#poto reactions

[phantoms-autistic-hands]

erik phantomopera when he fucks up shooting his shot with christine:

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

Gustave: I came to America to go to Coney Island and learn how to swim!!

Me: 🥺🥺🥺💖💖💖

The musical, every 10 minutes: Hey. Haha. Gustave can't swim. Take another swimming reference. Have another person leading him away from his mother.

Me: If Gustave dies in this musical I'm killing everyone and then myself🙂🙃

[reiboom90]

Lmao so i ask chat gpt how would erik react if he saw love never dies and i think the reactions written here are probably accurate enough

I feel like i would erik would cry in rage or smth if he saw that distastrous, nonsense "sequel" with bunch or perhaps lots of plot holes and many more stuff

[bitterseaproduction]

Loving how my little brother asked me weeks ago about my favorite PotO casts, leading to an active effort to go through and hear everyone I can, and my reaction with each character cast? Christines, I’m doing a healthy ‘explore the options while keeping discovered favs in mind’. Megs, I’m doing an unhealthy take of ‘explore the options and change my mind adamantly day-to-day like THIS is my fav no THIS is my fav no THIS—’ The rest of the side cast are an organic ‘note who stands out to me as I go’ while Erik himself is a deep, intensive, obsessive effort to cover every option, every single singer who ever wore the mask in a professional English language production, with ideally multiple performances + visuals to cover for bad impressions in bad recordings or nights and I want to be confident and as fair as possible… and then Raoul is just ‘Conner Carson’.

[swan--writes]

y'know

i haven't been lurking enough to know if this point has been made, but i find it interesting that the pll og sin showrunners chose to give their working class, likely underfunded school a decent enough dance program that their instructor calls herself 'Madame,' treats her students like shit, and nobody questions it bc she clearly gets results

and i find it fascinating that her name is Mme. Giry - a character who (depending on the actor ofc) is firm with her pupils but has a soft spot for the protagonist whom she still refrains from protecting in deference to a phantom she is aware exists and whose backstory she herself delivers in the show

(the strength of the character would more indicate the ALW version of the character than Leroux's, and if the showrunners are going with the '04 film version of the character (and i'm guessing they would, given all the references to other films in the show), then she very much knows about the phantom and is not particularly conflicted about endangering anybody)

but she had nothing to do with the archie or principal clanton reveals

so like

why name her Mme. Giry and feature her so prominently if the reference wasn't gonna go anywhere?

i don't think the showrunners misunderstand how references work. they handled all the others just fine - or at least the ones i understood

[britishchick09]

b r u h

[ablatheringblatherskite]

Top 5 Raoul moments from poto? 👀

THIS IS SUCH A GOOD Q THANK YOU SO MUCH

Okay so there's so many that I absolutely adore, but off the top of my head, in no particular order...

1. BRAVA!! BRAVA!! And his entire solo in Think of Me 🥹 HE'S SO HAPPY TO SEE HER I'M GONNA CRY

2. As we read to each other dark stories of the north! THE FACE HE MAKES LOL AND THE WAY HE SAYS IT. And just. This entire scene where they're catching up with each other and reminiscing about their childhood oh my HEART

3. Him asking for another kiss in All I Ask of You 😭 AND THE WAY HE HOLDS HER HEADDDDD AAUHWHEWGDHHWHDW. And just. the entirety of All I Ask of You, really. just that entire scene. my heart can't handle it actually

And AND the confused expression then LOOK OF JOY AND REALIZATION HERE:

Also let's not forget... "CHRISTINE, I LOOOOVEEE YOUUU" 😭😭😭

IT WAS SO SPONTANEOUS SO JOYFUL AS IF HIS HEART COULDN'T CONTAIN IT ANYMORE AND HE HAD TO SAY IT. AND CHRISTINE'S REACTION AFTERWARDS CLUTCHING HER HEART OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS I'M GONNA CRY AGAIN

AND ALSO his expression of surprise here when Christine sings "order your fine horses!"

And OF COURSE the parts directly before the song, when Christine just crumples after hearing the Phantom again and Raoul sees just how SCARED she is, and how he immediately comforts herrr 😭 I love them so much you don't understand I LOVE THEM SO MUCH MY BELOVEDS

4. Every moment of him dancing in Masqueradeeeee 😭 YOU GO, BBY!! go Raoul go Raoul GO!! (also he looks MAGNIFICENT in that outfit omg 👀)

5. The way he steps up before and after Point of No Return. Just. A magnificent display of leadership and how he was able to keep his bearings even after Piangi died, even when he was clearly panicking because the Phantom just took Christine. COMFORTING MEGGGG and doing exactly what you should in an emergency, telling SPECIFIC people what to do (instead of vaguely shouting orders). Bear in mind he was TWENTY-ONE when this took place (at least in the book) so like kudos to him??? Twenty-one is practically still a teenager and I SHOULD KNOW IM NEARLY TWENTY-ONE AND I STILL FEEL FIFTEEN. PEOPLE SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT REGARDING RAOUL MORE.

Also he's just adorable in this GIF 😭 (I wanna... touch his hair...)

6. I'm so sorry I'm gonna cheat and add a sixth because THIS MOMENT NEEDS TO BE ADDED. THIS MOMENT, when he leads Christine out of the Phantom's lair 😭😭😭 LOOK AT HIS FACE. THAT LOOK OF SORROW. HE KNOWS CHRISTINE ISN'T FULLY FOLLOWING HIM AND MAYBE SHE WON'T EVER WILL. BECAUSE A PART OF HER WAS LEFT WITH THE PHANTOM AND HE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. CAN'T DO ANYTHING BUT LOVE HER. AND OQJWYSHQHDHQHDHWHDHWHDH???!? BYE I'M GONNA GO AND CRY NOW

BONUS:

When he almost trips on the bench 😭

Send me Top Five Anythings and I'll answer!

