Les Miz vs. Les Mis

#1

Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 4:11pm

I used to refer to New York's Les Miserables as Les Miz (with a zee) and London's as Les Mis (with an ess). The side view of the marquee at Queen's Theatre reads (vertically, large letters) LES MIZ (with a zed).

I foresee no further argument. The short name of Les Miserables is Les Miz.

By the way, I saw the show twice last week. Drew Sarich's performances, though toned down a bit, remain outstanding.


p.s. double post

Updated On: 1/28/08 at 04:11 PM

#2

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 4:32pm

I can't break the habit of writing the short name as "Les Mis", oh well.
Glad to hear Drew is doing well in London!

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http://two-sails.blogspot.com/

#3

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 4:36pm

Ask Lizzie, she's pretty passionate about it.

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Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#4

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 4:37pm

Glad to hear Drew is doing well. I saw him 3 times on Broadway. Twice as JVJ and once as Grantaire. I have a question though.
Does he still spit alot when he sings?

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Don't believe everything that you hear! Only the peeps involved know the truth!

#5

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 4:53pm

I have always done LES MIZ.

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"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

#6

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 5:22pm

Since the full title is "Les MiSerables," I've always been a LES MIS guy.

#7

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 5:27pm

Les Mis or LM usually. Les Miz if I'm referring cynically to Cammack's multibillion-dollar franchise.

#8

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 5:33pm

"Since the full title is "Les MiSerables," I've always been a LES MIS guy."
Ditto!

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"I have this mental image of Patti barreling down the street and pushing tourists out of her way." -colleen_lee

#9

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 5:56pm

"Since the full title is "Les MiSerables," I've always been a LES MIS guy."
Ditto!

Me too, when I saw the new sign outside the Queens Theatre I had a mini spazz to myself...

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"I trained as a classical actor at Juilliard. I jump at the opportunity to do classical text...But I never in a million years guessed I'd get to play Juliet!"- Michael Arden

#10

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:02pm

Yeah, it seems Cam Mack and friends have always officially spelled it with a "z". I remember signs in the Imperial near the end of the first Broadway run saying "Don't MIZ Out", and during the second Broadway production the outside of the Broadhurst was decorated with banners saying "Les Miz".

(Oh, and on the subject--Cam MacK, or simply Cam MaC? I've seen both and usually use the former...)

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"If there is going to be a restoration fee, there should also be a Renaissance fee, a Middle Ages fee and a Dark Ages fee. Someone must have men in the back room making up names, euphemisms for profit." (Emanuel Azenberg)

#11

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:08pm

It's always been Les Mis for me and I refuse to be corrected by anyone who is unable to spell 'colour' correctly

#12

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:08pm

With an "s". Using a "z" just implies someone doesn't know how to spell.

#13

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 7:02pm

"Using a "z" just implies someone doesn't know how to spell"
No it doesn't. Les Mis is not a word to be spelled properly. It is a made up abbreviation and is pronounced with a z... so a z would be just as appropriate. Saying otherwise implies someone is attempting to don an erudite additude they can't really back up with logic.

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Jesus saves. I spend.

#14

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 7:18pm

First off, who really cares? (Ha, obviously I do considering I'm posting this). But, Les Miserables is French, therefor, there really is no correct English spelling. Especially a nick name.

#15

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 7:35pm

Saying otherwise implies someone is attempting to don an erudite additude they can't really back up with logic.

Since when was it illogical to spell an abbreviation as a shortened version of the full word? If we spelled everything the way it was pronounced, we'd all be buying tickets for Lay Mizerab.

#16

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 7:37pm

I don't mind either because usually when people spell it, it's usually for informal stuff. What I hate is when people who don't speak french try to pronounce it like a french person with a big "la" at the end. It sounds nothing like french.

#17

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 7:44pm

Les Mis or LM

Ditto.

#18

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 7:50pm

French people dont put a big "la" on the end of it, its a "bluhhhh" sound. And, I vote for Les Miz only because it seems like that's how its commonly said---I'v never heard anyone pronounce it as "Les Mis".

What really gets my goat is when people pronounce the "S" in "les"! grrrrr!

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#19

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 8:09pm

Does he still spit a lot when he sings?

No. But I don't think he ever did spray so much. I sat front row many times at the Broadhurst, and only very early in the run did I notice anyone's spray reach the audience. [I was careful, however, to keep my mouth closed.] Drew sprays no more than most of the other singers.

But he does spit. Before the Bishop takes him in, Valjean is a mean, bitter, angry man. Drew shows this, in part, by giving a big, juicy spit as he walks along.


p.s. Actually, in London, I didn't notice anyone's spray. Perhaps it was the lighting. Or maybe spraying is discouraged because the audience in the stalls are eating the ice creams they bought during the interval.

#20

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 8:11pm

this may sound ridiculous, but using the "z" just sounds and feels too trendy to me... I use "Les Mis."

#21

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 8:16pm

I think it's pronounced as if it were a "z", but spelled with the "s" as Les Mi(blank) is a shortened version of Les MiSerables.

#22

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 8:23pm

There is nothing more annoying to me than when people (usually Americans) don't bother to recognize that it's a FRENCH word and just sort of change it up. No offense intended to those who spell it Les Miz. It hurts my feelings everytime I see it written that way. Victor Hugo would cry.

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I mean, Denzel Washington? Gun to my head..of course.

#23

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:03pm

AnnaK,

There were people in France who way back when that when B&S were penning the original concept album that turning the book into any form of musical would make Hugo roll over in his grave.


I never call it by any shortened name. I always call it Les Miserables.

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"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

#24

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:03pm

I can't believe this is even worth a topic.

Richard-Jay Alexander used the "z" exclusively for American productions, but then he went bye bye, so FWIW...

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#25

re: Les Miz vs. Les Mis

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:34pm

...and 23 posts and counting.

Any new news from the indomitable Drew himself? I miss that handsome son of a bitch.