Dear Cameron Mackintosh: STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:22am

From an article about the new Les Miz mini-tour:

Technical director John Edkins, whose company built the sets, said producer Cameron Mackintosh, the legendary British showman who also produced the astronomically lucrative “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera,” planned to see the show in Atlanta with an eye toward mounting a national tour and a possible Broadway revival in 2010.

http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/columnists/robert_trussell/story/783966.html

I love Les Miz as much as the next person, but COME ON!

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:27am

Mr. Mackintosh. Darling. Pussycat. A word of advice, kid.

This revival you're planning... will probably last five days or so. Unless you have a large amount of money you just can't stand having around the house anymore, it probably isn't worth it.

Thank you for your time, sweetie-cakes.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:37am

Although a full blown Broadway revival (again) is basically preposterous, This Mini-Tour has been selling like gangbusters. Last week in Wolftrap (4000 seats, plus lawn seating), we had huge houses, and Kansas City (i beleive 8000 plus) is selling great as well. There is definitely a market for this show out on the road.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:40am

Well, the tour is actually happening, right? I mean, it's still on BBO NYC's website: http://bbonyc.com/shows/lesmis/Default.htm

It's the whole 2010 revival thing which blows my mind.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:57am

I love this show and would be happy if it were on Broadway.

I actually still think that the revival would have been open for at least five years or so had it not been a limited run.

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 12:59am

Because "Au Revoir...and Revoir...and Revoir...and Revoir..." doesn't mean "Goodbye".

[winston89]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 1:02am

I think the that au revoir translates into until wee meet again.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 1:10am

I actually still think that the revival would have been open for at least five years or so had it not been a limited run.

The revival was made open-ended eventually. It closed because it wasn't making money.

[Sally]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 1:29am

"The turntable has been eliminated, the raked stage has been eliminated and video projections play upstage,” said technical director John Edkins from Pittsburgh. “It’s a new artistic concept. And it’s gigantic.”

Kinley, who worked on a 2006 Broadway revival of the show, said that by eliminating the turntable and making other changes he was able to expand the playing area horizontally, so the effect will be something like watching a 70mm movie.

“One thing the original set doesn’t communicate very well is a sense of time and place, because it’s fairly dark,” he said. “So one thing we could bring to this is trying to illuminate where we are in time and place, and we’ve done that through the use of projections.”

Kinley said when he began researching the show he discovered that Hugo wasn’t just a writer. He was a painter and much of what he produced would have been considered almost abstract.

“I started uncovering this huge amount of paintings that Victor Hugo had done and drawings in sketchbooks,” Kinley said. “His stuff was never exhibited publicly because he thought it would overshadow his writing.”

Hugo’s artwork became the inspiration for many of the images used in the projections, Kinley said, as well as 19th-century French photographs"
-------------------------------------------------------

I dunno. Do you all think these paintings are the stuff of good set decoration (and projections) for LesMiserables?
VICTOR HUGO DRAWINGS

[Wildcard]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 1:35am

I wish they brought this on to Broadway in 2006 instead of the rehash of the original production. I'm all for revivals if they can bring something new to the material. The new sets sound interesting although it may not work for the piece.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 1:37am

Broadway needs a LES MIZ revival like America needs Bush to stay in power.
At this point, I'd take the PHANTOM sequel over yet another LES MIZ.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 1:50am

I agree with Lizzie. And I too am a huge Les Mis fan.

Give it a rest Cameron. Let the show go out with a bang instead of a whimper. The recent revival may have been visually spectacular, but the orchestrations were a travesty and angered many faithful fans like me.

Yet another revival so close to the closing of the last one is a total joke. Can you say overkill?

Updated On: 9/9/08 at 01:50 AM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 2:17am

I'd take the PHANTOM sequel over yet another LES MIZ.

Personally, I'd take another Les Miz. The Phantom sequel worries me.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 2:19am

Updated On: 5/1/09 at 02:19 AM

[amoni]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 3:51am

I'm sure Mr. Mackintosh is eternally grateful for the advice.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 4:34am

Why not have another Les Mis revival? Is there something wrong with actors, musicians and techs having steady work? Audiences love this show and it sells. Every recent production of Les Mis I've heard about has been a big financial success. The staging in Weston Vermont set a record for that house. I saw the first performance of the mini tour at West Point and while like others I missed the turntable at times there were a lot of interesting new ideas up there and it was a great night of theater.

Cameron Mackintosh does put his money into other projects. Les Mis is one of the very few shows he's actually able to take money back out of!

Updated On: 9/9/08 at 04:34 AM

[Urban]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 8:34am

Dear Mr Mackintosh...

Could you produce another original producton please instead of another rehash of Les Mis?

Thankee in advance.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 9:26am

I do like Hugo's artwork. But, I don't think it would fit in with a production of Les Miserables.

Also, I understand why the orchestrations were changed. I don't think Cameron Mackintosh cares about doing anything for artistic merit. They had less people in the pit to save money.

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 9:44am

Why shouldnt he bring the show back if there is still an audience for it? I think he has proven there is. And one cannot say Cameron Mackintosh is wrong for not supporting new work. It shows how little you know of recent theatre history. Cameron Mackintosh has done more for the developement of musical theatre in the past 30 years than almost any other person in the theatre. He he has helped the national in london mount new shows. He has been a huge supporter of Sonheims career. If he wants to bring back a Les Mis for a bit and there i still an audience for it then good for him.

[NDR]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 10:00am

I am all for the tour. It hasn't been on the road in a while and a new production would be refreshing. As far as Broadway, I don't think it's a good idea unless he plans to tour it for three years and then sit it down on Broadway.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 10:11am

He needs the money to restore all our stunning West End theatres- of which so far he has done a beautiful job!

[alterego]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 10:24am

Next up is the door-to-door tour. It's for all those people who wanted to see LES MIZ but not enough for them to leave home and go to the theatre to see it. This is his cash cow. I'm surprised he hasn't brought the dreaded CATS back.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 10:30am

I'd rather he brought "Cats" back.

There's a whole new generation out there who can't even spell it.

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 10:39am

Why do you think they call it 'Les Miz'?
Its even how its advertised outside the Queens Theatre in London- 4 stories high!

Updated On: 9/9/08 at 10:39 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 10:42am

best12bars, when the Le Miz revival was announced I immediately thought the CATS revival isn't far behind.