There are problems and issues that arise with any live performance with no exceptions, but most of the issues Phantomexperienced were due almost entirely to the strange stage set-up. Take the iconic introduction of the Phantom’s lair on the rowboat. In different versions, the boat is pushed on wheels across a stage covered in dry ice. It’s a cool dreamlike effect but dry ice is hardly something that will work as effectively outdoors as the wind will just blow it away. So instead, they made the characters enter the boat from the rear of the stage, leaving the stage empty for quite some time until the boat again appeared at the front of the stage. It was still a very cool scene, especially with the added pyrotechnics but it was awkward in execution when trying to reach that point.

You could also see stagehands running, and even diving off the stage at one point, due to the exposed rear of the stage. There’s hardly any shadow to hide the crew like there normally would be in a traditional theatre. But this was all relatively minor, but it does serve to illustrate the hurdles faced by the stage setup. Phantom of the Opera has been running for 35 years so it is natural to try and do something new with the setup and for the most part they have succeeded as really only the boat scene was ever awkward.