The Phantom of the Opera on BBC7

[Theta Sigma]

Big Finish's (the makers of the Doctor Who audios) audio version of Phantom of the Opera will be on BBC7 on November 30 (UK time). It is in four parts meaning the serial will be concluded on December 21.

Reading up from Wikipedia it actually made its debut on BBC7 in December last year but I personally did not know about it. Hopefully I get to rectify this with the latest broadcasts.

 

[Theta Sigma]

Episode 1:
So far, this has been a pretty good adaptation with fine performances all around.
Very funny when one of the managers threatened to kick the next person who comes into the room only for it to turn out to be Carlotta.
Peter Guinness sounds creepy as the Phantom and Anna Massey very good as Madame Giry.
The cliffhanger has been very well played out.

 

[Theta Sigma]

I have been told that each of the episodes is slightly edited from the CD and download releases.

Episode 2:
Adele is pretty funny at the beginning. Also funny was the remark about a statue.
Alexander Siddig finally appears here as the Persian, a quite mysterious character.
Absolutely brilliant the way that Christine recounts her story with the Phantom which has been served well by the music and the cliffhanger.

 

[Theta Sigma]

Episode 3:
The quality of this episode seems to be down from the previous two episodes but there are parts of it that I enjoyed:
One of the owners of the theatre being slapped by Madame Giry and very funny when the two owners argued on whose to blame for theft of money.
Like the line "If the brains fail bring in the brawn".
Quite a gripping cliffhanger.

 

[Theta Sigma]

Episode 4:
The concluding episode.
Slightly better than the previous episode.
Interesting backstory of the Persian and the Phantom at the beginning.
Nicely executed conclusion.