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In This Labyrinth: Getting to the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
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In This Labyrinth: Getting to the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera

Author: Sarah Erik Sackville-McLauchlan

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This podcast explores all the many levels on which Phantom is so rich, meaningful and generative. Of course I talk a lot about the #BrilliantOriginal Andrew Lloyd Webber stage-musical! But I also discuss other versions of the story, as well as Phanfic and the experience of Phandom.
30 Episodes
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In this episode, I share highlights from the launch of my zine In One Combined.  Several fabulous volunteers read excerpts from the first issue at the event, and they were awesome enough to grant permission for their readings to be recorded and shared here on the show!  So enjoy a taste of the zine, and also the story of how I first became a Phantom Phan!
Welcome to the Reboot!

Welcome to the Reboot!

2021-08-0855:10

Welcome to a reboot of the show at last! In this first episode back, I share with listeners some of the new POTO-related projects I’ve been working on while the podcast has been on hiatus - my dissertation, my new zine In One Combined, my new YouTube channel Spirit And Voice, and of course the new Phantom Of The Future sub-series of this very show! I also say some words about the reboot of the London production which recently re/opened. Oh, and sorry for the introjections from my screen-reader! LOL Oops, didn’t realize that Zoom would record the computer voice if I left “original sound” on. Won’t do that next time! Just didn’t have the spoons to go back and either re-record the episode entirely or try to pick those out of the recording. Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The OperaLinks:My Lulu Press author page — Where you can purchase my zine in both etext and hard-copy versions.My Zine Launch! — Where you can purchase tickets to the launch event for my zine!Spirit And Voice — My new YouTube channel where I share my music, and where I also share my spirituality and talk about the role that POTO plays in it.The 2030 Archive — The project that inspired me to start the Phantom Of The Future subseries of this podcast.Phantom Of The Future Episode 1 — Episode 1 of the Phantom Of The Future subseries of this podcast as seen over on the 2030 Archive site.
The year is 2030. Phantom has been revived in Toronto, but not like before. As the city is transforming toward justice and sustainability, so, too, the production leads the way by being produced justly and non-extractively. The story, long gone, has returned to the heart of the city. This first episode of the Phantom Of The Future was inspired by and is my submission to The 2030 Archive, a project developed by the People’s Climate Movement of Toronto/GTA. The Archive seeks to use the arts to collectively imagine the city and world we want, and let that imagining inspire us to take action to bring that future into being. And of course, I want Phantom to be a part of that future and believe it has valuable contributions to make! You can check out the 2030 Archive and perhaps make your own submission at https://2030archive.org Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
In this (LOL very much belated - Oops) Halloween/Samhain episode, I explore some of Phantom’s mythological roots. In particular, I explore some of our Erik’s connections to/resonances with deities of the underworld, death and passion! Oh, and apologies for the issues with the sound-quality. Tech weirdness!Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The OperaLinks:Hades: Greek God of the UnderworldPluto: Roman God of Death and the UnderworldBaron Samedi — Lord of sex and death in the Haitian Vodou tradition.Haitian Vodou — More info on the religion of Vodou as practiced in the Haitian tradition.Matchmaker II: Perfect Pitch — The Phanfic where I saw the resonances between Leroux Erik and Baron Samedi explored.
In this episode, I discuss the brilliant Phanfic Shadow Government/Shadows Over Eden by Quiet2885. I discuss how it explores the intersection of trauma and politics in a way I haven’t seen done elsewhere in Phanfiction. And I discuss some of the reasons why I find I prefer the original online Phic to the published version, at least on first reading of the Kindle ebook.Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The OperaLinks:Shadow Government — The original Fanfiction.net version of this Phanfic, which I mainly discussed in the episode.Shadows Over Eden: A Phantom Of The Opera Inspired Tale — The published version, available in both paperback and on Kindle.
In this episode I interview Dutch Phan Melissa Duijvestijn. We talk about some of her experiences as an Autistic and Visually Impaired Phan, and also about the very cool POTO role-play and recording groups she’s involved in! #ManderleyAgain #QuarantineOfTheOpera #MusicOfQuarantine Plus, bonus, she sings and reads an excerpt from one of the role-plays!Special Guest: Melissa Duijvestijn.Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The OperaLinks:Final Lair featuring Melissa, Phoenix, and another friend!Wandering Child/Bravo Monsieur featuring Melissa, Phoenix, and another friend.All I Ask Of You featuring Melissa as ChristineThe Title Song from #MusicOfQuarantine featuring Melissa's friend Phoenix.Why Have You Brought Us Here, also from #MusicOfQuarantine.
