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Post by Dr Tom on Aug 11, 2019 13:34:49 GMT
How is this version for gunshots and explosions? Is this finally a chance for those of us who don’t like them to watch the show in comfort? they don't have any guns that are used. There is a sound effect but I would usually stick my fingers in my ears because I knew where they were. This I didn't need to. Brilliant, thanks. I’m fine with sound effects. |
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Aug 11, 2019 18:37:05 GMT
This made me laugh
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Post by miz on Aug 12, 2019 23:56:46 GMT
I returned my ticket for tonight's show due to a work commitment(T_T). Delfont agreed to put it up for resale as it was a full house tonight. So, I will have to wait for my first night till next Monday (JOJ!).
As for AB raising the roof with BHH, it is exactly what puts me off AB's JVJ. The aria is not there for an actor/singer to show off his voice but to tell the story. The reason I admire JOJ so much is that he never puts himself before the music. Rather, he is there to serve it because he respects it. He pays his respect to the music by singing it perfectly. Anyway, that's what I think.
AB used to be a fine, but not exceptional, opera singer and I enjoyed listening to him in several different operas. But am I wrong in thinking that the less one is familiar with opera, the more he/she tends to be impressed by AB's BHH?
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1,210 posts
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Post by musicalmarge on Aug 13, 2019 6:32:36 GMT
I returned my ticket for tonight's show due to a work commitment(T_T). Delfont agreed to put it up for resale as it was a full house tonight. So, I will have to wait for my first night till next Monday (JOJ!). As for AB raising the roof with BHH, it is exactly what puts me off AB's JVJ. The aria is not there for an actor/singer to show off his voice but to tell the story. The reason I admire JOJ so much is that he never puts himself before the music. Rather, he is there to serve it because he respects it. He pays his respect to the music by singing it perfectly. Anyway, that's what I think. AB used to be a fine, but not exceptional, opera singer and I enjoyed listening to him in several different operas. But am I wrong in thinking that the less one is familiar with opera, the more he/she tends to be impressed by AB's BHH? The abbreviations of names is terribly confusing. Lol |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 13, 2019 8:55:06 GMT
I think people either like Alfie or they don’t, I doubt whether it’s to do with how much they know about Opera.
JOJ is brilliant but I’ve seen him in les mis twice if not three times so I’m going for Alfie for the concert. I wouldn’t care in the slightest if there were to be a last minute substitution though!
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Post by londonmzfitz on Aug 13, 2019 9:52:39 GMT
I returned my ticket for tonight's show due to a work commitment(T_T). Delfont agreed to put it up for resale as it was a full house tonight. So, I will have to wait for my first night till next Monday (JOJ!). As for AB raising the roof with BHH, it is exactly what puts me off AB's JVJ. The aria is not there for an actor/singer to show off his voice but to tell the story. The reason I admire JOJ so much is that he never puts himself before the music. Rather, he is there to serve it because he respects it. He pays his respect to the music by singing it perfectly. Anyway, that's what I think. AB used to be a fine, but not exceptional, opera singer and I enjoyed listening to him in several different operas. But am I wrong in thinking that the less one is familiar with opera, the more he/she tends to be impressed by AB's BHH? Respectfully, I think the song can be sung well *and* serve the story. The reaction to the song (by the audience) is out of the artists control. I thought Alfie's performance on Saturday was astonishing; do I think he should "dial it down" so it doesn't detract from the rest of the show? No. This is, after all, the concert version. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Aug 13, 2019 14:05:21 GMT
I returned my ticket for tonight's show due to a work commitment(T_T). Delfont agreed to put it up for resale as it was a full house tonight. So, I will have to wait for my first night till next Monday (JOJ!). As for AB raising the roof with BHH, it is exactly what puts me off AB's JVJ. The aria is not there for an actor/singer to show off his voice but to tell the story. The reason I admire JOJ so much is that he never puts himself before the music. Rather, he is there to serve it because he respects it. He pays his respect to the music by singing it perfectly. Anyway, that's what I think. AB used to be a fine, but not exceptional, opera singer and I enjoyed listening to him in several different operas. But am I wrong in thinking that the less one is familiar with opera, the more he/she tends to be impressed by AB's BHH? The abbreviations of names is terribly confusing. Lol How so? This was the common method back in the late '90s when I started talking about the show on message boards. Abbreviate the names, abbreviate the names of the songs. People got it. |
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Post by danb on Aug 13, 2019 14:53:15 GMT
But its so confusing! The initials of the people in it are constantly shifting, as are those of the song titles of this thirty odd year old musical! Is it any wonder people can’t invest the seconds it takes to work it out? MB mmmmm is Martin Ball off of ‘Wicked’ in it? And Coronation Street bad guy Alan Bradley hasn’t had a West End lead in decades. Who COULD it be?
