Love Never Dies ★★★ London Palladium | October 16 - 18, 2026


When Love Never Dies opened in London in 2010, it received mixed reviews, although it ran for around eighteen months and earned seven Olivier Award nominations, including Best New Musical. However, it never captured the public imagination in the way its predecessor, The Phantom of the Opera, did. Loosely based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1999 novel The Phantom of Manhattan, its book is credited to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ben Elton, Glenn Slater and Forsyth himself. Could it possibly be a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth? In this latest concert version, however, it is the score that takes centre stage, with some fine performances of the musical’s highlights. Jamie Muscato brings a sense of restraint and carefully shaped phrasing to the Phantom’s “’Til I Hear You Sing”, allowing the character’s yearning and anguish to emerge without sacrificing the song’s emotional intensity. Celinde Schoenmaker is a delight as Christine, her voice soaring through “Love Never Dies” with a purity and richness that are particularly striking. She avoids the thinning of tone that can afflict singers using head microphones. “Devil Take the Hindmost”, the confrontation between the Phantom and Raoul, gains dramatic force in the exchanges between Muscato and George Blagden, while Elliot Norrington is outstanding as the young Gustave. Another issue with this show is the notable lack of humour. To leaven the plot, musicals need lighter moments which provide contrast and relief. While “Dear Old Friend” has a nicely ironic edge, the attempt to introduce a comic note through “Bathing Beauty” feels rather contrived. The absence of Lloyd Webber’s trademark lavish spectacle is understandable in a concert staging, but it exposes the musical’s underlying weaknesses: the unconvincing plot, a limited range of mood, and the absence of the psychological darkness that gave The Phantom of the Opera its dramatic power. That being said, this concert presentation lays bare a score with moments of genuine beauty, which are beautifully rendered.

Rated: ★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Pamela Raith

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: 8 Argyll St, London W1F 7TF, UK

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