I think that, intentionally or otherwise, the Phantom dressing the Christine mannequin in a wedding dress reflects the Phantom's desire for a wife, as an indicator of normalcy. In the Leroux novel, he says "I want to live like everyone else. I want to have a wife like everyone else and go out walking with her on Sundays." I think the mirror bride is a manifestation of that yearning.
Someone else commented the same already, but I've always seen the mirror bride as the reflection of the Phantom's words in the book. He wants to be normal, like everyone else, with a wife like everyone else, able to walk around amongst regular people like everyone else. His desire for a bride and companion is the pinnacle of both his desire to be normal, but also the symbol of his genuine desire for love and acceptance from the world that had always rejected him in life. Despite people calling him a monster, he just wants love and acceptance like everyone else does. I also think that the doll leans forward because it was meant to give hugs. The Phantom seems genuinely surprised when Christine faints - but she only faints when the doll bends over to "hug" her. The Phantom clearly doesn't understand why this freaks her out. Given his lacking social skills, he doesn't realize why it's both deeply sad and completely troubling that he's made a doll of her, solely to embrace him. But everybody else "who has seen his face, draws back in fear." He wants someone to accept him, touch and embrace him, rather than recoiling or flinching from the sight of him. And on a more awkward note, lol ... I've always thought that it was interesting that the doll is not really naked once the wedding dress is removed. Instead it's.... unfinished. Not whole. It's missing, well, breasts and a stomach and everything below the skirt. Aka everything about women that the Phantom wouldn't know much about, given his lack of experience with the opposite sex. He could see pictures of women naked in artwork and paintings. But he's never been with one before, and this reflects a more naive innocence and lacking experience with women.
Just saw the broadway production this saturday for the first time and I was wondering about the doll (Since I had only seen the 25th aniversary where it doesn't exist, and the movie version which I assumed that mirror bride was made FOR the movie). I'm so glad I came across this video it, I loved it!
It was SO BOLD of them to add the mirror bride into the movie! I'm so glad you found the video and enjoyed it, thanks for dropping a note, and I'm even more glad you got to see it on Broadway before it closes!
I always wondered if there was like a hinge/spring rig tucked under the wedding dress to let her weight bounce like that... but I think they just do it!
The mirror bride is one of my favourite parts of the musical! She's definitely an ideal for the phantom, the woman he loves in a weeding dress, moving out like a hug. And Christine in that moment is faced with exactly what the phantom wants from her- and realizes it is not what she wants for her life. That it isn't her. But a strange twisted version, so close, but not actually her. It's also logistically there so we know the wedding dress exists so it can be used for the final song. Oh- in one version, I cannot remember the name now, but there was a mirror Christine and a mirror Phantom! I'm pretty sure the mirror phantom and Christine turned to eachother to kiss, and that's when Christine faints in that production
I‘d like to chime in and offer my cents on the mirror bride. There’s tons of psychological metacommentary going on during PotO - obviously - and to me the mirror bride is, very much in tune with the last verse of MotN „…let your darker side give in…“, a symbol for Christine‘s shadow/sexuality. MotN is dripping eros and the whole PotO plot is all about narcissism, the archetype of the „demon lover“, the nature of creativity and all the sexuality that ties into that. The Phantom itself is appearing in mirrors (in its potent, masked & eroticized image), he also is part of Christine‘s shadow self. Oh my, I love having discovered this channel and I could go into hermeneutical detail about PotO to no end BUT I really really hope you‘ll continue you recently restarted essays, I‘m so into such deep dives!!
@@cendrapolsner8438 love your reflection my friend, keep them coming! I recently watched the new Egger's film Nosferatu which is absolutely dripping with this sort of contemplation... standing before the woman he intends to prey upon (but she must offer herself voluntarily), she curses what he is. He simply responds "I am an apetite." And suggests he is "within her"... I of course cannot ignore the parallels of this, my beloved story, in darker retellings of the universal subject. I look forward to bringing you more to chew on, my time is limited but it is coming!
