#kayleigh marven

[marleneoftheopera]

A very short clip of Kayleigh Marven!

[cdaae]

Kayleigh Marven and Gavin Brown

[cantikdaae]

Look at that wig 😍

[operafantomet]

As far as stripped-down bodices goes, there’s been some different takes. They have primarily happened in the Restaged Tour and the West End revival. One in the West End style was apparently also intended for Kelly Mathieson in the World Tour revival, but it never got any stage time due to the cancellation of the last leg of the tour. so... here’s some variations.

ROW 1: Only done in the Restaged Tour is the longer bodices with a broad front tab, minimal hotstone/beading decorations with the focus on the ray motif over the bust, and draped blue shoulder decorations. There were made at least two (and probably three) of these bodices; the first one worn by Katie Hall (UK) and Julia Udine (US), and variations of it by Katie Travis, Eva Tavares and Emma Grimsley in the US.

ROW 2: As such a well decorated bodice, as it has both vertical and horizontal decorations down the bodice. But the bust and sleeve decorations has been removed and replaced with a blue ruffle in the neckline and blue shoulder drapes. This is how the bodice was worn by Olivia Brereton (UK) and Grace Morgan (US). When the same bodice re-appeared on Kayleigh Marven in Australia, a ruffle over the bust and arms was added, making it the closest the Restaged Tour has ever been to the original design (except of course those using the original design).

ROW 3: In the West End revival the principals Lucy St Louis and Holly-Anne Hull has been fitted with bodices with only vertical decorations, but then with ruffle over the bust and half-moon shaped puffed sleeves. It’s a curious hybrid. Similar, principal Amy Manford in the Restaged Aussie Tour also only feature vertical decorations and only in front, but with the same ruffle over bust and arms as Kayleigh Marven’s bodice. Alternate Bridget Costello also wears a bodice in this style.

(original and to be fair much richer design by Maria Bjørnson)

[hermes-whistle]

Kayleigh Marven Australia

[paladinofmoonlight]

Tonight was the debut of Kayleigh Marven as Christine in Melbourne!

[phantomchristinesuk]

World tour (China) team Christine:

The Christines for the China leg of the world tour have been announced. Grace Roberts is joining as the Principal Christine, Caitlin Finnie is continuing (from the previous tour) as Alternate Christine and Kayleigh Marven is joining as the understudy Christine and Swing after covering the role in the Australian tour.

Pictures: performers instagrams

[glassprism]

Of the current Christine's, who would you say has the most unique interpretation/portrayal? Like not necessarily who has the best acting, but who makes the most unconventional choices? Or if you cant answer that, maybe just some random choices from some of them? I'm wondering because it seems like most Christine's have (very lovely and expressive) but fairly generic interpretations and am trying to spot things that make the Christine's unique from one another. As always thank you for your time!

From the current Christines? I think there are only five productions running currently: London, Broadway, Australian tour, Japan, and the Czech Republic. I think the Czech production is still using the same cast as before, and I don't know enough about Japan's cast to say anything about their interpretations, so I guess that just leaves the first three productions.

From London, I guess I'd say... Anouk van Laake? Lucy St Louis runs a nice middle ground in many aspects of her performance, Holly-Anne Hull's entire take is that she's pretty conventional but elevates it with sheer energy, and Eve Shanu-Wilson hasn't performed as Christine yet, so yeah, Anouk van Laake. She had a head-in-clouds, weird girl vibe with a very child-like, naive outlook.

From Broadway..., I'm genuinely not sure? Emilie Kouatchou plays Christine like many other actresses (again, not a bad thing, but you are asking for more unique portrayals), Julia Udine is dull, Elizabeth Welch is really good but again, I don't find her markedly different, and I don't know enough about Kanisha Marie Feliciano's performance.

And from the Australian tour, yeah, I'm not sure I have any candidates. Amy Manford is sweet and lovely but I've always thought her interpretation leans close to many other actresses. I was not impressed by Bridget Costello in her London run, but supposedly she has some interesting "big eyes" acting, so she might be a candidate if I ever get a good video of her. I don't believe Kayleigh Marven has gone on as Christine.

