roles). Little did I know that this was the least of my problems that evening.

Let’s start with the plus points, my seat in the stalls (H12) had so much leg room, I could spread my legs out fully (I’m 6ft) – shame a few inches couldn’t have been added to the width of the seat as this was very narrow. The illusions and projections were the best part of this production. If there were more of this and less of everything else, I would have left a very happy man.

After ALW told everyone he wasn’t going to be using the story of ‘Phantom of Manhattan’ I decided to read this to see what the show could have been like (it had such a terrible ending, I was glad he wasn’t using it). To my surprise – the story used in the show was very similar, but with one big twist at the end. The twist got me very excited but left me feeling confused as there were so many unanswered questions.

Act 1 was such was very boring (apart from the Phantom showing Gustavo his “layer” which was brilliant), I wasn’t sure about staying for Act 2. I’m glad I did as Act 2 was much better (especially the illusion in the bar scene), I was ready to take back all my negativity until the final scene were a piece of scenery blocked the view of one of the characters faces in the climactic moment ruining my evening – Note to the director: The piece of scenery in the final scene Front Stage Left is so unnecessary it needs to be removed ASAP!!!!

ALW biggest mistake was not using a few bars from some of the songs from the original (but I did keep thinking some of the songs sounded similar to ‘All I ask of you’). Instead he decided to give similar but new melodies to parts that would have had more dramatic effect with some of the original music.

So my opinion, it was OK – Some moments I likes, some I didn’t, but overall a stupid piece of scenery ruined my evening!
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What a fantastic show on so many levels but a shame about the final scene!

The music takes some getting used to; I know of people who have seen this and the original Phantom, but their favourite depends on how much they know the newer score!

The staging is amazing but I do have to agree with the reviewer regarding the railings for the final scene. From the stalls, they must surely be annoying to say the least although, from higher up in the theatre, they were no trouble at all. We sat towards the back of the Dress Circle and the view from here was superb! Even faces were clear to make out and the overall production was stunning!

I loved it from start until the final scene. However, I think Andrew Lloyd Webber needs to look at re-scoring (if that's a word?) this final scene so it looks 'finished.' I know 'Miss Saigon' was re-worked after it opened along with 'Sunset Boulevard.' I really think 'Love Never Dies' could benefit from the same treatment. It is such a powerful ending to the story (without giving anything away) but the music just fades on for too long. A more dramatic end (like in act one) would be better after the many waves of emotion from earlier in the scene or a spotlight fade as in the original Phantom. One way or the other, something is needed instead of an almost silent stage and the curtain to fall to signify the end!
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" Certainly not Phantom - But? "

Saw the show April 28th 2010, matinee performance, Stalls G 28 and 29 great view.

We enjoyed the show very much, strong performance from everyone.

I can understand why not everyone would enjoy it, there is no mystery surrounding the Phantom as in the first show, we now know who and what he is, so the story is now very plain and simple, just him and Christine meeting up again.

Apart from Love Never Dies, not another show stopping song; but having said that do go and see for yourselves, its still a great musical. Standing ovation at the end.

My only complaint was the fact that both Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess were missing for our performance, a pretty poor show when we paid over £60 each for tickets, the stand in performers great and if we had not been told I don't think we would have been any the wiser. Think I will be writing to the Really Useful group.
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