Les Miserables 1/25
Les Miserables 1/25
#1Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/27/07 at 9:56pm
I finally got to see Les Mis on Thursday night. I had pretyt good seats in the back of the center orchestra (row S). The only bad part about those seats was not being able to see the top of the barricades.
Overall, it is a very good show. The cast is exceptionally talented.
The Prologue was great. It really drew me into the show. A good start.
I was blown away by Alex Gemignani as Valjean. I really don't think I could have asked for better. His voice was incredible, and his acting was spot-on. I feel like he really captured Valjean's emotions very well.
Daphne Rubin-Vega was (for me) the one weak point of the show. Her "I Dreamed a Dream" was painful to listen to. I will admit, though, that she's not a bad actress. I was expecting an all-around horror (from what I'd heard), and that is not what I got. Vocally, she is wrong for the show. I heard some happy murmurs around me when Fantine died.
The two youngest performers in the show, Carly Rose Sonenclar and Jacob Levine, were wonderful. Carly sang beautifully, although she was a little hard to hear at times. Jacob played a smart little Gavroche.
Gary Beach and Jenny Galloway were hysterical as the Thenardiers. "Master of the House" was fun to watch.
Norm Lewis was a good Javert. "Stars" was gorgeous to listen to.
Ali Ewoldt and Adam Jacobs were a great pair. Both are very strong singers and actors. Adam's "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" was heartbreaking and beautiful.
Aaron Lazar - I loved him as Fabrizio, and he did not disappoint as Enjolras. His voice, especially at the beginning of "Do You Hear the People Sing?" gives me chills.
I think I pretty much covered everything. I really did enjoy the show. I plan on going back to see it again, but with Lea Salonga as Fantine.
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
winston89
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/18/06
#2re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/27/07 at 11:14pmI love this show and this production five times. One of the times I was with my brother and there was the young boy who was bored so he took out his PSP and fiddled with it for about five min. Good part was that it was during DRV's I dreamed a dream so I didn't care. I always intedtionally sp? space out during that number because even though I think she is a great actress she cannot do Fantine at all.
"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear"
Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll
AmyRF25
Swing Joined: 1/1/07
#3re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 10:00am
I've seen the 'revival' les mis twice, 2nd time being yesterday's matinee.
I largely agree with dancingthrulife. I'm just going to add my .02 on some of the other performers...Daphne really is poorly cast and I can't wait until she leaves!
I wish Aaron was in the performance yesterday but he was out. Instead we had Drew Sarich, and IMO he was not as good as Aaron (not at all, not even a little).
I also think that Celia does a decent job as Eponine. I think she dies really well. I've seen better Eponine's over the years, but I don't think she's bad at all.
I did love Ali Ewoldt as Cosette! I think the way she portrays her is very sweet.
Both times we've had Kylie Liya Goldstein as young Cosette and I LOVE her. I think she's awesome.
The only things I don't love about the revival is I think they should have left "Master of the House" more like the original. To me now it just feels sort of rushed, and I feel the background people sing louder. It's still funny though!
And did Valjean always die in a chair at the end? I've seen les mis 8 times but I can't remember if this is how it always way?
Good show though. Hopefully when I see it again, Aaron will be in it, and Lea Salonga will be as great as I remember her!
purpleprince101
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#4re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 10:03ami actually liked this les miz "revival", 2nd favorite after i saw it at the broadway, imperial, and in london queens
#6re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 12:36pmI can't believe I left Celia out! I really enjoyed her performance. I have nothing to compare her to, but I thought she was wonderful. Her death scene was very touching.
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
#8re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 12:59pm
And did Valjean always die in a chair at the end? I've seen les mis 8 times but I can't remember if this is how it always way?
I've never seen Valjean not die in the chair.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#9re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 1:12pmWhen exactly does Daphne leave? I thought she had already left.
#10re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 1:41pmhttp://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=542374
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
actor
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/14/06
#11re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 5:18pmI saw Les Mis last night. Daphne was a complete terror. What were the casting directors thinking when they cast her as Fantine?
#12re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 5:30pm
What were the casting directors thinking when they cast her as Fantine?
She was pretty much hand-picked by John Caird:
Question: How did the role of Fantine come about for you?
Daphne Rubin-Vega: John Caird came to see the Rent 10 [anniversary] benefit [concert]. I didn't know him at the time, but at the after party, the loud and raucous after party, one of the producers of Rent introduced me to John, and in the midst of it all, he said something like, "Wouldn't she make a great Fantine?" At the time I had no idea that they were considering doing a revival of Les Miz, but it sort of put this little bee in my bonnet, and . . . I [told] my agent, "You know what, I'm interested in going in for that."
