Les Mis 25th Anniversary Tour?

[WickedAwesome]

Posted: 10/9/11 at 9:35pm

So I was just wondering if anyone's heard of anything good or bad about this production. How it's different from other productions, or if the actors are any good. I am just wondering if anyone else has seen it and liked it or if it is really not good like I've been hearing a little. Thanks!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/9/11 at 9:42pm

I personally did not like this production. At all. The biggest problem I had was that the projections that gave the audience the location and year (which allowed them to know how much time had passed in the story) were taken out. The set and projections of Victor Hugo's paintings were stunning, but other than that, I did not care for this production. I saw the show when the cast was in the middle of some changes, so that very well could have impacted the show.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 10/9/11 at 9:45pm

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1024720

Most people here (including myself) loved it. If you're a purist with these types of things, you might not like it, but it was generally considered a breath of fresh air giving the show new life. The new orchestration was beautiful. There have been some cast changes, but the cast I saw back in February was fantastic. I would highly recommend it.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 10/9/11 at 9:50pm

Saw the tour in January, absolutely loved it, and i can't reccomend it enough. I had no exposure to it before seeing the show and I was swept away by it. Beautiful production with lavish orchestrations.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 12:42pm

I loved this production except for a couple of things, the main one being the orchestrations being sped up to make it feel more "exciting" and to fit in a certain amount of time (and avoid overtime for the actors and crew). The projections work really well and the cast is mostly superb.

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 8:43am

I saw the show last weekend and had a wonderful time. I've seen a lot of different productions of Les Mis, so I'm at the point where I enjoy seeing new choices rather than miss earlier ones. The cinematic take was very effective for me. The actors had great voices and sang their roles with conviction. I'm always in tears by the end of the show and this time was no different.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 10:42am

I probably should have prefaced my post by sharing that I am really not the biggest Les Miserables fan... I saw the national tour with the original staging and a brilliant local production. I loved them both. However, I really do not like the music when it is removed from the show. The score actually gets on my nerves a little. That's just me though!

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 11:54am

Saw the Tour in June and loved it. The projections were beautiful and the entire cast was truly amazing, especially J Mark McVey as Valjean. The orchestrations were rich and enthralling. One problem was Gavroche's death occured out of sight which lessened the impact. Otherwise truly wonderful.

[boredroom]

Posted: 10/12/11 at 1:05pm

I saw the show on Saturday night and I LOVED IT! The projections, especially the sewer and Javert's suicide, gave new life to this production. The factory was much more of a factory - instead of the women just wandering around and picking on one another - they actually did factory work. Andrew Varella was an outstanding Javert. And J. Mark McVey was AWESOME. I've seen him before and he just seems to be getting better - which I didn't think was possible.

The only things I would change (not that anyone asked ) is the death scene of Gavroche - (pulling a wagon around and showing his corpse just doesn't do it) and the screens announcing the time/place would also help. Other than that - oh, and, Chasen Harmon (sp?)was out that day and her cover was on. (can't remember her name) and she was also wonderful.

So, I would definitely encourage anyone thinking of going to do so - (of course - this is JMHO )

[mikey2573]

Posted: 10/15/11 at 9:36am

The Death of Gavroche actually got a LAUGH when I saw this! First, as someone else pointed out, it takes place offstage so YOU DON'T SEE IT. Second, after he is shot one of the actors does a loud "Noooooooooo!" That is such a cliche that shows like THE SIMPSONS and FAMILY GUY mock it on a regular basis. That was when people actually LAUGHED in the theater. In the original his death was very powerful. Here it is a joke.
Ruined the show for me. There MUST be a way to stage his death on stage.
Major fail.

