Following the news that Sierra Boggess, currently playing Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre, will leave the role on 5 March to head to Broadway, more rumours are circulating over the cast changes for the show.
Celia Graham is widely tipped to replace Boggess on 7 March, following roles including Christine in Phantom and Sierra’s current understudy in Love Never Dies.
Also, David Thaxton is rumoured to be replacing Joseph Millson as Raoul. Thaxton was a hit in Passion at the Donmar Warehouse last year alongside Elena Roger, earning an Olivier Award nod for best actor in a new musical in the recent nominations.
Summer Strallen, who plays Meg in the show, will also be leaving to take on a stage adaptation of classic movie musical Top Hat, joining Tom Chambers to recreate the on-screen roles made famous by Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
RUMOUR CHECK-LIST
- Show: Love Never Dies
- Theatre: Adelphi Theatre
- Casting: Celia Graham, David Thaxton
- Producer: Really Useful Group
- Date of new cast: 7 March?
- Director: Jack O’Brien
Source: New York Times (14/02/11), BroadwayWorld (16/02/11)
Love Never Dies was awesome and I loved the show, and it looked beautiful and sounded beautiful. also i was happy to read about the laurence olivier awards for it. (i know phantom means a lot to people, but love never dies is only a show… not sure it merits hysterics and death treats).
I highly recommend you see it even though it’s not as good as the original.
All i know is that I loved the show, and it looked beautiful and sounded beautiful. also i was happy to read about the laurence olivier awards for it. (i know phantom means a lot to people, but love never dies is only a show… not sure it merits hysterics and death treats). isn’t it just another nice – original – thing to have going on in the west end as opposed to another musical “based on a movie?”
Phantom Needs NO Sequel!
Webber has destroyed the characters we all know from the original production of The Phantom of the Opera. Phantom fans and theatre-goers alike have never waited with breathless anticipation for a sequel to Phantom. Lyric changes and reordering of songs has done nothing to change the fact that the characters from the original have been destroyed beyond recognition. A repackaged marketing scheme and theatrical ‘razzle dazzle’ are a poor substitute for a plausible storyline and genuine audience enthusiasm.
We maintain our initial position that Love Should Die.
Phantom DOES need a sequel – Phantom ends with the intrigue of the Phantom still caring, still being around – I loved the show – also The Phantom of the Opera was wonderful too – it helped that I saw RAMIN playing both roles saw how he had changed over the years also WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO CHRISTINE – Bril