Les Mis- 3/7 with Lea

[kimmie103]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:08am

She was amazing!!!

I've seen Les Mis, I believe 15 times now, and she was great!!!!!!!!!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:09am

Ah, I see you believe in an economy of words.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:18am

full review?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:22am

All I can say is...wow!

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:24am

LIKE OMG YOUR REVIEW IS SO GOOD AND DETAILED! I <3 1 SENTENCE REVIEWS.LOLZZZ

[kimmie103]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:26am

Geez.. I'm sorry I just wanted to put it out there that she was great.. I am little busy at work to give the full on details.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:26am

Then why not wait?

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:28am

there's also another thread on this subject...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:29am

Or 3 or 4...

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:31am

this thread should be deleted...at the very least, there should have been a full review of the show.
Updated On: 3/8/07 at 11:31 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:35am

this thread should be deleted...

But that's no fun!

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:35am

Lea did a fantastic job as Fantine. She was in tears by the end of I DREAMED A DREAM and she brought the house down. The rest of her performance matched. Her death scene was done beautifully as well, and she has much chemistry with Gemignani - who was in perfect voice tonight.

Gary Beach was out again 9he was out my first time). James Chip Leonard seemed off tonight - he was much better the first time I saw him. I would like to see Gary Beach though - he is a great performer. But Jenny Galloway - who is breaking the Les Mis mold and making things her own completely dominated the stage. She added some of the most bizarre things into her performance that were hilarious. For example, when Javert enters during LOOK DOWN she ran out of the wings screaming, sat down, and got quiet as only Mme. Thenardier can. She also spent a lot of time during BEGGARS AT THE FEAST undressing the men.

Norm Lewis - whose voice was solid as it always is - was stiffer than usual. He is one of the finest actors in NYC and it seems like this role has gone over his head. I don't quite understand it. I have to blame John Caird, who must have directed Lewis to be bored, boring, and weak. But I could listen to him sing for days and days. Odd thing I noticed - they seem to have taken his SUICIDE higher and the last note - the jump - seemed to be pre-recorded or something. I don't remember him singing it that high the first time I saw the show, nor do I remember any Javert singing it that high. At first I thought he made a mistake (but it's Norm Lewis!) but the last note sounded strange.

Nehal Joshi was on. He has a nice voice, but lacks the commanding presence - in voice and physicality - needed for Enjolras. Aaron Lazar was missed!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:42am

Thank you, BSoBW2, for contributing something worthwhile to this thread. Great review.

[dididda]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 1:24pm

I too saw the show last night.

I agree, Lea was fantastic. such an exciting experience to see someone who you've admired on recording..live for the first time. Lea gave great fragility to the role while at the same time, not making the character weak. Her dreamed a dream was fantastic. as was her death scene. you really sensed hallucinations and that the end was near.

This was my first time seeing the "revival". Having seen the original and also having seen it done in high schools twice. I must say this is the freshest i've seen les mis. as such, the relationships were so clear, i picked up a lot of subtle things that i've never realized before. this was a treat. It's the first time i've ever cried during les mis, something i was really not expecting to happen. I dreamed a dream, a little fall of rain, bring him home, and the finale all got to me. It was an emotional experience.
This was the first time i was hot with the scope of the piece and how much ground they cover.
overall, this production seems a lot...quieter. there was several times where they didn't belt, etc. in places i assumed they would. i dont know if it was because it was the second show of the day or if this is the usual proceeding. i think it worked for the most part, made it much more...cathartic and made it much more about the characters inner emotions.

Celia was utterly phenominal at acting the part of eponine. Eponine for some reason remains one of my fave characters in musical history. Celia's performence was everything i think the character should be. she didnt play herself as a victime, which is essential. she was brassy outwardly, and damaged inside. her little fall of rain was absoluetly astonishing. one of the best played deaths i've seen onstage. I usually am not a fan of this number, but for some reason...it really got to me. i looove how she goes to kiss him at the end and doesnt. it all the other productions shes suceeded with the kiss. I think her dying as shes going to makes it so much more... dramatically sastiating.

I loved cosette's retooled costumes, it think it works wonderfully and adds alot to the character. I think this is probably the first time i've liked character of cossette. though, both younger and older's singing was a little off.

alexander gemignani works soooo hard in the role. he was astonishing... at first i was unsure but he was just... incredible. i dont even have the words. he moved me so much.
it seemed much more about the relationships with this production. and gemignani nailed valjean. i truly got that he was doing everything for cossette.

overall, an amazing night at the theater.
which is what les mis should be, which is what i hope it remains to be. I really hope they keep it fresh and once it begins to go as stale as past productions, they close it.

sigh...oh lea, you're fantastic. fin.

[JellyRoll]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 1:30pm

Lea is freakin amazing..love her!!

[Princeton78]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 2:20pm

Errr....Epoinine never gets to kiss Marius. Sorry, Celia didn't come up with that.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 2:34pm

Errr....Epoinine never gets to kiss Marius. Sorry, Celia didn't come up with that.

Sometimes she does. It started with the 10th anniversary cast on Broadway. (Sarah Uriarte Berry and Peter Lockyer.)

[p.s.]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 3:22pm

Referring to the Subject line:

It has been pointed out that "Les Mis" should be spelled with the letter 'Z' and without the letter 'S'.

Maybe it should read "Lea Miz".


p.s. Magbigay galang Lea

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 3:25pm

It has been pointed out that "Les Mis" should be spelled with the letter 'Z' and without the letter 'S'.

The "z" is supposed to exclusively refer to American productions. So said Richard-Jay Alexander. Does his opinion count anymore?

[theminutepast]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 3:58pm

I didn't know the kiss started with the 10th anniversary cast. I remember seeing a clip once with Peter Lockyer and Sarah Uriarte-Berry where Marius actually kissed Eponine after she had died. (Not a Y-T clip. I was buying tickets for the National Tour when it came to Minneapolis last year, and the clip was temporarily on their website).

[p.s.]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 4:36pm

I've seen the Revival a number of times and I've never seen Eponine actually kiss Marius (and I always watch for it).

Celia's Eponine always tries and comes close, but only once did I see her lips touch; and it looked like she was already dead and her momentum had carried her forward a bit before her body collapsed.


p.s. Forget about the age stuff. Wouldn't it be cool to see Celia and Lea trade parts for one or two performances.

[p.s.]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 4:55pm

Richard Jay-Alexander directed Lea Salonga in her solo Carnegie Hall debut. What does (did) Ms. Salonga have to say about Richard? :

“The first time we worked together,” Salonga recalls, “was on Les Miz when I went in many years ago. I remember him being very enthusiastic, very passionate, very hands-on, very emotional and very committed to what he does. And that has not waned in any way in the years that I’ve known him. . . .


p.s. Miz with a Z
Richard-Jay Alexander with a Richard Jay-Alexander

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 5:02pm

Errr....Epoinine never gets to kiss Marius. Sorry, Celia didn't come up with that.

Also, on the U.S. tour of Les Mis with Sutton Foster as Eponine and Tim Howar as Marius, Eponine kissed Marius before she died.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 5:05pm

I've seen many Eponines on the US tour get to kiss him, but probably just as many die right before.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 5:07pm

Does anyone know what I'm talking about re: Javert's Suicide. WAT - did it sound pre-recorded to you?

It was odd. And I don't remember it that way.


OK - maybe he went to high and that's what made it werid.

I do not like the pre-recorded scream. Updated On: 3/8/07 at 05:07 PM