[angel-with-paper-wings]

Seeing POTO Live: Part 2 (Show Review)

This is my personal review of my first time seeing a live production of The Phantom of the Opera, on the West End on May 20th 2024 (see Part 1 of this post for that crazy story). The main trio cast was: Lily Kerhoas as Christine, Jon Robyns as The Phantom, and Joe Griffiths-Brown (I will list the rest of the cast as I mention their characters).

Act 1:

Auction/Overture:

JAMES GANT HIMSELF WAS THE AUCTIONEER 🤩🤩 TWO PHANTOMS IN ONE NIGHT, I CANT BELIEVE MY LUCK 

He was totally channeling the Phantom when it got to the “Lot 666…” part, I got chills

I was watching Raoul (Joe Griffiths-Brown) like a hawk during the auction scene because I wanted to study his acting, and he did not disappoint. When the music box came out, he leaned forward and touched it longingly with his fingertips 🥺 And he spoke in this hushed, gravelly old man voice that was so accurate. No notes.

THE OVERTURE

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP

ITS JUST AS MAGICAL AS I ALWAYS DREAMED 😍😍😍

I totally got flashbanged by the chandelier 😂😂 (the sparks and pyro effects in this musical are BRIGHT)

Hannibal/Think of Me:

Both Carlotta (Lily de-la-Haye) and Piangi (David Kristopher-Brown) SLAYED, not only with their singing but their comedy bits were perfectly timed

Guys these costumes are SPARKLY 😍😍✨✨ like I didn’t realize until seeing it live but almost EVERY costume has sparkles and it makes everything look gorgeous under the stage lights

This Andre (Adam Linstead) and Firmin (Matt Harrop) were SO FUNNY OMG

Andre was such a little fanboy over Carlotta, and Firmin was like a grumpy old man

Lily’s “Think of Me” was DELIGHTFUL, her voice is so smooth and sweet! When she started her “audition” her voice was VERY quiet (barely audible), but once she got going she had such a beautiful crystal-clear tone.

Again, I was watching Joe Griffiths-Brown a lot during “Think of Me” because I wanted to watch his reactions. For a while, Raoul didn’t really look at the stage to see Christine playing Elissa, he was too busy looking at his programme and greeting the managers when they joined his box. But eventually he saw her, and then he looked back down at his programme to search for her name and check if it was really her! I loved it and thought it was such a neat acting detail!!!

Angel of Music/Little Lotte:

While Madame Giry is scolding the ballerinas for being “a disgrace”, Christine was talking with… some dude?? I couldn’t really tell who it was, but I’m almost certain it wasn’t Raoul or either of the managers. It looked like a stagehand. Does anyone know who this is and why she was talking to him? I’ve never noticed this detail before in other productions.

OMG BRUNETTE MEG NATION RISE UP

Meg (Maiya Hikasa) has a few extra lines during the show that I haven’t heard before, and the one I remember best was a little frustrated remark after Madame Giry told her to go off and practice: it was something like “There’s always more practice.” I thought it was cool that they gave her a bit more character!

Okay idk if this was intentional, but during the beginning of “Angel of Music”, Christine’s dressing room set was covered by a curtain but illuminated from the inside by a lamp, and the wardrobe mistress was in there arranging her dressing gown. But since Christine was singing about her father at the time, I thought that part of the stage was like a “flashback” scene to show us what Christine was remembering in her mind. Idk if that makes sense, but that was what crossed my mind. 

Idk if this was intentional either (or maybe it was just the angle from where I was sitting) but you could see the actual conductor of the show reflected in the mirror from the orchestra pit, which I thought was cool and tied things together thematically

Lily’s Christine was quite hesitant and timid when Raoul came to see her in her dressing room. I liked this choice because to me, it showed that even though she is happy to see him, Christine is aware that the Phantom is listening and she is afraid for Raoul’s safety.

And Joe was just so sweet and charming the whole time!! He didn’t seem too demanding when he said they’ll go to supper, which is a plus for me.

HEEHEE JON ROBYNS HAS A PERFECT PHANTOM VOICE AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME OTHERWISE

He has a very mixed range which I like in a Phantom, going from a higher goblin-y voice to a really low seductive growl on “I am your Angel of Music…”

Title Song:

God I just love the scenery changes that happen during this song, they are nothing short of STUNNING

Lily’s and Jon’s voices sound SO GREAT together

When the candles started raising out of the stage, Christine leaned forward in the boat and looked so enraptured (same), and I don’t think the Phantom took his eyes off of her once during the whole song (again, same)

Unfortunately, there was no cape swirl because poor Jon dropped the cape 😭😭 I felt so bad for him but he recovered very well (let’s just say he was so awed by Christine’s singing that his hands stopped working)

Lily’s high notes at the very end had almost no vibrato and were very choral-sounding, if that makes sense. They kinda reminded me of Emmy Rossum’s high notes in the 2004 movie. Overall very nice.

Music of the Night:

Jon Robyns made this song look EASY. His vocals and acting choices were top notch, it was a treat to watch.

In the pause after “abandon their defenses…” when Christine looks away from the Phantom and towards the audience, he gasped and touched his mask as if ensuring it was still there. SUCH a great detail 🥺

He WHIMPERED when Christine touched him during the portcullis sprawl (after that, I wasn’t sure I would survive PONR, the horniness was too strong)

Lily’s Christine seemed quite unsure about the Phantom’s sensual touches at first, especially when he went in for the iconic pose, but then she relaxed and just fell against his arm

His “touch me” was the lowest sensual whisper I— 😩🥵

Christine touched his mask for a good couple of seconds during “savor each sensation”, but then it looked like her thumb went underneath the edge and was about to take it off, and that was when the Phantom pulled her hand away. Great stuff 👍

I know why they don’t do it anymore, but I miss the catch 😭 Christine fell to the floor and Jon’s Phantom reached out for her, before grabbing the cloak and covering her up. Then he knelt down next to her with his hands on his knees (like a lil kid) to say “you alone can make…” it was adorable and so sad 🥹

Stranger Than You Dreamt It:

When Christine first lays eyes on Erik’s deformity, she doesn’t flinch until he lunges at her. But then later, after she returned his mask, she flinched right away as if expecting him to lunge at her again 🥺

She even pushed herself as far away from him as she could when he began STYDI

He dragged—and I mean DRAGGED— himself across the door on his belly

Also he gave this like angry grunt before “repulsive carcass”

Jon’s voice sounded so scary, but his “dreams of beauty” and “oh, Christine” were WHIMPERS 😭😭😭

PATHETIC LITTLE MEOW MEOW ENERGY

After “oh, Christine”, he covered his face with both hands and sat on his knees with his back to the audience. When Christine handed him the mask, he ripped it out of her hand and put it back on.

