The Phantom of the Opera: 'It's not about a man manipulating a young girl... Christine's genuinely in love'

He’ll stop at nothing to make sure she’s his and that she receives her well-deserved spotlight – sabotaging her fellow singers, murdering people who get in the way, and kidnapping her, luring her away from her fiancé, Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny.

Current leads Dean Chisnall, 42, who plays The Phantom, and Lily Kerhoas, 27, who stars as Christine, perform in eight shows a week. Chisnall joined in July of this year, while Kerhoas has been part of the cast since last July.

They are phenomenal in their roles in a truly five-star show. At the performance I attended, in the final act, where the Phantom has captured Raoul and asks Christine to choose between them, a member of the audience clapped when Christine kisses the Phantom. The gesture causes him to let Raoul and Christine go. Also, a lot of people cried at the end when the Phantom vanishes. This is a typical reaction – people really do ship the Phantom and Christine as a couple.

“The kiss is a really conflicting moment for so many people,” says Chisnall prior to performing an evening show at His Majesty’s Theatre alongside Kerhoas. “We questioned Andrew on it and asked, ‘What was the original idea?’ It’s such a physical and unexpected thing to do. The first time I saw the show, I was like, ‘What's she doing?’ Andrew's reason was because she jolly well wants to kiss him.”

Kerhoas adds, “Even if he did these horrible things, she understands what he needs in that moment. He needs love and to be seen. During the kiss, Christine’s touching his scarring and it’s to say, ‘You can be touched by someone like me, even though you look like this.’ She's so compassionate, but she has to leave because it wouldn't be right, for so many reasons, to stay.”

Out of the two “Phan” camps with this musical, Team Phantom and Team Raoul, where do Chisnall and Kerhoas stand?

“For me, it's best to forget some elements of the story that have gone before, and therefore, Christine should just end up with the Phantom,” Chisnall says. “If people are crying, it's because they feel for him. He simply wants to love and be loved by her, and when you simplify it to that level, I always feel for the Phantom whenever I've seen the show. Raoul's boring anyway!”

“I'm usually Team Phantom,” Kerhoas adds. “It depends who plays the Phantom.”

The Phantom is manipulative, possessive and violent. He’s older than Christine by at least 15-20 years and in a position of power as her “Angel of Music” giving her singing lessons. Yet, fans of the show typically root for him (myself included – let’s face it, Raoul is boring). Where does that leave Christine’s agency in what could be described as a coercively controlling relationship?

“Andrew explained that the show is about a girl being in love with two different people,” Kerhoas says. “I've always thought Christine’s addicted to the Phantom. I think she's genuinely in love with him and with the way he makes her feel because she can't let go of her [deceased] father. He's a father figure as well, but she's discovering herself in him, with music, with her sexual awakening. The Phantom is the one that makes her feel alive and awake sexually. That doesn't mean they have sex, but it's just the feeling.

“It's not about a man manipulating a young girl. She's not hypnotised by him. She chooses to go into that mirror. That's her choice. She knows who he is and chooses to give him her hand. That's what's very important, especially right now, in the world that we live in, because she's not just this wide-eyed little girl – it would be too easy, it’s way more complex than that.

“She's terrified, but she's also so curious. That changed the show for me, because it gave me so much more strength and value into who she is. I think that changes the relationship.”

“It absolutely does,” Chisnall adds. “It makes the whole dynamic so strong, and the storytelling becomes far more relevant, beautiful and interesting.”

During rehearsal, ongoing discussions are had about Christine and the Phantom’s relationship and its more problematic aspects. “The show has evolved over time. We'd be fools if we didn't have this conversation. We’re all absolutely aware of how the world is now, thank goodness. I wanted to make sure that Lily as Christine always had a choice within the boundaries of the piece. You feel that as the human and the actor. I think perhaps that's why the show is even more relevant now than it ever was before. We're highlighting all sorts of things within it, and it's a beautiful story.”

Chisnall and Kerhoas also have intimacy calls, something “that never happened 10 years ago”, Chisnall says, where they check in with each other about moments of physical intimacy within the show to ensure they’re comfortable.

“Sometimes things happen in the moment on stage that have never happened before, so we always check with each other whether it was okay,” he says. Kerhoas adds: “It’s very precious, because maybe some actors don't have a very open relationship like we have where we can talk about anything. Our job is to make the show the best it can be.”

When and where can I see The Phantom of the Opera?

The Phantom of the Opera is playing at His Majesty’s Theatre, Haymarket, London. The nearest underground stations are Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines) and Charing Cross (Northern and Bakerloo lines).

Performances take place every Monday to Saturday and you can now book up until September 2025.

How to get The Phantom of the Opera tickets

Tickets can be found at most West End ticketing sites, including TodayTix, Ticketmaster and London Theatre Direct.

Prices start from £28 before you add booking fees.

• Buy The Phantom of the Opera tickets at TodayTix
• Buy The Phantom of the Opera tickets at Ticketmaster
• Buy The Phantom of the Opera tickets at London Theatre Direct

You can also look at the best UK pantomimes and best Christmas shows in London.