[Sadie Mae]

Posted: 10/15/11 at 10:02pm

"Second, after he is shot one of the actors does a loud "Noooooooooo!" That is such a cliche that shows like THE SIMPSONS and FAMILY GUY mock it on a regular basis."
I didn't find this moment to be cliche at all. It was actually pretty powerful to me. Grantaire was the one who screamed, "No!" If you'd notice, in one of the previous scenes, Grantaire is stage right in a not very well lit area, and Gavroche goes over to him and they have a touching bonding moment, which explains why later he reacts so strongly to Gavroche's death. I do agree with the whole wishing they'd show his death on stage, though. It seemed like a bit of a cop out.
Besides that, I found this production to be amazing! The cast was all incredibly strong, the paintings as a backdrop were beautiful, I really like the way they handled the sewers and Javert's suicide. It was a great show! (:

[My Oh My]

Posted: 10/16/11 at 7:23pm

I thought it was meh and in no way an improvement over the brilliant original.

But it wasn't a disaster either. Fragmented mess, but not a disaster and a hot mess worth seeing for most people. I recommend it.

If you're a hard-core like me, spare yourself, save your pennies, and go see the original London production (now featuring "dynamic" new orchestrations, blah) or better yet the Japanese production (which uses the originals of everything, yay!). Oh how I love my Japanese friends.

EDIT: As for Gavey's croaking scene, it's already a devastating moment no matter what. The NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! was comical to me, I'm sorry to say. The entire show was filled with similar over-the-top performances. It wasn't the casts fault at all and I loved them all. You could tell the directors told them to infuse the piece with "passion" and it would have worked had they actually instructed them to inject passion as opposed to "cheese," which is what this production dialed up to 10.

I just about laughed when during "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" Grantaire and Gavroche appear next to Marius with literally sad puppy dog faces. It's small stuff like that which may not seem like a big deal alone, but when combined in many similar instances, make an evening where you're told what to feel, how to feel it, and exactly when. This Les Mis was desperate to make you forget about its superior original version which was brilliantly suggestive, subtle, and powerful.

Go see this newest version for the cast who are absolutely top notch. Yes, there is some miscasting but nothing disastrous. The new "dynamic" (according to its director) doesn't ruin it, either. It can get irritating though, especially during late in the second act when the show naturally settles and moves at a slower pace--the screaming and wild gestures come off as just extremely desperate. For example, "Drink With Me" is by its very nature a reflective, contemplative moment. The directors did not care and made it into a chummy "woo-hoo we're FRIENDS!!! *group hug* moment. Even the first line was sung with an explosive upbeatness "DRINK with me!!!!" It was really lame.

Updated On: 10/16/11 at 07:23 PM

[Colle]

Posted: 10/17/11 at 9:47am

I saw this version(saw the "origanal" three times) of the show in Sept, and thought it was interesting to see the differences and the new look. Although I understand why everyone would not like it.

I saw Joe Tokarz as Valjean.

Boredroom, according to my program, the Eponine understudies are Sarah Shahinian and Hannah Shankman.So unless there was a cast change between the times we saw the show you saw one of them. I did think Chasten Harmon was pretty good.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/19/11 at 9:33am

Saw the production last night, and unfortunately was very underwhelmed by the evenings proceedings. I thought the energy of the cast was fine, but found some of the directorial choices to be a bit odd. I used to work at the Broadway Theatre shortly after the original production opened and worked there for over a year. I have not seen any incarnation of Les Miserables since 1995.

I thought it worked fine without the turn table and I liked some of the new costume designs, though Cosette's dress at the end of Act One looked like it was much too big for her. The dress she wore in the 2nd Act prior to getting married fit her much better. On the whole the cast sounded very good vocally, but I felt something was missing.

The strongest: Andrew Varela as Javert. Both acted and sung beautifully. In the past, I was usually bored during Javert's songs, last night was completely opposite. Andrew's performance was quite riveting. It's a shame that most of the cast did not reach that level.

Betsy Morgan (Fantine) - she barreled through I Dreamed a Dream as if it was a race to the finish. She sang and performed the song without any nuance whatsoever. I didn't particulary care for her voice either.

