Les Miserables Randal Keith interview --> Opening night review!- Page 2

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:31pm

Thank you, bythesword - oh i get it! by the sword! here i thought it was by's the word! - it makes sense now. They're nice songs to listen to out of context, but even better now that I "get it".

[jmaclover]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:32pm

He wasn't on the 10th ann.

To me, the catchiest tune is the one that runs through Master of the House and Beggars at the Feast.

My favorite moment is during Javert's Suicide.

I always feel like Valjean's hardest song is Bring Him Home (when he prays to G-d that Marius doesn't die at the barricade). Also, when I saw Randal on Broadway his voice cracked on the one of 2-4-6-0-1 during Who Am I? but he made up for it with THE BEST Bring Him Home I ever heard.

It's hard to say what he will say about the shostopper (as I said I like Javert's Suicide). Les Mis is difficult because it is one of the truest forms of a Modern Rock Opera - it's all sung!

Drink with me and Bring Him Home (to me) have always slowed down the barricade scene making it more realistic.

One Day More is a powerful number (comparible to Defying Gravity). Valjean's more powerful numbers are in Act I - like Who Am I? and What Have I Done? (which is my favorite of Valjean's and also is echoed in Javert's suicide)

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:33pm

LOL No, it is By the Sword, which is a song from The Civil War about people from the North...and I'm from New York. Yeah, the idea was cute at the time but everyone seems to read the name differently. Zoran still thinks its By The S-Word and wants to know what the S-Word is. hehe.

-Christine



Oh and if there's anything else I can help you with just let me know.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:35pm

AHAHA! By The S Word. I'm keeping that!

Thanks guys, trust me I'll be peppering you with questions tonight. I usually has the comfort of knowing the musicals well before I interview the actors, but definitely not here!

Is One Day More the one where the company is marching or something?

Javert kills himself?

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:36pm

Master of the House IS catchy but I wouldn't call it a show stopper, at least not in any production I've seen although it does lighten the mood for a few minutes.

I personally would have to say my favorite moment in the show is Drink With Me. I think it shows more of the students and how they're feeling than anything ever could, which makes up for the extreme underdevelopment of their characters otherwise. (although it always bothered me that Joly has the "here's to witty girls who went to our beds" line because that is so completely out of his character)



EDIT: Javert kills himself at the end of Act II because he can't handle the fact that all his life he's been chasing after this man who probably should not have been chased after. He gets treated with kindness by Valjean and it throws him for a complete loop and he just can't handle it and his whole world comes crashing around him to think that the law might be wrong.

Yes, One Day More is when they're all marching.


EDIT AGAIN: He kills himself by jumping into the river Seine

Updated On: 11/3/04 at 09:36 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:38pm

^^ What's his character like?

Okay I'm running away now to read that synopsis. BRB!

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:44pm

Javert was born in a jail and grew up to become a police inspector. His entire life consists of black and white or good and evil as defined by the law and nothing else. If you break the law you are bad, end of story. To him Valjean was bad and needed to be caught, it was an obsession.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:45pm

Oh, and for posterity's sake, here's EponineThenardier's infamous synopsis. Okay, brb.

Here you are Type_A_Tiff. You'd better read it. It's really good.

Les Miz synopsis:

