Cosette should've gotten her own solo

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 5:10pm

All the major characters did -- Valjean, Javert, Marius, Thenardier, even friggin' Eponine. I'm sorry but Cosette's plight is more essential to the plot than Eponine's. She actually has legitimate questions and concerns regarding her past and who she is, which she finally gets answered at the end.

What they should've done in the musical (and corrected for the movie) was to eliminate the preamble to "In My Life," in which Cosette briefly brings up questions regarding her past, and replace it with a separate solo where Cosette elaborates further on these thoughts. I mean, if Eponine is allowed an entire song about her unrequited love for Marius, which btw doesn't contribute to the plot and in fact stalls the show, then they could've afforded Cosette a song where she ponders her mysterious past, and it would garner her the viewer's sympathy, too. For instance, I'm adopted and there are times when I have questions about my biological parents/family, but the only person with all the knowledge (my eldest sister) refuses to talk. I can certainly understand where Cosette is coming from. You have so many questions but no answers.

Anyhoo! The tack list should be something like this:

"Do You Hear the People Sing?" -- Enjolras, Marius, Students
"Cosette's Solo" -- Cosette
"In My Life" (starting at the point where Valjean enters "Dear Cosette, you're such a lonely child...)) -- Valjean, Cosette, Marius, Eponine
"A Heart Full of Love" -- Marius, Cosette, Eponine

What say you?

Updated On: 10/13/12 at 05:10 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 5:18pm

She had a song called "I Saw Him Once" that was on the original London cast album. The song was right before "In My Life." However, they cut that song.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 5:49pm

Yes, if only they did that, the show might have been successful and made them some fans.

Cosette is the most boring character in the show, by all means, lets let her bore us more. (IMHO)

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 6:02pm

Her and Marius are like Johanna and Anthony in Sweeney...just plain old boring characters that are the same old boring parts no matter what way you play/approach them. Eponine and Enjolras have a lot more bite in them, and those latter roles won Tonys for their Broadway actors.

[DEClarke]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 6:03pm

Just give her "The Role of a Lifetime" from BARE to sing. Apparently, any character can sing it.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 6:33pm

They added a new song for Cosette and JvJ in the movie.Be happy with that.

StageManager2: Are you the person on IMDB that keeps complaining about Fantine's Hair?

[MCfan2]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 7:23pm

I may be in the minority, StageManager2, but I like your idea.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 7:38pm

"There is a Castle on a Cloud"

[HumATune]

Posted: 10/13/12 at 7:40pm

Cosette could have been a more interesting character in the musical had they given her more to do. It is a thankless role.

I do like On My Own, but the Eponine role only works for me if the actress doesn't play Eponine sugary sweet/like some sort of martyr.

I've actually enjoyed more of the Cosette actresses I've seen than the Eponine actresses.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 12:31am

StageManager2: Are you the person on IMDB that keeps complaining about Fantine's Hair?

One thread, Nurse Ratched. I started one thread that just happened to go on for 5 pages. Besides, I wasn't the only one who agreed.


They added a new song for Cosette and JvJ in the movie.Be happy with that.

From my understanding, that new song "Suddenly" is [i]about[/i] Young Cosette and sung solely by Valjean. What I was referring to was the older Cosette, who totally got shafted in the musical. She's given nothing to do, comes across as bland, even though she is a pivotal character in the book. Much more so than Eponine, who gets a solo, a duet, and several passages in other songs. Meanwhile, the adult Cosette gets no solo and has to share her love song with Eponine.


She had a song called "I Saw Him Once" that was on the original London cast album. The song was right before "In My Life." However, they cut that song.

I'm aware of that. But it wasn't really a song. Just a short intro to "In My Life." On Broadway, they dropped that tune and slightly reworked the intro (the aforementioned preamble) using the "In My Life" melody. Besides, in both the intro/preamble, she's mainly singing about Marius, so even then we don't get an insight into her psyche.


Cosette is the most boring character in the show, by all means, lets let her bore us more.

Are you a moron? I realize that her portrayal in the show is boring/bland. That's why I suggested expanding her role a bit with a solo, in which we learn more about her and what makes her tick. She could've been an interesting character (as she is in the book) if the creators had rightly kept the focus on her instead of shifting it to Eponine, who, truth be told, is a non-entity in the novel.

I realize all this makes me unpopular with the Eponine fangirls, but so be it.


P.S. Thanks, MCfan2!

Updated On: 10/14/12 at 12:31 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 4:13am

Gee, thanks for the name callling. Just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean you get to insult them personally. I didn't insult you, just disagreed with your (pretty immature) idea.

She's boring by design. She is there to contrast with Eponine - the girl that didn't get out of a horrible situation. Cosette has NO memory of her time with the Thenardiers - so there isn't a lot to tell. I'm not referring to the novel, just the musical. Giving her a seperate song makes no sense, since there wouldn't be anything to substantiate its existance.

