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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2016 12:13:14 GMT
Couldn't agree more with your comments, Oleanna. Such a pity... Like a completely different show now from the original.
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Post by ShoesForRent on Apr 10, 2016 17:42:19 GMT
Well, she is London's longest running Eponine... but I see what you mean by just another actress. She (Carrie) isn't West End's longest running Eponine BTW... she's like fourth or fifth... (I know this is from a while ago- I just read through the thread) |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 10, 2016 18:02:06 GMT
Couple of thoughts from last nights performance. Eva Noblezada was a bit 'meh' all the way through apart from On My Own which she knocked outta the park and got an extended ovation for.
Sorry I don't know the names for the rest of this...
Alternatives were on for both of the Thenardiers, very good but wow the guy has a weird face on him! He's the one from the chorus who usually plays the toff who Fantine scratches. A slightly camp "ooh missus" take on the inn-keeper but I liked it and not sorry to miss Phil Daniels.
Alternative on for Enroljas, big stocky young feller, liked him.
Cossette and Marius...... Wimpy. She seemed to be playing 14 years old, and her voice grated "chirp chirp chirp". He looked a right mummy's boy. I expected some woman in a mob cap to come on, spit on a hanky and wipe his face. Romantic lead? Never in a million years.
Javert, great but a bit on the shouty side for me. Valjean, excellent.
It still looks great, first half seemed to fly by. I know we sometimes joje about the turntable and I really liked the 25 tour staging without it, but the way it's used really is very clever.
Still a great show.
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Post by Dave25 on Apr 10, 2016 19:04:52 GMT
Has anyone seen Eva yet? I'm going down next week, looking forward to it. Will put her Oliviers performance down to nerves. On My Own used to be slow and beautiful but current directors obsessed with forcing the actresses into an angrily spitting every other word at 100mph while running around the stage and gesturing with the hat. That goes for the whole show too. Get it over as quickly, and with as much heightened emotion, as you can! They seem to forget that certain (softly) sung notes works as actors themselves too. They are losing the whole essence of this artform. Emotion comes from notes too, instead of just, crying, screaming or speaking them. That does not make it more realistic because they are still singing. If anything, it separates the acting from the singing. "raw emotion" lies in other things with sung through material. |
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Post by Oleanna on Apr 10, 2016 20:21:47 GMT
That goes for the whole show too. Get it over as quickly, and with as much heightened emotion, as you can! They seem to forget that certain (softly) sung notes works as actors themselves too. They are losing the whole essence of this artform. Emotion comes from notes too, instead of just, crying, screaming or speaking them. That does not make it more realistic because they are still singing. If anything, it separates the acting from the singing. "raw emotion" lies in other things with sung through material. Agree entirely, dave25. The composer took the effort to write all of the notes on the page - why not sing them? You don't find opera singers usurping the notes in favour of shouting, and thus, finding more emotion...! (Well not normally intentionally, anyway!) |
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Post by Dave25 on Apr 10, 2016 20:35:07 GMT
That's also why I don't understand Hugh Jackman in the Les Mis film at all.
All stage Valjeans sang "Now come on ladies, settle down", and they kept the word "down" short. Very natural and filmic.
Jackman, speaks 4 words, and then switches to singing on the last syllable and vibrates for 10 seconds on the word "dooooooown".
And that is supposed to make it feel raw and natural? Get out of here. It takes people out of the emotion. It makes it a parody of the material.
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Post by theatre-turtle on Apr 10, 2016 23:23:01 GMT
Couple of thoughts from last nights performance. Eva Noblezada was a bit 'meh' all the way through apart from On My Own which she knocked outta the park and got an extended ovation for. Sorry I don't know the names for the rest of this... Alternatives were on for both of the Thenardiers, very good but wow the guy has a weird face on him! He's the one from the chorus who usually plays the toff who Fantine scratches. A slightly camp "ooh missus" take on the inn-keeper but I liked it and not sorry to miss Phil Daniels. Alternative on for Enroljas, big stocky young feller, liked him. Cossette and Marius...... Wimpy. She seemed to be playing 14 years old, and her voice grated "chirp chirp chirp". He looked a right mummy's boy. I expected some woman in a mob cap to come on, spit on a hanky and wipe his face. Romantic lead? Never in a million years. Javert, great but a bit on the shouty side for me. Valjean, excellent. It still looks great, first half seemed to fly by. I know we sometimes joje about the turntable and I really liked the 25 tour staging without it, but the way it's used really is very clever. Still a great show. Thanks for the report. Agreed about the new Cossette and Marius. Way too lightweight and wet fish for such roles. Marius used to be a weighty and powerful role (my place, is here, I'll fight, WITH YOUUUUUUU etc), but the current Marius is a bit rabbit in the headlights. |
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Post by crabtree on Apr 12, 2016 21:09:55 GMT
I do remember seeing the show in previews at the barbican, and it being so much longer....was it about three and a half hours, if not longer. I must dig out the programme and see what has been cut over the years, or can anyone help. But oh that original cast of actors who could sing. it would be interesting to see a then and now side by side and see how the characters have transformed - I'm sure Alun Armstrong and Sue Jane Tanner were not as pantomime as the Thenardiers are now.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2016 8:20:54 GMT
I do remember seeing the show in previews at the barbican, and it being so much longer....was it about three and a half hours, if not longer. I must dig out the programme and see what has been cut over the years, or can anyone help. But oh that original cast of actors who could sing. it would be interesting to see a then and now side by side and see how the characters have transformed - I'm sure Alun Armstrong and Sue Jane Tanner were not as pantomime as the Thenardiers are now. There's a song on Colm Wilkinson's website that was cut, with Valjean meeting Cosette at the well... Members of the original cast were reunited (with the exception of David Burt) for the 25th Anniversary at the O2. Yes, they used to sing it, and they still could, knocking spots off some of the cast assembled for the special show...*cough* Marius *cough* The Thenardiers weren't played nearly as panto as they are today, and their Beggars at the Feast costumes and makeup weren't nearly as over the top. (I managed to get AA's and SJT's autograph after the O2 show, and commented to the latter how the casting of Mme in more recent years has seen a "fuller-figured" type, which she laughed about! In actual fact, in the book she is a big woman, so SJT's slight frame was at odds with Victor Hugo's creation!) I also remember when the set was grey, not black, and the costumes for all the characters weren't nearly as colourful... And I loved the original introduction music to the show (a variation on the introduction to At the End of the Day) instead of the one that was later introduced and has remained. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Apr 13, 2016 12:41:16 GMT
The well scene was there in Barbican previews, but was cut for time. It returned in 1997 with the Broadway 10th anniversary, I think? It was shortened with the overtime cuts in 2000/2001.
