It’s a wee bit late this week, but we slipped down to the rehearsal space on Friday to find out what has been going on down there…

As the cast prepare to move into the theatre for the next stage in the rehearsal process it is a very busy time for everyone concerned but during a very quick two minute tea break we cornered Ramin (The Phantom) and Sierra (Christine), witnessed a very brief appearance by Summer (Meg), got fed by Jo (Raoul), were surrounded by very vocal Gustaves and asked Adam (Squelch) about his new look.

No special birthdays to celebrate in the rehearsal room today, but even without the lure of cake we called in to see how the cast were feeling at the end of another gruelling week. We arrived just as the cast were breaking for lunch and asked them how things were going and for their highlights of the week so far!

Hi, I’m Richard Linnell and I’m 12. I am one of the 6 boys who are playing the part of Gustave in Love Never Dies. Welcome to my first blog.

My first full cast rehearsal

10:00AM start at the rehearsal studio. This is the first day all the cast have met to run through so I was pretty nervous! I arrived and went up to the fourth floor. The first thing that I saw as I got out of the lift was a huge pile of pastries and cake, Yum! After watching everyone swam around the pastries we all went into the studio and sat down in the chairs that were set out and Andrew Lloyd Webber started to talk to us all. He introduced himself, Jack (our director), Simon (our musical director) and then we went around the room saying who we are and what we do. When it got to me I was quite nervous but once we had started all the nerves disappeared. Then Andrew told us how Love Never Dies came to be and then I met up with all the people that I knew from previous shows I have been in: Summer Strallen who is playing Meg Giry, who I knew from the Sound of Music where she played Maria and I played Kurt , Dean Chisnall who is in the ensemble, who played Prince Charming in my local Panto 2 years ago, where I was a juvenile dancer and Patrick Stanier one of our SMs here, who was the DSM at Waiting for Godot, where I played the boy earlier this year.

After the break we all sat down at tables to start the run through. I was sitting at the top table next to Joe (Raoul) with Sierra (Christine), Ramin (Phantom), Summer (Meg) and Liz (Madame Giry) on my right, Wow what a line up! As we went through the music I heard all the parts together for the first time and listened to all the scenes. We saw Bob Crowley’s brilliant set designs projected onto the big screen behind us and I realised how incredible, sophisticated, complex and beautiful the show is going to be. I sang my parts with the rest of the cast, which was very nerve racking but I think I did OK, and really enjoyed it. We had a break for lunch and I chatted with the other cast members, they are all so lovely. Funny thing, everyone seemed to have brought tuna fish and cucumber sandwiches to eat. After lunch we continued the run to the end of the show and finished at about 3:15pm.

I can’t say much as the plot, as it is a closely guarded secret, but I will say this, the press are right, this is Andrew’s best musical to date! To all you avid Phantom fans out there waiting for the twentieth of February with your tickets and wondering if it will be as good as The Phantom of the Opera, I can tell you this, it is even better. So hang in there because boy is this one is going to be a doosy!!

Until next time

Richard

Welcome to the Love Never Dies production blog. Throughout the production period I’ll be keeping you up-to-date with all aspects of this eagerly anticipated show through the subjective eyes (or rapid fingers) of The Really Useful Theatre’s Production Department. What is happening when, who is doing what and just how everything is going. Follow us on an adrenaline packed rollercoaster of a ride as we lift the lid on what it takes to stage what we hope will become one of the biggest musicals of all time.

The production department here at Really Useful is responsible for pretty much everything show related – from planning and producing all new domestic and international productions to the day-to-day management, casting, marketing and maintaining the high standards of Andrew’s shows in the UK, Europe, North, South and Central America. From The Phantom of the Opera in Buenos Aires to Cats on the road. There are eight of us in total, consisting of:

Head of Production
Assistant to Head of Production
General Manager
Production Supervisor
2x Production Assistant
Sales & Marketing Manager
Advertising Manager & Marketing Co-Coordinator

After months of planning we finally launched Love Never Dies in front of the world’s media at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London on October 8th. The reaction (and subsequent media coverage) was phenomenal. The day itself started before sunrise as our technical staff loaded in all the necessary equipment to the theatre and last-minute rehearsals and final preparations were made prior to the house opening at 10am. Then followed a deluge of media, theatre and celebrity types (plus 30 lucky Phantom ‘Phans’) to watch Andrew unveil the continuation of The Phantom of the Opera. Make sure you watch the full coverage of the launch itself, here on the Love Never Dies website…

Rehearsals will commence on January 4th leading up to our first preview on February 20th – with opening night scheduled for March 9th. Between now and then there is a huge amount for the production department to do in order to ensure we meet our February 20th first preview deadline.

Casting for the young actors who will play the role of Gustave is under way in the conservatory below our offices as I write. And they sound great! Due to the complex regulations regarding children working in entertainment the plan is to cast no fewer than 6 young actors who will rotate in the role. Our musical supervisor, Simon Lee, is currently putting the young hopefuls through their paces before they’re put in front of our creative team who will ultimately decide which boys will make it to the Adelphi stage.

Keep checking the Love Never Dies website for further updates over the coming weeks…