661 posts
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Post by Oleanna on Sept 23, 2024 11:56:55 GMT
Difficult to answer. If you need the staging to feel like you’ve seen Les Mis proper than I’d avoid. It’s also a truncated version of the show. Act two really zips along for what it’s worth. If you love the score, any opportunity to see it is worthwhile. You can also watch Michael Ball chew what little set there is, if that’s your thing. What bits have they cut? Bring Him Home, hopefully. |
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Post by blamerobots on Sept 23, 2024 15:51:14 GMT
Too numerous and insignificant to count. What's usually cut on the West End (trimmed down COAC, no full Little People, etc.) Just lots of small tweaks on top of it.
Off the top of my head in the concerts they cut some small bits of dialogue at the barricade, shortening instrumental passages like after the second Barricade attack and the walk through the sewers, child Eponine at the inn and the MOTH intro, things like that. It makes an already pretty tight show run even tighter, I think literally about 5, 10 or so minutes shorter.
I am sure that as the tour goes on more and more tiny things will go. Usually it's the instrumental passages going first.
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Post by solangelafitte on Sept 25, 2024 18:06:39 GMT
Any covers list for this as a matter of interest? VALJEAN Daniel Koek Owain Williams JAVERT Adam Robert Lewis Shaun Dalton COSETTE Jo Stephenson Charlie Geoghegan FANTINE Mary-Jean Caldwell Olivia Brereton THÉNARDIER Raymond Walsh Michael Burgen MADAME THÉNARDIER Helen Walsh Georgie Lovatt EPONINE Jo Stephenson Beth Curnock MARIUS Caleb Lagayan Harry Grant Smith ENJOLRAS Andrew Maxwell Jonathon Bentley Thought for sure Jeremy Secomb was brought in to cover Javert as well but not the case! |
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8,208 posts
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Post by alece10 on Oct 4, 2024 7:29:59 GMT
14 years ago today (according to my Facebook reminder) I went to the 25th Anniversary concert at the o2 Arena.
How time flies.
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2,043 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Oct 4, 2024 8:56:30 GMT
They are using most of the Gielgud set hence it looking the same. I know - how ridiculous. Gielgud about as far from an arena as you can get! Everything is cheap in 2024. (Today's sweeping statement lol). Pretty much. The term I used yesterday (not referencing theatre particularly) was "cut to the bone" |
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Post by wardrobemistress76 on Oct 5, 2024 11:23:22 GMT
Lovely chaps, but why oh why do Ball & Boe get such praise for their terrible portrayals of Javert & Valjean? Why do people flock to them? Am I missing something??
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1,488 posts
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Post by BVM on Oct 5, 2024 11:33:29 GMT
Lovely chaps, but why oh why do Ball & Boe get such praise for their terrible portrayals of Javert & Valjean? Why do people flock to them? Am I missing something?? Agreed. I’m assuming it’s their fan army who, without wishing to sound rude, wouldn’t know a good vs bad portrayal of these characters. (Fully appreciate that does in fact sound rude but dunno how else to express it). Also I guess nuance in characterisation is always gonna be less important when you’re projecting to the back row of an arena. |
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1,488 posts
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Post by BVM on Oct 5, 2024 11:37:11 GMT
On another matter, can someone who understands music tell me if there’s something about the sing of Javert that makes it incredibly slobbery.
Jaden, Ball, Stewart Clarke all produce the most enormous volumes of saliva I’ve ever seen.
Maybe it’s coincidence. But Javert always seems to shower the stage in a way Valjean (and all other characters) don’t!
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Post by blamerobots on Oct 5, 2024 14:27:48 GMT
Singing low quite a lot!
Also on the Boe and Ball matter, I personally can't stand them either but they both have great projection and great fanbases so I suppose for this concert it would help by averaging out all the factors so the most people are happy.
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Post by firefingers on Oct 7, 2024 11:57:29 GMT
Caught this at the gala night in Glasgow, as I have friends on it (the after party was good, it had an ice cream bar and a bloody carvery!)
