Based on the novel by French author, Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera is considered by many to be Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s finest show.

The Phantom is a hideously deformed wretch that haunts the Paris opera house and its subterranean tunnel system. The Phantom it seems is a talented composer who demands that the opera house perform his works. He chooses Christine Daae to be his pupil and proceeds to coach her in singing. She is scared but co-operates as she believes the Phantom to be the ghost of her dead father. What develops is an obsessive love for his pupil whom he demands takes the lead role at the opera. The tension mounts as Raoul, Christine's long lost beau re-enters her life and the couple fall in love again.

The stage show stays close to the original book, and bears little if any resemblance to the robbed composer scarred by printers acid that Claude Raines brought to the big screen.

The sets and costumes are quite spectacular, especially the underground lake scene (I still can't work out how the boat drifts effortlessly across the stage). Be prepared for the Phantom turning up in odd places and also for the famous falling chandelier. The songs are excellent from the blasting organ of the overture to the haunting "Angel of Music."

Although this one-sided love story is strangely touching, I found it hard to have any real sympathy for the Phantom, after all he was murdering and terrorizing the cast to get his own way. Others however, were pulled the other way and could see how his perpetual rejection by society had fuelled his rage - hmm!

All in all, the Phantom is a stunning theatrical experience and it's no wonder that the show has been playing to full houses for nigh on 21 years. The theatre puts the lowest suitable age for the audience at eight years old and I would agree - actually even when unmasked it's not easy to see the Phantom's face due to his rapid movements and the distance between him and the audience. But as with everything, you should know your child best. Check the seating plan well as some seats at the Her Majesty's Theatre have a limited view. I believe "booster cushions" are available for children.

Get a flavour of the stage musical with this extract from the movie.

Incidentally, The show's program explains that under the Paris opera house there really is a labyrinth of tunnels and believe it or not..... there is actually a huge underground lake! Spooky or what?

High point: The overture, the falling chandelier, all the songs but especially, "Angel of Music".

Low Point: None, other than the high cost of West-End theatre tickets.

Taking your children to the theatre?

Why not write a review for SafeSearcher?

click for information

 Web Masters would you like to use this review on your website?

Click here for details