PSA #SaveTheBrilliantOriginal #PhantomoftheOpera! As folks may know, the London and Broadway flagship productions have been closed due to #COVID19 (read more about it on the podcast blog). So now, we need to make sure that, when they reopen, Hal Prince’s, Gillian Lynn’s and Maria Bjornson’s original vision is preserved! You can sign and share the petitions https://www.change.org/p/cameron-mackintosh-save-the-brilliant-original-phantom-of-the-opera?fbclid=IwAR3P7J_BdCaByzAps3_Ofh4TvbpEOJK3W0ycEDNLxkVUnfDEgCSd6xsFh88 and https://www.change.org/p/cameron-mackintosh-save-phantom-london?fbclid=IwAR0WRO06G32BepAvz5oRaRiCqNdwmyEXKOF9QhVeglPF9B36DLGVnvJH87A or contact Cameron Mackintosh @CamMackLtd at https://www.cameronmackintosh.com/contact or @OfficialALW to make your voices heard!Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The OperaLinks:Petition to Cameron Mackintosh - Save The Brilliant Original!A second petition to Cameron Mackintosh - Save Phantom In LondonContact info to send letters and emails to Cameron Mackintosh
In this twentieth episode - Wow!, I review and discuss the awesome Queer sequel to the Leroux novel - Lazare: Gaston Leroux’s Continued Investigation Concerning The Phantom Of The Opera - by K. E. Torwood. I talk about how this book is not only masterfully written, but awesomely historical and intersectional as well! Check it and the author out at @KETorwood and https://ketorwood.com.Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The OperaLinks:Author K. E. Torwood's website! — K. E. Torwood is an author of speculative fiction. She lives near Kansas City with her family, where she enjoys attending festivals and conventions, playing open-world video games, and curling up on the sofa to read on cold winter days.
Content warning. This episode weighs in on on-going discussions of whether or not Phantom condones, glorifies or romanticizes violence, especially gendered violence. I argue that it doesn’t! And I discuss how, instead, Phantom addresses certain realities of trauma and makes a powerful case for transformative rather than punitive justice.Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The OperaLinks:Overview of Transformative Justice by Mia Mingus — This was written for a transformative justice (TJ) intervention I led and I’m sharing it here for others to use in their work. It was meant to be a brief description for those who are not as familiar with the framework and orientation of TJ and do not have the time or capacity to read a large, long document. It is not a history of TJ, nor a complete naming of every part of TJ, or even a thorough fleshing out of all that is named here. It is an introductory description of work that can be hard to describe. It is meant to be a starting point, not an end-point. I hope it may be useful for some of you.An article on Transformative Justice from Teen Vogue.A TJ overview from the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault.An excellent in-depth analysis of TJ from the group Generation Five.
In this first episode of 2020 - Wow! - I review the French language in-concert production of the Lloyd Webber Phantom that ran from January 8th to 26th 2020 in Montreal, Canada. I had the sheer privilege of going twice, and really loved it both times! Although, I also found myself having some friendly critiques. So needless to say, I have a lot to say about this production!Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
In this episode, in honour of COP25 (the climate negotiations that just took place at the UN) and the students striking for climate justice, I discuss the amazing Phanfic When All Is Lost by Quiet2885. I talk about what environmental justice is, and explore how it’s thoroughly woven into the plot and characters of this epic Phanfiction thriller! https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2942105/1/When-All-is-Lost https://www.fanfiction.net/u/731205/Quiet2885Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The OperaLinks:Read When All Is Lost!Wikipedia article on Environmental Justice. — Note: you'll need to scroll down a considerable way to get to the actual start of the article, but there's lots of good, solid info there!
Happy belated Halloween/Samhain everyone!! In this slightly belated (Oops, sorry about that) Halloween/Samhain episode, I talk about haunting in POTO! I explore what it means when the haunting isn’t by the ghost or spirit of a deceased victim of injustice, but a living, breathing human-being. I also give a shout-out to my newest Patreon supporter! :-) Thanks hugely for your contribution!! http://www.patreon.com/phantomfemmeSupport In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
Wow!! This is the first episode of the second year of the podcast!! Is that not cool? Anyway, in this episode, I discuss the recent U.K. and U.S./Canada touring productions of the ALW Phantom directed by Lawrence Connor. I discuss some of the changes he’s made from the original, and why some of those changes are down-right problematic! And on that note, content warning for mild references to kink and to violence against women.Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
A tribute to Phantom’s legendary director Hal Prince, who sadly passed away on July 31 2019 at the age of 91 after a truly awesome and ground-breaking career that spanned nearly seven decades, winning him 21 Tony awards and transforming the modern musical stage! The whole music-theatre world, and especially the entire Phantom family, mourns this loss! #RIP #HalPrince #TheBrilliantOriginal #PhantomoftheOperaSupport In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
RIP Kevin Jackson!

