The Phantom of the Opera

The current show at Her Majesty’s Theatre is one of the most successful musicals of all time, The Phantom of the Opera. Phantom has played to over 100 million people in 149 cities in 25 countries, grossing over £3bn – higher than any other entertainment event in history, and it has been a permanent fixture at Her Majesty’s Theatre ever since it premiered back in October 1986.

The story was adapted onto the stage by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber who proposed the romantic tale to producer Cameron Mackintosh in 1984. Production then began, with The Phantom of the Opera opening in 1986 with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman as the leading roles of the Phantom and Christine. The musical then went on to win Musical of the Year at the Olivier Awards with Crawford winning an award for Outstanding Performance in a Musical. It quickly transferred to Broadway where it continues to be the longest running Broadway show at the Majestic Theatre. A film version was made in 2004 by Joel Schumacher, starring Gerard Butler and Emily Rossum as the romantic couple, along with Patrick Wilson and Miranda Richardson. In October 2011 the show celebrated its 25th Anniversary at the Royal Albert Hall in London with a specially designed concert version. The show then set out on a UK wide tour, bringing the celebrated new production to new generations of fans.

Show Length and Times

If you wish to get lost in the world of The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty’s Theatre is situated on London’s Haymarket, which is very close to Piccadilly Circus. Evening performances begin at 7.30pm from Monday to Saturday, with matinees at 2.30pm on Thursdays and Saturdays.  There are no performances on Sundays, and the running time of the show is approximately 2 1/2 hours, including a short interval. Please note that the show is recommended for children over 10 years old and those under the age of 5 will not be admitted into the theatre.

Synopsis and Songs

Based on the Gothic novel of the same name written by Gaston Leroux and published in 1911, The Phantom of the Opera transports us to 19th century France, beneath the stage of the Paris Opera House to the dwelling of a mysterious man. That man is the Phantom, a masked creature who falls in love with Christine Daaé, a beautiful singer from the chorus of the opera. She is made the star of the show with the help of the Phantom, but soon things change when she breaks his heart, turning the man behind the mask from friend to fiend. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score includes hit songs such as “Angel of Music”, “The Music of the Night”, “All I Ask Of You” and of course, the title song. Many of these have been recorded by different artists over the past 26 years and the songs are firmly placed within the musical theatre canon.

Critics’ Reviews

	“A team of supreme theatre craftsmen have seized avidly on its lush romantic agony to produce a musical as sumptuous and unashamedly stagey as a Victorian pantomime – a blessedly trad antidote to the current craze for shows chockablock with laser beams, video streams and fake holographs.” Charles Spencer, the Daily Telegraph
	“Sets are, in fact, sumptuous, as indeed are the costumes, making it one of the West End’s most spectacular productions.” Lizzie Guilfoyle, indieLONDON
	“If only the phantom of a true opera, this is as spectacular a piece of theatre as London has seen in years.” John Barber, Daily Telegraph (original 1986 review)

Videos

If you are thinking of purchasing tickets to see The Phantom of the Opera, then why not check out this video first? The latest trailer for the production gives a taster as to what the show is like, including its costumes, set designs and choreography.

Official Tickets 

Official tickets for The Phantom of the Opera can be purchased by using the search form to the left hand side of the page. Simply choose the month you wish to see the show in and you will be offered a range of available dates and seating options.