Les Miz- Jean Valjean Understudy Nov. 11

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 3:12pm

Yesterday, I saw the Les Miz matinee show. Before the show started, an anouncement was made over the speaker that Alexander Gemignani (Jean Valjen) was ill this morning, so he would not be performing. Instead, Victor Hawks would be playing Jean Valjean, with very minimal rehearsal.
Let me tell you guys- when I first found this out I was like "Oh my god, this sucks".
But, Victor Hawks was SO GOOD!! Especially because he had minmal rehearsal. And during curtain call, he got so much applause, and even the cast members where applauding him (which I usually hate, but it was ok because he really deserved it). He should be so proud of himself, he was really fantastic. Well, yeah...that's all I wanted to say...
Oh- and does anyone know if he went on for the 8:00 show also?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 3:14pm

The sign was up in the lobby all morning, it wasn't an unexpected absence.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 3:18pm

2 days after opening ?

When we saw it a few weeks ago ( in previews) 3 of the younger actors were all out. I am wondering if this is getting like baseball. Occaionally let an understudy go on to keep them sharp

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 3:23pm

i know it wasn't unexpected, i saw the sign, but the fact that they announced that he had minimal rehearsal meant he obviously wasn't prepared.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 3:25pm

Understudies don't start rehearsing until after the show opens. Be glad that *most* take it upon themselves to learn the lines when they get the script. Glad to hear how good he was.

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 3:51pm

Victor Hawks! Next big star! Yeah, so glad he went on and did a great job.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 4:07pm

Roxy, I don't think it's that the 3 younger actors were out, but that the 3 young actors alternate so they always let the audience know which of the young actors they are seeing. If you didn't know better, they would seem like understudy slips.

[neomystyk29]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 4:21pm

Brought over from the Les Miz review thread:

Well, Alex Gemignani was out last night. According to the preshow announcement: "Alex Gemignani was taken ill early this morning but in the true spirit of the show must go on Victor Hawk will be playing the role of Jean Valjean with limited rehearsel". Not the most comforting announcement I've ever heard. So I turned to his understudy's bio and it read ""He's not really famous, so unless you are related to him or a friend, you have not heard of him, but he promises he's not a hack". Needless to say I was regretting my choice to go yesterday. When he came on, it was evident that he was going to be extremely hesitant throughout the show. His voice sounded extremely young in the beginning and then never aged. He was simply going through the motions of Valjean and was the only one not acting on that stage. He hit the notes, he said the lines, he came in when he was supposed to come in, but that was all. He made a few minor errors, he missed a spotlight here, had an awkward moment there. I understand I'm being extremely hard on him given the circumstances. However, my circumstances are that I paid more than 200 dollars to see this show and I have the right to my opinion. Get better Alex, if you are better than this, the show needs you.

The other actors tried their best to salvage the show. Celia did a great job as Eponine although the songs seemed slightly out of her range. Daphne wasn't as bad as I had read she was, though she was still not the Fantine I would've wanted to experience. Beach and Galloway played excellent roles and were crowd favorites. They were spot on. Ali Ewoldt was the least likable character on the stage. Her voice grated on my nerves as did her choices. Adam Jacobs was quite the opposite. He was likable and had a nice presence. Aaron Lazar was a powerful force as Enjolras. The most powerful force on that stage though was Norm Lewis as Javert. His presence alone dwarfed the inexperienced Valjean. His songs were spot on. His soliloquy blew me away. He's a fine actor.

I'm glad I saw this production, but it didn't nearly live up to the hype surrounding.

[NJgirl]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 4:45pm

I went last night as well....for having minimal rehearsal I think Victor did a great job and I didn't leave disappointed. He was tentative in the beginning but I think he got more confident and settled in as the show went on. His "bring him home" was excellent and got a ton of applause...and he hit all the right notes. I think with more rehearsal and getting more experience in the role, he'll turn out to be a great Valjean cover.

As for Daphne...not a fan at all. I was very disappointed in her performance vocally. The acting was fine...but vocally...not what I wanted or expected.

