This week, Cara and Kristin cover chapters 6-whatever of Frederick Forsyth's Phantom of Manhattan! The newsies take over, we finally meet RIK and Christine comes out of the car like Rose from Titanic to say it isn't any bigger than the Mauretania. We say a fond-ish farewell to Diva Fred, whomst we lost since recording episode one, and we have a special tribute to our beloved girl Isis. Enjoy! Show Notes22 Jump StreetJordan Donica reveals he was cast as the Phantom Haunted Mansion Portraits
WE DID IT! We have come to the end of our recap of Susan Kay's "Phantom" just in time for Fall (the summer technically ended don't judge us). Kay lands her Phantom of the Opera sized plane this chapter, getting us to the events of the book/musical with grace and poise and...a lot of blasphemy. Cara and Kristin are joined by friend of the pod and noted Raoul scholar Rachel (@rachellacroixs) to finish our Summer of Susan with a BANG....literally! Intro Source
Cara and Kristin are back in a return to form with Episode 7 of our Summer of Susan Kay. This week, we dive into the "Erik 1856-1881." Rik decides to take an ill-fated trip back home to Maddie, who he assumes is at Sandals, only to learn her true, tragic life. Luckily, he pre-grieved (he didn't) and becomes a normal-amount obsessed with helping real life architect Charles Garnier build the definitive opera house for Paris, the Paris Opera House! We invite our friend Paperandsong to come explain to us Rik's weird views of the Paris Commune of 1871 and why he would definitely throw at least one (1) Molotov cocktail in the revolution. This is our penultimate episode of the season! Join us next week for our LAST ep of the Summer of Susan!
It's heating up in a respectable PG-13 way here on Leroux Less Travelled! Cara and Kristin finish their recap of Chapter 4: Giovanni from Susan Kay's "Phantom." Rik is still doing masonry in shirt sleeves while Giovanni is trying to find the guy who did this (not parent either of his children). Hopefully Chekov's Crumbling Parapet doesn't come back to bite anyone! Come for the Phantom recap, stay for the end when Kristin recaps the entirety of TRAP (2024) for your listening pleasure. Intro: Back to the Future and "But Daddy I Love Him" by Taylor Allison Swift (a phan)
Hey there, we noticed you on our scaffolding and dug your vibe! Cara and Kristin dive into Chapter 4 of Susan Kay's "Phantom" - the Giovanni Years! We're finally having fun and enjoying the truly cursed Club Chalamet energy of Giovanni as he takes in a young Rik and teaches him the magic of stone masonry. Teen Rik would not be complete without teen angst, and Luciana is here to serve it in spades. We had so much to say about this chapter we divided it into two - stay subscribed for part 2 coming soon! Show Notes Intro: Timothee Chalamet by the Foxies Robert Rhodes Article Synchronized Swimmer Hair Austin Butler as Elvis with his Screaming Fans Harry Styles Defends Teen Fans Club Chalamet says Timmy is a Good Boy
The Summer of Susan Kay and our review of "Phantom" by Susan Kay continues with the "Erik 1840-1843" chapter. We make unfounded claims about Rik's ability to win the Hunger Games while we attempt to navigate one of the most controversial chapters in the controversial book! 8 year old genius Rik has left home to join a community of travelers and Susan once again attempts to explain why he is the way he is with her particular version of events. General content warning from this chapter: Susan Kay discusses Romani culture, sexual abuse, and harmful treatments of other marginalized groups in stereotypical fashion. Show Notes Beautiful Fan Art by Muirin Roma in History The G-slur isn't for you Dog Eating Heart in One Tree Hill A Different Man How to Fail pod w Adam Pearson
Cara and Kristin dive into "Phantom" by Susan Kay in this week's episode. We cover the "Madeline" chapter, in which we meet fetal rik doing behaviors and deal with the complicated issue of what if we were Erik's mother. Madeline books a trip to Sandals, we call the ASPCA on behalf of Sasha the dog, and hope that none of these formative year traumas have a huge impact on later Rik (spoiler, they will). We welcome a special guest to weigh in on the psyche of Madeline as a mother and woman and discuss the Riks we are seeing in pop culture. Notes from today's episode: Connor Eulogy for Mo Michael Crawford LA show Rare Interview with Susan Kay Guest: Shinyfire (her awesome fic here!)
