With an announcement due any day, the keenly anticipated sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, is finally ready to hit the West End.

The possibility of a sequel has been on the cards since Frederick Forsyth published his 1997 novel ‘The Phantom of Manhattan’. The book opened the door and in 2007 Andrew Lloyd Webber announced that the new show would be going into production.   

Sequel Shockers

The Phantom of the Opera is famous for its depiction of theatrical disaster. No audience can forget the mighty chandelier that the Phantom sends crashing down onto the stage to close the first act. With musical sequels having a history of failure, for Love Never Dies nothing has seemingly been left to chance.

An experienced production team, including Sister Act lyricist Glenn Slater, and the continuity of original show star Ramin Karimloo reprising his role as the Phantom; alongside former Las Vegas Christine, Sierra Boggess, are strong omens for success. The popularity of the original, estimated to have been seen by over 80 million people worldwide, guarantees box office interest.

The action moves forward to the year 1907. The location is Coney Island, the famous amusement resort with thrilling rides and exotic sideshows. Ten years after the tumultuous events at the Paris Opera House Soprano Christine Daaé accepts a mysterious offer to travel to New York to perform.

Notable Sequel Failures:

•    Annie 2: Miss Hannigan’s Revenge: Poor reviews meant the show was cancelled before it even reached Broadway.
•    Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public: Opened in 1994 and closed 2 weeks later.
•    Bring Back Birdie: Sequel to the Elvis inspired Bye Bye Birdie. Opened on Broadway 1981 and closed after 4 performances.

...and successes:

•    WICKED: Although not technically a sequel this Wizard of Oz adaptation has run for over 4 years at the Apollo Victoria Theatre.