It was great to hear it with the 27 piece orchestra, and all performances were at least solid with Jac Yarrow's Marius and particularly James D Gish's Enjolras being very strong. I enjoyed Alfie Boe as much as I did seeing him town 13(?) Years ago, but Micheal Ball still misses something for me in his Javert. The lack of set and projected dates does leave it a little confusing, if you didn't know about the cart crash you'd be completely baffled at that point. I enjoyed the flown truss, creating the Thenadier pub roof with them was pretty clever. It did rather all make me long for the original revolving, barricade-sliding version that we are unlikely to see again.
Cameron Mackintosh gave a speech at the end, as did Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil. Apparently a world tour version has been in the making for nearly two decades. He also made a joke about this version meaning less people to pay royalties to which given the rumours about why the West End production was changed seemed a little cruel.
Anyway, it's a 3.5 stars from me, a decent night out (Haggis scotch eggs at the party get a 5, they were incredible).
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Post by blamerobots on Oct 7, 2024 14:53:20 GMT
the rumours about why the West End production was changed seemed a little cruel. A rumour that everyone knows is true LOL |
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163 posts
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Post by Alejo on Oct 7, 2024 22:20:54 GMT
Caught this at the gala night in Glasgow, as I have friends on it (the after party was good, it had an ice cream bar and a bloody carvery!) It was great to hear it with the 27 piece orchestra, and all performances were at least solid with Jac Yarrow's Marius and particularly James D Gish's Enjolras being very strong. I enjoyed Alfie Boe as much as I did seeing him town 13(?) Years ago, but Micheal Ball still misses something for me in his Javert. The lack of set and projected dates does leave it a little confusing, if you didn't know about the cart crash you'd be completely baffled at that point. I enjoyed the flown truss, creating the Thenadier pub roof with them was pretty clever. It did rather all make me long for the original revolving, barricade-sliding version that we are unlikely to see again. Cameron Mackintosh gave a speech at the end, as did Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil. Apparently a world tour version has been in the making for nearly two decades. He also made a joke about this version meaning less people to pay royalties to which given the rumours about why the West End production was changed seemed a little cruel. Anyway, it's a 3.5 stars from me, a decent night out (Haggis scotch eggs at the party get a 5, they were incredible). No, that's not what Cameron said. He paid tribute to Victor Hugo and made the joke, "...who mercifully isn't here to collect any royalties". That was it. I was there Friday and Saturday nights and agree that the orchestra sounds fantastic, and at a much calmer pace than usual. I thought the staging (for a concert) and lighting were great and worked well in an arena. I also like the nod to the original production with the bridge above the stage in the Paris 'Look Down', and the Thenardiers popping up from the sewer in One Day More. Alfie Boe sings Valjean much better than Killian Donnelly, so I did miss him on Saturday night. But Bradley Jaden is superior to the "Michael Ball does Javert" performance on the Friday. The other standouts for me were James D Gish as Enjolras (absolutely loved his voice); Emily Bautista as Eponine; and Gavin Lee and Bonnie Langford as the Thenardiers. I'm happy I've seen this arena concert, but unless I'm tempted back by future casting, I'll just stick to the fully staged production in a normal theatre. |
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Post by dinkydonie on Oct 18, 2024 0:37:14 GMT
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5,996 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Oct 18, 2024 6:47:58 GMT
the rumours about why the West End production was changed seemed a little cruel. A rumour that everyone knows is true LOL This ain’t a rumour. It’s exactly why the original production was shut down and replaced. What a guy. |
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3,556 posts
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Post by ceebee on Oct 18, 2024 7:26:54 GMT
That's just about far enough away for Matt Lucas. Enjoy his comedy work, but his Thenardier is a hackneyed cliche of a character. |
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Post by distantcousin on Oct 18, 2024 7:41:57 GMT
On another matter, can someone who understands music tell me if there’s something about the sing of Javert that makes it incredibly slobbery. Jaden, Ball, Stewart Clarke all produce the most enormous volumes of saliva I’ve ever seen. Maybe it’s coincidence. But Javert always seems to shower the stage in a way Valjean (and all other characters) don’t! OMG!! I'm all ears! |
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1,330 posts
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Post by londonmzfitz on Oct 18, 2024 11:00:34 GMT
Chucking in my thoughts about the last performance in Belfast a few weeks ago, which I've had festering in my head ...
