Mingling in with the Phantom

The entertainment world has embraced this cosmopolitanism by stocking its performing troupes with many nationalities. And that’s the case with “The Phantom of the Opera”, the storied musical that’s just opened in Bangkok. Inspired by the French novel “Le Fantome de l’Opera” by Gaston Leroux, the famous show by Andrew Lloyd Webber was first staged in England.
The three main actors in Bangkok are of different nationalities. Brad Little (who plays the Phantom) is American-born, Claire Lyon (Christine) is from Australia, and Anthony Downing (portraying both Raul and Viscomte de Chagny) from South Africa.
Prior to Thursday’s gala premiere, the three dined together, and what did they choose to eat – French in honour of the novelist, British in tribute to Lloyd Webber, American for the man in the mask, or Australian or South African?
No, they ended up at Scoozi, the fast-food Italian restaurant. Maybe they just couldn’t find anything else at the Esplanade. Or maybe they wanted to pay homage to the land best known for its operas!
We were tipped at the opening that some of the musicians in the orchestra are Thai, and, adding to the homey feel, Phuket gets a mention in the dialogue, in lieu of Frankfurt.
The line comes from Monsieur Lefevre, the retiring owner of the opera house: “Good luck,” he tells his companions. “If you need me, I shall be in Phuket!” It certainly stirs a few giggles in the audience. 
Among the gigglers were several members of the Democrat Party. We saw Puttipong Punnakun with his wife Nusaba, and Korn Chatikavanij – in a red shirt, no less – came with wife Vorakorn, who turned heads too with an immense pearl necklace.
ML Apimongkol Sonakul, handsome as always, was there with his actress-wife Nadia, and she stole the spotlight with a lavish dress plunging deep at the back.
But where was the gang from Pheu Thai? Not fans of the musicals?