Okay here it goes. Once upon a time in a place called France they’re lived a man named Jean Valjean (he is the protagonist, with me so far?) This is in the late 19th century. And the story opens (after the kick ass overture) with a chain gang, one of the members includes our very own Valjean. We later learn he has been imprisoned for 20 years for stealing a loaf of bread, because his sister’s child was starving and this is miserable 19th century France (hence the title). Anyway in enters from stage left the “baddy” policeman whose name is Javert. He wears a funny hat, has a deep voice, carries a big stick and always has his signature fluffy sideburns. He gives Valjean his yellow parole ticket, and calls Valjean 24601, which is his chain gang number. Remember that number it comes up later in the show. And this is only the first song… Anyway Valjean is “free” but finds that he is not accepted into the other working areas, farmers and inns kick him out because he is an ex-criminal. Valjean is very bitter about this, so bitter that he sings a song about it. Next he meets a bishop, who changes his life. (oops sorry, gave the plot away). Anyway, the bishop offers Valjean food, shelter, money, the lot. And Valjean repays this by stealing the bishops silver candlesticks, and he runs for it (duh), but then is caught (F**k!). And the bishop pretends that he gave Valjean the silver, and tells him to be a good boy and live an honest life. Valjean is now very confused and sings “What Have I Done.” The end part of this song is really cool. Breaks his parole and runs away.
Fast forward several years, and to a different town, where the poor and homeless come through the smoke machine smoke in some very cool lighting affects, this is “At the end of the Day.” (they are very dirty btw, although not necessarily the kind you like!) Anyway the scene shifts in the middle of the song to a factory, and we see a very horny foreman, who is after Fantine (another lead, well until she dies. Sorry spoiler. Should have put that after I wrote it, oh well.) Fantine gets into a fight with a factory girl, whom mocks Fantine about her daughter and takes a letter from her. Valjean arrives during the fight, he has now a different name, and is now a major. Fantine explains that she has a daughter who lives with Innkeepers and she still pays for the child, that’s why she has a job in the first place. Oh, and her lover/father of her child ran off. (Cheerful so far) Anyway everyone gets pissed because Fantine isn’t supposed to have a daughter, and the foreman throws her out. And Valjean just looks away and doesn’t do anything to help. Fantine sings “I Dreamed a Dream.” (The song speaks for itself once you hear it, so I won’t elaborate). Anyway Fantine happens to run across a group of prostitutes, since she has no money and has to save her daughter she sells her hair, her locket and then herself (this is in the song “Lovely Ladies” where the chorus girls wear big hats and lots of period underwear.) Anyway a big old ugly rich man appears and wants to buy Fantine for the night, she is disgusted and depressed and refuses him. He gets rough and she slaps him, then he calls for the police. Javert arrives and get pissed. Valjean was watching all this btw, and he THEN steps in (great timing, smart ass). He insists that she needs a doctor (she’s sick). And Javert somehow lets it go. Meanwhile a horse got spooked, and its cart comes hurling down the street (err stage left, or right depending on how the rotating stage is going at the moment). And everyone runs around in circles and the cart “lands” on a guy. Valjean saves him, and Javert (who has been obsessively searching for Valjean since he broke his parole) recognizing his strength (but not his face? Maybe Javert blind or something). Anyway Javert says it can’t be we caught Valjean, it’s all good. Then Valjean sings a song “Who Am I” where he tries to decide whether to save his own skin or save an innocent man (who is thought to be Valjean. And since he is indeed the hero of the story he admits that he’s really Valjean and Javert looks dumbfounded). Oh yea and Valjean tears his shirt open to show lots of ugly old man chest hair, yeah and 24601 which was branded on his skin during chain gang. He runs off, and goes to see Fantine who is dying. Valjean promises to her that he’ll find Cosette (Fantine’s daughter) and raise her as his own (“Come to Me”). Fantine then dies, and Javert shows up with mussed sideburns and a pissy attitude. Valjean beats the pulp out of Javert with a chair that breaks apart on purpose and runs off to rescue Cosette.
