I saw Les Miserables for the first time yesterday and...*SPOILERS*

[BroadwayBound92]

Posted: 2/19/12 at 11:29pm

Wow...Just wow...It was the 25th Anniversary tour, so the rotating stage was gone, but it was no great loss because the show was freaking amazing without it. The singing was wonderful and so was the acting. I LOVE the interaction between Gavroche and Grantaire, and when Gavroche's death came along, my heart broke in two for the alcoholic student (anyone who has seen this specific tour will know what I'm talking about). The stage effects were phenomenal and Javert's suicide looked so real. Of course, the Thenardiers got lots of laughs (which is nothing new), and the idea of finally seeing one of the world's most beloved musicals live onstage is enough to make anyone happy. Now, let's just hope the movie lives up to the excellence of the stage show.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/19/12 at 11:33pm

Sounds good. Except for the no revolving stage deal breaker.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 12:04am

I was blown away when I saw it back at the Papermill. I was quite surprised at just how well the new staging works.

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 12:25am

It's THE MOST perfect production of anything, I have ever seen in my life. I was floored, and moved, and so grateful I got to see it!

[My Oh My]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 12:35am

I can see how it was great for you and I'm glad it was. Dream the dream! :S

The current tour is a crowd pleaser and fans have reported enjoying it. Unfortunately, it ranks as one of the biggest disappointments I have ever experienced in the theatre. I won't go into much detail because I've ranted about it ad nauseum, but it boosted my love for the original production ten-fold. It seems they took every theatrical element that helped make the original so thrilling and dumped it in favor of far less effective techniques that are said to be massive improvements over the drab, dated, and boring original. Yes, they've used those adjectives in describing something they were supposed to be honoring for its 25th ann. Instead, it was used as a selling point for the new tour, obviously in the hopes to attract curiosity. As a fan of the original for the incredibly effective staging that has held me intrigued and passionate for over 25 years, it stings...a lil' bit.

A recent sample of the original production:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M_a5cWts_w&feature=player_embedded

Drab, dated? I just don't see it. It remains one of the most effective, creative works ever mounted on the stage for me. Talking down about it is excessively harsh and a strange way to sell a new tour of it, much less honor it.

I will say the cast I saw when the 25th ann. tour stopped by in L.A. was excellent and got a standing ovation by me. Can't say the same about the manner in which some of them were obviously instructed to "flesh-out" their characters. And the new orchs still used keyboards that made ugly, metallic noises which were supposed to be acoustic improvements over the so-called dated original keyboard sounds that gave the show loads of atmosphere and character. But that really was a minor point compared to the overall re-orchestration that ripped the heart from the show. The sets were aiight, but the impressionistic paintings by Hugo were not only over-hyped and under-used, they meant to make the show, and I quote the designer, "more intellectual." How about more pretentious? For the first time ever, I left a performance completely cold.

As for the revolve, I will always be puzzled as to why that is such an issue. There was never a doubt in my mind the show could be successfully staged without it. Any show limited only to a revolve has got to suck, but Les Mis works with and without one. Using the revolve in the new tour wouldn't make sense because the revolve was a creatively used tool that infused the show with an unlimited sense of movement and space. It belongs to Nunn and Caird's vision and not someone else's. I'm glad they didn't [mis] use it in the new production.

To even fans of musicals, it is a good overall production that satisfies a lot of people's preconceived perceptions that were normally debunked after seeing the original production...cheesily passionate, teary, and happily miserable, just to name a few. Not being sarcastic and it's cool that people enjoy the new production. I speak only for myself and use only personal experiences in relaying mine.

*Sigh...*

Updated On: 2/20/12 at 12:35 AM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 12:57am

Thank you for the spoiler alert!

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 2:56am

LOL yes the spoiler was much appreciated. I admit I opened this thread hoping to see something from My Oh My about the revival. Is there video of any major scenes anywhere?

[chewy5000]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 2:58am

You mean he DIES!?!?

[My Oh My]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 4:40am

Oh dear. I did it again, eh?

What can I say? Les Mis was my crack for 25 plus years and kept me steadily...engaged. Something tells me the rants will go on for at least that long. XD

There are tons of clips of the new production on YouTube and you'll see it's just as drab as the original, ha! No, no, seriously, even people who have seen the original mostly come away not really thinking there was too much altered. That's because the ads mislead saying this version is more colorful and more intimate when the scale is comparable to the original and this new version is anything but more colorful. The number one complaint is that it could use better lighting. They lit most of it as if they stuck a campfire center stage--too much shadow and not enough light. Otherwise, the lighting plot appeared to be more of a nod to the original's heavy use of ambers and blues than some groundbreaking splash of color. I was unimpressed by the lighting overall but I didn't think it was nearly as bad as so many others do.

At any rate, believe it or not, I do recommend the current tour and am happy it hasn't become a laughing stock. Just cause it pales to me doesn't mean it has to be that way for everyone else.

But if someone was to ask for advice on which to see, I'd recommend the current London production over the tour in a heartbeat.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 4:43am

But does the London version still use the original orchestrations? :P

[My Oh My]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 4:53am

Nooooooooooooooooooooo.

Neither does the new tour.

The Japanese have recently announced that they will be premiering the 25th anniversary version in 2013. This, after presenting the original production in repertory since 1987.

I wouldn't be too bothered if they were at least using something like the 10th anniversary orchestration, which only differed from the original in its chucking of the original keyboard sounds. But the new concoction by 3 different orchestrators is...don't get me started.

The original orchestration is no more and so goes 75% of my enjoyment of the show. *dies*

PS - And I just now noticed your little tongue sticking out at me, mister! I wouldn't have fallen hook line and sinker for the opportunity to respond had I noticed. Meh, it's aiight and I'll let you live but only cause I like you a lot, hehe.