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Post by Dr Tom on Aug 13, 2019 15:05:14 GMT
Add me to the people who find the initials confusing. This isn't a Les Mis specific board, so we don't all have an encyclopedic knowledge of who the artists are or what the songs are. The custom across the whole of Theatreboard is to use names.
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Post by 49thand8th on Aug 13, 2019 15:11:06 GMT
You're in a LM thread and you can't figure out JVJ is Jean Valjean?
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Post by lonlad on Aug 13, 2019 15:15:08 GMT
Of course one CAN figure it out but this board isn't intended to be some elaborate cryptogram. More clarity, please, less compression.
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Post by latefortheoverture on Aug 13, 2019 19:17:27 GMT
Managed to find some great stalls seats for a shockingly good price (in regards to their prices)- on an Alfie Boe night, for me and my grandparents. They must think I run the theatre- every time I spoke to them they'd ask if I had the seats!! I had to lie, but felt quite confident I would manage to find some!
Because of this, I have 2 £17 grand circle slip seats for Friday 30th August for sale. Just want what I paid for them £34. They're on the left-hand side looking at the stage, nearest to the grand circle. Message me if you'd like them!
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 13, 2019 19:58:40 GMT
How is this version for gunshots and explosions? Is this finally a chance for those of us who don’t like them to watch the show in comfort? they don't have any guns that are used. There is a sound effect but I would usually stick my fingers in my ears because I knew where they were. This I didn't need to. they don't have any guns that are used. There is a sound effect but I would usually stick my fingers in my ears because I knew where they were. This I didn't need to. Brilliant, thanks. I’m fine with sound effects. Sit back and relax, there is no gunshots, sound effects from the sound desk, but they’re not that loud. I speak as one who hates the gunshots in the conventional one. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 13, 2019 20:03:54 GMT
You're in a LM thread and you can't figure out JVJ is Jean Valjean? Of course one CAN figure it out but this board isn't intended to be some elaborate cryptogram. More clarity, please, less compression. This is more common on BWW. How harder is it to type Jean Valjean than JVJ, not much difference, just one is being a lazy. As I said it is more common on BWW board, even people start threads with this, just no. As it happens I thought JVJ was John Owen Jones. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 13, 2019 20:09:31 GMT
You're in a LM thread and you can't figure out JVJ is Jean Valjean? Of course one CAN figure it out but this board isn't intended to be some elaborate cryptogram. More clarity, please, less compression. This is more common on BWW. How harder is it to type Jean Valjean than JVJ, not much difference, just one is being a lazy. As I said it is more common on BWW board, even people start threads with this, just no. As it happens I thought JVJ was John Owen Jones. What does BWW mean? 😉 |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2019 20:10:32 GMT
Of course one CAN figure it out but this board isn't intended to be some elaborate cryptogram. More clarity, please, less compression. This is more common on BWW. How harder is it to type Jean Valjean than JVJ, not much difference, just one is being a lazy. As I said it is more common on BWW board, even people start threads with this, just no. As it happens I thought JVJ was John Owen Jones. BWW would be Broadway World? 😉 |
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 14, 2019 16:54:31 GMT
This is more common on BWW. How harder is it to type Jean Valjean than JVJ, not much difference, just one is being a lazy. As I said it is more common on BWW board, even people start threads with this, just no. As it happens I thought JVJ was John Owen Jones. What does BWW mean? 😉 Ha, you wouldn't want to know!!!!!! |
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Post by 49thand8th on Aug 14, 2019 17:55:13 GMT
This is more common on BWW. How harder is it to type Jean Valjean than JVJ, not much difference, just one is being a lazy. As I said it is more common on BWW board, even people start threads with this, just no. As it happens I thought JVJ was John Owen Jones. What does BWW mean? 😉 BroadwayWorld |
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Post by mrmushnik on Aug 14, 2019 22:44:13 GMT
Saw this tonight. It looks impressive, set and lighting are amazing as is the orchestra.
Mr Boe sings it as if he's performing La Boheme and gets away with doing that in this concert format. His acting is woeful and there is no subtlety whatsoever, everything is telegraphed and he's physically rigid throughout. There is no inner struggle whatsoever.
Michael Ball is the disappointment of the evening. He just isn't able to sing Javert. He backphrases to buggery and struggles for the money notes. Ego over ability, I'm afraid. I wonder if Cameron would allow any other performer to deliver such a poor performance?