Notes I/Prima Donna:

Excellent chemistry between Adam Linstead and Matt Harrop as the managers, I couldn’t get enough of their antics

This scene was where Joe Griffiths-Brown began to show his colors as a more aggressive Raoul, akin to Hadley Fraser in the 25th anniversary. Whether you prefer this portrayal of Raoul or not, I think it worked well here.

While the managers are busy singing “Prima Donna” with Carlotta and Piangi, Raoul was seen chatting with Madame Giry (Francesca Ellis). There were a couple more moments in the show where they are seen talking together or sharing a knowing look, which I’ve never really noticed before when watching recordings/bootlegs. It makes their little one-on-one discussion after “Masquerade” seem less random because we know they are already familiar with each other.

Also, Joe Griffiths-Brown’s voice is STRONG, like it cut through all the rest of the voices and could be clearly heard at the end of “Prima Donna”

Il Muto:

Lily de-la-Haye’s croaks were kind of strange… like I know it’s a strange part of the musical, but they sounded less like croaks and more like big yells. Idk

Guys. Jon’s Phantom laugh. 😳😩 Deeper than the Mariana Trench. Sent chills up my spine.

After hearing the Phantom’s voice, Raoul starts searching for him around Box Five

Guys, Adam Linstead is HILARIOUS as Andre. He was shaking like a leaf when he had to go out and announce the change in plan, flipping through his programme nervously. And his antics with the ballet dancers seemed so naturally clumsy!

“the ~BALLET~” 😂😂😂

When the scary silhouettes of the Phantom were showing up during the ballet, they were spotted by the shepherd dancer (Jacob Hughes), and he looked SO SCARED. He had on this huge nervous smile, you could tell he was thinking “oh shit god please no”, it was just a good piece of acting

All I Ask of You:

Lily’s Christine was very up-front about what she wants from Raoul in this song. During “say you love me every waking moment…”, she had her hand out to him as if saying “these are the terms, you can either agree to them or be done.” This, along with some other moments later in the show, made Lily’s interpretation refreshingly strong and assertive.

Joe Griffiths-Brown was BORN to sing Raoul. His voice suits AIAOY so well

He did a lil twirl with his arms out during AIAOY as he said “then say you’ll share with me…” and it was the sweetest thing ever 🥹

THE KISS!!! 😍😍 Raoul kissed Christine first (it was a little earlier than I was expecting), but after he pulled away Christine leaned in and gave him a bigger kiss back!

AIAOY Reprise:

Behind me, a girl went *gasp* “SHIT” when the Pegasus turned and revealed the Phantom, and that alone was worth the price of admission. (Btw, that moment of shock is exactly why you wait to reveal that the Phantom is eavesdropping until AFTER Christine and Raoul leave the rooftop… unlike SOME versions *glares at 2004 movie 😒)

Jon made me cry with his “I gave you my music…”

HIS WHIMPERS WHEN HE HEARS RAOUL AND CHRISTINE SINGING, Y’ALL I AM UNWELL

The horse statue is center-stage during this part, and the Phantom is perched right on top (VERY high up, holy shit). As he sang “you will curse…” he looked down at the audience and istg STRAIGHT AT ME 😳 (I was sitting dead center). Even though he definitely wasn’t staring at me in particular, I felt like we had a moment.

Act 2:

Masquerade/Why So Silent:

THE COSTUMES

SO SPARKLY ✨✨✨✨✨

AND SO DETAILED

AAAAAAAAAA MY EYES CANNOT HANDLE SUCH MAJESTY

If you’re like me and have only ever seen photos/video of the Masquerade scene, let me tell you that it does NOT do them justice

Speaking of which… I would like to formally apologize for hating on Christine’s “Star Princess” dress. It is a LOT prettier in person. I understand the hype now.

There was another moment where Raoul was seen chatting with Madame Giry about something. Again, this makes their convo at the end of this song make more sense since they already know each other.

Omg the Phantom’s entrance was STUNNING

Y’all how does he balance his big ol’ hat??? It’s just a big red puffball on top of his head lmao

Some people in the audience laughed in shock when the skull mask’s jaw started moving

Got flashbanged so I didn’t see the Phantom go down the trap door (which I guess is the whole point of the flashbang lol)

The convo between Raoul and Madame Giry was kinda rushed. Madame Giry reveals some important information about the Phantom’s backstory here, but Raoul was talking over her at some points and it was hard to hear.

Notes II:

I kinda wanted more acting-wise from Lily (Christine) during this scene… I was hoping she would get more angry at Carlotta and the managers, but she seemed oddly quiet. I think she was trying to convey how Christine is tired of all the bullshit happening around her during this scene. She was just done with everything.

Her “I cannot sing it, duty or not” and “I can’t. I won’t do it.” were certain and final.

Again, Joe’s Raoul was rather aggressive during this scene when he was coming up with the plan to trap the Phantom. Of course he was still gentle with her physically, but he was not hearing any arguments against the plan.

Having both a stubborn Christine and a stubborn Raoul seems like a difficult thing to make work, but I think it did in this show! Their clash during this scene makes Christine’s storming out more realistic—she has lost all her patience and just needs to be alone.