Next town. Mont-sur Mermiel (or something to that extent). Sue me I don’t know the names, I’m not that much of a Les Miz dork! Here comes the song “Castle on a Cloud” which LITTLE Cosette sings (little Cosette has her own song, but older Cosette doesn’t. That must suck). And Madame Thenardier appears and yells and bitches at little Cosette whom she and her husband abuse and make her do all the housework. The Thenardier’s are the Innkeepers btw, and they spoil their real daughter Eponine (yay!). The next song is what Thenardier sings about his urine smelling old Inn, “Master of the House.” It’s a lovely happy song where everyone gets drunk. Afterwards Valjean find little Cosette in the woods and offers her a doll and a home and of course Cosette accepts because Fantine never taught her any better. Valjean buys Cosette off the Thenardier’s “Waltz of Treachery.” Then they leave for better lives.
Next scene. 10 Years later, this is in Paris, and all the poor smelling people hang out looking for money and drugs and whatnot. They are good singer though and they sing about being poor smelling ugly people “Look Down.” You meet a little boy named Gavroche, who sings a little solo. And then you meet Enjorlas and Marius. Enjorlas is trying to start a revolution because they’re lives suck. This is the song "It Sucks to Be Me" oh wait wrong musical. We meet up with the Thenardier’s again and their gang of weirdoes, this includes their (now grown up daughter) Eponine (who is lovely and has perfect teeth because she is a romantic leading role). She flirts with Marius who she’s obsessed with, and then Marius bumps (literally) into a older Cosette and they fall in love at first site. Then Thenardier gets into a fight with Valjean, he recognizes that he bought Cosette and (I think) he was also a chain gain member. Anyway Javert shows up (again) this time with much greyer sideburns and bitches about the filth on the street and realizes that Valjean is nearby, he sings about catching Valjean and swears by it in the song “Stars.”
Eponine later realizes that the girl who stole her man was the same girl that she grew up with. And when Marius asks her to show him where Cosette lives she tells him to f**k off. (Actually she agrees, the whimp. “Eponine’s Errand”). Next scene all the boys/student played by semi-hot men in their thirties and forties gang together to start their revolution, lead by Enjorlas. Marius shows up and brags how he found the girl of his dreams (Cosette) and they make fun of him. They sing of the Revolution etc in “Red/Black” and everyone favorite cliché song “Do You Hear the People Steam.” (I mean Sing).
And then. In a lovely garden with a very tall iron gate and pretty girl in an ugly doily of a dress sings about not remembering her past and about Marius (“In My Life”). Valjean shows up and refuses to tell her about her past or his, and heads back into the house (aka: off stage to get a smoke before his next scene). Marius shows up followed by Eponine who showed him where the house was. Cosette and Marius meet and get all over each other (okay they hold hands. How exciting…) and Eponine watches on and looks sad. Then they sing all together “A Heart Full of Love” which sounds like “A Fart Full of Love” when Marius doesn’t work on his articulation. Then Thenardier’s gang show up and plan to rob Valjean’s house, Eponine fight back (finally..) and screams to alert Valjean, Marius, Cosette etc. because if they rob the house Marius will think she led the gang there. (“Attack on Rue Plumett” this number has an awesome score.) The gang run away, Marius sees Eponine and jumps the fence (very heroically) and they hide before Valjeans runs out. Cosette insists that she screamed to frighten the gang away, Valjean thinks that it was Javert and he plans to take Cosette and travel across the sea where they’ll be safe. Which would take Marius away from Cosette. (ooooh! Plot Twist!) The next number is one of the best called “One Day More.” This is the entire cast except Fantine cause she’s dead. And all the leads have solos about their major problems. And they all march towards the future with the revolution and their poor pitiful problems ahead, and every shrink in the audience wishes they were alive in the late 19th century France where they could make a Sh**t load of money for cureing people of their problems. And that’s the end of act 1. You’ll get Act II tomorrow. Whew….



