PHANTOM OF THE OPERA REVIEW
The Phantom of the Opera is still wowing fans and critics
The Phantom of the Opera is quite simply a global theatre phenomenon.
Since opening at Her Majesty's Theatre in the West End in 1986 the musical has been viewed by more than 100 million people around the world and is regarded by many as the most successful entertainment project of all time.
Of course, figures do not tell the whole story of the success of The Phantom of the Opera. Its enduring appeal is down to the brilliance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's compositions and a gripping storyline based on a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux.
The musical tells the story of the mysterious Phantom who resides at the Paris Opera House and his relationship with the singer Christine Daae. It combines drama with romance as part of an intriguing love triangle - a simple, but classic plotline which has helped to encourage thousands of theatregoers to return to watch the musical more than once.
When The Phantom of the Opera opened in 1986 it featured Michael Crawford in the title role and Sarah Brightman as Christine, with both winning rave reviews from theatre critics. The cast has changed numerous times since then, but some things remain constant - the musical is still on at Her Majesty's Theatre and is still drawing praise from reviewers.
Time Out's Tamara Gausi said of a recent trip to watch The Phantom of the Opera that the show still has plenty to appeal to fans of musicals.
"Its lavish and bold set design is still awe-inspiring, and at the heart of the play is a touching story of love and desire. It may be mass-produced entertainment, but it's still massive fun," she wrote.
Perhaps the most fitting accolade for The Phantom of the Opera and its unrivalled success came from the West End theatre correspondents sent to review its sequel Love Never Dies when it debuted in 2010. They did not question whether or not the new show would be as good as the original, but instead merely debated if it was the best Lloyd Webber musical since the debut of The Phantom of the Opera more than 20 years earlier.