Fantine From Les Mis

[liveonstage]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:34pm

What do you think of her? That's the part I got. I don't really know les mis too well.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:36pm

I love fantine's songs. Her part is pretty significant, although short-lived.
***SPOLIERS****
Fantine is the mother of Cosette, a poor child living with the sinister Thenardiers. She gets fired from her job at the factory, and soon after, she passes away due to sickness from being a prostitute in order to pay for Cosette. This leaves Jean Valjean, the jailbird turned Mayor, to take care of Cosette. Fantine then returns at the end to take Jean Valjean up to heaven.

Just make the most out of what you have and I'm sure that you will be wonderful.

Updated On: 7/18/05 at 08:36 PM

[Elizabeth_DeBris]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:48pm

Fantine is my favorite female character in Les Mis, although I liked her better in the book (not shocking, as there's more room for characterization in a novel than in a musical). Congratulations!

Anyway, Fantine is an extremely loving character. She adored Cosette's father (not present in the musical, but alluded to in "I Dreamed a Dream"), and she loves Cosette with all her heart. Every move she makes is for the benefit of her daughter, and there's a kind of desperation to give her a good life. There's also a desperation in her still-existing love for Cosette's father, even though he abandoned her. She's too naive for her own good (giving Cosette to the Thenardiers, in hoping they would provide her with a good home), and was a virgin until she met the father of Cosette (again: only alluded to in the musical, but I don't remember if that was in the book or not... it's been a while since the last time I read the entire thing)- which (to me) makes her turning to prostitution even more striking- as it shows just the lengths she will go to for Cosette.

As for her death scene, there's always that decision to fade out on the last line ("and tell Cosette I love her and I'll see her when I wake"), as Ruthie Henshall did in the Tenth Anniversary Cast, or belt it, as Randy Graff did in the OBC. Your director may point you which way to go with that; I think both ways work fine.

Congratulations again!

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:50pm

If you have a good director and you really go for it then it's an amazing role! Heartbreakingly beautiful!!

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:58pm

In the Broadway production, Fantine played a Bulletboy in Act 2 at the barricade.

If your director phazes you out, ask if you can play a bulletboy - cause Fantine did on Broadway.

Doesn't hurt.

[ZBraff]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 9:28pm

I could go on forever about this character but all I'll say is that you are one very lucky person! Enjoy!

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 9:30pm

i love fantine

[cindy013]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 9:38pm

I am so jealous! :) That is the one role I would die to play, no pun intended. Such great songs, and a death scene. And you don't have to memorize too much, but if you do a good job the audience will cry and love you. *sigh*

[Cosette2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:16pm

The director must have some faith in your ability, as Fantine plays a vital (though short-lived) role in the production. If the audience doesn't understand her sacrifice and desperation they miss a key element to the overall plot.

"I Dreamed a Dream" is one of the most passion filled songs one could ever sing. Break a leg!

[Derech2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:38pm

You're very lucky. Be sure to get ahold of as many Les Mis albums as you can, and listen to the different Fantines, especially since you're not familiar with the part. I would reccomend renting or buying the 10th Anniversary Dreamcast, and you can see the show put on as a stunning concert.

Try Café Les Mis here: http://lesmis.cafemusain.com/sounds/sounds.html

Some would disagree about listening to other Fantines, as one could say it takes away from the personality you give the character. But I'd reccomend it anyhow.

Fantine's a very moving, powerful role. One of the most poignant in the show. Congratulations and good luck!

[Broadway_Bound_Star]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:44pm

wow, your really lucky I auditined for Les mis and I only got Marious... but we did the High school edition, hahahah. But anwywho Fantine is like the backbone to the show if the fantine is bad, the whole show is off.

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:51pm

Congrats on getting the role of Fantine! I love her character. Plus you get to sing one of my favorite songs "I Dreamed A Dream"! :)

~Rosalynn

[Eliza0114]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 11:56pm

great role...congratulations!

[Racetrack]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 12:53am

Loved this role for nine or ten years now. I agree Fantine is a backbone to the show. I've seen a number of fantastic Fantines and a number of crappy ones. I would say that if you want to have a perspective on the character on top of how you perceive her than watch the concert. I don't know if anyone would recommend watching any of the films that are non-musical. I've found when watching a non-musical the character is portrayed a lot differently. Only makes sense because it's not singing, etc. In the musical it is shown that Fantine would literally give her life for Cosette which is what she does in the end(but dying as a result of being ill, which may sometimes be played less in the musical it's been awhile since I've seen it so I would have to try and remember.). In a couple of the film versions I've seen I never really cared for Fantine but I think that mostly had to do with the acting.

Anyways I would say look into the character. Find things for yourself and look and listen to different versions of the musical. She's a very powerful character. Certainly one of my many favorites in the show.

My personal favorite Fantine is Ruthie Henshall. I thought she was really good.

So break a leg with the part. Tell us how rehearsals and other things are going. You truly have a great part and you get one of the best songs for females. I'm envious.