Re-worked Love Never Dies much improved

When Love Never Dies opened at the Adelphi Theatre earlier this year one of the reviewers on the Hollywood trade journal Variety wrote: “Only a radical rewrite will give it even the remotest chance of emulating its predecessor.” So that is exactly what Andrew Lloyd Webber has done.

Perfectionist Lloyd Webber did not take the criticisms lightly and worked with co-writer Ben Elton for six weeks re-working the script. Love Never Dies then closed for four days at the end of last month so the set could be altered to accommodate the new version which opened last week.

The original director Jack O’Brien was replaced by Lloyd Webber’s impresario, actor and director Bill Kenwright who suggested a series of bold changes. The Phantom Of The Opera lyricist Charles Hart was asked to help make the songs clearer for the audience and choreographer Bill Deamer was brought in to inject more energy.

Ramin Karimloo who plays the Phantom and Sierra Boggess (Christine) led three weeks of intense rehearsals with the rest of the cast before reopening night.

According to audiences and various people I know in the business, the changes seem to have worked with the show receiving a standing ovation on its re-opening night. . The critics have been invited back to review the show at the official opening night of the new version on 20th December.

Lloyd Webber is said to be delighted by the new version the positive reaction it had received.