There have been so many iconic performers and voices on Broadway, and Hugh Panaro is no exception. Panaro is well known for playing The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, which he has performed over 2000 times on Broadway. At The Crazy Coqs, Panaro brings an intimate show to a lovely, Central London venue.
Man Without a Mask is a show that features songs and plenty of stories from all the blockbusters Panaro is known for… and even some shows he wasn’t in, including playing The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and, before that, Raoul - cast in both roles by the show’s legendary original director, Hal Prince.
Aside from playing The Phantom, Panaro has appeared in Les Misérables, Lestat, and Sweeney Todd over the course of his career. Throughout his career, he has played everything from romantic leads to complex villains, and I hope that we get to hear some insightful stories about what it is like on Broadway and his artistic influences in Man Without a Mask. I appreciate strong vocal talent, and so I'm looking forward to this show, which is only playing for three nights. Given how huge the audiences have been for Panaro's previous Broadway performances, it will be interesting to see how he manages to entertain a smaller audience.
Venue:
Crazy Coqs
20 Sherwood Street,
London
W1F 7ED
Shows (2024):
Saturday 7th September, 7pm
Sunday 8th September, 5pm
Monday 9th September, 7pm (including ‘Comparing Notes’ post show interview with Edward Seckerson)
Tickets:
Tickets for Monday's show with interview:
Price: £35 pp. The exclusive night followed by a special interview with Edward Seckerson priced at £45 pp.
Review of Saturday's performance
Hugh Panaro is as down-to-earth as he is hugely talented. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and found it to be exactly what I was hoping for - an insightful journey through his musical career and interests, with a few pleasant surprises along the way. Among those surprises was a duet with Christina Bianco, who is incredibly talented and funny! They did impressions of some classic performers, which was a highlight, and this was done is a respectful way of course.
Some powerful singers can't reach the emotional depths with their vocal power and balance it with a range of softer tones. However, Panaro illustrated quite the opposite with one of my all-time favourites, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables from Les Misérables. Through Panaro's brilliant acting ability, he effortlessly immerses himself in the song as if it were a song he wrote.
The final night is sure to be a great evening with the interview. I highly recommend this show.
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