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Post by greenice on Apr 13, 2016 15:59:57 GMT
Thenardier used to punch Eponine in the face after her scream, she'd come out in after the interval with a bruise. I guess it was cut to make him more of a lovable rogue.
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Post by ali973 on Apr 13, 2016 16:16:50 GMT
Does anyone know when Rachelle is back in the London production? I want to see her against Eva.
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Post by tf on Apr 17, 2016 21:20:11 GMT
Does anyone know when Rachelle is back in the London production? I want to see her against Eva. She'll be back on May 9 www.lesmis.com/uk/2016/01/cast-changes-for-les-miz-london/While I haven't seen anything announced, that date could be pushed back a bit because of her involvement in Les Mis' Manila run, which has been extended till May 1. I doubt it'd be pushed back though. The Manila run's Bishop said he's flying back to London on May 2. |
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Apr 18, 2016 21:33:10 GMT
Is there any indication (either from the performers themselves or just past patterns) as to how long Rachelle and Eva will be in it after May?
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Post by ShoesForRent on Apr 18, 2016 21:43:28 GMT
Is there any indication (either from the performers themselves or just past patterns) as to how long Rachelle and Eva will be in it after May? Eva tweeted a while ago she'd be in until Dec I think |
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Apr 19, 2016 9:12:53 GMT
Thanks  |
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Post by raiseitup on Apr 20, 2016 12:37:42 GMT
Does anyone know when Rachelle is back in the London production? I want to see her against Eva. She'll be back on May 9 www.lesmis.com/uk/2016/01/cast-changes-for-les-miz-london/While I haven't seen anything announced, that date could be pushed back a bit because of her involvement in Les Mis' Manila run, which has been extended till May 1. I doubt it'd be pushed back though. The Manila run's Bishop said he's flying back to London on May 2. She's just tweeted she's back on 12th May |
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Post by 49thand8th on Apr 20, 2016 14:05:42 GMT
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Post by djp on Apr 21, 2016 2:12:41 GMT
I do remember seeing the show in previews at the barbican, and it being so much longer....was it about three and a half hours, if not longer. I must dig out the programme and see what has been cut over the years, or can anyone help. But oh that original cast of actors who could sing. it would be interesting to see a then and now side by side and see how the characters have transformed - I'm sure Alun Armstrong and Sue Jane Tanner were not as pantomime as the Thenardiers are now. Thats with the last Eponine and Marius though - who are both stronger than what seems to have followed. |
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Post by tf on Apr 21, 2016 4:11:37 GMT
Does anyone know when Rachelle is back in the London production? I want to see her against Eva. So Rachelle's back on May 12, as a co-member posted above. Eva tweeted that they'll perform together on every show in their respective runs. |
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Post by catqc on Apr 21, 2016 10:37:46 GMT
Does anyone know when Rachelle is back in the London production? I want to see her against Eva. So Rachelle's back on May 12, as a co-member posted above. Eva tweeted that they'll perform together on every show in their respective runs. Confused as to why they wouldn't be...? |
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Post by daniel on Apr 21, 2016 10:52:57 GMT
So Rachelle's back on May 12, as a co-member posted above. Eva tweeted that they'll perform together on every show in their respective runs. Confused as to why they wouldn't be...? I was thinking the exact same thing!! |
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Post by talkstageytome on Apr 21, 2016 11:30:57 GMT
Maybe just confiming that there are no alternates to those who didn't know how to/could be bothered to check?
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Post by 49thand8th on Apr 21, 2016 14:19:54 GMT
That has to be why. People get asked all the time if they're scheduled out one or two shows a week, even if it's a role that has never traditionally had alternates.
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Post by chrismis on Apr 22, 2016 8:40:00 GMT
While we're on the subject of alternates has anyone on here seen the wonderful Adam Bayjou as Jean Valjean? He's been giving amazing performances every Wednesday night and covered many other periods of holiday and illness since last June and yet there has been hardly any mention of him on here. I'd like to know what other people think. I first saw him last July and have travelled back to see him on several occasions. His 'Bring Him Home' is sublime and sounds really effortless and his acting is faultless. He's really impressive and well worth seeing in my opinion. I really hope he'll play the role full time eventually.
He's done an incredible job in this, his FIRST West End show! The last performer who impressed me this much was Michael Ball in Pirates of Penzance in Manchester in 1986 (before Les Mis)!
If anyone hasn't seen him yet he's covering the week from 2nd-7th May as well as his normal Wednesday nights until 11th June.
He's well worth a visit! (In my opinion).
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