Les Miserables Broadway

Where? : Imperial Theatre, New York 
When?  : Saturday 30th May 8pm

How could I not visit Les Miserables during my New York trip? As well as being a lifelong favourite (alongside Phantom), I'd heard on the grapevine that Broadway's version is quite different and I couldn't ignore that, I had to see this reimagining for myself.

I was particularly excited to see how they handled Javert's suicide considering that is the most infuriating part of the London version - the mood-killing, ever-hilarious, post-death rotate and roll offstage. Yes, I can see you rolling off stage up there - how am I suppose to connect to my emotional response to that characters demise when I can see the actor rolling offstage? In the Broadway version, this isn't an issue thanks to the fact there is no revolve. Instead, they use a mixture of flies and projection to give the illusion of Javert falling to the water below the bridge; a much more dramatic, impactful image to end on. 

However, I'm not condemning the revolve entirely; without it, the students death scene upon the barricade had much less impact. The visual impression of that revolving barricade cluttered with lifeless bodies holds more emotional weight than the static barricade.

The barricade generally wasn't a feature like it is in London, being used only in the one scene it was needed. I can't decide yet whether this is for the better or worse - I think, perhaps, neither better nor worse, just different. 

London's sets are subtler, relying on imagination and implication, Broadway hands the scenes to you more literally - there are frequent, detailed scene changes. I loved the scenery for "Look Down" - a facade of apartment blocks complete with windows and balconies where the ensemble sing from.

I found it quite a treat to watch former West End Phantoms Ramin Karimloo and Earl Carpenter perform together as Jean Valjean and Javert respectively. I thought their energies gelled well together but felt neither connected as well to their characters as they had to the phantom. 

The standout performance for me was Gavin Lee as Thenardier. I was completely captivated by him when he was onstage and he seemed to tap into an element of the character I hadn't felt from any previous incarnations - he merged the humour with the darkness and immorality to exactly the right degree. 
I also thought Brennyn Lark did a great job with one of my favourite characters, Eponine, she seemed to really understand the situation and emotions of the character, her reactions always spot on. I was surprised to see this is her Broadway debut, I think she'll do well. 

So, which do I prefer - Les Miz Broadway or Les Miz London? That's the interesting question here, ultimately, isn't it? It's something I've been pondering but I've come to the conclusion that perhaps it's best not to compare and just take them as they are - different interpretations of the same show. There are some things that are more effective in Broadway and some that are more effective in West End, but would I want a mix and match for the "perfect" performance?.... No. Les Miz London could benefit from a little freshening up, but, in the end, I think the two incarnations work best as individual and unique tellings of the same well-loved story. 

For more information or to book tickets for either region, please visit the official website www.lesmis.com 

 

Start Spreading the News.....

Lady Liberty in her best musical theatre pose :p

What's that I smell in the air? The American Dream. Or the New York Dream, to be more specific. FrankNFurter tells us "don't dream it, be it" and I'm finally taking that advice. So start spreading the news, I'm leaving at the end of May.

Why now? Why not? I've spent a long time putting it off, waiting to have more money, waiting for someone else to come with me, waiting for the moment for when it just feels "perfect". No more waiting. One of the biggest lies ever told is "good things come to those who wait" but NO, good things come to those who pick themselves up and make things happen. You can spend your entire life waiting for perfect circumstances that are just never going to happen, because, you know what, that's not life; It's very musical theatre.... but it's not life.

With this is mind, I booked to go to one place in the world I've been dreaming of. 

After a little research, I decided spring was a great time to go. The weather is no longer the bitter cold that goes with winter in New York, nor is it the suffocating stickiness that I'm led to believe summer can bring. Though I'm sure christmas in New York would be beautiful... that can be the new dream.

I've got 6 days to fill and it's a little overwhelming at the moment. There is just so much I want to see and do. Of course, a major pull for me is the theatre. I've got 3 shows booked so far :- Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Something Rotten and Les Miserables.

I'd like to see more but after working on a rough itinerary there is just so much to pack in - perhaps it would be better to wait and see how it's going while I'm there?

Like London, New York has a TKTS booth, but it seems the queues are horrendous and you can't book for an evening show before 3pm. This could be a bit of a blip in the middle of the day and I want to avoid queuing where-ever possible. Every moment is going to be precious.

If anyone has any must-do or must-see suggestions, please comment or tweet me. 

Everybody's Doing It.....

