PHANTOM

by Ed Bruce edbrucevegas@yahoo.com

PHANTOM The Las Vegas Spectacular

It sure as hell is !

When I vistited Kirvin Doak Public Relations to obtain my press kit for this show I asked the receptionist if she had seen the show, she said, "yes, I could go every night" ! ME TOO ! ! ! !

This is not the first review of this show I have written nor will it be the last and I am sure they all are flattering because the show is over the top !

The Phantom along with Oklahoma, South Pacific, Cats and the Music Man are the great musicals.....you can put them in any order you like for your taste, for me the PHANTOM here at the Venetian is second to none. The guts of this thing completes the total picture: theatre, script, live music, lyrics, acting, singing, production, costumes, lighting, continuity, production and promotion.......all first class ! Naturally this is something to see and any description here or anywhere else should lead you to see it.....writing this leads me to see it again and again.

Andrew LLoyd Webber on one of his better days, has retold this tragic old love story with the greatest music and lyrics ever written. Different performers to include Webber's x wife Sarah Brightman, Dale Christian and Michael Crawford have thurst these great lyrics at us thru the years and they are without exception all great, Brent Barrett was the Phantom on the night I attended and I thought he was only spectacular. One of the things that makes this show so perfect even without the lyrics and music is the production....everyone on cue with perfect timing and the great look of continuity like, "here it is,..... this is the way it is suppose to go and it damn well will..... and you will like it." That's, the read I get.

Saw this production on 25 June 2006, its second night here in las Vegas and I was right under the chandelier and had to look straight up to see its assembly....this trip I asked to be seated off center and to the side so as to get a better view of this action, glad I did,... yet another reason to resee and relook at this masterpiece. Nice view here too of the panorama of the theatre especially the 20 sideboxes, 18 with marvolous mannequins and two, actually used in the production. The theatre itself is a throwback to old European stages and a backstage tour of this house is next on my list of todos ! This show the prototype theme for my mission in life, "so many symphonys to see, so little time."

Little nuances I love,.... the Phantoms descent of the stairs to the beat of the music in Masquerade, the blaring organ opening to the chandelier movements and the Phantoms exit at the end. I have others ! ! ! !

Can't get enough of this, its here long term, hope I am too, I sleep good at night knowing this goes six nights a week four and a half miles from my home.

Twenty years ago Frankie Valli said all the great music has been written, he was right, with this one exception...it leaves hope for the next generation that hall of fame music can still be written. 14 productions of the Phantom are currently running thruout the world and I thank the Venetian for the one in my home. www.phantomlasvegas.com

I grade all reviews on THE standard, Sammy Davis Jr., still the greatest thing ever on stage.
The Las Vegas Phantom only better than perfect 100 A+