George Blagden will take on the role of Raoul opposite Jamie Muscato’s Phantom and Celinde Schoenmaker’s Christine in the concert production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies at the London Palladium this October. Best known to many audiences for screen roles in Vikings and Versailles, Blagden has spent recent years moving effortlessly between television, film and stage.
Ahead of rehearsals, Theatre Weekly caught up with George to talk about returning to musical theatre, tackling one of the musical’s most divisive characters, and why sharing the stage with close friends makes this project particularly special.
Reflecting on a career that has taken them from drama school to international television and the West End, George admits they still feel incredibly fortunate. “I’ve been working for about 15 years as a professional actor and I’ve been very, very lucky. I have got to do lots of things that I’ve always wanted to do and feel extremely lucky to be able to say that.”
Although musical theatre was originally expected to be their path, opportunities on screen arrived first. “The industry kind of very quickly tells you where it thinks you belong,” says George, recalling how early roles led to the film version of Les Misérables, Vikings, and Versailles before a return to the stage with Marianne Elliott’s acclaimed production of Company.
That return proved unexpectedly challenging. After years working in front of a camera, George found himself rediscovering the unique pressures of live performance. “I suffered for the first month of doing the shows on Company, I really suffered with what a lot of people would call stage fright,” George reveals. Having become accustomed to filming environments where scenes can be restarted, theatre required a different mindset entirely. “It’s not a normal thing to do, to walk out in front of a thousand people eight times a week and tell a story.”
The breakthrough came from embracing the unpredictability of live theatre rather than fearing it. George recalls advice from a former teacher: “Find comfort in the discomfort.” he explains: “That’s why people come and see theatre. They want to feel like they’re seeing something that is only happening in that room on that night.” Once he learned to play with those moments rather than resist them, the experience transformed.
Now preparing to enter the world of Love Never Dies, George is discovering the sequel much like many audience members might. “I’ve never actually seen a production of Love Never Dies,” he laughs. “Rediscovering this material the last couple of weeks has been amazing. To see what Andrew took forward from the original show and how he developed the characters was brilliant.”
What has particularly drawn George to the role is the darker, more complex version of Raoul audiences encounter a decade after The Phantom of the Opera. “Raoul particularly is now very sort of embittered and twisted, not the lover, romantic hero that people might have seen him as in Phantom of the Opera,” George explains. “There was a lot that I’m looking forward to getting to grips with there with this role. It was a really appealing part of it to me, this kind of tortured, twisted man.”
The character’s reputation has already become something of a challenge. George recalls being told by a theatre fan that Raoul has “no redeeming features”. Rather than shy away from that assessment, he has embraced it. “My job is to try to make Raoul in some way sympathetic to you in the show,” he says. “That’s kind of the sweet spot for me when approaching a character, getting into their psychology and trying to find reasons why they make the choices that they make. I think it might be possible for me to do some version of Raoul that by the end of the show people, not feel sorry for, but understand.”
Musically, George believes audiences are in for something special. “Andrew has definitely built on what made The Phantom of the Opera so brilliant,” he says. “There are some really satisfying moments in this show where you either hear, or you are singing yourself, melodies that you recognise from Phantom of the Opera.” At the same time, he stresses that the piece stands on its own. “He has written a completely original piece of work. It rewards you for having had some commitment to that world.”
Part of George’s excitement comes from the people sharing the stage. George has longstanding friendships with both Jamie Muscato and Celinde Schoenmaker, making this reunion particularly meaningful. “I just feel completely elated,” he says. “I’m getting to work with friends on amazing material in an amazing venue.” Recalling that he first met Muscato while filming Les Misérables, George smiles at how much has changed since then. “Jamie and I shared a car every morning for the six-month shoot out to Pinewood. We haven’t worked together since, so this feels really exciting.”
Despite being billed as a concert, audiences should not expect a stripped-back presentation. “It was made very clear to me that this might as well be a full-blown production,” George says. “There’s nothing concert about it. We are doing Love Never Dies.” The rehearsal process will be intense, but that sense of urgency only adds to the thrill. “We’re going to give people the best show that we can possibly give them.”
And if George has one final reason for audiences to book, it is simple. “I am wildly excited to see Jamie Muscato and Celinde Schoenmaker singing this material whilst on stage,” they say. “I wanted to be in the room where that happens. I think people are going to see something from this world that they haven’t seen before, and I think it’s going to be extraordinary.”
Love Never Dies in Concert is at The London Palladium 16th – 18th October. Tickets are on sale here.