Carrie H-F is beautiful. Her voice is sublime and she delivers all the emotion as well as doing justice to IDAD.
Matt Lucas is doing his panto/Little Britain turn. I would love to see a darker interpretation and vocally he is weak.
Katy Secombe is brilliant as Mme T. Delivers what it says on the tin as does Bradley Jayden's charismatic Enjolras.
Rob Houchen makes very little impression as Marius, preferring to play it like he is in a Merchant-Ivory classic and not as a young man feeling the thunderbolts of love for the first time.
The Ensemble are terrific. Loads of seasoned pros and Les Mis alumni all doing very little, but looking and sounding fantastic. They are the best thing in it for me as well as the wonderful Eponine, whose name escapes me. Apologies.
Apart from Carrie the other three names on the poster are the let down with Ball being the worst. Paid £95 for my ticket and slightly resent it although I believe the the pros outwieighed the cons.
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Post by Dawnstar on Aug 15, 2019 16:35:21 GMT
Had a moan in today that the lighting is so bright those in the front rows of the stalls were dazzled and couldn't see Alfie Boe at times. Given the comments above about his lack of acting, does not being able to see him actually matter? ;-) |
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Post by steve10086 on Aug 15, 2019 22:56:37 GMT
So glad I chose to go on a John Owen Jones night.
Goes without saying that we was amazing.
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Post by vabbian on Aug 18, 2019 10:49:19 GMT
Anyone know if they're doing standing tickets for this?
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349 posts
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Post by kimbahorel on Aug 18, 2019 17:47:24 GMT
Anyone know if they're doing standing tickets for this? Apparently they are from 22nd onwards on sold out shows. |
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Post by ruthieh on Aug 18, 2019 20:18:18 GMT
I saw the matinee yesterday. I thought this production was really special. The cast and orchestra and crew are clearly committed to reinventing Les Mis in the limits of the space available at The Gielgud, and although it’s a concert version, there is a lot of ‘business’, the costumes and simple staging, and characterisation are all there.
I thought the leads did a really great job. Alfie was JVJ sang it stunningly. I don’t agree that Michael Ball’s Javert was no match. I thought in playing this role against ‘type’ he did a great job. His suicide scene was incredibly moving. Carrie Hope Fisher made a beautiful impression as Fantine. Matt and Katy Secombe wee a tour de frorce as the Thenadiers....I also loved Eponine. And as for young Gavroche, what a cutie! The ensemble were all stars...
The audience clearly loved it.
I saw the recent touring version at Milton Keynes and was under no illusion that this would be different. What surprised me was the many similarities. But the love and respect and enjoyment the cast are clearly having shines through.
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Post by Scswp on Aug 19, 2019 6:14:06 GMT
Saw this tonight. It looks impressive, set and lighting are amazing as is the orchestra. Mr Boe sings it as if he's performing La Boheme and gets away with doing that in this concert format. His acting is woeful and there is no subtlety whatsoever, everything is telegraphed and he's physically rigid throughout. There is no inner struggle whatsoever. Michael Ball is the disappointment of the evening. He just isn't able to sing Javert. He backphrases to buggery and struggles for the money notes. Ego over ability, I'm afraid. I wonder if Cameron would allow any other performer to deliver such a poor performance? Carrie H-F is beautiful. Her voice is sublime and she delivers all the emotion as well as doing justice to IDAD. Matt Lucas is doing his panto/Little Britain turn. I would love to see a darker interpretation and vocally he is weak. Katy Secombe is brilliant as Mme T. Delivers what it says on the tin as does Bradley Jayden's charismatic Enjolras. Rob Houchen makes very little impression as Marius, preferring to play it like he is in a Merchant-Ivory classic and not as a young man feeling the thunderbolts of love for the first time. The Ensemble are terrific. Loads of seasoned pros and Les Mis alumni all doing very little, but looking and sounding fantastic. They are the best thing in it for me as well as the wonderful Eponine, whose name escapes me. Apologies. Apart from Carrie the other three names on the poster are the let down with Ball being the worst. Paid £95 for my ticket and slightly resent it although I believe the the pros outwieighed the cons. Michael Ball struggling for Javert’s money notes? Really? I’m surprised. Ball’s voice has lowered slightly, but Javert is a baritone role and his money notes are both relatively low and are quite infrequent. How can Ball be struggling to sing this, yet sing the role in Chess that he did a couple of years ago. Which parts of the score is he struggling to hit or sustain? Please could you clarify? Thanks. |
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