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again:

Lily really shone here. This was her moment, and she did not disappoint.

“Little Lotte thought of everything and nothing…” sounded so defeated and sad 😔

Her voice is just very nice to listen to. It’s not as classically operatic as some other Christines, it has more of a modern musical theater flair, but it suits the role very well imo.

When it got to “too many years…”, she let out all of her repressed anger and frustration in a powerful final chorus. It was very satisfying.

Wandering Child:

“Far-reaching gaze”

Damn these three sound SO GOOD together!!! Their vocals blend perfectly with each other

The sparks from the staff were cool! I’m always worried that they will look cheesy (and yeah, they kinda do), but Jon Robyns was selling it

GOD that fire effect at the end is HOTTT 🔥🔥🔥

Point of No Return:

Oh boy, this one was fun

His “preeeeeeey” was so long and creepy 😳

Maybe I’m just a simp, but I kinda wanted their acting to be a bit more sexy… like I don’t think Lily’s Christine was into it as much as I’ve seen some other Christines get into it, but it was spicy enough

You could tell the moment Christine realized it was the Phantom under the cloak, a look of understanding passed over her face. In the pause before she starts singing her verse, she was thinking for a bit… and then her “decided…” was so long and sultry.

Based on how she acted during this song from that point on, my theory is that she put together her own plan to trap the Phantom by using his lust for her against him. She went along with the seductive choreo in order to expose him to the audience… her hand touched his mask, and it looked like she was going to pull of the hood then and there before he flinched away.

Once they were singing the final chorus, they were straight up arguing with each other. Christine was already letting out her spite and frustration ahead of the Final Lair, and sje was letting the Phantom have it.

After the hood is off, it is Christine who calls off the guards by holding out her hands. This didn't seem like a protective move to me, it seemed like she was just saying “not yet, it’s not the right time”.

When he said “Say you want me”, he patted his chest (like calling a cat lol)

OMG Raoul’s jump into the lake is HIGH like how is that even safe??? Massive props to all the Raouls, that looks scary as shit

Final Lair:

Holy. Shit.

No notes whatsoever.

It was perfection.

CHRISTINE LET ERIK HAVE IT

SHE WAS DONE PLAYING GAMES, SHE WAS SCOLDING HIM WITH ALL OF HER ANGER

And Erik was done too. He had so much disdain in his voice when he talked about his backstory, his bitterness felt so real and justified

When Raoul came in, Erik’s mood switched COMPLETELY to being a cocky lil shit 😂 He was having way too much fun teasing Raoul and mock-bowing to him and being a lil goblin

He also said a line I haven’t heard before! Instead of “I had rather hoped that you would come”, he said “I did not think we would be so blessed” or something like that. Idk if that’s a recent change or what, but it was hilarious because he said it dripping with sarcasm

After “tears of hate” when Christine ran back over to Raoul, she held both her hands out, one to protect Raoul and one to hold back Erik

Lily’s “You deceived me, I gave my mind blindly” was so angry and accusatory (as it should be, because it’s true)

“Make. Your. Choice.” Chills 😳🥶

THE KISS 😱😱😱💀💀💀 (I’m dead)

The first kiss surprised Erik…he held his arms out to the side, unsure what to do with them. Then during the hug he wrapped them around Christine’s waist (with his hands still splayed out). Then the second kiss he kept his arms where they were and ACTUALLY KISSED HER BACK, HE LEANED IN AND EVERYTHING

GOD I AM DECEASED 😭😭😭😭

He pulled away first, looking SO SHOCKED. He stumbled over to the other side of the stage, touching his lips with his fingers 🥺🥺

After he let Raoul go, he had to chase them out of the lair. His “go now and leave me” was the DEFINITION of heartbreaking 😭😭😭 I still haven’t recovered.

When he saw Christine had come back he looked SO HAPPY, but then he looked down and saw the ring, and you could see him just deflate 🥺🥺 she handed him the ring, and he just held her hand for a minute.

His “Christine, I love you” was LONGGG and it just ripped my heart apart further

Lily did NOT want to leave him. She lingered there for several seconds, before turning and running away, leaving Erik’s arm still outstretched 😭

GOD the little sobs he let out as he watched Raoul and Christine leave on the boat 😫 and he covered his ears again like in AIAOY reprise

Overall reflection:

It was SO GOOD. Like I cannot describe how perfect it was in so many different ways. The cast and crew were nothing short of PHENOMENAL and I already cannot wait for a chance to see it again, however long that takes!!

I am an unapologetic RAH 25th anniversary stan, and the Ramin/Sierra/Hadley trio will always hold a special place in my heart (it’s more like a chokehold but I digress). I bring this up because I was SHOOK with how similar the current West End cast sounded to the 25th anniversary cast. Some of the acting choices were also quite similar, especially Joe’s Raoul and Jon’s Phantom. Overall, the three complimented each other very well vocally and the directions in which they took their characters worked together very nicely to tell a cohesive story.

I didn’t really know what to make of Lily Kerhoas’s Christine at first. I kinda felt like I wanted a bit more from her acting-wise, but as the show went on and the more I thought about it, I started to understand the journey she was taking with her Christine throughout the show. She starts out very shy during the Hannibal audition scene and “Little Lotte”, and only during MOTN do we start to see her come out of her shell a bit. Over the course of the show, she learns to become more confident and to stand up for herself and her needs against Joe’s very assertive Raoul and Jon’s very needy Phantom. I really liked this, because too often Christine is written off as another sweet innocent ingenue who is seduced by the Phantom, but Lily’s Christine was nothing like that. She had her own goals in mind and held onto them stubbornly, which led to her having the upper hand  in a lot of scenes. Perhaps not my favorite portrayal of Christine, but it was a refreshing change!

