|
Wilkinson bows out as Phantom
Toronto Sun
After nearly five years, Colm Wilkinson stepped out from behind the mask last night, surrendering the title role in Live Ent's Phantom of the Opera after a tremendously successful run at the Pantages Theatre.
As of tonight's performance, he'll be replaced by Peter Karrie, who has played the role in London's West End and is familiar to Toronto audiences from the occasions when he has stood in for Wilkinson.
Wilkinson approached last night's performance with a mixture of relief and sadness.
"It's always a relief to know I've done the journey," Wilkinson confessed, adding that he will most definitely miss the cast and crew with whom he's labored.
"They've been like a family to me," he said. "But I want to get back to my own family now." In fact, family will play a big role in his future plans.
"It's their call, " Wilkinson maintains. "I've been calling the shots for the last five years - 10, if you count (the London production of) Les Miserables. Phantom goes back almost the very beginning. He particpated in the original workshop production and proved to be a logical (and very popular) choice to headline the Canadian production.
He came to Toronto originally on a six month contract, with a three month option, and has stayed to see the show break virtually every record in the book. No one person can take credit for that, he says, not even the star.
"I put it down to consistency," he says. "The whole thing - the standard of excellence has been maintained."
So far, he's been approached to participate in an original cast reunion of The Phantom ("it would be like Groundhog Day with Bill Murray," he says with a laugh) and to sing at the opening of the Chunnel. "I've never sung at the opening of a tunnel before," he adds with another laugh. But he thinks he'll decline on both counts.
And while he plans to continue his association with Live Ent, he vows the next three months will be a freefall, where he'll devote his time to "anything I feel I would sort of like to do. I've got the dream list out."
As for advice for his successor, forget it.
"You don't give Peter Karie any advice, " he booms. "An Irish guy giving a Welsh guy advice - you've got to be joking me."
|