You keep talking about her like she's real, that someone has personally been shafted. Ridiculous.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 7:37am

Maybe you and Rebecca Caine can talk about it on twitter, StageManager2.

[chris d]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 8:31am

I tend to agree about Cosette getting the "shaft," and I always felt similarly towards Marius (even though he does get a solo, it's a bland one). It must have been tough for the authors to juggle all these characters' plotlines and bring in some emotional moments as well. I guess they were thinking about the overall tone of the show also (hence making the heinous Thernardiers likable to bring some comic relief to the show). Often Marius and Cosette appear just to tie the narratives together. oh well...

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 9:11am

Point of clarity: "I Saw Him Once" consists of 2 verses and a bridge, so, while not the apparent soliloquy that StageManager2 is so vitriolically campaigning for, it is most certainly more than "just an intro" to "In My Life."

[broadway guy]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 9:45am

StageManager2: I think you make really good points about cosette But The musical is the way it is an no one can change that.The Movie will probally give cosette a little bit more screentime but the truth is Eponine is a much better character than cosette.Cosette is like a disney princess who gets everything she has ever wanted and eponine is a tragic heroine who takes a bullet for Marius (in the movie). Eponine gets a better song because she is a better/fleshed out character.

Do not label me as an "eponine fan girl" because Honesttly I dont even like "On My Own" and My favorite Character is not eponine or Cosette.Its Fantine.

I Loved Katie Hall's Portrayal in the 25th anniversary.I thought she was amazing and she had a deep understanding of cosette and Katie actuallly Made me feel for The character.

The thing is everyone is rooting for eponine.It's Because Everyone can identify with eponine ( unrequited love) WHO hasnt felt that?? But not many people can identify with cosette.

Cosette Never knew her Parent but That doesn't really seem to bother after after she meets Marius.It is Never Brought Up again because After One day More we don't see her until the wedding Basically.

I do wish cosette was more fleshed out but what would she do? Do some Knitting on the barricades while they are fighting? She is the Snowhite of Les Mis.Maybe Amanda Seyfried will put a spin on her or something.

BTW there is no reason to call people names when they do not agree with you.Thats just rude.It is a discussion Board to DISCUSS,not put people down.VERY CHILDISH.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 11:24am

Part of the reason people identify with Eponine is unrequited love, but people also identify with her because she's the underdog.

The real problem underlying why the audience feels more for Eponine than for Cosette has to do with their backgrounds. At first, the audience sympathizes with Little Cosette because she has been mistreated and neglected. Little Eponine is forgotten because she's spoiled (and has no lines, of course). Then the tables turn, and adult Eponine is easier to sympathize with than adult Cosette because Eponine is now the mistreated, neglected character and Cosette has everything.

Cosette's only problem, isolation, is explored in her solo part of "In My Life" and is quickly remedied by Marius leaping the garden wall. There is virtually no conflict for her character and that's what makes adult Cosette so boring.
Updated On: 10/14/12 at 11:24 AM

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 11:30am

Part of what makes Adult Cosette so boring is that they should've stuck closer to the book for the second half of the show. Eponine is not as sympathetic in the book. Sure, she has the unrequited love, but she's not as clear cut nice as the musical would have you believe. And Cosette is a far more important character in the book. I don't know why they changed it so drastically.

[chris d]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 11:46am

I think they wanted to put in a big romantic love story and what's more dramatic (and juicy) than a love triangle?!

(also, I agree with broadway guy: Katie Hall was brill). Updated On: 10/14/12 at 11:46 AM

[sally1112]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 11:49am

If you skip the post full of silly **** and snarky comments, there are some nice discussions about theater on these boards every once in awhile.

[HumATune]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 12:18pm

Everyone makes good points, about why Eponine is more interesting in the musical than Cosette. I used to be an Eponine fangirl, but as I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate Cosette as well. I got over the unrequited angst thing, and as a result Eponine is less interesting to me now. I'm far more interested in Eponine's "street rat" qualities than the fact that she loves Marius, and as a result I'm rather picky about my Eponines. I also do not think Cosette deserves the hatred she gets from some people. It's not her fault that Marius fell in love with her. I think she is an interesting character. What coping mechanism made her block out the bad memories of her childhood? What does she think of her mother, if anything at all? Eponine was a good “gateway” character for me, but now that I’ve been into the musical for a good 17 years, I’m looking to explore the nuances of the show more, and that includes Cosette’s story.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/14/12 at 4:54pm

Does the world need another shrill soprano song for Sarah Brightman to butcher in concert?

Why do Fantine and Eponine return as ghosts but not Gavroche? Was his death in vain?

Should the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera have more music?

Should Grizabella in Cats have another song?

Why does Morales in A Chorus Line get two songs?

Why does Doatsey Mae in Best Little Whorehouse get a song?

These are the issues that keep me awake at night.

Updated On: 10/14/12 at 04:54 PM