Illusions in (musical) theatre.

[Nickhutson]

There's no doubting Paul Kieve is the top in the business - but what shows of his (or other designers) have you seen that have blown you away?

Paul's stuff that impress me include:

Ghost (the dissolving of Sam is amazing)
The Invisible Man (the unwrapping of the bandages)
Matilda (pigtails)
Our House (the quick changes)
Lord of the Rings
Witches of Eastwick

I hope he's on board for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Other great illusion designers in the business are Jim Steinmeyer (Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins) and Scott Penrose (The Ladykillers).

Just wondering if anyone else has any magical moments they remember from shows?

[CATSNYrevival]

I like anything with real fire.

I'd really like to own one of the staffs that the Phantom uses to shoot the fireballs, and Lumiere's candle hands from Beauty and the Beast.

Also, even though it was just a simple special effects flame bar, the act one finale in the Broadway Jekyll and Hyde always looked really cool to me.

[Phantom of London]

I am a sucker for illusions and effects and thinks this is a part of a show that makes theatre special, obviously only when it is called for. It is something that can be done quite effectively in fringe theatre also.

Matilda
Not forgetting the cup with lizard.
Chalkboard, which is amazing.

A little Night Music
Knife throwing?

The Addams Family
Crossbow and apple

The Woman In White
Count Fosco and handkerchief
Train at the end

Passion
Head

Love Never Dies
Squelch with walking cane
Horse and Cart (windows)
Hot air balloon on beach

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The Car!!!!!!!!

The Phantom of the Opera (I guess this is where it all started)
Phantom walking down stair in Masquerade
Chair at end
Piano playing by itself

P.S. Great thread

[ClapYo'Hands]

Yes, Paul Daniels actually did some wonderful work on The Phantom of the Opera.

[Nickhutson]

...but Paul Kieve has since redone all the illusions for the touring production of Phantom.

And Paul K's chalkboard scene in Matilda is very clever indeed. Works better in the Cambridge than the Courtyard (due to the non thrust staging)

[ClapYo'Hands]

Oh yes, the work of both Pauls is wonderful on both productions - if anyone here has seen the new Phantom, they'll know what I mean when I say that the ending is breathtaking.

[Nickhutson]

Wish they'd close the tired London physical production and replace it with the new shiny one!

[ClapYo'Hands]

God no. How could they replace the (still) brilliant original with the sub-standard substitute?

[Nickhutson]

What happens in the end of the tour? Is it more impressive than the phantom lowering into his chair?

[ClapYo'Hands]

Oh so you haven't actually seen it then?

At the end of the tour (SPOILERS).......

The Phantom sings the final line and wraps himself in his cloak, the mob come into the lair with guns and Meg stands between them and the Phantom and puts her hands on the Phantom's shoulders. When she moves her hands away, the cloak falls to the floor and Meg finds inside it the mask, holding it up.

[Phantom of London]

Going back to the opening message by Nick, who correctly alludes to the dissoling of Sam as amazing, however that is not the only brilliant illusion in there. I try and be as vague as possible, so not to ruin anything for someone who hasn't seen it yet.

*****Possible Spoilers*****

Sam's Death
The Door
The subway scene, with subway ghost, Sam learning to deal with solid objects.
Willie Lopez Death
Sam merging with Oda Marie Brown
Carl Bruner death
Carl's emerge as human form and disappear back to Ghost
--------------------Ditto------------------------------

Forgot a great illusion is done in Rock of Ages with a paper bag and a beer bottle.

[philitalia]

The transformation in Beauty and the Beast

[Mister Matt]

Lord of the Rings had the most incredible effects I've ever seen on stage. Another that comes to mind was the first pre-Broadway tour of Jekyll and Hyde. The Confrontation scene was unforgettable and Lucy's death was creepy and chilling. Shame it was all scrapped for the cheap mess that ended up on Broadway.

Also, the marvelous cemetery scene in Tanz der Vampire.

[Phantom of London]

Indeed the transformation is spectacular in Beauty and the Beast, when I saw it on Broadway there is a production that will be playing the Churchill theatre, just before Christmas, is this worth seeing, do they do the transformation?

[CATSNYrevival]

^Probably not the same way Disney did it since Disney put a copyright on all of the effects in Beauty and the Beast.