Les Miz 4/24 and forward

[p.s.]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 12:22pm

[In whatever order I get it all down on paper (screen).]

I am not a professional (nor amateur) actor, singer or musician.

First thought – Alex is fabulous and Lea is fabulous. No matter who or what comprises the rest of the production, each of them alone is worth the cost of the entertainment.

Carly Rose Sonenclar is now fabulous as Young Cosette. I saw her at the first preview (10/24/06) six months ago, and maybe eight times since then. Last night, her singing was beautifully on key and her acting was great. Carly must be one to watch out for as a future star.

Kaylie Rubinaccio was new as Young Eponine. (Tess Adams is still listed in the Playbill, however, though she did seem to take a final bow Sunday.)

Adam Jacobs as Marius needs to be mentioned because he always gives a beautifully soulful, strong voiced performance. And I adore Ali Ewoldt as Cosette, even though other people might prefer a stronger (more mature?) voice.

Gary Beach is a great Thenardier, but not so animated as he used to be. Someone on another thread mentioned that he seemed fine on Sunday, but at this show he still didn’t do his own lifting and like recent performances seemed to lack backbone.

New people [Keeping in mind that this was their first performance, without the benefit of previews]: Each of them needs to bring his/her voice up (louder, stronger).

Ben Davis is a stronger, meaner, better performed Javert. Norm Lewis’ Stars was better, as was his dying scream.
Ben needs to learn his way up and down the barricade. [When he returned immediately after the last battle, it took him so long to carefully descend the barricade that he didn’t really have time to look for Valjean among the bodies.]

Max von Essen is a better performed, stronger Enjolras, and I like his voice. I know that many loved Aaron Lazar (his look, his voice, his own niceness) and I did too, but it was sometimes hard to hear him, especially at the beginning of his speaking/singing.

[Actually (still imho), Nehal Joshi was the best Enjolras I’ve heard so far. Nehal plays Lesgles and other parts. His is that wonderful booming hailer voice at the barricade, and he is always the most expressive in all his parts on stage.]

Mandy Bruno’s Eponine was believable, although taller and more mature than Celia’s. Mandy’s (with Marius) “A Little Fall of Rain” was well sung and acted (she died well, she tried but there was no kiss), but “On My Own” wasn’t powerful enough. I didn’t feel it. Also, perhaps soap opera speaking is such that in conversation words can flow one into the other. Here the words, especially at the end of a line, need to be more distinctly enunciated. Gosh, I love and miss Celia (Hail Celia!), but Mandy will be fine. I’m looking forward to next Thursday, to be watching for more of her own interpretation in the role. [I’ve enjoyed Marissa and Megan in the past, though each is different from Celia.]

Ann Harada (again imho) was blah as Madame Thenardier. She brings little to the role. Jenny Galloway was so much better. (Ann Harada is most likely nicer at the stage door.) Ann is expressionless (puppetlike, without a hand up her butt?) much of the time. I hope she improves.

[This is from a June 2006 BWW interview:
Obviously as an Asian actress I'm very interested in colourblind casting, I support colourblind casting, I don't think there's enough of it. But I also feel that as an actor all you really want to do is serve the text, so if it doesn't make sense there's really no point to doing it. That being said, I think it's really important for specific roles to be cast specifically; I wouldn't want to see the non-Asian Christmas Eve or the non-black Gary Coleman.]

A couple thoughts about Drew Sarich (Grantaire) --
I’m still trying to get good seats to see him play Javert, Mothers’ Day weekend. That should be a treat.
Also, in the opening scene Drew plays a prison guard (he’s stage right, frontstage, against the wall; Nehal is stage left). Anyway, Drew takes a half-step backwards, brings up phlegm, and spits to his right, behind the wall. When I first saw him do that I thought, “I guess he really needed to clear his throat.” Last night I saw it for the third time. It must be acting, but it’s so odd. What is that?


p.s. I expect that, over time, we’ll observe more seasoned performances from all the new cast members.

pps: Corrected as per Javertim's 2:48 comment. Sorry.