.... Talking about Les Miserables & Musicals, that is. It can be a confusing time for a long standing, devout theatre follower. Suddenly, I’m not necessarily the one starting the discussions; Random people are listening to the songs, colleagues are overheard talking animatedly about the merits of vocal ability over acting ability, magazines are jammed packed with photos, quotes and interviews from the movie cast.

And I’m happy, I am. This exposure is brilliant. Ordinary people in their droves will be going to see something other than Viva Forever. Hooray – the West End is saved.

........ But, look! - over there. It lurks in the dark recesses of the mind, the part you occasionally glance directly at but snap away from, it hurts to look there for more than a few seconds. Well, In there lives a frantic eyed gollum-esque version of yourself and this creature is not happy with the current turn of events. He wails in a pained, desperate imitation “Who Am I?”

When your identity is rolled up with your passion, it feels important to have an ownership of it. It feels like you have a right to make a claim for it, run aways with it and hides it. Tell no one else about it. A tendency toward the dramatic also carries a warning of possessive and obsessive behaviour.

Now, it’s taken out of your hands. It’s being divided up and shared around. Your scared and confused – no longer are you an individual with a quirky love of musicals. No. Now you’re part of the crowd.  You’re getting shoved and pushed and crushed by said crowd. But do you leave? No, of course you don’t. Because though it’s part of your identity, it’s not the whole and the reason it became part of you in the first place is through love. So, instead of being the jealous wife of a polygamous husband who shares himself between many, be the loving wife who promotes and nurtures the growth of the family (while also having a few more loves herself). Attendance at shows is what keeps it going, after all.    

Talking of attendance, I’ll be off to see The Hobbit - errr sorry - Les Mis again sometime this week........ because it’s MY precious! 

Les Miserables – A Story That Unites Us All (Well, Almost)

*Warning - Post Contains SPOILERS*

This is going to be just one droplet in a flood of Les Mis Movie reviews, but considering the emotive nature of the film, I think the word “reaction” is more appropriate than “review”.

My first reaction is to how far the appeal of this movie has stretched – far beyond the very dedicated but narrow viewership of musical theatre fans alone.  In my local cinema, on the second night of its release, in a normally barren land for culture, it has sold out to a roomful of people from all walks of life. I think what has captured most people is simply the fact it’s a well made movie with an intricately beautiful tapestry of a story at its core, woven around generations of characters – more than a story about revolution or class or persecution, it’s a story about people. The fact that it’s a musical is secondary, but hopefully those who are enticed by the story or cinematography will fall in love with the music as much as we, the theatre fans, do.

I was pleasantly satisfied by Anne Hathaway’s Fantine. Reading back on my initial thoughts on the trailer back in June, she was one I had big reservations about. But it worked, thankfully. Fantine is such a desperately miserable character that Hathway’s sweet, raw voice added to the sense of her fragility and hopelessness and had me in tears for her pathetic lot in life.  

Unfortunately I can’t say the same for Russell Crowe , I just cannot get onboard with his Javert. I tried to have an open mind watching him but from the moment he sung his first line, I just knew his voice didn’t suit the character. His acting was fine but the vocals let it down and Javert is such an important part – perhaps the most interesting character of them all.

Nor was I impressed with Amanda Seyfried as Cosette – she sounds like a fragile little lamb and I think Cosette is stronger than that. Her voice is just not good enough for those high notes she has to sustain. But, her part is small enough not to have the same kind of impact on the movie that Crowe does.

I always had high hopes for Hugh Jackman’s Valjean, as he comes from a background of musical theatre. I was nervous that he couldn’t cope with this iconic role at the start but as the character picks himself up, his voice gets stronger with it and I was relieved that it had been an acting choice to start weak. There were moments when I thought he was trying a bit too hard with his singing – perhaps having a bit too much of a warble and when he was singing ‘Bring Him Home’ I couldn’t help but think “They have Colm on set .... get him to do it” but that was unfair. While he’s no Colm when it comes to singing, he did a damn good job of a song he must’ve been nervous to put out there. As the central focus of the story, Jackman carried it well. 

Sacha Baron Cohen & Helena Bonham Carter as the Thenardiers – this was always going to be an excellent pairing, wasn’t it? Both have perfectly sinister, comedic stylings to suit these sneaky, scheming characters. Sacha’s little one liners are perfect mood lifters – the laughter was loud and almost hysterical (probably thanks to the momentary light relief) when he called Cosette ‘Courgette’.

I don’t think anyone will be surprised that I think Samantha Barks was just a perfect cast choice as Eponine. I wondered how she’d fare with the subtle on screen acting but she adapted with apparent ease and it’s a damn shame she hasn’t been nominated for an Oscar in best supporting actress. Shame on the academy.