So yeah, apart from one, maybe two candidates, I don't think any Christine stands out a lot in the current casts. But if you want me to go back through all casts, then here are my picks:

Sarah Brightman - Very historical-feeling Christine, big eyes, repressed to the point of passivity

Meredith Braun - Makes the biggest growth of many Christines, from painfully naive and childish to grown-up and independent, looks capable of murder in some scenes

Julie Hanson - Another child-like doll of a Christine, possibly inspired by Kay's Christine in how mentally fragile, traumatized, and in need of a protective figure she is by the end

Rachel Barrell - Maybe a controversial choice, but Barrell is observant, active, intelligent, strong, but very subtle about it, whereas most Christines who go that route are quite fiery; "still waters run deep" is the best descriptor for her

Kristi Holden - Dreamy, reserved, head-in-the-clouds, comes most alive when singing, more spiritual and creative relationship with the Phantom than a romantic one

Anna O'Byrne - Head-in-the-clouds but in the opposite way, dramatic, on the verge of a breakdown, feels completely out of step with the rest of society which is probably why the Phantom feels such a connection to her

Lauri Brons - Twitchy, half-crazed, extremely nervous Christine, basically if you take all the dreamy Christines and crank the madness up, but with a backbone of steel

Celinde Schoenmaker - A modern Christine, and I really do mean that, like a 21st century woman (or Schoenmaker herself) was plopped in the 1800s, very thoughtful, detailed, get the sense that she's the one pursuing the Phantom at times

Kelly Mathieson - Difficult to describe Christine, but forthright, determined, layered, quiet but you can feel the passion and the complicated thoughts shining through

[phangirl2012]

Christine actresses with the same names part 2!

•Kayleigh Marven (Austrialian Tour) & Kaley Ann Voorhees (Broadway & World Tour)•

•Song (Lucy) Eun Hyes (Korea) & Lucy St. Louis (Westend)•

•Silvia Luchetti (Madrid) & Silvia Rhyne (Canada & World Tour)•

•Celia Graham (Westend) & Celia Hottenstein (Restaged US Tour)•

•Caitlin Finnie (World Tour) & Kaitlyn Davis (Restaged US Tour)•

•Coleen Besett (Vienna) & Colleen Rose Curran (Westend)•

• Erin Stewart (US Tour) & Eryn LeCroy (Broadway)•

•Emilie Kouatchou (Broadway) & Emilie Lynn (World Tour)•

•Olivia Brereton (UK Tour & Westend) & Olivia Safe (Hamburg)•

#kayleighmarven#kaleyannvoorhees#lucyeunhyes#lucystlouis#silvialuchetti#silviarhyne#celiagraham#celiahottenstein#caitlinfinnie#kaitlyndavis#kaitlynnicoledavis#colleenbesett#colleencurran#colleenrosecurran#erinstewert#erynlecroy#emiliekouatchou#emilielynn#oliviabrereton#oliviasafe#phantomaustraliatour#phantomaustria#phantombroadway#phantomworldtour#phantomkorea#phantomwestend#phantomlondon#elfantasmadelaópera#phantomvienna#phantomcanada

[andrewlloydwebber]

Kayleigh Marven is u/s Christine in Australia. 

Gavin Brown is one of the Raoul understudies.  I believe Lewis Francis is the other one, based on the fact that he is playing the Policeman in the Pit/Marksman. That track is historically done by Raoul understudies, including in the Restaged US tour. But I’ve been unable to confirm that for sure, so please don’t take my word as gospel.

The Phantom understudies are Daniel Koek and Raphael Wong. There might be a third one (Paul Whitely, who understudied the Phantom on the 2012-2016 World Tour)  but I’ve been unable to find that out for sure. 

[marleneoftheopera]

Kayleigh Marven (u/s in Australia) and her Christine wardrobe.

[cdaae]

More photos from Kayleigh’s debut!

[cdaae]

Kayleigh Marven

x

[marleneoftheopera]

Team Christine, Australia edition!

From left to right, Kayleigh Marven (u/s), Bridget Costello (alt), Claire LYon (e/c), Amy Manford (principal).

[marleneoftheopera]

Christine + the ballet girls = adorable.

Kayleigh Marven after her Christine debut with Elisha Lee and Emma McFarlane.

[cdaae]

Kayleigh Marven making her Christine debut