And I’ve got Dorothy right behind me….make that Dorothys.

I finally got to see Lover Never Dies last night, and I have to say that Andrew Lloyd Webber can still pull off a good show. As I pointed out last week, the show is producing a love it or hate it effect, but I am firmly in the love camp. It’s been a while since I have seen such a slick staging of a musical, and it helps that I love the dramatic epic.

As I waiting for the show to start, I was aware of movement behind me, and as I glanced up I realised that it was the some of the Dorothys from last weekend’s Over The Rainbow. As I tried to inconspicuously see who I recognised, it became apparent to me that the 10 that weren’t chosen for the live shows were Andrew Lloyd Webber’s guests at the Adelphi Theatre as consolation. Of course, one of them will still make it into the wild card slot by way public vote and we will be seeing 11 perform on Saturday night.

I think I may need to go back to Love Never Dies soon though…I can’t get the Coney Island Waltz out of my head!

After many months of speculation, gossip and rumours, Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to his iconic The Phantom Of The Opera has gone on sale at the Adelphi Theatre in London.

We’re told that the story picks up 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of the Phantom from the Paris Opera House; famous opera singer Christine Daae and her husband Raoul have travelled to New York’s Coney Island, where Christine has accepted an offer to perform. Consequently Christine finds out that the anonymous person who has lured her to New York is someone she is well acquainted with!

Ramin Karimloo will create the role of the Phantom in Love Never Dies, having already performed the role in The Phantom of the Opera in London. American Sierra Boggess (who created the role of Ariel in Broadway’s The Little Mermaid) will play Christine, and home grown talent Summer Stallen (The Sound Of Music, The Drowsy Chaperone) will play Meg Giry. Tony award winning Jack O’Brien (Hairspray) directs.

Love Never Dies will preview from the 20th February 2010, officially opening on the 9th March 2010. The initial run is booking until the 23rd October 2010. If you are a Phantom Phan, buy your tickets asap. This show will sell out.

And if you haven’t seen the original Phantom Of the Opera and need to catch up on the story, it’s still playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London; it’s Phantastic 23 year run is a testament to the popularity of the original show.

Ok, I’m probably annoying you now with the Phantom puns. Book your Love Never Dies tickets here.

Back when I first came to London and I was living in an antipodean house share, where someone was inhabiting the broom closet (and paying £300 a month for the privilege), I was also working in a box office selling tickets for West End shows. One day a delightful middle age couple came in and asked for my opinion of what they should go and see. We went through the list, and being completely indecisive, they decided to hold up the queue while they pondered how to spend their hard earned holiday money. They eventually asked about The Rat Pack, which I had recently seen and was quite impressed with; it was great entertainment and I had a good time listening to all of the old songs performed on stage.

I told them that it was very good and they should definitely go and see it, especially if they liked music from that era. They then asked a puzzling question: was it a film?

I was quite confused at this point, especially since the face value for top price tickets was about £40 at the time, which is a little steep for the cinema. My reply seemed to confuse them as well. I said that it was a live show, and all of the songs were performed live on stage. This was a booth for West End tickets after all, not the Odeon Cinema Leicester Square.

Their response: “Well it can’t be a live show. Sammy, Frank and Dean are all dead”

I swear to you, there was no sarcastic tone in their statement whatsoever.

I think I underestimate people sometimes. We started again, and I explained that it was a tribute show and the performers were actors, but very good actors, and it was a great night out and they should really go and see it.

They booked tickets to see Phantom Of the Opera.

Anyways, now that I have shared this little anecdote, and now that The Rat Pack is on its way back into the West End, I must say that it is a great show, performed by actors that look and sound remarkably like Frank, Dean and Sammy, and contains well known songs such as “Fly Me to The Moon”, “Mr. Bojangles”, and “My Way”. It is an extremely fun and entertaining night out. And the best part is, they do a special Christmas version in December which is fantastic, especially for work parties or to incorporate into a shopping trip to London.

Some words of advice to anyone who needs to provide a description of The Rat Pack….use the words Live Tribute Show. It will save you a lot of trouble.

The Rat Pack-Live From Las Vegas is booking from 24th September until the 21st November and the Christmas version will be running from the 24th November to 3rd January. Book your Rat Pack tickets here.