Jim Parsons
Managing Editor
Review
Andrew Lloyd Webber must be a happy man. His musicals are playing all over the world, have been seen by zillions of people and will probably be around for years to come.
His secret to success - accessible music combined with sheer spectacle - has led to a string of megahits: Evita, Cats and, of course, The Phantom of the Opera.
Phantom, Lloyd Webber's adaptation of the early 20th century novel, began its second Houston engagement Wednesday with all of the glitter, but no more of the substance, than it has ever had.
The story, poorly adapted to the musical, deals with a disfigured genius who lives on a lake in the cellars of the Paris Opera House.
Through a series of "ghostly" manifestations, he intimidates the staff of the theater into agreeing to his demands - which include a reserved box and a monthly salary.
The Phantom teaches Christine Daaé, a talented young member of the ballet corps, to sing, eventually arranging her debut by scaring the resident diva. The rest of the story deals with the bizarre love triangle between Christine, her childhood sweetheart Raoul, and the Phantom.
The problem with the story, which is fully developed and quite tragic in the novel, is that it's buried somewhere underneath a lavish score, a massive chandelier and acres of heavy drapery.
And the elaborate sets, rich costumes and nifty special effects are probably why people go to see Phantom, which makes sense, because they're going to be the same every time the show is performed.
Fortunately, the actors in this traveling cast turn in good performances that almost make you forget how long it takes for the sets to change.
Amy Jo Arrington gives Christine just the right mix of loathing and attraction toward the Phantom. Only 22, Arrington has been playing the role in the traveling cast for four months.
Her clear, strong voice carries her part well, and she really shines during her lament for her late father, "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," which is one of the few moments of raw emotion in the show.
As the Phantom, Brad Little is everything you'd expect. With a voice that's at once strong and seductive, he even makes his way through the super-cheesy title number relatively unscathed.
Unfortunately, there's really not much that can be done with a title role that's written to be cruel and unusual but draws almost no sympathy from the audience until the very end of the show, and when Little tries to be an unmasked and defenseless Phantom, he suffers from fits of comic overacting.
As Raoul, the dashing but dopey love interest, Jim Weitzer is appropriately gallant, but his voice was often totally obscured by the orchestra.
Bright spots in the cast include the opera's new managers, Firmin (David Cryer) and André (Richard Reardon), who have some humorous moments trying to keep everything running smoothly in the midst of the Phantom's trickery.
Madame Giry (Jennine Jones), the frightening ballet director, and her giggly corps de ballet make an amusing contrast, as do the opera's pair of egotistical stars, Carlotta (Julie Schmidt) and Ubaldo Piangi (Steven Stein-Grainger).
Shortcomings in the slick production include the sometimes painfully slow scene changes (with long pauses in total darkness, the equivalent of a movie voice-over) and the music, which in some cases is a terrible pre-recorded synth-pop mess.
All things considered, Phantom seems to have all the ingredients of a good show - a hummable score, lavish sets and a strong cast - but they're so smothered by the lumbering Victorian production that they may never be found.
The Phantom of the Opera plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m., through July 12 at Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana at Capitol. Tickets are available at the Jones Hall box office or through any Ticketmaster location, (713) 629-3700.
Student rush tickets will also be available for the run of the show. Two hours prior to any performance, students with valid IDs may purchase up to two of the best available tickets for $21 each at the Jones Hall box office.