Phantom is 7,000 not out

This West End box office smash will soon become a blockbuster movie.

Before then, however, The Phantom of the Opera will notch up another record.

Tonight sees the 7,000th performance of the musical that has packed theatres the world over and grossed £1.6 billion at the box office - more than any other film or stage play, including Titanic, Star Wars and ET. Written-by Andrew Lloyd Webber and produced by Cameron Mackintosh, Phantom opened in October 1986 starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman.

Sir Cameron said today: "I'm completely amazed when any of my shows runs for more than a year and to have more than 10 years of an appreciative audience is great."

Explaining its success, he said: "The audience is transported into a different place by the show.

It takes them on an emotional journey - not to mention Andrew's marvellous score."

And while he expects the show to end eventually, tickets are still in demand.

The Evening Standard's theatre critic, Nicholas de Jongh, said: "I think its success lies in the public appetite for bizarreness. The Phantom who has human feelings resonates with people. It is amazingly seductive and much better than The Mousetrap.

"I think it will continue, providing the singers, actors and orchestra keep themselves bright and supple."

Loosely based on the 1910 novel Le Fantome de L'Opera by Gaston Leroux, Lord Lloyd- Webber's Phantom tells the story of the love triangle between Christine, a beautiful young opera singer, Raoul her childhood sweetheart, and the Phantom - a tormented and disfigured musical genius.

A £30 million movie version, due out next year, is set to star Gerard Butler as the Phantom and Minnie Driver as Christine.

Lord Lloyd-Webber said: "It's a great thrill to me that Phantom is celebrating its 7,000th performance in London just as filming of the movie of the show begins at Pinewood, with the biggest budget raised for an independent film in Britain."