The students were also all brilliant. Eddie Redmayne as Marius and Aaron Tveit as Enjolras flew the flag for these characters with confidence and vocal ability that shone. If you dropped either of them into the stage show now, I’d have no complaints.

I liked the nod to the stage show and theatre fans - after Enjolras is killed, he hangs from the window in exactly the same manner as he hangs from the barricade.

The first 15 minutes of the film were quite slow and the singing was weak, though this isn’t surprising given Hugh Jackman didn’t drink any water for 36 hours! I defy any singer to sound good with unnourished vocal chords.

Even so, I was nervous – was this going to be another disappointing rendition of a musical that has been “in my life” since I can remember? (*cough* Schumacher’s Phantom)

It quickly picked up, though – I’d say from the moment the factory scene begins – that’s not to put down Colm Wilkinson’s portrayal of the Bishop. As the original Valjean, I’m so pleased he was given a place in this film and he did an amazing job of what he was given. It’s just the story is still waiting to pick up at this point.

I think the nature of this musical is that the more lives that Valjean affects, the more paths he crosses, the richer the tale becomes.

From the factory scene onward, it became a fun game of ‘spot the westenders’ who make up a good majority of the ensemble cast. They may not have had the leading roles they’re used to (excluding Sam Barks of course) but at least they’ve been acknowledged and their presence is everywhere.

The linking scenes between times and/or places was often really beautifully done both visually and aurally. The one springing to mind right now is after Javert sings ‘Stars’ – the combined impact of that last note blending into ‘Look Down’ while the camera swoops across from Javert’s elevated platform overlooking the city, down, down into the streets where the beggars roam.

Talking of ‘Look Down’ - what a brilliant little actor Daniel Huttlestone is! And yet I’d heard nothing about him before watching the film. The focus with the children has been on young Cosette, Isabelle Allen; Probably because she is the “face” of the movie - Her image has been the one plastered over busses and billboards throughout the country and she has ‘shot’ to fame more dramatically than Huttlestone who has been grafting away in professional productions for a few years now. The moment he bounds onto the screen, challenging an upper class man travelling through the slums, this experience is obvious in just one sweep of his hand.

I couldn’t help thinking of walking dead when all the beggars were pummelling the window though - That’d be a twist we weren’t expecting.

There was a very poignant moment, after Gavroche has been shot and laid out with the other student’s bodies where Javert takes off his medal and places it on Gavroche’s lapel. This is a subtle moment that could only be portrayed through the medium of film. It signifies the start of Javerts spiral into doubting his world view and beliefs and I thought it was a touching moment.

Fans of the stage show will have noticed a few of the songs had been switched about. I was fine with this as logistically it worked out for the story in the way it had been done for the film. What I didn’t get is why they occasionally switched the lines around. For example, Valjean as the mayor:-

Stage show – “I run a business of repute, I am the mayor of this town”

Movie – “I am the mayor of this town, I run a business of repute”

Why? This didn’t seem necessary. It happened a few times, but this one really grated on my ear.  It didn’t flow as nicely.

It’s only minor quibbles I have, really, with this film which I otherwise loved. The tell tale sign of the impact this movie was having on the audience was the perfect silence. I wondered whether there’d be popcorn rustling, awkward giggling and whispering, singing along. But no, silence. Wonderful silence – during Hathaway’s I Dreamed a Dream you could’ve heard a pin drop in that room and that makes me so happy. This is a sign of people engrossed in the world of characters that I’ve grown up with.

Tom Hooper has done a fantastic job from all angles and this is as near to perfect for a film adaption as I could have hoped. My sobbing during the finale was not just for the emotion of the culmination of the story but because as a theatre fan this is a film we can be proud of. Well done all involved. Let’s hope the new fans will be inspired to see the stage show now and keep this show, that means so much to so many, going for another 25 years (and more).