for Type_A_Tiff
INTERMISSION: (in which Ulla paints the set blue…)

Okay. He we go, get comfy, but I’ll bet your butt still might go numb. Act II begins with the scrim down and this cool lighting effect and the chorus marching in the background as they were at the end of act 1. Makes you think they were marching there during whole of intermission (kinda…). Enjorlas (the girly barricade leader, in case you forgot) is leading the revolution, and everyone’s getting piped up about it. (YAY! Lets go die for a hopeless cause!). Enjorlas asked for someone to spy on the enemy (whoever that may be, they never really tell us). And Javert in disguise raises his hand and says he will and he knows all about the enemy because he served his time ith them. (This is a load of bull as Javert never did but just wants to find Valjean, even though Valjean himself doesn’t know he’ll be fighting at the barricades too. Ooooh Javert can see into the future!) Eponine shows up dressed as a boy with her signature trench coat and newsboy hat, and Marius being a self centered jerk and oblivious to Eponine’s feeling says here you can take this letter I wrote and take it to my TRUE love. Eponine does, she climbs over the iron gate again which she is pulled down from by Valjean. (In funny accent) “Get offfa ma LAND!” Valjean brings out a shotgun and promptly tries to….never mind. Eponine explains the letter is for Cosette and it’s from a boy at the Barricades. Valjean thanks her and then reads the letter, because it’s for Cosette and he thinks he might have pot connections. (And he is a concerned parent, oh and he wants some too..). He reads the note and realizes that his little girl is growing up, awww, and that theres this guy at the barricades whose going to die soon and he loves his daughter. So Valjean heads off to the barricades to protect him. Eponine btw, is majorly upset and walks through the streets and sings “On My Own” the song dreaded by casting directors everywhere. (Damn all you teenage girls who ruined MY song!). She decides to join Marius at the barricades.
Back at the barricades the students sing and drink and be merry and presently Javert returns and says oooh they won’t fight until tomorrow you can all get drunk tonight. Gavroche (who btw, watched Javert sing “Stars” [I forgot to say this before]) says that Javert is a liar and thief and he stole my precious… He is an Inspector and the students freak out (We trusted you!) and they tie him to a chair (this could get dirty).
Next scene, a student spots a “boy” climbing the barricade and it turns out it’s Eponine, who ran right through the enemy lines to get back to Marius. Marius immediately questions her about Cosette then thinks “wait a minute, Eponine, why did you spill ketchup on yourself?” Eponine lays in Marius’s arms and they sing “A Little Fall of Rain” and she dies. (but before she finally admits to loving Marius, and he feels like a total dick). Everyone is shocked because (OMG we’re fighting a war and someone DIED! This wasn’t supposed to happen. Just like Bush and Iraq and……). Anyway they all are depressed and tired and so they get drunk again, but first they sing “Drink With Me.” Soon Valjean arrives and offers his service they let him fight and the First Battle starts, they love what Valjean can do with a gun so they thank him, but Valjean asks if he can have Javert. (ooooh. I want to keep him and comb his sideburns and pet him and says he’s mine..). They give him Javert who tells Valjean to kill him, Valjean lets him go. Javert still vows to follow Valjean. Valjean fakes Javert’s death so everyone thinks that he’s dead. Somewhere in here (can’t remember exactly where,) there is another battle. And they are short on ammunition, which isn’t right because the heros never run out! Marius offers to go collect bullets from the other side of the barricade, which would mean certain death. Then Valjean offers cause he says he’s old and useless and before anyone can do anything Gavroche hops over the barricade and get the bullets and chucks them back to the barricade but he is shot and killed (this is truly heartbreaking). Then they all fall asleep and Valjean lovingly looks down at Marius (Mmmm, hot gay actor) and sings “Bring Him Home” about letting Marius live in the battle. Anyway there is another battle and everyone starts to kick ass and chew bubble gum, but they all die except for Valjean who was knocked out and Marius who was wounded but unconscious. How handy huh). This is where we have the lovely oboe solo (which is so beautiful) and the stage turns around to show Enjorlas (with his shirt wide open and fake blood on his mouth) symbolically on top of the Red revolutionary flag. Gavroche is also there who died earlier. Valjean picks up Marius (or tries to) and heaves him off to the sewer, which is also very dirty (not to mention smelly). Javert returns to the barricade in search of Valjean and somehow thinks (hmmm maybe he’s in the sewer) which he goes to as well.
Next scene is in the sewer (the stage with a lot of smoke) and Thenardier shows up with a “dead” chorus member whom he pulls a tooth out of. (hey! This isn’t Sweeney Todd) and he sings about how he cheats the good people and how their lives are a living hell “Dog Eat Dog.” Valjean collapses with exhaustion just next to Thenardier without realizing it. And Thenardier searches Marius and finds a ring (insert Gollum noises here). He then spots Valjean, freaks and leaves, taking the “dead” chorus member with him because he’s dead and can’t walk off stage himself. Valjean drags Marius across the stage in different positions and then stops right in front of Javert who has been waiting (Bwahahahaha!) Javert and Valjean go at it and sing tying to convince the other of their means. Valjean wins (yay..I think) and Javert finally lets Valjean go and save Marius (but says he’ll be back). Javert is now very confused and rethinks about his life and how all he’s been doing is running after Valjean (like a very obsessed fan girl). He sings “Javert’s Suicide” in the same tune as “What Have I Done.” And as the title indicates javet jumps off a bridge. Or rather a bridge flys above his head and Javert stays put, cause jumping into the stage would hurt. And there are cool lighting effects and Javert rolls around on stage. And drowns (aka: rolls offstage).
Next scene the women of Paris gather and mope about how all the students are dead and life sucks. (“Tuning”). A wounded Marius then laments about his dead friends in “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” one of the best songs if done right. And all the dead barricade people line up behind him while he’s singing, it’s very cool. Then the girl in the doily dress (aka: Cosette) shows up and says aww its okay we’re together it’s all good. They are getting married, but before Valjean shows up and tells Marius the truth about his past and how he must run away because he is caught then it will ruin Cosette’s life. Marius promises not to tell her.
Next scene is the wedding. Who knows where all the rich people came from? Anyway the Thenardier’s show up (all rich and decked out in ugly clothes) and they harass Marius about the ring that was stolen and say that Valjean saved his life. He beats the living pulp out of Thenardier and runs to find Valjean with Cosette before he leaves. The Thenardier’s meanwhile are helping themselves to the silver.
Valjean is sitting at home, but he isn’t leaving because he is old and about to bite the dust. He writes a letter explaining everything to Cosette, and Fantine appears. The angel of Fantine I should say, and they sing because Valjean is about to die. Marius and Cosette show up and thank Valjean for saving Marius’s life and Cosette cries because she doesn’t want Valjean to die. He gives her the letter and dies. Eponine appears and she and Fantine and the ghost of Valjean sing and reach towards Marius and Cosette. Then you hear the chorus singing in the background and the entire ensemble join in a reprise of “Do You Hear the People Sing?” And that’s the end.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:47pm