Joe Griffiths-Brown plays a very serious and determined Raoul that reminded me a lot of Hadley Fraser’s “out for blood” portrayal in the 25th anniversary production. He has his moments of sweetness of course, and he is very protective of Christine during AIAOY and the Final Lair. He definitely wasn't the sweet, golden-boi Raoul from the original novel, but alongside Lily’s very courageous Christine and Jon’s emotional Phantom I thought he was a great fit. Plus, he was pretty to look at. 🤭🫠

Jon Robyns NAILED IT. He mastered the balance between a terrifying force of nature and an emotionally broken man. His emotions felt real in the way that he said/sang each line… he meant every word he was saying. I think I would have liked a bit more physical sensuality from him (his Phantom Hands™️ were not as special as others I’ve seen), but other than that I cannot fault his portrayal. He ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it, and I said thank you.

Bonus:

My parents were waiting to meet me outside of the theatre after the show ended. According to them, the first person to leave the theatre was a teenage girl—she exited the doors with her hands stretched to the dark London sky, tears in her eyes, and said “OH MY GOD, I FEEL LIKE MY SOUL HAS BEEN RAPTURED!!!”

Same, girl. That pretty much sums it up.

[beardedmrbean]

A Maine food truck owner said he shot and injured a man in self-defense after the man wielded a knife at motorists and threatened to kill people ahead of a holiday parade in the New England town. 

"You always anticipate dealing with danger in a certain way, but you never know how you will react or how it would play out until you actually live it. It all happened so fast but in slow motion at the same time," Addy's food truck owner David Poto told Fox News Digital of the incident that unfolded on Dec. 1. 

Poto and his family were setting up their food truck business in Sanford in the late afternoon on Dec. 1, ahead of the town’s Christmas tree lighting event and "Holly Daze" parade, when Poto spotted the man. 

Poto said he witnessed the unidentified man wielding a knife at motorists and threatening to kill them. He initially confronted the man without showing him he was holding a concealed firearm behind his leg, Poto told the Portsmouth Herald. 

FEMALE GUN OWNERSHIP EXPLODES AS WOMEN VOW TO BE 'THEIR OWN FIRST RESPONDERS'

Poto told local media that he got the man's attention while he stood near traffic, leading the man to allegedly respond: "I’m going to kill you" and "I’m going to stab you."

Poto explained his wife was standing near their food truck, as the couple’s four young daughters watched a Christmas movie inside the vehicle. 

"I didn’t want to escalate anything," Poto said. "But I knew the danger was coming toward us. Worst-case scenario, I was prepared."

PHILADELPHIA CONCEALED GUN HOLDER ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE, FATALLY SHOOTING ATTACKER AT CEMETERY: DA

The food truck owner said he tried to calm the man and get him to sit down, but that the suspect continued walking toward Poto, even when the business owner pulled out his firearm. 

"He didn’t care," Poto said of the man’s reaction when he pulled out his Glock, according to the Portsmouth Herald.  

Poto said that out of fear for his family’s safety and his own, he fired his gun and struck the man in the leg. 

"I was trying to avoid his arteries," Poto said. "I didn’t want to kill him."

The man reportedly fell to the ground in pain and started shouting the word "rape" and accusing Poto of "shooting a woman." 

Police said in a press release that they received a report of a man who was shot around 3:52 p.m. Friday. Witnesses told investigators they saw a man standing in traffic and yelling at cars while holding a knife before he was shot by Poto. 

"This male approached a food truck that was parked in the parking lot of T-Mobile," police stated in the press release. "There was a confrontation with the owner of the truck and the male with the knife. The male with the knife was shot."

The parade kicked off shortly after, at 5:30 p.m., with the tree lighting following the festive parade. 

Poto said he now has trouble sleeping, and that his daughters are "completely shook up."

"I hate the fact that somebody had to get hurt," he told the Portsmouth Herald. "I hate the fact that he put me in that position in the first place. I didn’t want any part of it."

FOILED: FIVE TIMES ARMED CITIZENS FOUGHT BACK AGAINST ATTACKERS IN 2022

"Those first few days were like a constant adrenaline rush, between the incident itself, talking to the police, wondering what happens next for our business, coping with the trauma, and the social media chatter," Poto told Fox News Digital. 

"[Poto and his wife] looked at each other on Thursday, one of our most profitable weekdays, and we just couldn't bring ourselves to open. I think the weight of it all just sort of hit us," he added.  

Locals organized a rally in support of the Poto family and their food truck – their main source of income – this past Friday. 

"We know that they suffered a traumatic event and also lost a very busy night right at the holiday season," fellow local business owner Jason Cole, who organized the event, said, according to the Portsmouth Herald. "We are honored to help them out... to show them that the community supports them and will help them recover."

The suspect was taken to a local hospital and listed in critical condition. 

Police are still investigating the matter.

"The community support just takes our breath away. I think everyone around us knew what we needed before we did, which we will be eternally grateful for," Poto said of the support he and his family received from the community. 

[opera-ghost]

[ceaselesslyinlove]

Literally just a compilation of chaotic phantom moments from February 22's performance. Including Nehal and Kanisha screaming as they run into each other, Nehal's voice breaking saying "ballet", the audience full on laughing at children's reactions to the Phantom's angel appearance, Paul having to improv when the gun didn't work, and Ben quickly saving a forgotten lyric in PONR.

[night-unfurls-its-splendour]

Top 10 Favorite Performances of "Music of the Night"

Honorable Mentions: Laird Mackintosh

I have an affinity for Laird that I can't quite explain. I love an understudy/alt/swing who's been with the production and just lingers for years and years (this is borne out in the rest of the list, as you'll see), I love that he started out in ballet, and I love how energetic he is. Though he falls short on the high notes, he plays the reaction to Christine fainting very well

Honorable Mentions: Dave Willetts

He's so smooth and creeping, and he's one of the especially good Phantoms who catches Christine before she falls (I'm a sucker for that, as will also be borne out in the rest of the list). He's been accused of "Copying" Michael Crawford, and I do see where that criticism is valid, but I think it's understandable given that he took up the mantle very early in the West End run.