Book tickets to see the stage show that inspired the movie at http://www.lesmis.com/uk/

Read orginal Cosette Rebecca Caine’s blog post on what it feels like to be part of the original cast http://broadwayworld.com/article/LES-MISERABLES-The-View-From-The-Original-London-Cast-20130113

In Focus: Les Miserables Trailer & Upcoming Film Adaptation

I seem to be in the minority here, judging by the excitement on twitter, but I was a little underwhelmed by the trailer for the upcoming Les Miserables movie that was unleashed upon the world on Wednesday of last week. Here it is if it’s somehow passed anyone by, or if you’re just ridiculously excited and want to watch it again:-

It starts with Anne Hathaway singing ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ and the first thing I think is that I’ve seen YouTube clips of amateur singers singing it better. I don’t mean this as harshly as it seems – those amateur singers are technically very good. But that’s just the point. Technically, she’s not very good. She has a sweet voice and it sounds alright but I just don’t think alright is good enough when you’re making a film of this magnitude; A film of a production that means so much to so many. There’s no strength or control to her vocal ability. I suppose you could argue that the character is at a vulnerable point at this stage of the story and that she wouldn’t be strong or in control. This is true, but I don’t think you should dramatise that through singing style. It should be done through acting. I think of some of the Fantine’s I’ve seen in the stage versions   - Ruthie Henshall, Lea Salonga, Caroline Sheen – they prove that  you can still sing strongly and capture the character’s vulnerability and hopelessness.

I feel I have to defend this opinion here after reading the review on www.lastminutetheatretickets.com where Julie Robinson says the following:

“To be frank, people who leave remarks like these are just highlighting the ignorance on their part. Hathaway is an accomplished vocalist who has a very strong voice; a fact she has displayed on numerous occasions.”

When I heard that Hathaway was to play Fantine the first thing I did was find clips of her singing and based on all the evidence  I disagree with the above statement.  I think she’s shown she has a pleasantly sweet singing voice but certainly not strong. For a taste of things to come here’s a link to the clip of Hathaway and Jackman singing together for the Oscars at the 81^st Annual Academy Awards (Hathaway joins in at 4:00)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Terhj8mjPwY 

This leads nicely on to Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean. There’s not too much given away in the trailer just a few clips of him in character at different stages of the story. I’m quite content with the casting of Jackman in this role. He has a background in Musical Theatre, having started his career in theatre, most notably performing as Curly in ‘Oklahoma’ in the West End in 1998.

I’m trying to keep an open mind about Russell Crowe as Javert. He looks menacing enough and seems to convey that air of over inflated authority that I feel Javert as a character must possess (except where are the trademark sideburns?). I haven’t heard him sing much, so I’m not sure what to expect. Philip Quast is always going to be the perfect Javert in my eyes, which I realise is a bit unfair as that’s a big talent to match.

Samantha Barks, on the other hand, is the perfect Eponine to me and I’m very excited to see her in this film adaptation. She looks exactly as I’d imagine Eponine would look and has the right kind of singing voice. And, of course, she is first and foremost a musical theatre performer so she's flying the flag (literally) for those people who do this night after night and never tire, yet get consigned to extras in the film.

I do realise why the producers do this. It's a bums on seats deal. Big Hollywood names = Bigger audience attraction rate. Whilst this may be annoying, it's a fact of film and I'm not going to get too upset over that. If it means more people will come and see the theatrical version then it's not all bad. 

Eddie Redmayne has been a real surprise. Only when I approached writing up my thoughts of the upcoming film did I do some research into his singing voice and, I have to say, it stopped me in my tracks! I’d never have thought he’d have such a good singing voice whilst watching him crawl through muddy trenches in the gritty BBC adaptation of the Sebastian Faulks novel 'Birdsong' earlier this year. I still don’t think he looks right as Marius but that’s probably been because I’ve seen the likes of Michael Ball and Fra Fee in the role. I’ve come to expect him to be more innocent looking with curly hair. Eddie Redmayne looks harsher, more world weary. After hearing him sing, though, I’m quite looking forward to seeing what he does with this role.

We don’t see Sacha Baron Cohen or Helena Bonham Carter in this trailer (I wonder if double barrel surnames were a requirement of the actors playing these parts) but I’m sure they will be fine in their respective roles - looking at the picture below, it's not at all difficult to imagine them together as the Thenardier's. They are both known for playing comedic yet sinister characters which they both demonstrated in the film adaptation of ‘Sweeney Todd’.  I’d say this is the most important requirement for these characters over vocal ability.

In conclusion, I’m going to keep my expectations low for this film; I would rather it exceeds my expectations than disappoint. Even though there have been plenty of well made film adaptations of musicals, such as Sweeney Todd, Chicago and Rent, I’m still feeling the sting from the disappointing 2006 film adaption of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ which is one of the ultimate musicals, just like Les Miserables and I think that makes it much more of a risk. 