Jenny Latimer (Cosette) - very young, but had a striking resemblance to the actress who played Fantine. Very weak top notes.

Beth Kirkpatrick was on for Mdm. Thernardier. Not sure if it was her first time on in the role, but the cast applauded her when she took her bow. She was very good, but I never really cared for the role to begin with.

I'm glad I went, and the audience last night seemed to enjoy it.

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 10/20/11 at 8:44pm

I heard today from the owner of this cabaret at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood that the new incarnation of Les Miserables is returning to Broadway but when I'm not sure. They needed permission to do this show http://www.playbill.com/news/article/155670-Les-Miserables-Unplugged-to-Feature-Kathy-Deitch-Jessica-Snow-Wilson-David-Burnham-James-Snyder but were denied because of the impending Broadway revival. Sad that I won't be seeing this show again which I enjoyed, but very glad that the updated Les Miserables will return to Broadway. Please let J Mark McVey and Andrew Varela be Jean Valjean and Javert.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/20/11 at 9:29pm

You mean they were denied doing the full show, so are instead doing a concert?

[Wicked Fanatic]

Posted: 10/20/11 at 9:50pm

No this was a shortened concert version which had permission from Les Miz when it was first produced at a cabaret in Riverside, CA which I saw on September 18th. Had many of the people listed in the show that was going to move to LA to the Coterie Cabaret at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood on the dates listed in that article from Playbill. I was going again for the show on November 3rd, but that all changed when the show was canceled today due to TPTB from Les Miz now withdrawing permission for it to be performed since the new Les MIserables now on tour will be going to Broadway when I don't know.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/21/11 at 2:51am

^ I've read that post three times and I still have no idea what you're saying...

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 10/21/11 at 3:30am

I'll try and decipher it:

1. The producers of Les Mis gave the people involved at the link this guy provided permission to do a concert version, which he first saw produced at a cabaret in Riverside, CA on September 18.
2. That article from Playbill refers to a planned transfer of that run (featuring many of the people listed in the original show) to L.A. (to be specific, the Coterie Cabaret at the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood), for which he bought tickets to a November 3 performance.
3. Apparently the run has been canceled, due to the powers that be at Les Mis withdrawing permission for it to be performed due to apparent plans to bring the current tour of Les Mis to Broadway. When exactly this is supposed to occur, (s)he (I say this only because I don't know the poster's gender) doesn't know.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/21/11 at 3:35am

^ thanks that makes sense now. It is way too soon for another Les Miserables revival IMHO

[boredroom]

Posted: 10/21/11 at 7:23am

That would be so awesome to have this tour on Broadway and with J. Mark McVey and Andrew Varela! A wonderful adversarial match and great voices

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/21/11 at 7:56am

Thanks, gvendo -- that's pretty much what I figured theyw ere saying, too, but still wasn't entirely sure!

FWIW there's nothing on here about the show being canceled, so we'll see: http://twitter.com/TheCoterieLA

[sorano916]

Posted: 10/21/11 at 8:13am

I don't know who's taking over but the current stop (DC) is Justin Scott Brown's last stop. He was one of the standouts for an amazing cast. His "Empty Chairs at Empty Table" was just perfection. So, if you wanna see him as Marius, I strongly suggest going soon.

[boredroom]

Posted: 10/28/11 at 12:21pm

Max Quinlan, I believe, will be taking over the role of Marius
Max Quinlan

[sanda]

Posted: 10/31/11 at 1:20pm

Saw the show last Sunday at Kennedey Center.

The new production looks very "expensive".Whether it being better or worse is up to the viewer to interperate. The direction reminds me a lot about the Philly Walnut theatre's superb production which is a very realistic approach.

The cast over all are very strong. J.Mark McVey and Andrew Varela are fantastic! Fantine and Marius are not memberable. Cossett can not sing and Enjolras lacks of stage presense.

The new orchestration sounds fresh and loud and fast paced.