Honorable Mentions: Cris Groenendaal

Cris is a really underrated Phantom. Another Alt/Understudy (who, like Laird, spent a lot of time in the role of M. Andre), I think he's got a wonderful power in his voice. His MotN is melodic and seductive. His pitfall is that he does tend to get a little bit nasal for my tastes.

Honorable Mentions: Ramin Karimloo

Honestly I think Ramin lands in most people's top tens. Certainly the 25th Anniversary at the Royal Albert Hall has made him on of the most ubiquitous Phantoms out there. Now, frankly, Ramin has taken a while to grow on me, and while my viewing of the 25th was the thing that pushed me to include him on this list, that performance is not the one that I chose to include here. Instead I went back, to his West End run. While I think Ramin's performance is a bit broad whenever he's actually in character, I do see what people mean about his emphasis on Erik's vulnerability. He does (with slightly less refinement) what I will later in this list praise Earl Carpenter for (and that's high praise from me, as you'll see). Still while I like Ramin's Erik a lot more now than I did, say, four months ago when all this brain-rot started, he's just not one that feels personal to me, which is why I hesitated to put him in the top ten proper.

10. Paul Stanley

I mean of course I'm fascinated by Paul Stanley's whole Phantom saga, so of course he's in here. He's far from the most technically proficient, he struggles with the high notes, but he really does a good job otherwise, and I have to admire his moxy.

09. Brent Barrett

Emphatic and sexy with compelling body language. So underrated.

08. Howard McGillin

Spectral, Resonant and controlled; a legend.

07. Hugh Panaro

Hugh is one of those that I feel like is a pre-requisite in a top ten list. My favorite thing is how he plays heavily on the phantom's fascination with Christine, and not solely on making her fascinated by him

06. Michael Crawford

Another prerequisite. He's ghostly, coaxing; the OG OG. The man who said, "No I want them to be able to see how lustfully he's touching her in the back row. I need to show more skin: make my sleeves shorter." This man understood the assignment and he set the tone and God bless him for it.

05. Anthony Warlow

The original Sydney Phantom, another beautifully strong, clear vocal quality. He has a very old-fashioned style of singing, I think which has a particular charm. If I had to name a fault it would be that he is quite theatrical, which I don't mind, though I tend to prefer an understated phantom. He never undersells a single line. I think his phantom is one of the most "hopeless romantic" interpretations. A particular standout for me is how he conveys that Christine's reluctance tries his patience, but he holds it together and his "touch me, trust me" is beautifully reassuring, while many phantoms choose to portray lust or longing in this moment, his is an appeal for understanding which is very attractive in its own way.

04. Ben Lewis

The power! The gravitas! Ben Lewis is truly one of the greatest blessings in PotO history and his high note? Off the charts. Also, since this is the whole first lair, I just want to say that this is one of my favorite versions of "Stranger than You Dreamt It" I've ever heard.

03. Ted Keegan

Refreshingly sharp and clean. I just love how powerful he is without being overpowering. He's strong, sensual and smooth. *sigh* ~,~ If only he caught her...

02. Earl Carpenter

So pleading, so gentle--holy hell I love Earl so much. Watch him show Erik's inner struggle with his desire for contact and his fear of his deformity throughout this entire scene! Watch him think to himself "Yes, let her touch you! Why shouldn't you?" And then lose his nerve at the last moment! I could go on for hours. Find me a sweeter Phantom. Go ahead.

01. John Owen-Jones

Without a doubt in my mind THE strongest vocal performer in this role. I just love to hear him booming out in his great, Welsh way. He strikes an exquisite balance between his acting and his singing. His vibe in general is amazing, like he really leans into the idea that he's been Christine's teacher as much as her muse. He has guided her through music and he wishes to be her guide into romance as well, and that manifests in every aspect of his performance. Such as the fact that he doesn't walk away from Christine for the second verse, so he's leaning close when he sings "Let your spirit start to soar" and almost always gestures with his hand over her diaphragm. If I'm completely honest, he's the only Phantom (except perhaps Michael Crawford or Gerard Butler) that I can actually imagine giving Christine singing lessons. So few actually inhabit this music obsessed weirdo like JOJ does.

He, perhaps the ultimate gentleman phantom, also catches and carries Christine before she falls. (Special shout out to my girl Gina Beck for also REALLY leaning in to the romanticism of the moment; she looks just so utterly in ecstasy through this whole sequence and that's exactly how I would want to play Christine).

I need to tack a caveat onto the end here:

Gerard Butler's Music of the Night is my actual, number one favorite rendition.

But I wanted this list to be stage versions only.

I think I can put my feelings on this most succinctly like this:

I love JOJ's confidence, his command and his sensuality

I love Earl's gentleness and vulnerability

I love Anthony's patience

I love Ted's crispness

I love Paul's humanity

I love Ben's power

Gerard Butler somehow manages to crystallize ALL of those elements and ramp them every one of them up to 11 with an added element of wholly smitten wonder at Christine that makes me so weak.

[cannedbeefaroni]

I'm the one who asked you for karimloo!erik's nsfw headcanon, and now I need one more!!!😭😭😭😭😭

What would happen if in some way or another, Erik's role of being "dominant and manly" is broken, and one ends up taking care of him later in sex.

How do you think he would act during sex with us being dominant with him? And his reaction after having sex? would he get nervous? would he avoid us? Would he beg us on our knees to dominate him again?

this ask has been cooking in here for 5000 years but its a good one from my intense POTO phase.

i like imagining a scene where erik is about to get intimate with someone, and he's trembling. the idea of vulnerability scares him, so he attempts to feign control. he knows exactly how to do it, how to give himself a commanding presence, striking fear in ones heart, but it's more difficult to do so when they're close enough to see through the cracks. it would be easy to see through the facade when his voice cracks under the pressure.

when someone takes control, his instinct is to fight back. he's so used to taking it easily, that when he struggles with it, he's pushed to the verge of throwing a tantrum. it makes him feel childish and weak, and he hates it. if eased into submission gently, he could get used to it, but he'd be terrified the entire time. it feels as if any moment he can be destroyed from the inside out. it hurts so bad, but he needs it: to be taken care of.