@@pryingpandoraproductions Oh shucks, no wonder! I still wish I could've seen it live before it closed. Lemme go look for that newer bootleg hehe.. Absolutely loved Elizabeth Loyacano as Christine and Andrew Ragone remains to be one of my favorite Raouls. Loved this video essay, btw, and your content in general. It's so great to have a channel that has so much Phantom content centered on theories and discourse. :)
@@marcohaspolos I feel the same about Vegas.. I love making these for everyone when I have the time. Never found "my own" Phantom community, but it seems like RUclips has brought out some awesome fans of the show to all chat with each other in the comments, so that's perfect!
wow really thought-provoking video and that soundtrack is beautiful, thanks for crediting it! Just wondering, are either of the performances the clips are from (singing 'music of the night') on youtube?
The only stage which consistently allowed the actor to catch Christine was London, if I'm remembering correctly. I don't know if Broadway used to and then changed it later, but considering the physical demands of the show for Phantom, I think they just made the floor work.... everyone loves the catch, but I understand why they adjusted it.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
I think that, intentionally or otherwise, the Phantom dressing the Christine mannequin in a wedding dress reflects the Phantom's desire for a wife, as an indicator of normalcy. In the Leroux novel, he says "I want to live like everyone else. I want to have a wife like everyone else and go out walking with her on Sundays." I think the mirror bride is a manifestation of that yearning.
Awesome reflection!!
@@pryingpandoraproductions Thank you! I really enjoyed this video and am glad to have discovered your channel as a lifelong Phan.
That part of the book makes me so sad for him.
Someone else commented the same already, but I've always seen the mirror bride as the reflection of the Phantom's words in the book. He wants to be normal, like everyone else, with a wife like everyone else, able to walk around amongst regular people like everyone else. His desire for a bride and companion is the pinnacle of both his desire to be normal, but also the symbol of his genuine desire for love and acceptance from the world that had always rejected him in life. Despite people calling him a monster, he just wants love and acceptance like everyone else does.
I also think that the doll leans forward because it was meant to give hugs. The Phantom seems genuinely surprised when Christine faints - but she only faints when the doll bends over to "hug" her. The Phantom clearly doesn't understand why this freaks her out. Given his lacking social skills, he doesn't realize why it's both deeply sad and completely troubling that he's made a doll of her, solely to embrace him. But everybody else "who has seen his face, draws back in fear." He wants someone to accept him, touch and embrace him, rather than recoiling or flinching from the sight of him.
And on a more awkward note, lol ... I've always thought that it was interesting that the doll is not really naked once the wedding dress is removed. Instead it's.... unfinished. Not whole. It's missing, well, breasts and a stomach and everything below the skirt. Aka everything about women that the Phantom wouldn't know much about, given his lack of experience with the opposite sex. He could see pictures of women naked in artwork and paintings. But he's never been with one before, and this reflects a more naive innocence and lacking experience with women.
Great reflection thanks for dropping a note about this!
lol@@pryingpandoraproductions
I enjoyed this. Never thought about the relationship in mythological terms, but you are right. Thank you.
What? I always thought that this is really important, the Phantom was so obsessed by her that he built a statue of her!
Just saw the broadway production this saturday for the first time and I was wondering about the doll (Since I had only seen the 25th aniversary where it doesn't exist, and the movie version which I assumed that mirror bride was made FOR the movie). I'm so glad I came across this video it, I loved it!
It was SO BOLD of them to add the mirror bride into the movie! I'm so glad you found the video and enjoyed it, thanks for dropping a note, and I'm even more glad you got to see it on Broadway before it closes!
The one time I sat close enough to the stage, it was fun to watch the mirror bride get up and leave after Stranger Than You Dreamt It.
That is really cool!!
In this production, the role of the Bride Mannequin was played by an unemployed Auton from Dr Who.
How does the Christine doll-understudy fall forward and bob like that without hurting her back or,falling over? Makes my back hurt just watching that
I always wondered if there was like a hinge/spring rig tucked under the wedding dress to let her weight bounce like that... but I think they just do it!
@@pryingpandoraproductions yes. Maybe like a bungee cord. The way she bounces just doesn’t seem possible or natural
I never really thought of it that way...it's so sad! thank you for the insight
It really is...! But it's really beautiful too...
@@pryingpandoraproductions absolutely!