Aaron Lazar is a force to be reckoned with up there. Love him.

Overall, I enjoyed it having not seen it since 1994 at the Imperial.

[Broadway Baby4]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 4:51pm

I agree, NJgirl. I thought Daphne was terrible. And half the time I couldn't even understand the words coming out of her mouth!

[NJgirl]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 4:57pm

I overheard this from the two women in front of me:

"I really hope she doesn't come back to life like she did in RENT...bc she can't sing this score!"

Needless to say there were a few groans from these ladies when she came back out as ghost/spirit Fantine at the end...

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 4:59pm

What are the odds that when she leaves for another committment she never comes back?

[mijofly19]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 5:00pm

wickedrentq is right. The board has been up in the lobby for every performance stating who is playing Gavroche, Young Cosette, & Young Eponine.

[broadwayfan2]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 6:19pm

I saw the show last night as well and absolutely loved it.

[TenThousandThings]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 8:26pm

If an actor is sick, they are supposed to notify stage management by 10:30 a.m. for a matinee performance, which would explain why the sign was up all morning. And since the company was rehearsing during the day while doing previews at night, it's no wonder Alex is sick. It happens to most of us when we burn the candle at both ends.

Victor Hawks apparently did his homework -- kudos to him! What's even more amazing is that the costume and wig depts. had stuff for him to wear before he's even had an understudy rehearsal. It sounds like they know what "the show must go on" means!

[hughtartagenzel]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 9:16pm

wrote this last night but couldn't log on:

i was lucky and got standing room for the 11/11 evening show after i passed the theater around 2. victor hawk was on for valjean. they made an announcement saying alexander had gotten ill that morning and with minimal rehearsal hawk would go on.

hawk did a pretty good job. he sang the part well. and there weren't any moments where i thought "wow this is his first time." a few times blocking wise where he was in the way of others but not much else.

i REALLY wanted to love this production. just because les miz means a lot to me. and it's not that i disliked the production. it just seemed really safe and not settled. perhaps it's because it is still early in the run. the orchestra sounded small which bothered me. i did like a few of the new arrangements. one example being "drink with me" with the guitar onstage.

as far as the cast, the only performances i felt were standout were celia as eponine, lazar as enjorlas, gary and jenny as the thenardiers. they weren't even that standout. they were what i expected the rest of the cast to be. the moment in the show where i just lost it was the end of little fall of rain when celia goes in to kiss marius and before she can kiss him, she dies. i've seen it done where she goes in for the kiss and she gets it before she dies which is just effective. but it made me care for eponine even more.

norm did a fine job as javert. he sang the part. that was it. it was the exact opposite with daphnie. i really loved her acting choices. but her singing just really took me out of it. and there were moments when she would sing and there were cast members on stage you could tell did not like her singing. which i really was offended by. yeah, she isn't that great of a singer for this show, but don't show me that. i do appreciate actors like daphnie who really take a risk taking on a part like this. and she really was great when it came to the acting, but i really wish she could sing the part.

i really disliked ali and adam as cosette and marius. they sang it really well but their acting was so bland and plotted out. what i mean by that is they moved around the stage without any reason. it was just unmotivated. but their voices were great.

victor hawk got a huge ovation after many of his songs, the longest being "bring him home." good for him for getting through that show. you'd never know it was one of his first performances.

i'm glad les mis is back on bway even if for a limited engagement. it just feels like it's either really early in the run and performances haven't settled in quite yet. i'll probably go back to see it later in the run.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 11/12/06 at 9:31pm

I too got the same announcement this afternoon when I saw the revival for the first time.

I loved his performance and he delivered one of the best, if not the best, interpreations of Bring Him Home.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show. My only complaint is that the mezz has a huge overhang and I did SR and missed the bridge parts of the barricade.

[AC126748]

Posted: 11/13/06 at 10:23am

I worked with Victor several years ago and he is an immensely talented man. I wish I was able to see him as Valjean.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 11/13/06 at 10:35am

Thank you for these reviews