[glindaupland]

The Phantom of the Opera | Seoul, South Korea | 잶팬텀 x 송크리 Review 6/6

October 14, 2023 - Evening

The Phantom of the Opera | 최재림 Choi Jae-rim

Christine Daaé | 송은혜 Song Eun-hye

Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny | 송원근 Song Won-geun

Carlotta Giudicelli | 한보라 Han Bo-ra

Ah, the perfect Phantom to finish my journey and relieve me from my tears after the painful two show Kim Ju-taek/Jo Seung-woo slam the day before! Yes, please erase the poor meow meow thoughts from my mind!

My 6th and final round of POTO and 1st round of 'Choi Jae-rim is a Traumatized French Man Double Marathon'. His only scheduled POTO show during my stay was the day before Les Mis opening night in Busan. So I did not have a spare day like I thought would and I had to hop cities the next morning to see him as Valjean. I originally had a seat up high, but I just had to move myself close on the floor again for my grand finale. Seeing a seat open up during cancellations near my favorite side of the stage, the side with the most action, pretty much sealed the deal. I've always wanted to see a ~scary~ Phantom so let's go out with a bang!

If you're looking for some Erik x Christine, wrong Phantom for you! There wasn't much sugar-coating here. CJR Phantom is the opposite of JSW and JDS Phantoms to me; he's the most like a dark fallen angel. He's dangerous, unnerving, and has a lot more confidence with his actions than the others.

Hannibal Rehearsal / Think of Me

The audience seemed especially hyped today lol. Park Hoe-rim always holds Piangi’s note in Hannibal for a very long time and people applaud him for it. The cheers were loud today though even though audiences usually didn’t make much noise to avoid being disruptive! At the end of Song Eun-hye’s ‘Think of Me’ there was also a very excited reaction from the audience. Love this cast showing off where they can heh

First Lair | MOTN/STYDI

He's the only Phantom to sing "넌 이곳에 오직 나만을 위하여 / You are here for me alone" as "넌 이곳에 오직 한가지 이유로 / You are here for only one reason" at the organ because he's just different and not like other girls okay During MOTN, he was was confidently luring and hypnotizing her with no hesitation or uncertainty. The way he moved his entire body, especially his arms and hands (huge hands goddamn dude), was very flashy and dramatic. He's "overdoing it", but in a way that's very fitting for his Phantom's eccentric personality. I think you can already tell something is off about his Phantom as a person here. You can hear it in his voice a bit too. It had a sort of unearthly mesmerizing quality to it. This is the closest to a mysterious dark angel out of the Phantoms. He's especially possessive, but it's more in the way you might expect and different from KJT Phantom. The way he draws her to him with his hands, the way he touches his lips when he comes around the organ towards her 👀 He even tugged her along a bit when he led her to the bride in the mirror and urged her to look at the gift. With SEH Christine it was interesting to see her slowly unwind throughout the song since she's the more hesitant of the two. A Christine like SJS is definitely easier "prey" for him

Here's a little taste of his Music of the Night. Some of his more dramatic movements are actually a little bit similar to how he moved as the Phantom in this song, but he has a specific strange aura when actually in character.

I Remember / Stranger Than You Dream It

...SEH Christine is a little too curious and innocent maybe. Because wow if I saw a big weird masked man looking like that while working I simply? Would not want to mess with him at all, not getting anywhere near him. While the music box played, he was breathing (almost grunting) very audibly and heavily in frustration. He was very tense and focused. She was very playful and even mischievous-looking as she tried to swipe at his mask. It was like a game to her. Right at the moment he seemed to find his flow, playing the music in the air with his eyes closed, she succeeded. He's the scariest one during the outburst! His voice sounded venomous at the start and his eyes were wild as he covered the side of his face with both hands. The way he tilted his head watching her was very off-putting. Actually rather than becoming sadder, he almost seemed even creepier as he got closer. My seat was very close on that end of the stage and as I saw him approaching I wanted to back away myself! But at the end, I did start to feel sorry for him. It was really pitiful seeing this magnificent and seemingly magical genius be reduced to...this. The other Phantoms appear more human here, but he truly did look like some dark being trying desperately to be like a regular human, trying to be a part of this world. The angel of music is not, in fact, an angel, but....well who knows what he is. When she returned the mask, he looked like he couldn't make sense of what was happening. I could see his eyes glistening a little like tears were threatening to fall. I think he felt especially uncomfortable looking so weak in front of her. His Phantom felt like he had everything completely under control, but he managed to be disarmed so suddenly. His face was now revealed as well as the hidden dark part of himself

AIAOY Reprise

Kinda upset that my angle made it difficult to see him because the angel wing was obstructing him the times he wasn't leaning forward enough. But also how does he even fit on there. And also how did he manage to be the one who moved the least? He must be folded like an origami piece up there. Anyway oh boy. When saying Christine's name the first time, he sounded broken and small while looking down. But the second time he slowly lifted his head giving a cold dark stare ahead and spoke in a low and threatening voice that faded off. He had this rage building up and spreading through him and began his final lines in a harsh growling voice. He's extra intimidating because he kind of just fully gets up making himself as big as possible. I was laughing during intermission when I was heading to the lobby and two girls ran by me in the aisle going "EEEEE 무서워요!! / I'm scared!" So true, girlies, so true

Why So Silent?

JDS/KJT Phantoms lift up Christine's chin when they finally address her, but he pulled her a little roughly towards him. Not a big thing but definitely got a yikes from me when I saw it!

