Merik - Blog Posts

An Essay on ALW's Erik

One of the best insights I got into ALW's Phantom from some random Reddit user is to watch for whether the lead plays Erik from his own POV or from Christine's, especially in MOTN. (I also add a third option because several actors also play him from the perspective of the audience or a more omniscient narrator.)

These approaches result in entirely different, but no less accurate, interpretations of the character. For example, Earl Carpenter's performance from the first lair to the final lair is entrenched in the Phantom's perspective, from the total anxiety he projects in MOTN, to his more hesitant physical engagement with Christine, to his decision to kneel/silently beg Christine to stay with him during the ring return. And I love that there's variety within this perspective as well. Carpenter uses this POV to portray a very earnest and sympathetic (if unscocialized) Erik, but I'd argue that Anthony Warlow also falls within this category even though he leans into the darker aspects of the Phantom's psyche.

I have favorite Phantoms in both categories, but I admit that Christine's POV is actually what hooked me to this musical. I got deep into Phantom boots after losing my dad in my 20s and watching an engagement fall apart under the strain of grief. When Erik is viewed or portrayed (à la Hugh Panaro) through Christine's eyes, you can see the character undergo a pitchy transformation throughout the musical as Christine works through her own relationship to men while grieving and coming of age. Erik initially presents himself to her as a father figure, then as a full-on seducer in the first lair, and then as a total monster. The story is in part about Christine's journey toward reconciling these different ways of perceiving/relating to masculinity in the absence of what had been the only male figure in her life. And the musical approaches resolution when Christine realizes that Erik is neither her dad, her lover, or a total villain--he's just a man. And he's worthy of compassion, but she can also choose to leave him.

Anyway, I hate when people say that it's inaccurate for Erik to be "X" or "Y". Because especially through the lens of Christine's journey, Erik is all the things at one point or another (or even simultaneously). He is a daddy-coded immortal messenger and a genius and sex incarnate and unhinged and broken and, and, and...a literary figure shaped by the internal worlds of the author, the reader, and the viewer/listener. What's the point in trying to make objective claims about him? Resist binary thinking and make literary and media analysis great again.

I love the way Earl Carpenter telegraphs the whole range of Erik's thoughts and emotions after the kiss. Like he doesn't say a word but you can literally see the whole internal dialogue and it's like "I've always wanted to know what that felt like but WTF have you done to me what are these feelings and I can't even let you see me like this *whimper* but that was single handedly the best thing that's ever happened to me I might cry WHY DID YOU DO THAT CHRISTINE AND WTF AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?!?! Oh....Goddamnit. I have to free your boyfriend."

Merik, put that down. You know Cherik is one second away from throwing that timer at you. You're all banned. (THANK YOU for doing this!)

A special episode of the Phantoms House sitcom!

A trade/ collab with the fantastic @purrlockswatson <333 (ily)

Our boys tend to fight A LOT, so Cherik (who’s really good at cooking and basically the chef of the house) had the unfortunate idea of proposing cooking together as a bonding activity…

It was supposed to be something simple… But things did not go very well…

After all this mayhem he has banned the other Eriks from the kitchen, if they want to cook they have to ask direct permission to him and show him a recipe and a detailed plan on how they are going to cook said thing (or beg him to cook, like Gerik usually does)

Apparently, 15 years (and two, three days) ago, Love Never Dies had its first run.

Have some snarky Ramin Phantom from Devil Take the Hindmost

And why not have the Ben Lewis version, too?

I honestly didn't have to add much chaos at all, it's... what happened

More POTO cats here, a rant about LND here and more LND cats here.

Fanart as penance. More to come 😈

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Phantom of the Opera - Lloyd Webber, Phantom of the Opera (2004), The Phantom of the Opera (TV 1990), The Phantom of the Opera (1925), Phantom - Susan Kay Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Erik | Phantom of the Opera, Nadir Khan, The Persian (Phantom of the Opera) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Multiple Eriks, Humor, Hobby Store AU, There’s nothing that annoys Erik like another Erik, Fights Summary:

Months go by and still nobody has given you an explanation for the higher-than-average number of customers seemingly dressed for the cabaret. It’s almost becoming a hobby in itself for you, watching the comings and goings of the five masked men.

@purrlockswatson is to blame for this

@blackforrestpunk you’re not blameless either