RIP Kevin Jackson!

2019-07-2702:28

Sharing some very sad news. Kevin Jackson, co-founder and co-organizer of the Toronto Disability Pride March @TDPM, has recently passed away very suddenly. RIP Kevin, and huge condolences to all the friends, family and colleagues he leaves behind, especially to his fiancee! Also, his fiancee is raising funds to cover the cost of his burial and celebration-of-life. So if folks can contribute, that would be a wonderful way to show support and solidarity to her at this really sad and difficult time! You can donate at https://fundrazr.com/e1XIM6?ref=ab_18EqWJTutyC18EqWJTutyCSupport In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
In this episode, which marks the 1-year #podiversary of the show - Wow!!, I celebrate both that and #Pride2019 by exploring how the ALW stage-musical of Phantom actually contains a lot of Queer Crip sexuality and desire! I also run a little non-competitive contest for folks to win a poster-version of the podcast artwork, just to do something a bit special for the occasion. Happy 1-year podiversary everyone! Thanks for listening and making the show awesome this past year, and I can’t wait to see what year 2 brings!!Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
In this rather overdue episode (Oops, sorry about that), I finally review The Angel’s Flight by Louise Anne Bateman - the sequel to The Angel’s Shadow and second book in her Angels of Music series. In particular, I review the really superb full-cast dramatized audiobook of the novel! Btw, correction, you can find the info on where to get Bateman’s first book in the show-notes and blog-post for episode 9, not 10. Sorry about that! And you can, of course, find The Angel’s Flight in print, ebook and audiobook formats at any of the following: https://www.amazon.com/Angels-Flight-novel-Phantom-Opera/dp/1729545076 or https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NYBR1H6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1550951092&sr=8-2&keywords=Louise+Anne+Bateman or https://www.amazon.com/Angels-Flight-Novel-Phantom-Opera/dp/B07NW4WNWJ/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= to enjoy!Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
In this awesome, extended episode, I interview local Toronto author and activist Bridget Liang about their recently released young-adult novel What Makes You Beautiful, all about a bunch of Queer/Trans youth and a highschool production of Phantom! We talk musicals, gender, Queerness, surviving teenagehood, and, of course, Phantom as we talk about what inspired their writing. We have a really fabulous chat, and share some ideas for Queering up Phantom, both in Phanfics we’d love to see written, and in things we’d love to see tried in stagings of the story! Bridget’s book is available at http://www.lorimer.ca/childrens/Book/3083/What-Makes-You-Beautiful.html and also at: https://www.amazon.ca/What-Makes-Beautiful-Bridget-Liang/dp/145941411X https://www.amazon.ca/What-Makes-Beautiful-Bridget-Liang-ebook/dp/B07NLDGRRM/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=What+Makes+You+Beautiful&qid=1555442351&s=digital-text&sr=1-1 :-). Plus, you can find info on their recent book-launch at: https://www.facebook.com/events/331900397679832Special Guest: Bridget Liang.Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
In this (slightly belated - LOL Oops) episode in honour of International Women’s Day, I talk about gender in Phantom. In particular, I explore what the Leroux novel, the ALW musical and the novel by Susan Kay do with femininity, and how they all present subtle but powerful critiques of the dominant division of women into “good girls/women” and “bad girls/women”. #IWD2019 #InternationalWomensDay And on an unrelated note, here’s that GoFundMe link I mentioned for my moving. Thanks in advance for any and all support! https://www.gofundme.com/gun7z-help-me-moveSupport In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
In this first episode of 2019, because it’s Valentine’s Day, I talk about romance in Phantom! I explore how the ALW stage-musical contrasts two distinct versions of romantic relationship, one decidedly heteronormative, and one more daring and potentially radical. P.S., Heads-up for very mild references to kink around power dynamics!Support In This Labyrinth: Justice From the Heart of The Phantom Of The Opera
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Comments (2)

Amy3422

I did not know about any of these stage changes. Thank you!

Apr 28th
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Amy3422

I was slow to warm up to this podcast and wildly disagree with some of the host's interpretations, but it's so nice to find an academic podcast on Phantom. This is a great episode!

Apr 24th
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