Isaiah Bailey Phantom Choices Living in My Head Rent Free
[SPOILERS]
When they’re in the boat watching the candelabras rise, Isaiah reaches out his hand to touch Christine while her back is turned in a “I can’t believe she’s really here” moment…but then chickens out and snatches it back before he keeps rowing.
Their whole “sing, my angel of music” series is GOLD. Isaiah is so eager (shoutout @wheel-of-fish and @warpweight). He’s doing hair slicks now, which he didn’t in Baltimore, and just has this jittery, excited energy like he truly delights in her singing.
^^^ Case in point: At the organ, he breaks out in an open mouthed smile (😄😃😀) when she hits her high E.
His MOTN is more steamy and hand than it was at the opening, but it still doesn’t read as slutty (like with Bronson who is totally here to seduce lol). The key to Isaiah’s whole performance is his facial expressions and his reactions to touching/being touched. He looks at JLG with a kind of reverence and awe, as if he’s stunned (but hopeful) at the fact that she could be receptive to any kind of contact with him. See for examples 5 and 6 (and 11):
At the portcullis he puts one hand on her waste and another up to her face as if he just wants to hold her there and stare at her forever 😭😭😭
The tour has changed the blocking of “floating, falling” so they hold hands now as his arm is around her. And when Jordan grabs his hand Isaiah’s mouth drops and he inhales in shock (I’m unwell!!!!!!)
Whatever his hands are doing during his crawl during stranger than you dreamt it...🚬
Vocally has absolutely mastered “I gave you my music.” And when he’s listening to them sing the AIAOY reprise he says “no” like five times but it escalates from a whisper to a groan to like a cry of pain. My mans is DISTRESSED.
Under the cloak during PONR when Christine grabs his hands you can see his head go side to side to look at their interlocked fingers like “omg is this happening?!”
That kneeling with the veil thing (which I’m convinced his an homage to Hugh Panaro) is going to be the end of me, love that he made that his signature bc Hugh brought it out from time to time but Isaiah does it every time.
Jordan taking him by the wrists after the hug. And then guides his hands to her waist. And then kisses him again. And THEN he closes his eyes and momentarily gets lost in her.
HE LEANED HIS HEAD AGAINST THE MONKEY’S HEAD AND CLOSED HIS EYES LAST NIGHT. The person next to me had to make sure I was ok (I wasn’t) bc I literally said “oh no”…aloud.
He sang “Christine, I love you.” And then he said I love you again. And then he said it again. And then he said it a third time. And then he said it a fourth time while cradling the veil. And then stood singing with his hands on the bars of the portcullis.
^^^ I don’t think you understand what it means to have a Phantom in the year of our lord 2026 repeating FOUR ilys. Like numerically this just has not been done since the days of Howard McGillin and Gary Mauer. We are witnessing the Renaissance!