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
C is for Company
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/16/05
#13re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 5:35pmI actually love listening to her I Dreamed A Dream. The production was much more powerful and changed than I thought it would be.
theminutepast
Broadway Star Joined: 2/1/06
#14re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/28/07 at 11:53pmI was there Thursday night in row R on the right. I'm glad you enjoyed the show. I saw the revival two other times in January, but I thought Daphne was at her best Thursday night. It was the strongest singing I had heard from her Fantine. I didn't hear any sounds of joy when she died. I also disagree about the girl playing Little Cosette that night. Her singing was disappointing. It was whiney and hokey. (I'm not majoring in music or voice, so I don't know the exact wording for what she was doing wrong). A couple people around me were laughing quietly. But I guess we were just sitting around different people.
#15re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 10:06amThose happy people were sitting right near me, a few seats down.
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
gustof777
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/8/04
#16re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 10:16amsorry you didn't like Daphne. But i'm glad to hear she just keeps getting stronger. I LOVED her in this and while i know i'm in the miniority...it's nice to know there are a few others who got something out of her performance. I love her I Dreamed a Dream!
RIP Natasha Richardson. ~You were a light on this earth ~
#17re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 11:40amGustof, you're not alone. I also love her as Fantine. I have only ever seen this cast, but after hearing people go on and on about how the song "should" be sung, I did listen to the obcr and looked up some videos online. I have to say that while the other versions I have seen and heard are beautiful, I still prefer Daphne's. I feel like she makes it more gritty and emotional and therefore more real. Her I Dreamed a Dream gives me goosebumps.
"I wrote a book: "How to Be Popular". Now I've put together a top ten list of how to help you:
-Elphie, everyday... shower. I mean, who knows? Maybe some of that green is gonna come off!
-Deodorant Elphie. No body likes a stinky witch!
-I think we've covered the hair, we'll get to that.
-Clean underclothes. That's all I'm gonna say.
-Look at your posture. That's no way to be popular!
-Bed made, room straightened. We've done that.
-Colors blended. Oookay.
-But the most important thing to have, to make yourself popular, is to keep your beautiful smile."
~Kristin Chenoweth in her last performance of the song "Popular"
#18re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 12:58pmOh dear! Don't listen to the OBC if you can help it.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#19re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 1:02pmThank you for this review!
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
p.s.
Broadway Star Joined: 10/30/06
#20re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 1:17pm
When exactly does Daphne leave? I thought she had already left.
I think the schedule is as follows:
Daphne's last performance is Sunday 2/18.
Then Nikki Renee Daniels Tuesday 2/20 to Sunday 3/4,
except for Haviland Stillwell Saturday evening 2/28.
Lea Salonga starts Tuesday 3/6.
Wouldn't it be great to catch each of the different performances?
p.s. Aside from how much I can't wait to see/hear Lea as Fantine -- someday I'd love for Lea and Celia to switch roles for one or two performances.
#21re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 2:04pm
"Oh dear! Don't listen to the OBC if you can help it." Lol, its funny you should say that b/c I really don't listen to it all that often for the very reason that I think the revival cast is so much better! I know there are lots of cast recordings of this show . . . is there one you would recommend?
PS I would also love to be able to see all the different Fantine's . . . especially Nikki and Lea. But this show is making me broke and I doubt I can go again soon enough to see Nikki. Will definitely have to catch Lea at some point later in the run though.
"I wrote a book: "How to Be Popular". Now I've put together a top ten list of how to help you:
-Elphie, everyday... shower. I mean, who knows? Maybe some of that green is gonna come off!
-Deodorant Elphie. No body likes a stinky witch!
-I think we've covered the hair, we'll get to that.
-Clean underclothes. That's all I'm gonna say.
-Look at your posture. That's no way to be popular!
-Bed made, room straightened. We've done that.
-Colors blended. Oookay.
-But the most important thing to have, to make yourself popular, is to keep your beautiful smile."
~Kristin Chenoweth in her last performance of the song "Popular"
p.s.
Broadway Star Joined: 10/30/06
#22re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 2:14pm
"Oh dear! Don't listen to the OBC if you can help it."
I know there are lots of cast recordings of this show . . .
What made me cry last Wednesday night was learning that there are no current plans for a revival cast recording.
[The feeling is that there already exist enough cast recordings.]
p.s. And no current plans to readdress the plans after March 7th.
#23re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 1/29/07 at 2:30pm
I know there are lots of cast recordings of this show . . . is there one you would recommend?
The Paris revival cast recording eclipses all the English-language ones. I really don't like the OBC in general, plus David Bryant is awful and the ensemble seems to sing really gutturally, which is off-putting.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
sferezy
Chorus Member Joined: 12/24/06
#24re: Les Miserables 1/25
Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:14pm
About the revival cast recording...
...is there anything we (as consumers) can do to push the issue? Who do we need to send e-mails to?
p.s. I LOVED DAPHNE AS FANTINE!!! I see where everyone is coming from and can respect that, and, i thought she was raw, and brilliant!! Because i was front row center i could really see the reality she brought to the role...i love her!
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