We begin our "Summer of Susan Kay" with a real treat: the proshot of the 1988 Broadway production of "The Phantom of the Opera!" Kristin and Cara are together and in person huddled in a hotel room after viewing the special tape housed in the New York Public Library archives! We talk at length about how sexy Michael Crawford is, Sarah Brightman's blue eyeshadow, and the perfect golden retriever boyfriend that is the late great Steve Barton. We fill you in on how to see this special video if you're in the area, what, in fact, has changed in the 35 years since opening night, and how RIK Michael Crawford is! Enjoy! Show notes Brian Stokes Mitchell and Norm Lewis sing Agony at 54 Below Mr Andrew's Vision from Titanic the Musical How to access the NYPL Theater Archive Rare Interview with Susan Kay Judy Kaye Winning the Tony for Phantom Prima Donna Rehearsal a POTENTIAL MOTHER A Lil BTS of Phantom 1988
We are LIVE and in person to bring you the most intense chapters yet from Phantom. Cara and Kristin are on the opera roof making odd moaning and groaning noises as Christine details her terrible journey below in Chapter 13: Apollo's Lyre. Then, we support Philippe in his one-man mission to create common sense Raoul reform in Chapter 14: A Masterstroke from the King of the Traps. All bangers all the time as we mourn the closing of Broadway's Phantom and hear a reading from Kristin's journal about....you guessed it....Phantom! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Support us! Opening: Audiobook narr. by Christopher LeeOpening: MTV Cribs
"It's over now, the music of the-" Oh, wait, we're getting word that it's actually going to be over now...in about three months, once Rik pays back the money, does his Oprah interview with the Persian, and sets up his last will and testament with his ex-situationship, Christine Daae. We meet up one last time with Rik, the Persian, and Gaston Leroux to talk about Rik's rich backstory, the serial killer theory, and get emo about the Dark Stories of the North™ in our LAST episode of this thrilling book! Thank you for listening! If you would like to see what we do next (obviously Phantom related, duhhh) be sure to subscribe to this pod so you get notified when we return! We are hoping to look at some well loved phantom stories as well as other media in the future! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Opening: Audiobook by Christopher Lee Opening: Borat My Wife Alan Ruck being Rik in Ferris Bueller Alan Ruck being Rik in Succession Alive Girl Phantom actor Ethan Freeman reading from Leroux on “Behind the Mirror of Music” Istanbul (Not Constantinople) Unsung by Wheel of Fish A Stroll On Sunday by Antiquarianne
Lions and tigers and Rik, oh my! Join Cara and Kristin as we venture into the penultimate episode of our hit series recapping the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux! Raoul and the Persian have the WORST table at the Rainforest Cafe (Rik's Version) and they need to get out without triggering the thunderstorm! Will they get out? What's the deal with all the barrels? What rec center did Rik learn to do all this foley work? Join us! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Opening: Audiobook narr. by BJ Harrison Opening: Roar by Katy Perry Gatsby Musical at Paper Mill Playhouse Masque of the Red Death Taylor Swift planning Joe Jonas' demise at dinner What Erik is doing in that chamber If you Care About Close Up Magic in the book here it is The Rainforest Cafe They're illusions, Michael Make your own rain stick
Did...you leave something in the microwave? This week Cara and Kristin dive into Chapters 23 and 24 of "The Phantom of the Opera!" We revisit the torture chamber where Raoul cannot help but call for Christine; we get a read on the railroad style apartment that is Rik's house, and calm down with a peaceful bedtime story about Bluebeard. We're so close to the end!! What will happen to our fair heroes? Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Opening: Audiobook narr. by BJ Harrison Opening: Stefon Apollo 13 final speech Norm LND footage La Madeline, Paris Railroad apartment “We’ll do that together too” Ultron clip Mr Darcy lake moment Confused Samoyed Bluebeard Arrested Development stair car Ryan gosling learning Barbie dance African Forest Clip from Focus (2015)
Hi Barbie! Kristin and Cara are coming fresh from their screenings of Barbenheimer to bring you Chapter 22 of the Phantom of the Opera, very scarily named, "Concerning the interesting and instructive ordeals undergone by the Persian in the belly of the Opera." Raoul is desperate to rescue his low commitment long distance girlfriend from Erik's Mojo Dojo Casa House, but the Persian has his own sordid tale to tell about his OWN low commitment long distance boyfriend. (We promise not to talk about Barbie the whole time!) Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Opening: Audiobook narr. by BJ Harrison Opening: Ken Horsegirl Rik Broadway Con - check out this awesome artist! Lindsay Ellis' video about The Persian! Daddy Norm Phantom footage Lars And The Real Girl Trailer Ryan gosling reads hey girl it’s UNTOWARD Sublime!
