Rebooted ‘Phantom of the Opera’ still swoon-worthy viewing

Has “Phantom of the Opera” always been this silly?

That thought hit me about halfway through Act I of the touring production now at the Music Hall. The answer is, yes, it’s utterly ridiculous and always has been. But don’t let that deter you.

Because for 30 years Andrew Lloyd Webber’s big musical has been knocking audiences off their feet with great songs, strong voices and state-of-the-art stagecraft. Not even the goofiest conceit proffered by Gaston Laroux’s 1910 potboiler novel can slow down the “Phantom “ juggernaut.

Case in point: The characters of Christine and Raoul, the young operatic hopeful and her titled paramour. Katie Travis and Jordan Craig can’t do much to make these two interesting beyond their physical attractiveness. Christine is naive to the point of idiocy and Raoul’s a cardboard stiff.

But let them sink their vocal chords into a duet like “All I Ask of You” and the results are magical, finding romance and emotion where before there was just posing.

The real heart of this production is Derrick Davis as the Phantom, a mysterious figure who lives in the bowels of the Paris Opera, who is mentoring Christine (who seems nonplussed at having a unseen vocal teacher instructing her through the walls) and isn’t above killing an irritating stagehand when the mood is upon him.

Davis finds just the right touch of mad genius in the character, his voice is top notch (especially on the haunting “Music of the Night”) and his last act professions of love and loss are genuinely touching.

Plus he’s the beneficiary of brilliant makeup design. When at last this Phantom is unmasked his horribly scarred head is the stuff of nightmares. Lon Chaney’s makeup for the silent film of “Phantom” must have been an inspiration.

“Phantom” has been redesigned for this tour, but despite some paring down the overall effort it still feels expansive and sometimes overwhelming. The use of rotating units that allow rapid set changes, atmospheric lighting and some truly spectacular effects — a staircase that magically emerges from a huge stone wall and then vanishes without a trace, for example — ensure that there’s always something visually arresting on the stage.

So go, swoon a bit, and drive home humming.

This story was originally published February 11, 2017 at 12:31 AM with the headline "Rebooted ‘Phantom of the Opera’ still swoon-worthy viewing."