Seeing that I'm just as illusive as the phantom as a blogger, it's only appropriate my next post is on the world famous Phantom of the Opera.

I did it! I watched a musical and actually enjoyed it! It's my first Andrew Llyod Webber experience. My earlier musicals were actually pseudo-theatre-musicals; both of which were experienced during my stay in Shanghai two years ago.

The first one was a musical magic show. It was really tacky but entertaining all the same, I think. I cannot remember much of the story line. (Yes, there was a story incorporated into the magic show as well). It was a father daughter act. It's all coming back to me now... They were Singaporean missionaries (the Christian ones) and the magic shows are their livelihood. I could actually understand the story and all from my sporadic understanding of the Mandarin dialogue and the handy subtitling screens at each side of the stage.

The second musical theatre I watched was a Hong Kong production; with the celebrity Tony Leung Kah Wai (not the Tony Leung is Infernal Affairs) and the woman who stars in a myriad of TVB series... I can point her out but dont know her name.

The story was about a widow (the HK woman) and how she was ostracized by her in-laws. They blame her for bringing ill luck into the family... yes, Chinese people are very rational... if anything bad happens in the family; it's not because someone has had poor health since they were born, or the men's incompetent sperm production, or the corrupt handling of family businesses.

So if someone dies, or there are no grandchildren, or the business is bankrupt; it is always the newly wed daughter-in-law's fault. She's bad juju.

So anyways, the family sends her away to the city and there she meets a promiscuous but very charming Tony Leung. At first she was disgusted by his womanising habits but... what can I say?... the woman was sucker for a man in a white suit who looks as good as Tony Leung. They fell in love. But as luck would have it the man flees before the war to save his overseas business. When the Japanese came, they were separated. Finally they found each other and got married... but as luck would have it, he dies young. The story ended with a scene of her contemplating her misfortunes as an old woman living alone in the house he left her. As if she wasnt pathetic enough, her house was due for demolishment and she refuses to leave her property. Ah... the double-edged sword of development.

Back to the phantom. The cast was amazing. I didnt get the program. The costumes were delightfully flamboyant. The acting dramatacised. The performances perfectly executed. The Phantom was as hideous as he was mysterious.

People, if you thought the movie was boring and bad. You're not wrong. Watch the musical live and you will cultivate a new appreciation for the Phantom.

my view of the stage from my balcony seat