#monolaird

[operafantomet]

TEAM EYEGLASSES OR TEAM MONOCLE?

Gotta say, Team Monocle has Laird Mackintosh... But Team Eyeglasses has more variation... It's a hard one!

Originally André wore eyeglasses, but at some point the monocle was introduced as an alternative - if he wears anything at all. The tendency has been to feature André with the eyewear in West End and Broadway, while it in international productions is more common to fit Firmin with the eyewear. In the design for the Managers office it's André who is shown with eyewear; it looks like a pinse-nez construction with chain. However, Firmin is shown with a monocle in the Hannibal scene's design.

Here's Gilles André's various styles in the replica productions. And please note that it's not by any means a complete list, just different examples from around the world.

Maria Bjørnson's design (detail)

Mark Siney, Hamburg

David Firth, original West End

Thomas Schulze with Tomas Bayer, Hamburg

Richard Reardon with David Cryer, US Tour

Wolfgang Pampel with Jack Poppel, Vienna

David Firth, original West End

Cris Groenendaal, original Broadway

Sam Hiller with Richard Hazell, West End

Jeff Keller (?) with George Lee Andrews, Broadway

DC Anderson with Bruce Winant, US Tour

Bradley Dean, Broadway

Greg Mills, Broadway

Aaron Galligan-Stierle, Broadway

Ian Jon Bourg, Las Vegas

Yusuke Kitawa, Tokyo

Kenn Derby, Hamburg

Laird Mackintosh, Broadway

George Lee Andrews, Broadway

Laird Mackintosh, Broadway

Laird Mackintosh, Broadway

[operafantomet]

Hi! Hope you're well!

Weirdly specific but, if you haven't already, could you drop a photoset of the eyewear worn by André throughout different performances?

I know some actors rock a monocle at some points and some wear glasses at others, so I'm curious if there's any variation on styles and whatnot!

Wonderfully specific - YES! Coming up.