Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

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Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 9:09pm

I'm sure this has been posted about many times already so I apologize in advance. I have just watched the performance.

Am I only one who is REALLY disappointed in the cast? This is the best they can get for a 25th anniversary? The 10th year cast BLEW THEM AWAY.

A Jean Valjean who sounds like Kermit the frog (Why not use Colm again???) A washed up and way overweight Lea Salonga? A Cosette and Eponine whose claim to fame is being on Lord Webber reality shows? A Jonas brother?? Seriously?? I mean he sings ok, but really? They couldn't find 1000 chorus boys with better voices? Even Norm Lewis disappointed me and I LOVE Norm Lewis. Karimloo was pretty good but the only homerun was Jenny Gallaway.

End

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 9:11pm

Um, seriously? Colm is like in his 80s now and no way was Lea overweight (and even if she was, her performance was outstanding).

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

Updated On: 3/13/11 at 09:11 PM

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 9:40pm

Sporky... Colm was 65 at the time... Still age appropriate for this part.. Also.. Didn't have to be him. Many others better than Alfie.... and with Lea's weight she would have been better as Madame Thénardier. But then it's a concert right? We have to suspend disbelief, like the ability in 1815 France of a Filipino mother with a blonde English daughter, among other things LOL.
Have to love casting which disregards history or reality.

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 9:48pm

Who cares? We got to see and hear Norm Lewis.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 9:59pm

Greatwhiteway...your an idiot
Sorry was that harsh?
Well so is calling someone "overweight" when they are not even close to being so.
IMO, Alfie blew Colm away...I detest Colm's voice, but like I said that is my opinion. However, to say Alfie sounded like Kermit is quite idiotic. You can at least give the man some respect. I give Colm respect, I dont like his voice but I'm not going to say he sucks..because obviously he doesn't...just not my cup of tea.
Greatwhiteway, you have a lot of growing up to do. Go find your blankie and go suck your thumb in a corner.

"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:00pm

"and with Lea's weight she would have been better as Madame Thénardier"

Comments like this are totally unnecessary.

"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>> “I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>> -whatever2

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:02pm

Lea Salonga overweight? Wow. You have GOT to be kidding me

"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:03pm

Overweight? I must have missed that, because she looked anything but overweight to me.

I love her Fantine. I'm sorry you found a loose-fitting costume so distracting that you missed her brilliant performance.

And I thought I was being way harsh when I said the new, crappy orchestrations sounded like a bunch of people whistling behind Norm during "Stars"!

Recreation of original John Cameron orchestration to "On My Own" by yours truly. Click player below to hear.

Les Mis 25th - BIG WHINER

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:03pm

Alas, the poor OP.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#10

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:04pm

Why do I have the feeling that Greatwhiteway is just a bitter 'ol fat queen that is just bitter at life because his aspirations to be a star have failed?

"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."

#11

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:05pm

It's not just a feeling. Check out the rest of his posts.

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/CurrentSearch_Detail.cfm?ID=99177

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#12

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:09pm

But seriously, you HAVE to be kidding. Calling Lea overweight is absolutely ridiculous. Plus, her performance was great.

#13

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:13pm

I can't recall ever seeing a more physically beautiful trio of leading ladies than Salonga and the actresses playing Cosette and Eponine.

Maybe the intent was to atract more straight men to the theatre.

You'd prefer maybe Patti LuPone or Randi Graff???

#14

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:21pm

But then it's a concert right? We have to suspend disbelief, like the ability in 1815 France of a Filipino mother with a blonde English daughter, among other things LOL.
Have to love casting which disregards history or reality.

In that case, you can't have a black man playing the police inspector.

And, to play it out, if we're that concerned about "reality" why was Colm Wilkinson, who's Welsh (or Irish, I forget) cast as a Frechman? Patti LuPone is Italian, and she was the original Fantine.

Heck, has the British or American productions ever cast French actors? So, the show has been "disregarding history" since the beginning, based on your theory.

#15

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:24pm

Heck, has the British or American productions ever cast French actors? So, the show has been "disregarding history" since the beginning, based on your theory.

Jérôme Pradon played a particularly weird and creepy Javert in London. But I think he might be it.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

Updated On: 3/13/11 at 10:24 PM

#16

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:25pm

"They couldn't find 1000 chorus boys with better voices?"

or find something better for them to wear than t-shirts?

gayer than laughter, am I. And who wouldn't be, after seeing Cheyenne in those tight black shorts?

#17

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:26pm

Lizzie you are so clever. Anyone ever tell you that? I doubt it

#18

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 10:29pm

Jon.. since you are the only one that has said anything intelligent or meaningful I shall respond in kind.. I think you hit it on the head. I think the casting of Jonas and the two reality girls was 100% to get the "younger generation" into the next 25 years of Les Mis

#19

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 11:22pm

Greatwhiteway3, I'm going to say this in an intelligent and meaningful way...

Your opinion on theatrical productions, performance, and theatre history is obviously based on a tiny amount of education and experience. Before you publicly humiliate yourself further, I recommend that you fully think about what you are really saying before you hit that 'publish' button.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#20

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 11:41pm

^^^^^
I agree

#21

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/13/11 at 11:45pm

I read through all his other posts. Has anyone seen anything remotely well thought out, positive, informed, and actually right? Greatwhiteway, you are a tool.

"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."

#22

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/14/11 at 12:47am

Even if Colm was 65, he's still too old for the role until the very end of the show. Valjean is in his 40s when he gets out of prison.

There are others that I would have preferred in the role, but Colm is not one of them. And Alfie didn't sound like Kermit, especially for an opera singer he had great musical theatre diction.

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

#23

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/14/11 at 1:05am

I found the production very moving. I had forgotten how much I love the score.

My only disappointment was with Nick Jonas, whose performance I found distracting. The rest of the cast was fine.

Alfie Boe was wonderful in La Boheme, and I appreciated his work in this concert.

Norm Lewis was simply excellent.

#24

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/14/11 at 1:07am

I agree about Jonas as well. His voice is simply weak. "Empty Chairs" should be an extremely moving moment, however between his constant gasps for air, and strained high notes and dodgy low notes, the song was dead.

"Life in theater is give and take...but you need to be ready to give more then you take..."

#25

Les Mis 25th - BIG DISAPPOINTMENT

Posted: 3/14/11 at 6:15am

Lea Salonga overweight? Hardly. She sounded amazing.
Nick Jonas was absolutely effing terrible.
Norm Lewis was wonderful.
Alfie Boe was good until "Bring Him Home"...it was so weak.
The Thenardiers were "meh"
Eponine was good. Not outstanding, but good.
Cosette was boring, but when isn't she?
Ramin Karimloo was, well, Ramin Karimloo. amazing. :)
And the choir in t-shirts? Weird and inappropriate.

My .2 cents on this concert.

Whoever says money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to shop. - Bo Derek

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