Phantom of the Opera - Warsaw Palladium Stage

[winter]

Tanz der Vampire only opens on Friday, but I've attended my first show of the season yesterday. I've mentioned Jakub Wocial here before (also see: Herbert, squee, recitals, photos, squee), and since I'm a fan of the Phantom of the Opera, I had to catch his small-stage version. His "Palladium Stage" theatre is just a rented room at a community centre, but what he did with such limited means is amazing.


I knew already that Jakub's voice was stunning, but in the three months since I last heard him, he's clearly been working on it. He has somehow acquired a depth that lends a mellowness to what used to be a somewhat sharp sound. His English accent is also much better. At this point, I really don't see what else he could improve about his voice, and the boy's only 20. Acting-wise, he's tense and fragile, but it works for his Erik, the same one I wrote about in my series of Erik-and-Raoul stories. He knows how to work those hands, and he's clearly been watching the movie a lot.

Apart from him, there are only three other people on stage, and of them the ballerina, Monika Polom, is silent, though she moves with the right combination of grace and humour. Sabina Golanowska is a stunning Christine, operatic and strong. I love her low notes - so many female voices don't have that low foundation to them and end up sounding shrill. Of all Christines I've heard, I think I'd compare her with Rebecca Luker. I wasn't too fond of the actress playing Meg, Katarzyna Laska, when I saw her as Kim in Miss Saigon, but here her fragile voice works much better, and she plays a good counterpoint to Sabina's expansive, calm Christine.

And yes, this means no Raoul. There are few places where that's noticeable, though someone who has no idea about the original plot can get confused. Songs are mixed up all over the place and repeated (Phantom of the Opera, Think of Me and Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again all appear twice, and Music of the Night three times), and the reinterpretation of All I Ask of You and Think of Me as Erik and Christine songs works. Meg assumes Raoul's role as far as saving Christine is concerned, though there is also an undercurrent of Meg's own seduction and change of mind regarding Erik. One could interpret it as her falling in love too, and then feeling betrayed by Erik's interest in Christine and murderous rampage.

(Of course, the boy couldn't resist strangling someone onstage.)

I was worried about the sets, because the venue is so small and amateur, but Jakub outdid himself with stage design. There's a partition that divides the foreground from the background and allows for quick changes of the background sets as well as providing a visual shortcut for the Phantom's dreams and nightmares (several sequences are realised in this convention). The costumes are very decent indeed, and I love the Phantom's makeup - it's subtle but deforming, not as over the top as the usual stage makeup.

And that brings me to the scene that broke me. After a modified rendition of the final lair scene, with the Phantom raging crazily and mixing his own and Raoul's lines while Christine sings Point of No Return and Meg joins in with Christine's original lines, Christine refuses Erik completely. And then he crumbles to the floor, maskless and broken, and sings a last heartbreaking Music of the Night while only the deformed side of his face is illuminated. He crawls. That was about all she wrote as far as me being sold was concerned.

*eyedart* And yes, I recorded a full audio boot of the show. Matters can be arranged.


A small sample: Jakub and Sabina singing Phantom and Music of the Night

Comments

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

Oh, the voices are gorgeous. Sounds like a very interesting production. Wish I could see it. And I might be interested in the complete boot some time. ;-)

[winter]

Since this is the main reason for fyrie's trip over here, I think you'll be seeing a lot about it ;) And hmm. I think I still don't have your e-mail address :P

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

That is a comfort, at least. ;-) And it's valancykm@gmail.com. :-)

[winter]

*notes down* I'm at work, but expect a message in the evening :> I need to spread the joy. We'll get the boy an international fanclub yet...

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

I think you'll be able to count me in, you know...

[winter]

So far I think we have two Scots, half a dozen Americans, two Finns and at least two Germans :> And I just sent the boot to a guy in, I think, Taiwan. Here's hoping it'll contribute to getting the boy to the West End sooner.

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

I'll try to convert as many Finns as I can. ;-) And assorted other potential victims.

[winter]

Muahahaha. And people say I'm not effective at world domination ;)

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

Actually, Ash would be another American, but little brother counts as a second Scot so that works :) Brother heard clips from the show and gawped at the deepened voice.

[winter]

So far, I only mentioned Maria's opinion :) We can do a full roster once we can sit down with pen and paper.

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

13 days. I think I'll need it.

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

(Note to self: I need to make a music icon!)

The voices were remarkable! Question, though--does he speak English or just learn it phonetically for songs? His enunciation sounded was almost exactly like Crawford's, although his voice is 100 times better. (I've seen Phantom several times on stage here, with different actors in the role as Eric, but since they're native English-speakers, they tend to vary on the enunciation when they sing).

I can't believe he's only 20 with a voice like that!!

[winter]

He's got more of an accent while speaking, and isn't as fluent as I am, but his English is decent. And I have a feeling he's listened to Crawford as many times as he's watched the movie ;)

What blows me away is how quickly he improves. Back in December, his accent was noticeable and the lower notes were failing. And he has no formal training, either - IIRC private lessons, but no formal musical schooling.

All I'm saying is, Erik on the West End or Broadway in 5 years tops...

[fyrie.livejournal.com]

His spoken-English is very good, though like Beth says, his accent is stronger :) He's very self-conscious about it. Likewise with his written English. And seriously, gah! No 20 year old should sing like that.

And I think it says a lot for his talent that he sings better than Crawford after Crawford went through years of professional lessons ;)

[valancystar.livejournal.com]

*mutters something about it not taking a lot to sound better than Crawford* ;)

But the boy sounds stunning, without a doubt.

[arabwel.livejournal.com]

.... you killed me with that description. God I wish i had been able to see it...

[winter]

Well, he killed me with that performance :) Honestly, I don't fangirl the guy, though he's not hard to look at (and his voice I do fangirl a lot), but the way he interpreted Erik, the emotional fragility of it, the way that after that crawling he straightened, tried to set his clothes in order and almost-calmly sang "Christine, I love you" when she was heading his way with ring in hand...

Well, he's in my top four Phantoms now. Maybe even top three.

[lamath.livejournal.com]

... he's clearly been watching the movie a lot.

I hope on mute. [/snark] But seriously. Very impressive. He's only 20? Wow. And *swoon* on that last scene. Oh man. :( I think I would have just broken down and cried right there.

[winter]

Before, he definitely wasn't watching the show on mute, because he was singing with a Scottish accent ;) But I think he's switched over to the OLC for now.

That last scene all but broke me. First thing I did after the show was call fyrie all the way in Scotland and tell her this show is going to kill her dead.