Updated On: 2/20/12 at 04:53 AM

[chewy5000]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 6:51am

You're not alone though. Everything is better with keyboards.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 7:44am

I think the tour has a lot of strengths but I thought the deaths on the barricade are far less effective now and the lack of dates and locations being put up doesnt aid the story telling.

[winston89]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 8:24am

How come I feel that the creative team of this show has a hard time figuring out when to leave well enough alone? To me it feels like it's the musical version of Star Wars. Just like with Star Wars George Lucas didn't know when too much of a good thing was. He had to keep toying with it and make it worse. That is like Les Miserables, in that once we had a great show the composers as well as the producers thought that it wasn't as good as it could be and had to keep changing it and playing around with it until we got something that wasn't as good as the original product.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 8:38am

When I saw the tour's second stop in Philadelphia, I was extremely thrilled and moved by it. I had never seen the original or revival, so I didn't have the turntable in my head. A beautiful production that I can't recommend enough.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 10:08am

^ Neither did I. Unlike some people, I did not go in with a narrow-minded, "the show ONLY works with a revolve" mentality. I'm puzzled as to why people feel the urge to say it worked without a revolve. It's as if it's a revelation. I think people are just being thoughtless. I mean, to actually think the show could only work with the revolve is admitting how little you've thought about what you're saying.

It comes to show the effectiveness of advertising, though. =P

Winston, I agree. I feel Cameron is pushing this show too hard. Most would have allowed it off the stage for a long while before reviving it. There have been two revivals since 2006. Ridiculous. The fact some flash-in-the-pan woman sang a song from it on some show that supposedly taught all the purdy people how rotten they were on the inside, has a lot to do with that.

Uh, oh. I feel a rant coming on. Ahhhh. XD

*Rolls sleeves*

It's no coincidence an over-hyped, budget-minded new cash cow tour was rushed into premiering very soon after. The "way better than the 1985 original!!!" strategy is for the purpose of sparking the curiosity of all those people who had to sit through that drab original that played for so long. I always rolled my eyes at the claims Madonna REINVENTS SELF ONCE AGAIN!!!! But always admired the strategic, savvy businesswoman in her that made such a claim COMMON KNOWLEDGE. When I become famous, remind me to sprinkle some electronic schtick over melodies that sound like "Express Yourself" and "Vogue" and then proclaim I've reinvented myself (not slamming her. I love that bitch, ha). Nothing like the provocation of newness to keep both an aging entertainer and aging musical alive and, well, entertaining. Baloney.

Meh. The original never died and it will take more than a mere suggestion to woo me away from all it's given back.

*Distances himself from computer, LOL*

Updated On: 2/20/12 at 10:08 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 10:14am

Unfortunately, it ranks as one of the biggest disappointments I have ever experienced in the theatre. I won't go into much detail because I've ranted about it ad nauseum, but it boosted my love for the original production ten-fold.

Ditto that. I was excited about the prospect of new staging (though I thought the original staging was perfection) and looked forward to seeing the show in a new light. While there were moments that worked pretty well, some of the changes were either baffling and seemed to be a change just for the sake of doing something different at the expense of logic (prison ship, Fantine's arrest) or just flat-out silly and embarrassing to watch (deaths at the barricade).

I'm glad people who have never seen the show are enjoying it, but it only makes me wish they could have seen the original production. I do think it's hilarious that Valjean gets released while on a prison ship that is still out to sea. Where is he supposed to go? And I don't know if the cast has changed, but the Thenardiers I saw barely registered with the audience and received polite golf claps. Thenardier phoned it in and appeared to resent having to participate in the production and his wife was forced and unfunny. I found this production quite depressing though it had nothing to do with the plot.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 10:42am

I do think it's hilarious that Valjean gets released while on a prison ship that is still out to sea.

I really, really like this production (and I've seen the original), but this part has always made me laugh. Do they throw him overboard? Does he swim for it? Do they give him a rowboat?

That and Gavroche's offstage death (comlete with the totally melodramatic, unintenionally funny, "Nooooooooo!") are the two things about this new production I don't like.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 11:18am

The ONLY good thing about Gavroche's off-stage death is that he didn't receive the special lighting and choreography the others received in their deaths on the barricade. It looked like the introduction of the contestants on So You Think You Can Die. The scene is inherently melodramatic, but it crossed the line into camp.

[michellek45]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 11:39am

I never saw the original or the revival live, but I have seen a professionally recorded performance of the original US cast. I did think the spotlight-on-your-death thing was a little strange, and the "NOOO" was over-the-top. I did really like the cart with Gavroche and Enjolras' bodies that Javert saw; I thought it added something to his character. And I prefer these almost-entirely keyboardless orchestrations. Keyboards are fine in more modern periods, but I've always thought they sounded out of place in a show about the 1800s.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 12:12pm

LES MIZ is my favorite show of all time. I love both productions equally, embracing the changes and seeing nothing but improvement

That said I missed the turntable

[mikey2573]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 1:37pm

Having seen the original staging many times as a child and a teen, I looked forward to seeing this new staging. I have to say it did nothing for me. And since others have brought up the Death of Gavroche, I can say that when I saw this production, his off stage death and the big "Noooooo!" actually resulted in titters of laughter from the audience. Compare that to the original staging seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnEs9DT1oRo
This is from a High School production, but it shows just how dramatic his death is. How can this be achieved when the death takes place OFF STAGE?

And this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=489amRgt0eo&feature=related
Nick Jonas dies as Gavroche.

And, for the record, this death is better than the "10 Little Bullets" version as well.