Wandering Child

Oh he is so weird and freaky somebody's gotta push him off that mausoleum I don't like it (no I love it as an acting choice though I just mean it's uncomfortable) 😭 The way he moves his entire body so much is so creepy? How do I even describe those movements. He would crouch or lean forward in a lunging position, but also made these big gestures with his arms again and looked like he was trying to use some power to pull Christine towards him He used an odd sarcastic tone mocking Raoul like he barely even viewed him as a threat.

The Point of No Return

The trap is set and waits for its prey! ...But also, Christine, Piangi just grew like 10 feet taller turning into a brick wall of a man and you don't find this.... suspicious maybe? No? Okay... He opens that curtain and it's like:

ANYWAY He had such an eerie way of singing to me. There was this hypnotic energy again like in MOTN. Once again the hands...when he tips her head side to side with his fingers under her chin in his last lines of his verse it's like he's putting her in a trance. She actually looked a bit disoriented for a moment, but her expression was slowly changing like she was suspecting something was wrong even before she turned to him. He was scarily calm looking throughout the song. You mostly just saw his shoulders moving from his slow steady breathing. Occasionally he would slowly take a look at her to see what she was doing, but it was more like he was preparing himself than getting stressed. She touched him and he only flinched very slightly before reaching up to her completely ready to join their hands. He was practically pulling her down actually to touch her more. I think he was sure that he was succeeding. When she had discovered him, he closed in like a beast about to pounce with his hands in position to grab her in case she tried to flee. But when she threw the hood off he was taken off guard During the AIAOY Reprise "언제나, 어디든, 영원히 / Always, anywhere, forever" -> "Anywhere you go let me go too" was a painful cry as well as the word "어둠에 / (into) darkness" in "또 다시 지옥 같은 어둠에 / Once again into darkness like hell" later for Down Once More and he delivered his next lines in a terrifying voice. It was similar to the AIAOY Reprise on the angel. I have to admit it partially concerned me (just because here and Les Mis he had a few slight rough moments, he cracked a tiny bit at the very end of 'Who Am I' after an otherwise very solid note). Overall though I think he has amazing ability and it's just wear from the rough schedule he has unfortunately. The choices did work either way!

Final Lair

He is so unhinged and unstable. Now he had this rough vicious villainous tone and sometimes he used that mocking voice again like he did in 'Bravo Monsieur'. He practically hissed out the line about the world never accepting him. His gestures with his arms were so theatrical and huge and the way he moved about was so heavy, jerky, and unsettling. When he threw the noose on Raoul he had the most terrifying laugh and jumped a little spitting out his taunts loudly He stood up fast and leaned in close to her face to whisper “날 시험하지말고 / Don't test me” so very quietly before he screamed for her to choose. He said it with spite in his voice, but he was actually holding back tears when he turned around. He had been so dangerous before, but Christine managed to disarm him once again with her words. Christine dropped lower from her position on her knees with a sob. It wasn't out of fear, seeing him like this just seemed to hurt her. This kiss was an interesting one to analyze. Some people thought this part tends to make him seem unmoved? But I disagree with the conclusion some people had made around that time that his Phantom didn't change or develop. He wasn't very openly reactive to the first one, he was completely frozen. The second time he clenched and unclenched his fists until he pulled her hand away quickly and rushed off staggering and holding his head. I saw reviews saying he would simply repeat his actions over again based on his reactions. I personally just think his change is different. I think CJR Phantom thinks he knows everything and that he can control everything that will happen so it scares him when he faces something unexpected. I think this is why he started to finally unravel at the very end. He cannot predict anything Christine will do, she always does the opposite of what he would think. Love and compassion were the last things he would ever expect. I don't even think he knew what kindness looks like. But he finally understood in that moment and he also understood that he couldn't force her to be there with him now. Something I noted during this performance in particular: HGH Raoul tried to urge Christine that they need to leave, but SWG would seem a bit confused in the moment and look at the Phantom like he was trying to understand what just happened. It just especially stood out to me across from CJR Phantom because of how much of a threat he had been. He was trying to process this because of the way the Phantom was just moments before and almost looked like he maybe even pitied him in a weird way. Christine came back pretty early this time to return the ring and watched the Phantom while covering her mouth in disbelief. It was as if this was the one moment he finally showed his real human side to her. She could really see him as a regular man now. When he realized she was there, he was really startled and practically jumped away like he was bracing himself for something (perhaps thinking the mob had arrived for him?). He went over to her wondering why she had returned, but once he realized he softly sang that he loved her. She nodded knowingly trying to hold back her tears. He looked so small suddenly when she left him alone there

Please when I tell you Jae-rim got the loudest screams out of every curtain call I experienced lol. He was goofing off, but at one point the shrieking was so loud he looked a little embarrassed about it heh. Even louder than that though was his Les Mis curtain call where everyone just about lost their goddamn minds seeing him pick up and spin little Cosette (I was one of those people, I'm weak)

Anyway it's promo time! Here's some bonus videos for you to enjoy

POTO Medley in English from 2013 (Wandering Child -> MOTN -> Think of Me -> All I Ask of You -> - he could easily be in English POTO honestly since he speaks English very well. He sings the actual show pretty differently and his vocals have improved, but it's still very nice and interesting to listen to after all this time.

Ah next one is cursed I know I know...but he almost convinced me this show can be good like a very talented scammer. Please stick to only covers of this though... He's sung the English version before a few times, but here's the Korean one:

And some non-POTO promo to show off his range because he's kind of crazy

And that's it for all my Phantom reviews! 6 out of 6 shows yay! If you made it to this point thank you for reading and enduring. I hope my insanity brought you some kind of joy and entertainment. I just wanted to share everything I could so other people could have a taste in some way and so I could relive and document my memories. It was truly a dream experience for a longtime POTO fan to be able to see the show done in so many ways over just a few days.

[britishchick09]

smiley rewrite erik! :D