Marlborough Magazine April 19 Edition | Page 18

18 EntErtainmEnt The “PhanTom” comes to Blenheim By Paula Hulburt the posters of productions past fade away, replaced by the lustre of velvet and the shimmering opulence of a chandelier... Rehearsals for Blenheim Musical Theatre for the performance of Phantom of the Opera are well underway. A rehearsal room in Blenheim has donned another persona for the morning; that of a grand Parisian opera house. The cast of Blenheim Musical Theatre’s upcoming show Phantom of the Opera are inside practicing for their 8th May opening. So convincing are the 35 strong- cast that the transformation they have conjured seems real. The show will run for just ten performances and tickets are expected to sell out. The Andrew Lloyd Webber tale tells of a tragic masked figure who haunts the catacombs deep beneath the opera house. As the longest running show in the world, Phantom of the Opera has resonated with audiences for more than three decades. With an opulent set and costumes to rival any on stage across the world, theatre goers in Marlborough can expect a show of epic proportions in terms of content and style. Production manager Neville Patchett is convinced the Blenheim show is one that will capture people’s imaginations with a set that will keep them spellbound. “Even watching in rehearsals, the crew are drawn into it and the