“Love Never Dies, Love Never Falters...

- Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Love Never Dies" -

Felt extremely emotional yesterday after watching the widely acclaimed musical, "Love Never Dies" by Andrew Lloyd Webber. I shall not dwell much on the storyline but more about the show itself.

"Love Never Dies" Preview

Firstly, the set was beyond imagination. The extravagance and opulence of the set immediately took me by surprise the moment the show started. Vibrant colours and rotating sets helped to add a sense of surreality and shape the mood of the scene itself. Mirrors and the actors appearing within the props behind a glass sheet further accentuated the mysticism of the magical scene during the show. Transitions between scenes were also very smooth probably due to the layout of the set itself.

An Insight into the Ravishing Set Mentioned Above:

As for the singing, the voices of the Phantom (Ben Lewis) and Christine (Anna O'Byrne) were stunning from the outset. They truly didn't look as though they were new kids on the block which in fact they were. Hand-picked by Lloyd Webber from the many that auditioned for the show, they truly did not disappoint. They showed the strength in depth and promising future of Australian theatre, paving the way for future like-minded individuals to grace the stage.

The Australian Cast

For the acting and movements itself, the trio of Fleck, Squelch and Gangle also resonated with me. Their playfulness and "happy go lucky" attitude epitomized the spirit of Phantasma. Of course, within the three, I liked Fleck (Emma J. Hawkins) as I found her tiny body frame made her look so cute. She played her role very well and although she was physically challenged, her partners carried her through the show.

Finally, in terms of the music, Andrew Lloyd Webber did a marvellous job out of it all. My favourite two songs were "Love Never Dies" sung by Christine and the "Coney Island Waltz".

For the song "Love Never Dies", it brought out the essence of love and was sung at the climax of the show. I can relate to this song as the lyrics were really meaningful, highlighting the fact the love of lovers, family etc is unconditional and truly never falters.

The "Coney Island Waltz" was also enthralling as its beginning immediately throws one into the setting of a funfair. Jumpy, melodious and had the feeling of a fairy tale about to happen. What else can I say? I'm afraid I'm lost for words.

Undeniably, "Love Never Dies" ranks highly amongst the musicals that I've seen from "Les Miserables" to "Beauty & the Beast" at London's West-End. Catching the story for "Love Never Dies" is easy. You don't need to watch "The Phantom of the Opera" to understand even though they are related. This story set 10 years after its predecessor reframes the storyline and if one were to say it were a sequel, I will only agree partially. More importantly, the themes of human jealousy, villainous human nature and the unfaltering love were palpable and well-synthesized into the overall musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. 

I highly recommend that one watch "Love Never Dies" even if one isn't a musical fanatic simply because it can strike a chord with almost anyone. Ignore the mixed reviews that "Love Never Dies" had for its premiere in London in 2010, this Australian version is truly a class of its own and brings with it a different take on the musical. Wait no more and go watch it, as this screening in Melbourne may well be its last (at least in this part of the world) unless Lloyd Webber allows it to be performed once more.

With that, this musical marked the last day of my mid-semester break and it's back to school today!

**"Love Never Dies" is set to end its production in Melbourne on 18 December 2011 before moving on to Sydney in January 2011. A tour of the United Kingdom is also on the cards with details to be finalized in due course.

For more information, visit: http://www.loveneverdies.com.au/
All videos above are sourced from: LoveNeverDiesAU (YouTube)