I found this clip on YouTube earlier showcasing each cast members singing voice, so have a listen if you haven’t heard them all already and catch them all at Christmas time, hopefully doing justice to our well loved characters, at a cinema near you:-

note: above video belongs to wolfart2003 on YouTube

Review: Les Miserables, Queen's Theatre, London, Saturday 4th Feb 7.30pm

I can’t begin to review this performance without first acknowledging that Ramin Karimloo was scheduled to be Jean Valjean on this evening but had to pull out due to sickness. Like many people in the audience, I had chosen to see les mis on this occasion over all the other shows primarily to see him in this role. And I’m not going to lie, I was crushingly disappointed.

That being said, it is the nature of live, long running theatre that you can never guarantee what performer you will see. Everyone gets sick now and again, especially when pushing themselves hard, as Ramin has been. Would you go into work if you were sick? Let this be a reminder that when you book to see a show, you are doing just that – booking to see the show, not the performer.

Robert Vickers was the understudy on this occasion and it cannot have been easy performing to an audience full of disappointed people expecting to see Ramin. It was obvious that he was giving the performance everything he had, I don’t think he could have tried harder. The only problem was his voice just wasn’t strong enough, struggling to hold the crucial note at the end of  ‘2,4,6,0,1’ in ‘Who am I’ and again during the dying scene. With the latter he tried to cover it up by turning it into the pain the character would have been feeling, which was entirely plausible, but it was still a definite glitch. There was also a moment, where he must have picked up the chair in the wrong way after the confrontation scene and it fell apart in his hands.

It must be noted that Robert Vickers is the 2^nd cover and possibly not well rehearsed and much less familiar with the part than even Christopher Jacobsen (1^st cover) would have been. There was someone at the front of the auditorium who was showing a lot of encouragement for him with much cheering after the big numbers and I’m pleased that he had this support. It’s just unfortunate that some less forgiving theatre goers around me wouldn’t put aside their disappointment to appreciate what they did have.

And what we did have was an otherwise brilliant cast. There were 2 other understudies performing on this evening and they were two that I’d actually been hoping to see over the main ones - Fra Fee as Marius and Scott Garnham as Enjolras.  I’ve been aware of them for a while and heard only good things and they didn’t disappoint.

The female leads were technically very good, even if I wasn’t blown away. Alexia Khadime as Eponine has a strong voice but at times it got a little too nasally for my liking. Perhaps I was always going to be harsh in my opinion of Eponine, though, as Samantha Barks was perfect in that role to me.

I have to give mention to Katy Secombe (who, I later found out, is the daughter of Harry Secombe) and Cameron Blakely as the comic relief in the form of the Thénardiers. I particularly loved the part during the beggars banquet where Thénardier spins her right off into the wings, literally stopping the show as if it were a mistake – nice touch.   

For me, the absolute standout performance goes to Hadley Fraser as Javert. There is something reminiscent of Philip Quast’s Javert in his sneering portrayal and he has this presence that is essential for the character – an oppressing authority with unwavering conviction in what he believes is good & bad. Hadley is well matched to this role, much more than he was to the role of Raoul for Phantom 25.

A note to the director, though – can’t something be done about Javert’s exit after his suicide? The rolling off stage always makes me laugh in a moment which is supposed to be sombre and I heard someone behind me chuckling too. It is a bit of a moment killer.

I also want to give some recognition to James Charlton, a swing filling in one of the student roles. There was something magnetic about him, that stage presence which pulls  ones attention and he has this. I particularly liked an interjection he made after Grantaire sings ‘I’ve never seen him ooo and ahh’ after which he pitches in with ‘Oh, this time you’ve gone too far, Grantaire’. I don’t know if that’s always in it and I’ve just never heard it so clearly or if he adlibbed it. Whichever way, it made me smile.

I really noticed the use of cold, uplighting during this performance highlighting the more sinister turns – for example the latter half of ‘lovely ladies’ where it turns from being a fairly light-hearted look at the life to which these women have resigned themselves to the nightmarish reality – an atmosphere created purely by a small change in lighting state creating looming shadows against the grey wall behind them. The same technique is used for the transition from the wedding chorale to beggars at the feast where the Thénardiers take over the scene and it’s transformed into something distorted.

So, Ramin may not have been in it, but it’s still an amazing show and a captivating, heart wrenching story put together into this phenomenon that has seen many performers come and go. A production that is worth booking whether there’s a well known performer or not. I’m not saying there weren’t times I was wondering how Ramin would have sung certain parts or how he would have portrayed the character, but that wasn’t how it worked out and sometimes you just have to except that, move on and enjoy the show and the cast you are presented with.  You may even discover someone new.