Ramin Karinloo

Ramin Karinloo Phantom of the Opera

#1 Jon - Thenardier

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Posted 08 July 2008 - 11:01 PM

Gosh, I have never been so much in awe of a male actor on the stage than seeing Ramin in Phantom today. He got an extremely well deserved standing ovation.

I saw the Matinee today (Tuesday) of Phantom and was totally blown away. It was my first time at the show so i can't comment on whether the sound has improved with the digital audio system but it is certainly amazing now. Everything is crystal clear and well mixed.

Ramin just made me gasp all the way through. The other performers were good but Ramin was magnificent. He has a voice that just sounds so effortless and he acts so well. Phantom and Valjean have to be the two best roles for a male in theatre but I've never been so impressed by an actor in these roles as today.

OUTSTANDING!

(p.s. how the heck do they do the chair dissapearance at the end????? One of the best dissapearances I've seen on stage. Lord of the Rings should have learnt from Phantom!)

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#2 Aranel

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 04:30 AM

QUOTE(Jon - Thenardier @ Jul 9 2008, 12:01 AM)

(p.s. how the heck do they do the chair dissapearance at the end????? One of the best dissapearances I've seen on stage. Lord of the Rings should have learnt from Phantom!)

Are you implying Lord of the Rings' effects are no good?! That's one of the few things even it's strongest critics don't slag off!!

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#3 Jon - Thenardier

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 08:34 AM

I'm not saying that they're no good but I think the one that I should have specifically referred to was Frodo's 'Dissapearance' at the prancing pony.

Spoiler

I think Phantom's dissapearance in the chair was probably more impressive than lots of the effects in LOTR

[Spoiler added - Mod]

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#4 Belle

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Posted 09 July 2008 - 08:34 PM

But the Phantom's disappearance is the same trick as Frodo disappearing when Boromir tries to take the ring! The Prancing Pony is classic mis-direction, and as long as nothing goes wrong, it's very effective in its simplicity. You must be sharper-eyed than most, or saw a clumsy performance, to have got it straight away.

You might wanna put a spoiler alert in the title - ok LOTR's only got a little while left, but you're giving away the tricks for anyone seeing it in the last week.

###Belle###

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#5 Guest_Vampyricserra_*

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Posted 14 July 2008 - 10:35 AM

Actually the Frodo cloak trick and the Phantom throne trick are two quite different illusions. And as for the prancing pony, if you are sat in the upper circle or the balcony it's very easy to see what he does, as the trick is only designed to work for the people sat in the stalls.

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#6 Belle

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Posted 15 July 2008 - 01:39 PM

Frodo's cloak was broken last night... didn't really work without a hood... the effect is used differently, but the basic trick part is the same. Phantom with a whole lot more set tho.

###Belle###

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#7 Guest_Guest_*

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Posted 15 July 2008 - 01:47 PM

QUOTE(Belle @ Jul 15 2008, 01:39 PM)

Frodo's cloak was broken last night... didn't really work without a hood... the effect is used differently, but the basic trick part is the same. Phantom with a whole lot more set tho.

Back to Ramin, he is the best Phantom I have ever seen or heard...and yes I include Michael Crawford in that. He is simply stunning and quite possibly one of the best leading me the West End has.

he is the only actor to have played all of Christines loves, The Phantom, Raoul, and her father (in the movie. Plus he recently played Phantom at Sydmonton in Phantom 2 workshop.

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#8 Guest_Guest_*

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Posted 16 July 2008 - 07:53 AM

QUOTE(Guest @ Jul 15 2008, 01:47 PM)

Back to Ramin, he is the best Phantom I have ever seen or heard...

Each to their own but have you heard John Owen Jones' Phantom??? Knocks spots off Ramin and everyone else I've ever seen/heard in the role. Absolutely definitive (and I'm not necessarily a John fan. I don't rate his Valjean for example).

It's not that I think Ramin isn't good, he was better at Raoul though. His voice needs to mature. Still a bit young I think.

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#9 Guest_Guest_*

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Posted 16 July 2008 - 09:30 AM

QUOTE(Guest @ Jul 16 2008, 07:53 AM)

Yes I have seen JOJ a few times, and personally disagree. I found him too melodramatic and over the top. Each to their own!

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#10 Jon - Thenardier

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Posted 16 July 2008 - 12:22 PM

Firstly, ooooops at the spolier for LOTR! sorry about that!
But I really don't think I was sharp eyed for seeing it! My entire family commented on the obviousness of the effect. I can;t remember how Frodo dissapears with the cloak so I can't comment. Obviously can't have been anything that special.....

as for Ramin, I love how young and rocky his voice is. Would have loved to have seen JOJ though but I can't complain too much!