Meg Giry
Meg Giry is one of the fictional characters from the Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera. In the story she is Madame Giry's only daughter.
In the novel she is described as having “eyes black as sloes, hair black as ink, a swarthy complexion and a poor little skin stretched over poor little bones. She is also called a 'brat'. In Andrew Lloyd Webber's adaptation, however, Meg is much more beautiful and curvaceous, having blonde hair and blue eyes. She is also, in the novel, portrayed as a child of around fifteen years old and adores having her own way and attention. In the Andrew Lloyd Webber adaptation, she is older and her personality is much sweeter, caring and innocent showing genuine concern for Christine's claim of an Angel of Music coaching her.
Madame Giry is compelled to work for the Phantom because he left her a letter that told her that Meg (should she deserve it) would become Empress. Early in the novel, it is explained in the Prologue that Meg Giry, after the story's events, had indeed become the Baroness de Barbazac.
In contrast to the musical version, in the novel it is never mentioned that she is friends with Christine Daaé and the only reference she makes about Christine is when confronted with the news that Christine was singing in the opening Gala, she tells Count Phillipe de Chagny that it was impossible for her to have a "divine voice" let alone become a success, that "six months ago she sang like a rusty hinge".
In Susan Kay's novel Phantom she is mentioned briefly through Erik’s point of view as she is telling Christine of the Opera Ghost he listens to her story.
“Never you mind how I know I just do that’s all. We know a lot about the Opera Ghost, Ma and I, but it isn’t safe to talk about it here. And you’d better believe me for your own good- he doesn’t like people who don’t know how to show a proper respect, and when he’s angry terrible things happen.”
“What sort of things?” I heard real alarm enter the other voice now.
“Awful things!” said Meg cheerfully, “truly awful. The floor in our dressing room starts to run with blood...”
Up in box five I blinked in surprised amusement. That was a new one! Little Giry should be writing Gothic novels, not prancing around the stage dressed as a water nymph!
In the musical, Meg's mother, Madame Giry, is the one who suggests to the theatre managers to put Christine in the leading role of the opera Hannibal once leading lady Carlotta Giudicelli is spooked by the Phantom's threats. Normally she and Christine would be part of the ballet ensemble led by Madame Giry. At the end of Christine's performance, Christine confides in Meg in the musical number "Angel of Music" that she has been coached by a mysterious tutor who is calling her to him. Meg dismisses her claims, but after Christine's disappearance, comes to believe in the Phantom's powers, in part due to her mother's experiences with the Phantom as a young man.
At the end of the musical, Meg finds the Phantom's mask that he had used to cover his disfigured face resting on his chair in his abandoned underground lair.
A dramatic change in character occurs in the ten year gap between the musicals. Instead of being Christine's caring friend, as Meg was in the original story, she now competes for the Phantom's attention. She is known as the "Ooh La La Girl," and was the star of Phantom's show before Christine arrived. She plays a critical role in the ending, kidnapping Christine's son Gustave, and wildly brandishing a gun at those who have come to rescue him. She furiously yells at the Phantom for ignoring her and being oblivious to all she has done to help him - a more sympathetic side to her character is shown here as she breaks down and reveals she has been forced by her mother to work for years as a high class prostitute to ease the Phantom's transition from wanted criminal in Paris to Coney-Island based entrepreneur. Her sacrifice has resulted in a desperate, obsessive desire for the Phantom's love and attention. The Phantom attempts to soothe her anger, begging her to "give me the hurt and the pain and the gun, Meg" and saying he blames himself for not seeing all she had done and that although she feels broken he can still see "all the beauty underneath". He makes the fatal error of mentioning Christine, to which Meg replies "always Christine!" and angrily gestures the gun towards her, which accidentally goes off and kills her. Mortified and grief stricken, the show ends with Meg cradling Christine's lifeless body while Gustav embraces the maskless Phantom.
Actresses
- Janet Devenish (opening cast), and Heidi Ann O'Brien in West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical[1]
- Elisa Heinsohn (opening cast), Catherine Ulissey, Tener Brown, Geralyn Del Corso, Jennifer Dawn Stillings, Joelle Gates, Heather McFadden, and Kara Klein in Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical
- Jennifer Ellison in the 2004 movie The Phantom of the Opera
- Summer Strallen in the 2010 original London cast of Love Never Dies
References
- ^ POTO Onstage, phantom-media.info - accessed May 10, 2009