Updated On: 4/25/07 at 12:22 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 12:30pm

Thanks for that! Do tell how mean Ben Davis's Javert is. :)

I hope you get to see Drew as Javert. I'm so curious.

[p.s.]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 12:51pm

Ben Davis's manner is more threatening. He is more physical in the use of his baton. One time, he pressed it very hard against the side of Vajean's face.

p.s. Thanks for the good wishes, Lizzie. No spelling corrections?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 12:53pm

No, I'm in far too good a mood this morning. Not sure why...

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 1:34pm

Drew spits? Really? I missed that, I was keeping my eyes on him just about the entire time that he was onstage. I guess I missed it. Cannot WAIT to hear how he does as Javert. Wish I could be there.

Also how tall is Mandy Bruno?

[friedrichVT]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 2:02pm

I'm assuming Ben put the baton against Valjean's face on: "And I am Javert, Do not forget my name"? A common staging of the moment.

[p.s.]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 2:39pm

Yes. I was sitting 4th row right aisle (stage left) and was looking immediately afterwards for a dent or dislodged cheekbone in Alex's face. It just seemed especially rough.


p.s. Any other reports about last night?

[javertim]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 2:48pm

"Max von Essen is a better performed, stronger Enjolras, and I like his voice. He needs to learn his way up and down the barricade. [When he returned immediately after the last battle, it took him so long to carefully descend the barricade that he didn’t really have time to look for Valjean among the bodies.]..."

I'm confused. Do you mean Ben Davis? This is something that Javert does, not Enjolras (as the latter is dead at this point).

[p.s.]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 2:58pm

Javertim is right of course. Copy and Paste error. I've corrected the original post.

By the way, Max was tentative as well.

p.s. Thank you
Updated On: 4/25/07 at 02:58 PM

[javertim]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 3:43pm

In which case it is quite amusing that Ben doesn't have good footing on the barricade. He played Feuilly for quite a few years on the exact same set. He has also played Enjolras, including a short stint on Broadway back in late 2002. You'd think it would be like returning to and old home. Poor Ben.

[Colle]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 5:49pm

I glad to hear that it sounds like the new cast members got off to a good start(for the most part). I am looking forward to reading more reviews. As for Ben, maybe it was just one of those nights where his footing could have been better. I imagine it happens to all the actors who have worked on the barricade.

[massofmen]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 5:57pm

you are kidding right?
mandy bruno cracked all over her last note in "on my own". She dosen't sustain notes cause she can't. she speaks all the high notes. She is going to have to go into her head voice to sing those notes. Awful casting. Awful.
Ben Davis is way too young to play Javert and it shows.
Ann Harada looks blind up there and Max Von Essen is about the least impressive leader of a rebellion I have ever seen.
casting is bad. its beginning to become a caricature of itself.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 6:34pm

Ben Davis is way too young to play Javert and it shows.

But he's older than Alex!

[lucydee]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 7:46pm

p.s. Can you tell me why they replaced Jenny Calloway and Celia in the show. I knew about Norm leaving but the rest of them why did they leave? Did their contract expire and they were asked to leave or what?

I was at the show this past Friday 4-20th we wanted to see the show one more time with Norm,Celia,Jenny and Aaron before they left and we enjoyed it more than ever. I especially enjoy Jenny's performance and could not stop laughing, shes great.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/25/07 at 7:46pm

Jenny's work visa expired.

Celia is going back to Spelling Bee. (LA)

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 4:01pm

Drew drools a lot too, lol.

Somebody out there better you-know-what one of the Mother's Day weekend performances.

edit: My friend just told me that he was on as Javert today as well. :)
Updated On: 4/28/07 at 04:01 PM

[broadwaybound882]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 7:20am

def catching Drew as Javert, buying my ticket tomorrow for the mat on the 12th.