"AaaaAAAAaaaaaAAAAAaaaaRRRgggh!!!!" I sing in an operatic voice. Due to my recent venturing into the world of musicals, I thought it best to look into the famous Phantom of the Opera. Digging out the book from a large yellowing collection, I read it in a day. Then realised the back cover said "abridged", ohh and for kiddies! Whoops! I did think the pictures were entertaining though ;) So I searched down central London for the full version of the book. But *none* of the major book shops had it in stock, which really surprised me. Whilst sulking indoors, my mum walked in and threw the book in my shocked lap! I asked where she found it. "Oh HMV" she said and walked off. HMV?? But that's a bloody music and DVD shop! Who knows? I might have found a copy lying around in a greengrocers!

I read the book, and was all hyped for the musical, but at the time, had no money nor free time to spare. Suddenly it's my 21st birthday (not a usual occurence), and I've received the original London cast recording of Phantom! Sitting up in my room at 1am in the morning, I decided to listen to it for a few minutes.....and didn't go to bed until 3, completely hooked on the music. Heheheh, the main theme is all funky 80s - sounding! But the introduction of the orchestra has me ahhhing. Raoul's voice (Steve Barton) and Christine's (Sarah Brightman) are absolutely perfect, and then there's the Phantom....Michael Crawford? The name's familiar...No...no way....oh dear gawd! From 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em'? Ahahahahahahahahah! Not really an operatic voice, but there is something suitable about it.....

Anyways! Am meant to be talking about actually seeing the musical here! The following week was a 'study week', and one day, my sister and I decided to go for a walk down central London (to 'study', of course!), and whilst walking through Leicester Square, passed the theatre ticket booths, we were lured in..... Ye gawds theatre tickets are so expensive! After nearly jumping over the counter and battering a woman over the head with my non-existant money at one booth, we went along to a slightly more expensive, but much more polite shop, and got tickets for Phantom. Yay, all my birthday money gone in an instant!

Was pretty excited at the prospect of seeing the show after all the build up (though a little annoyed with myself that I knew the whole story already). Course the musical has made some allterations, nuffin wrong with that ay? The theatre itself, "Her Majesty's" was exactly how I imagined it - old, quite cramped, but a cool theatre nonetheless! And how could it even call itself a theatre if it didn't have only around 4 toilets, eh? NOTE - the female toilets have this GIGANTIC mirror on the wall as you enter them, a sure sign that the Phantom is indeed watching you (............or some pervert). Comforting thought. Our seats were in the upper circle, near the front, but to the left. Now the woman who sold me these tickets advised me that "PART of the stage might be obstructed". Oh well that's ok I thought. But as we learnt that evening, all the action took place on that part of the stage! "And no leaning foward!" instructed a employee of the theatre. The guy on front of me's head was moving eratically like a sparrows, driving me absolutely insane - wanted to kick him right off the edge onto the richer/luckier folk seated below.

Anyways again! How cool is it to have a live orchestra in there?? Duhhh, modern technology ay? Will wonders never cease?? A sign out the front stated that it was a full cast that night, yay! I was eager to hear the Phantom's voice (played by John Owen-Jones) as anything had to be an improvement over the soundtrack, heh! Needless to say, he was FANTASTIC!! What a voice! Extremely powerful yet also soft. And could he scream or what? I got a fright quite a few times I have to say ;) There was one point where he appeared at the top of the theatre (just above our level) and I jumped like the fool I am! Heheheh and another part, after Christine had sung, he stepped out from a statue - I *knew* he'd been standing there! Creepy, the perfect stalker! And his crying at the end had me feeling *very* sad, the poor man. Ok he's a murderer, and yes, a little insane, but urr...still....

Raoul (played by Ramin Karimloo) was equally brilliant, and I must say I've always had a soft spot for Raoul (I named my mini disc player Raoul after all.....yes very sad I know). He's such a sap in the book, crying on near enough every page, so was nice to see a much tougher version onstage. Ha, got a shock when he dropped off the bridge near the end, I thought he was really gonna damage himself, but just completely disappeared in the mist! *Whoosh*

I have to confess I've never seen so much *groping* onstage! Did I say groping? Urr I meant stroking. Did I say that?? Well yes, it's true (I leer). The Phantom seemed to be slyly doing it all the time - reminds me of someone at uni...! The set design was great, loved all the smoke for the Phantom's lair.....ahh memories of all those 80s discos I used to go to! Speaking of 80s, the main theme is still pretty retro! Excellent! And omigawd what was that little staff the Phantom had that fired out those cool little firebolts, and where can I get one?? A quick mention must be made to my friend John, who for my christmas created a remix of the Phantom of the Opera, with perhaps the most hideous results ever....and I love it! "The Pha-Pha-Phantom" and "Niiiiieeeeeeeiiiiiiiieeeeeiiiight" are my fave bits, and let's not forget the dance beat! Or maybe we should forget ;)

Overall I absolutely loved the show, and would love to see again! So expensive though, and more often than not, fully booked! But well worth the money, yars yars. Now, where's my mask...?