Uncomfortable seats (fold up chairs) for the flat stalls that were placed too close to each other (or were the seats too thin - maybe I'm too fat ((eek))), so the guy to my right who didn't take off his huge overcoat and the larger lady to my left meant I had my arms folded in front of me for the entire performance; even applauding I was unable to put my elbows to my sides (does that sound weird? It was damn uncomfortable).
I was literally front and centre, front stalls, centre seat, centre block. And yet I feel I couldn't fully engage with the performances - the music was terrific, but the musicians so far at the back of the stage I couldn't see them; once the thought that the actors were stepping from mic to mic to sing, with minimal acting, popped in my head I couldn't get it out of my head.
Side flat stalls both sides - man, I'd have been disappointed if I'd sat there - big screens in front on both sides picking up the main stuff but again, I doubt I would have been able to fully engage if I'd sat there ..
Had Michael and Alfie that performance - thought both performed very well, Alfie in particular was in terrific voice. I think I'd like to see him in something else to discover his acting abilities. People applauding over that last note of Bring Him Home drives me nuts. Mr Big Overcoat didn't applaud once for Michael (again, front and centre so came across as dickish - is there a Nob Behaviour At A Show thread?) but he whooped and hollered for Bonnie who I thought overacted her little heart out ...
I now have a huge crush on James D Gish, who was a standout in this show for me.
Just about reaches a 3* from me, for Alfie and James D Gish. I'd have really liked to see Killian (which is why I'd booked Belfast before the casting dates were announced) but I'm not going through another disappointing evening like Belfast again.
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Post by dinkydonie on Oct 18, 2024 11:22:34 GMT
That's just about far enough away for Matt Lucas. Enjoy his comedy work, but his Thenardier is a hackneyed cliche of a character. He's not the worst Thenardier out there, I just think that there's ad-libs and then there's ad-libs. Just look at the comparison between the 25th anniversary and the staged concert footage. Bit much in my humble opinion. |
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Post by BVM on Oct 19, 2024 7:59:40 GMT
On another matter, can someone who understands music tell me if there’s something about the sing of Javert that makes it incredibly slobbery. Jaden, Ball, Stewart Clarke all produce the most enormous volumes of saliva I’ve ever seen. Maybe it’s coincidence. But Javert always seems to shower the stage in a way Valjean (and all other characters) don’t! OMG!! I'm all ears! Not sure anyone knows!
Love Jaden and Clarke's Javerts but I usually sit row A and it's so distracting! |
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Post by dinkydonie on Oct 30, 2024 18:51:23 GMT
Katie Hall to leave the Sondheim Production and join the arena tour for 6 venues. Lucie Jones to reprise Fantine in Katie's place at the Sondheim from December to February. http://instagram.com/p/DBwkFhxo82F |
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163 posts
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Post by Alejo on Oct 31, 2024 18:14:15 GMT
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396 posts
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Post by theatrenerd on Nov 14, 2024 14:47:40 GMT
Are they really not adding anymore UK dates/cities for this?
Just had an e-mail saying “last chance to see in the UK” before it goes off on its world tour.
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Post by thenightowl on Nov 14, 2024 15:19:18 GMT
Are they really not adding anymore UK dates/cities for this? Just had an e-mail saying “last chance to see in the UK” before it goes off on its world tour. It was my understanding that the tour would return to the UK to other as yet unannounced dates after the rest of world tour was complete, not sure where I read/heard this though. |
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Post by alece10 on Nov 14, 2024 15:22:11 GMT
Are they really not adding anymore UK dates/cities for this? Just had an e-mail saying “last chance to see in the UK” before it goes off on its world tour. It was my understanding that the tour would return to the UK to other as yet unannounced dates after the rest of world tour was complete, not sure where I read/heard this though. Thats my understanding too |
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1,934 posts
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Post by LaLuPone on Nov 14, 2024 15:38:12 GMT
It will return to the UK next Autumn for the 40th anniversary surely, including the O2 or Wembley on the actual anniversary?
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