I didn't really read that whole thing ever, so I will but just so you know it's not the late 19th century, it's the early 19th century. The latest year in the show is 1832.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:48pm

so why does javert kill himself?

and does the french revolution come into play at all?

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:52pm

No the actual French Revolution doesn't play into it at all, this takes place after it.

And Javert kills himself because well...okay...Javert spies on the barricades and gets caught but Valjean frees him. Then Javert catches Valjean later on when he has Marius and he wants to arrest him but he sees Marius is near death and actually lets Valjean go even though he could arrest him right then and there and his long search can be finished. He can't handle this whole fact that the law was wrong and maybe this man who broke his parole should not be re-arrested and this kills his little Javert brain. He can't handle the concept of a gray area. So, overcome with this whole thing he kills himself.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:54pm

so it's not over guilt that he's been persecuting valjean for this long?

[jmaclover]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:55pm

bythesword - you always thought Grantaire shoudld say that line, right? -- That's what I think!

Javert committs suicide because he's whole life has become trying to bring down evil (aka Valjean). When Valjean not only spares Javert's life but saves it Javert become confused. In the original French Concept the song is called Noir ou Blanc (meaning Black or White, Evil vs. Good)

Javert is supposed to seem like the antagonist. To me he was never! Javert is a police man doing his civic duty and ends up becoming obsessed and engulfed by it. When Valjean saved him his world suffocated him to the point where he couldn't live anymore.

Also, more from the book, Valjean is NOT a good person and doesn't become one until the Bishop of Digne's words sink in (which in the show is What Have I Done? aka Valjean's Soliloquy). Valjean the bad guy was born in a regular home and ends up in jail. Javert was a good person born into the prison setting. Javert feels that if he could become "good" after being born into an evil world, Valjean should be able to stay good, being born into a good world.

When Javert realizes that Valjean has been good all this time (Recall: Javert doensn't begin to chase Valjean until he rips up the passport jaune, yellow ticket of leave (which is illegal: One had to show the yellow ticket when looking for work. It was the parole ticket - showing an employer that the person was in prison but is now on parole) --> All during Valjean's Soliloquy.

Basically, in the end Javert realizes he was chasing after a man who had really done no wrong.

Imagine building your whole life around the fact that someone is a bad person and spending your whole life trying to prove it. Then the time comes and you find out that the person is really good. How would you feel?

I always though Javert jumped into the water (after seeing the show, before reading the book) beacuse in the Soliloquy Valjean says "whirlpool of my sin" and now whenever I hear that line I always think of rushing water (like in the River Seine) that just surrounds you and kills you. Also, Javert spins in a circle when he dies (like in a whirlpool)

Hopefully you were able to get through this!

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 9:59pm

jmac, that does make sense. thanks.

also, eponinethenardier, if you're reading this, did you include all the songs in the show in your synopsis?

and guys, are the songs 10th anni dvd in the same order as they are in the show?

[jmaclover]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:00pm

the French Revolution plays very much into this!

I mean it is why people are revolting (for the second or third time), how Cosette and Marius meet, why Valjean goes to the barricade and saves Javert.

But, the revolution itself is never really mentioned.

