Les Miserables: 10/28 Matinee

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:03pm

I've never seen the show before, so bare with me. If there are any inaccuracies in description, I apologize before hand.

Overall, it's a very well-staged, yet, emotionally vacant and weakly acted production, all of which equals a GOOD show, not a stand-out GREAT show. Very few of the performances are Broadway caliber, just yet. This production seems at the level of a touring company. I expected more from the cast of a high profile revival. I know it's only the 6th preview, so everything I say should be taken especially lightly. They're all still finding their footing, but the show, overall, is in great shape for such an early preview.

Alex Gemignani is very good as Valjean, bringing down the house numerous times. I didn't know he could sing that well. He finally has a great part to show off his talent. Likewise for Norm Lewis as Javert, though I knew he could sing THAT well. I've heard so many things about Daphne Ruben-Vega as Fantine that I figured she'd be, you know, one of the main characters. Little did I realize that she dies about 40 minutes into the piece. I didn't think she was awful, due in part to the fact that I have nothing to compare it to. Her voice is very rough, which turned most of the audience (most of whom had seen it 7 times, like the gentleman sitting next to me) off. Celia Keenan-Bolger is delivering a nicely understated performance as Eponine. She has a great voice. Aaron Lazar still hasn't found himself as Enjolras. Ali Ewoldt and Adam Jacobs have a suitable amount of chemistry as Cosette and Marius, making up for whatever shortcomins with their great voices.

Stealing the show are Jenny Galloway and Gary Beach, who, in essence, is playing Roger DeBris with a French Accent. Beach is so charismatic, though, that he can get away with it. They are oozing with chemistry and are having the times of their lives. They are the only ones on stage who seem 100% comfortable.

The children (Carly Sonenclar as Cosette, Tess Adams as Eponine, and Jacob Levine as Gavroche) are all great for their young ages. One of them, I believe Cosette, has a lisp, which is very cute in an innocent way. Levine stands out, having more charisma than most of the leads.

As I said, the show is essentially soul-less. There are no, fully formed, emotional performances. We are not sad when Fantine dies. We are not sad when Enjolras is seen sprawled over the barricades. This could be because it's so early in previews, or because John Caird doesn't know how to stage anything emotional. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

The staff has clearly gone with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" routine. The only thing "new" it says in the colorful Playbill are the orchestrations. They retained that synthasized feel, which I love about any 1970s-1980s show. The sets are spectacular, as is the lighting.

Stage Door: Everyone was out signing autographs in the clear afternoon sky, except Norm Lewis. Jenny Galloway slipped out. Gary Beach was a delight to talk to, as was Daphne.

Overall, I wish them a great run. If it's your first time, go see it. You'll mostly enjoy it. If you're a diehard, you may want to put your copy of the symphonic recording at 8:00 (promptly!) and listen to that.



Updated On: 10/28/06 at 08:03 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:06pm

I'll ask the million dollar question: what did you think of Daphne?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:17pm

She was fine. Nothing special. The people around me HATED her, though. I'll quote one woman who said "I couldn't wait for Fantine to die."

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:22pm

What if Daphne came back to life and Alexander Gemignani sang "She's back! Her fever's breaking..."? That would rock.
Well, not for the woman sitting next to you.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:25pm

She comes back at the end of this show, too. Go figure.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:26pm

If they were the touring company (which some of them were members of just 3 months ago), they could be forgiven

WTF. You JERK

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:29pm

What if Daphne came back to life and Alexander Gemignani sang "She's back! Her fever's breaking..."?

That made me laugh. :)

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:30pm

How am I a jerk? I felt like I was watching a touring company. It was good, but nothing special.

They're starring in a high profile revival of one of the most popular shows in Broadway history. In my opinion, they should be giving mind-blowing performances. These were pedestrian, at best.

[theminutepast]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 9:29pm

After reading so many scathing comments about Daphne's performance, I have to find it funny and coincidental that she has an advertisement on the top of BWW. And that it includes her "Redemption Songs." Anyway, I'll be interested to see her performance if she's there when I see it.

[mentaltenant]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 9:41pm

i just like how you use "we" a lot in your review like you polled the entire audience about their emotional journey (or lack of according to you).

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 9:42pm

Did we really need another LES MIZ thread?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 9:53pm

It's the royal "we," meaning "I."

[HumATune]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:01pm

Yankeefan007, why the diss of touring companies? Just because it’s a tour doesn’t mean the actors are inferior.
Updated On: 10/28/06 at 10:01 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:05pm

I wasn't meaning to disrespect touring companies. I said that it seemed like they were the touring company. Not all of them were giving Broadway caliber performances. It seemed like a lot of them had already done 1000 shows on the tour.

You've never seen a performer on tour who you've said "wow, she's great for a touring actor, but I'd want better if I saw it on Broadway?"

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:07pm

NEVER!!!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:10pm

Then I must be seeing the wrong tours.


The performances aren't up to the standards I expected from the company of a high profile revival.

How's that?
Updated On: 10/28/06 at 10:10 PM

[HumATune]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:13pm

Well I've never been to Broadway. But I expect the same caliber actors on tour that Broadway is getting. They don’t call ‘em Broadway National Tours for nothing. And a number of actors I’ve seen in touring companies have appeared on Broadway, some even as leads and featured players.

[Tag]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:16pm

The performances aren't up to the standards set by their predecessors....yet.

But you haven't seen it before so how would you know?
Updated On: 10/28/06 at 10:16 PM

[Shawk]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:16pm

What?

It's not like there's some "inferior actor" box that tour actors come from; Equity tours are generally pulled from the same pool of actors that Broadway casts are. And I'd venture to guess that some tour casts are superior to their Broadway counterparts.

And you can't tell me that there aren't Broadway actors who burn out after doing the same show week after week.

[HumATune]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:21pm

Never mind. I thought Tag was talking to me. Updated On: 10/28/06 at 10:21 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:22pm

Tag - the people sitting around me had seen the show anywhere between 3 and 10 times. I heard enough intermission chat to realize that the cast wasn't impressing any of them.

People, just remember. It's 6 shows in. Let them gain their sea legs. They haven't had time to work it out yet. I haven't said they're inferior. I said I was unimpressed with the whole show. It just struck me like I was watching a touring company. It was good, but not great. How many of you who are criticizing my phrasing have seen this production?


Updated On: 10/28/06 at 10:22 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:23pm

You've never seen a performer on tour who you've said "wow, she's great for a touring actor, but I'd want better if I saw it on Broadway?"

No. There isn't a different standard.

And your sentiment is just condescending, especially considering many actors work on tour and on Broadway equally.

Updated On: 10/28/06 at 10:23 PM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:31pm

Yankeefan (that leaves a bad taste in my mouth), don't base your review(s) on other people's opinions.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:40pm

If the cast didn't impress the people who had seen it so many times, I wasn't in the minority (of people who also weren't impressed.) I wasn't the only one who felt that way.

If my statements offended any of you, I apologize. I just didn't get any oomph from the show. As I said, it's 6 days in. If you want to criticize me for my comments, see the show yourself before you do.
Updated On: 10/28/06 at 10:40 PM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 10/28/06 at 10:44pm

Yeah, but you were comparing them to their "predecessors" even though you admitted to never having seen the show. That's what I was getting at. Write your review(s) about your own experience(s) with the show(s) and don't base it/them on majority opinion.