🎩 The iconic ending in which the Phantom vanishes from his throne-like chair is staged with a magician’s trapdoor illusion, but the production has multiple contingencies prepared for when the mechanism fails.

🎭 The standard ending shows Meg Giry lifting the Phantom’s cloak and then lifting the mask, which the Phantom has placed on the chair after taking it from the armrest of the throne. If the Phantom cannot escape, he may discreetly hand the mask to Meg under the cape so she can present it to the audience. If he escapes but forgets to leave the mask, Meg simply opens the armrest to retrieve a spare. On rarer occasions, when the Phantom cannot escape and Meg uncovers him, he plays dead while she lifts a mask placed on his body to preserve the illusion. And in the rarest case, when the Phantom vanishes but no mask is available at all, Meg improvises — as seen in a YouTube clip where she raised her empty hand as though it were the mask.

📍 A memorable incident occurred in Busan and Seoul when the Phantom handed the mask to Meg under the cape. The tension was palpable, yet Meg maintained the illusion, and during curtain call the Phantom appeared visibly relieved, the strain of improvisation evident.

🎩 Despite being a classic illusion, the method has never been officially revealed, honoring the magician’s code. Even when things go awry, the cast adapts with skill, ensuring the story lands. 🎟