Will there be a new ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ West End set?

The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is due to reopen at Her Majesty's Theatre in June.

Ahead of the West End return of The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty's Theatre is currently undergoing renovation works. In doing so, the set will jut out into the audience, allowing theatregoers to feel closer to the production.

Details of the planning application submitted by LW Theatres to Westminster City Council have been released. As reported by The Stage, "the new set design will not be limited to the stage area and will move into the auditorium, covering the proscenium and parts of the boxes... The Phantom of the Opera... seeks to blur the boundary between stage and auditorium such that the auditorium and the audience become part of the production."

A theatre has stood on the site of Her Majesty's Theatre since 1705, however the theatre that's around today was opened in 1897. In its early years, plays were typically staged at Her Majesty's, later becoming a musical house.

All renovation works are taking place while Her Majesty's Theatre is closed, due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Her Majesty's Theatre will then reopen with a revamped production of The Phantom of the Opera, continuing its open-ended engagement since 1986.

The Phantom of the Opera is currently set to reopen at Her Majesty's Theatre in June 2021, with Killian Donnelly in the title role. Further casting is to be confirmed.

^{Photo credit: The Phantom of the Opera (Photo courtesy of The Phantom of the Opera)}