The Official "WTF SEQUEL?!" Thread [Update: See pg.12]

[Kira the wanderer]

I just read a review and -ew- critics actually have mixed reviews. Apparently Raoul is a drunk gambler. And Pierre is now Gustave. Fail.  

[Kira the wanderer]

Yes, it WILL be as bad as we thought. Especially Act II

Wikipedia

Act I

Setting: Coney Island in 1907.[18] Madame Giry walks along an abandoned pier recalling Phantasma, city of wonders (“Prologue”). She is confronted by Fleck who reminds her of the good old days before we are transported back to the Coney Island (“Coney Island Waltz”).

An excited group of holiday makers arrive overwhelmed at everything that Phantasma has to offer, and speculate about who owns the place (“Heaven by the sea”). As Meg Giry prepares for her performance she wonders what the boss will think of her performance and states she will be performing “Only for Him”, before wowing the audience at opening of Phantasma in “Only for You”. Following the performance Madame Giry arranges for her to meet an important client, much to Meg’s disgust. In the Aerie, the Phantom is with a robot which looks like Christine. He wishes he could be reunited with Christine after ten long years and wants to hear her sing once more (“Till I Hear You Sing”). Meg asks the Phantom if he enjoyed her performance, much to his annoyance. Madame Giry is annoyed that the Phantom is still longing to be with Christine after all the help she gave him over the years. The Phantom summons the freaks (Squelch, Guangle and Fleck) and gets them to send a letter to Christine inviting her to come and perform at Phantasma. Three months later, Christine, Raoul and their son Gustave arrive in New York to crowds of paparazzi. They are greeted by the freaks who arrive by horse and carriage and take them to Coney Island (“Are you ready to begin?”). Raoul is angry at the way they had been greeted by the freaks and upsets Gustave by not playing with him. As Raoul leaves to go drinking Christine tells Gustave to “Look with your heart” to try and help him understand.

As Gustave leaves to go to bed, the Phantom enters and recounts a night of passion they shared the night before her wedding (“Beneath a Moonless Sky”). They recall that “Once upon another time” they thought their love had a chance of succeeding, although current situations prevent that from happening. Gustave wakes up screaming from a nightmare and meets the Phantom for the first time. In the rehearsal studio for Phantasma, Meg is reunited with Christine, and is surprised to learn she will be singing there. Raoul also meets Madame Giry and discovers it is the Phantom who has invited Christine there to sing (“Dear Old Friend”). Christine becomes concerned when Gustave goes missing. The freaks bring Gustave to the Aerie where he is greeted by the Phantom. Gustave plays a haunting melody on the piano, which leads the Phantom to have a revelation that he could be Gustave’s father (“Beautiful”). The phantom questions Gustave about his feelings and musical abilities, before unmasking himself (“The Beauty Underneath”). Christine enters to comfort a terrified Gustave, and confesses that Gustave is his son. The Phantom declares that everything he owns will go to him. A furious Madame Giry overhears this and fears all of her work over the years has been for nothing.

]Act II
Following the “Entr’acte” we see Raoul sitting alone in a bar contemplating his love with Christine (“Why Does She Love Me?). He is joined by Meg who tells him he must leave that night with Christine and Gustave. Raoul refuses, saying he is not afraid of the Phantom, who has since appeared behind the bar. He makes a bet with a drunken Raoul – If Christine sings he leaves alone; if she doesn’t then all their debts will be wiped away. He also makes Raoul question the fatherhood of Gustave (“Devil Take The Hindmost”). At the beach, it is the last day of the season and the holiday makers are enjoying the Coney Island experience (“Heaven By The Sea (Reprise)”). They notice a balloon in the distance and eventually it lands on the beach, where the freaks present Meg Giry, who performs for the holiday makers about her choice of swimming costume (“Bathing Beauty”). Backstage, Madame Giry tells Meg that the Phantom had not been there to watch the performance, and so it had all been for nothing. Before the performance, Raoul asks Christine to reconsider her decision to sing, at which she is unsure about. As Raoul leaves, the Phantom enters and tells Christine that Raoul knows his love is not enough and that she must sing for him once more. Alone in her dressing room, Christine recalls the Paris opera house where she had to make a difficult decision. Backstage, Madame Giry, Raoul and the Phantom are wondering whether or not Christine will sing and who will win the bet. As Christine prepares to perform, Meg makes a hurried exit (“Devil Take The Hindmost (Reprise)”. Christine, on stage with Raoul and the Phantom in the wings, performs an aria for the crowd at Phantasma (“Love Never Dies”). The Phantom greets an overwhelmed Christine following her triumphant performance. Christine finds a letter from Raoul stating that he has left for good. Christine realises that Gustave is missing and becomes worried. The Phantom summons Madame Giry believing she is behind it.

Fleck reveals she had discovered Meg Giry’s dressing room smashed up and seen her with a small figure. Madame Giry believes she knows where she has taken him. On a pier, a distraught Meg is with Gustave when she is confronted by the others. She holds up a gun to them so that the Phantom will listen to her. He tries to get the gun from her but in the confusion she accidentally shoots Christine. The Phantom rushes over to her whilst Meg watches, horrified by what she has done. Christine reveals to Gustave that the Phantom is his father. Her final words tell the Phantom that her love for him will never die. He then hands the body of Christine to Meg whilst he comforts Gustave who unmasks him as the curtain falls.