The mirror bride is one of my favourite parts of the musical! She's definitely an ideal for the phantom, the woman he loves in a weeding dress, moving out like a hug. And Christine in that moment is faced with exactly what the phantom wants from her- and realizes it is not what she wants for her life. That it isn't her. But a strange twisted version, so close, but not actually her.
It's also logistically there so we know the wedding dress exists so it can be used for the final song.
Oh- in one version, I cannot remember the name now, but there was a mirror Christine and a mirror Phantom! I'm pretty sure the mirror phantom and Christine turned to eachother to kiss, and that's when Christine faints in that production
Very cool video btw
That's so awesome, if you ever find that version let me know! Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
@@pryingpandoraproductions it can be seen in this video at around 33:20 ruclips.net/video/N3_TG8HmIJw/видео.html
@@butallislost Wow awesome find thanks so much! I’ll be sure to add this to my non-replica production review-list!!!
mine too wierdly
What a neat looking prop, I wish I could make one of my own... Won't I?
I‘d like to chime in and offer my cents on the mirror bride. There’s tons of psychological metacommentary going on during PotO - obviously - and to me the mirror bride is, very much in tune with the last verse of MotN „…let your darker side give in…“, a symbol for Christine‘s shadow/sexuality. MotN is dripping eros and the whole PotO plot is all about narcissism, the archetype of the „demon lover“, the nature of creativity and all the sexuality that ties into that. The Phantom itself is appearing in mirrors (in its potent, masked & eroticized image), he also is part of Christine‘s shadow self. Oh my, I love having discovered this channel and I could go into hermeneutical detail about PotO to no end BUT I really really hope you‘ll continue you recently restarted essays, I‘m so into such deep dives!!
@@cendrapolsner8438 love your reflection my friend, keep them coming! I recently watched the new Egger's film Nosferatu which is absolutely dripping with this sort of contemplation... standing before the woman he intends to prey upon (but she must offer herself voluntarily), she curses what he is. He simply responds "I am an apetite." And suggests he is "within her"... I of course cannot ignore the parallels of this, my beloved story, in darker retellings of the universal subject. I look forward to bringing you more to chew on, my time is limited but it is coming!
Couldn't help, but notice.. But at 0:08, since when did the Manager's scene have a door like that?! O_o
That's the Las Vegas Spectacular Production! There's a new bootleg of it on RUclips, if you're interested. Lots of cool changes like that.
@@pryingpandoraproductions Oh shucks, no wonder! I still wish I could've seen it live before it closed. Lemme go look for that newer bootleg hehe.. Absolutely loved Elizabeth Loyacano as Christine and Andrew Ragone remains to be one of my favorite Raouls.
Loved this video essay, btw, and your content in general. It's so great to have a channel that has so much Phantom content centered on theories and discourse. :)
@@marcohaspolos I feel the same about Vegas.. I love making these for everyone when I have the time. Never found "my own" Phantom community, but it seems like RUclips has brought out some awesome fans of the show to all chat with each other in the comments, so that's perfect!
wow really thought-provoking video and that soundtrack is beautiful, thanks for crediting it! Just wondering, are either of the performances the clips are from (singing 'music of the night') on youtube?
Hey Amy! I believe you're looking for: Earl Carpenter in The Phantom of the Opera: London, 2006. Let me know if I can help you with anything else!
Thanks, I found the full video! :) I was also wondering, which production is that at 4:25?
@@amy3515 That’s the unfortunate Restaged Tour by Cameron Macintosh.
What production is the 4:30 clip from?
The Phantom has a wonderful voice here!
I think that's Cooper Grodin
@@pryingpandoraproductions Thank you!
Well Done!!!! Can't wait to watch the rest!!!!
4:00 -- Do more recent productions not allow their actors to catch Christine?
The only stage which consistently allowed the actor to catch Christine was London, if I'm remembering correctly. I don't know if Broadway used to and then changed it later, but considering the physical demands of the show for Phantom, I think they just made the floor work.... everyone loves the catch, but I understand why they adjusted it.
@@pryingpandoraproductions Interesting, thanks!
You have done youthful job on those videos.
this video is so intresting!
Glad you enjoyed it...!
I love these videos!!
I’m so flattered you are enjoying them..!!
Thought she was an actor
Watch the first few seconds of the video...
She’s dead look