We go down once more to Erik's house, AKA the Home Alone booby-trap house, in this episode of Leroux Less Travelled! We are recapping Chapter 21 of "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux: "In the Belly of the Opera." Cara and Kristin follow Raoul and the Persian down the five levels of the opera house, find out what the 401k situation is for stagehands, and dare to ask the question: what's that squeaking sound? Come along, and you might just get a juice box! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Opening: Audiobook narr. by BJ Harrison Opening: Home Alone BYU Phantom: take flight People’s Princess Earl Carpenter Pod of No Return Glassprism Cape Flip Hair Slick comparison Hugh Panaro Supercut Ayanga - Phantom China Paris Commune Info Hot Air Ballons in the Paris Commune?? Teach your Raoul to Beatbox Sufjan Song
Hey, has anyone seen, uh....Christine? Daae? The managers sure haven't in this week's episode. We are recapping Chapters 19 and 20 of Gaston Leroux's "The Phantom of the Opera," and this week the police are outsourcing their job, the managers are desperately trying to get out of doing theirs, and The Persian is quickly learning that Raoul de Chagny is a terrible Escape Room partner. Enjoy! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Opening: Audiobook narr. by Christopher Lee Opening: Young Frankenstein The Lake under the Opera House
Last episode gave us a million questions, and now we have answers! Cara and Kristin dive into Chapters 17 and 18 of "The Phantom of the Opera" to find out why the managers were walking backward, what's up with Madame Giry's fit, and HOW Erik made 20,000 francs of monopoly money! Check it out! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Opening: Audiobook narr. by Christopher Lee Opening: BBHMM Check out Klaus Scrimshaw's awesome fan art and webtoon, Ghost on the Roof! Check out Jeremy Stolle and Greg Mills' new pod, "Pod of No Return!"
Chaos reigns at the Opera Garnier! Christine is missing! The managers are nowhere to be found! The police are en route! Chapters 15 and 16 of "The Phantom of the Opera" are full of employees trying to find answers while poor Raoul looks for his girlfriend in the tunnels of the opera house. We check in with Cara about Broadway closing and Kristin recaps what 1997 Kristin went through when San Francisco Phantom closed back in the day. Enjoy! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Tik Tok! Intro: BJ Harrison Audio Intro: Arrested Development Lucille "Good for Her" Last Chandelier Lift San Francisco Article about closing (1998) Last Public Show Standing Ovation Miss Vanjie Exit.....Miss Vanjie
Coming to you LIVE and IN PERSON, Cara and Kristin do a LIVE REACT to the most famous (arguably) chapters of the book: Chapter 13 "Apollo's Lyre" and Chapter 14 "A Masterstroke from the King of Traps." We listen to BJ Harrison's audiobook version of Texiera de Mattos' English translation of Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. If you like canned wine and broads saying "wow, that's hot" about a man who lives in the cellars of an opera house, this bonus episode is for you! Our regularly planned, organized version of our Chapter 13/14 discussion will be out on Sunday, 4/23! Thank you for your patience as we mourn the closing of Phantom on Broadway and generally try to get our lives together!
It's Rik Hours, baby! Cara and Kristin jump into Chapter 11 and 12 of "The Phantom of the Opera!" Christine desperately tries to have her cake and eat it too when she tells Raoul to "Forget the Name of the Man with the Voice." Raoul addresses the whole "hey you disappeared through a mirror" thing and Christine attempts to protect her poor mother from realizing her daughter may be in imminent danger. Will Christine be able to keep her opera ghost happy AND protect her boyfriend from a terrible death? Find out this week! Follow us on Instagram! Support us! Opening: Audiobook narr. by Christopher Lee Opening: Tom and Greg from Succession Yeston Kopit Phantom
Call your Ubers and join Cara and Kristin as we investigate Chapter 9 and 10 of "The Phantom of the Opera!" We read the famous chapter that inspired the "Masquerade" scene in the musical and take a ride through the Bois de Bologne. Poor Raoul is trying to puzzle out impossible questions, such as: Who is the man driving this "Mysterious Carriage?" Who could POSSIBLY be the man in the Red Death costume at the masquerade ball? WHO is the man Raoul can't stop thinking about? We bet you can't figure out the answer! Follow us on Instagram! Opening: Audiobook narr. by Christopher Lee Opening: Boots the house down Alan Cumming's Fragrance Viktor and Rolf Slogan Gowns Wafflehouse Employee Deflects Chair