Remember, this book was (almost) banned when Victor Hugo first published it in France. It radically opposed the government making it look like a killer of young students (on the most basic of terms).

Sound familiar?

Les Mis is, to me, the greatest show ever written because it can relate to anything and everything yet still keep a distance.

Though it is drastically different (and somewhat better) you should read the book - even if you get the abridged version!

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:01pm

Jmac- I actually always felt it would be best said by Courfeyrac, I mean, he was supposed to be the ladies' man of the group. I can see it being a Grantaire line, pretty much anyone but Joly. (Maybe because I always loved Joly, he's my favorite student so I just was struck by him having a line that seemed so wrong)

Tiff- Jmac is correct, you really end up more feeling bad for Javert than seeing him as the "bad guy" but the show is written in a way that is supposed to make him seem like this big jerk hunting down poor Valjean. I was just trying to keep it in terms of the musical because you don't need to worry about the book for this interview I don't think.


EDIT: Yes the songs are in the correct order on the TAC

Updated On: 11/3/04 at 10:01 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:03pm

okay thanks. now i really WILL be BRBing because i still haven't read the synopsis in full yet, and while these little bits are making sense to me, it's still...not quite making total sense.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:03pm

Jmac, for her intent and purpose it really doesn't play into it. Yes, it does in the book. But she's interviewing an actor who is in the musical. This should be kept simple and with what she needs to know. The Revolution is never mentioned in the musical.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:05pm

Well, in all fairness, I do have comp press tickets to opening night next week and I'll probably be meeting Randal afterwards for a bit, so I'd like to know it more indepth before I see it...but yeah, for tomorrow, I want to be on an only-slightly-more-than-need-to-know basis.

[jmaclover]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:07pm

Thanks and your welcome

The songs are in order, though some of the extra (what I like to call dialogue music) was ommited from it.

If you go online and find the libretto (which isn't difficult) you'll be able to read the whole show. It's fairly simple to understand - just difficult because of the multiple story lines.

I suggest this:

The through story is Valjean. He is the backbone of the story. Fantine is the elbow and cosette is the hand. The Thenardiers are the other elbow and the connect Valjean to Eponine (the hand) and Marius the fingers. Then, when you interlock your fingers, you have Marius and Cosette meeting. Of course it gets difficult when you start trying to describe the Students who revolt. Javert could be a whole leg (supporting half the story) and the Students are the other leg (supporting the other half of the story. I would put Enjolras somewher in the Hip - where Marius can interact with him.

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:08pm

What I always tell people when they go to see the show is to take it a little bit at a time. When you go in, read the Act I synopsis before it starts, then at intermission read the Act II synopsis and you won't get lost. Me, I'd read the book and had the libretto memorized before I first saw it but I know that's more unusual and it is a lot to take in. Some people think the show is hard to follow but I don't really agree with that.

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:09pm

Good analogy, I think.

Is the student's revolt really important or is it just a means to get to teh crux of the Marius/Cosette/Valjean storyline? (i.e. the way that Aida isn't really about the Nubian/Egyptian battle, and Miss Saigon isn't really about Vietnam? Or is it a storyline in and of itself?)

[bythesword84]

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

In the book it is VERY important.

In the musical it's basically shrunken down to cover that storyline. They cover it pretty well but it's no where near as big a part as it should be based on the importance of it in the novel.

[jmaclover]

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

Sorry about the book stuff, but it is important to understand the show even more if you know the history of the book. The real French Revolution was both a huge and small part of the show.


Does anyone else really like Grantair dying last with him and the bottle? I do! It gives me more chills than when we see Enjolras with the red flagdraped over the barricade. It makes it so real - Enjolras was human like them all. I hate when the "leader" dies last!

[bythesword84]

Posted: 11/3/04 at 10:14pm

I think the Grantaire/Enjolras dynamic is incredibly important to the show. Only one time did I ever see it done where it just struck me so hard. It was...who was playing it, ugh...David McDonald and Christopher Mark Peterson. Right after Graintaire's part in DWM, he looked over at CMP and held his hand out to him and CMP looked at it, and just didn't take it. To me that showed a lot because I always had the feeling from the book that while Grantaire idolized Enjolras to an extent, Enjolras just didn't want much to do with him. So, yes, when he dies that way I think it is excellent staging.