quick Les Mis Philly review

Hi gang,

This will be quick but I will elaborate at a later point. Let me breifly say the show was absolutely incredible!! Hugh was the ultimate Valjean. Paul as Javert was not thrilling me until he blew me away with "Stars" Jessica's Fantine was beautiful. "IDAD" was superb. Josh was amazing as Marius and his "ECAET" was gut-wrentching. The little use of sets was surprisingly effective. And I loved the (SPOILERS) use of little Cosette in Fantine's vision as she was dying. It was also brilliant to have little Eponine helping her parents steal. Very cute and very funny. Oh, and I loved "Own my Own". It was brilliant to have Eponine almost cry but hold her tears back to show she was strong.

The music was great and powerful like the the original production. The overture was lush and full again, unlike the recent revival. And I will close for now by saying it was great to see "Little People" performed once again. With only 5 weeks left I would tell anyone living in New York and nearby to come and see this. I live in New York and it only took 2 hours by car. I leave Philly on Thursday and will see it again if I can get in. The place was packed on Sunday night.

I have to say that Jessica's Fantine was the weakest point in the show for me. Well, vocally. Her voice just seems so thin and weak and shrill. However, I really do like her acting, mainly in "Come To Me." She really hit the right mix of delirium and tragic reality for me.

But, like Cape Twirl, I loved Hugh (no surprise) and Josh. I really look forward to seeing Josh in future shows.

While it is true Jessica started out "IDAD" on the weak side, I thought she really hit those important high notes and played it like a weak sickly person as her character is supposed to be. I read the review of how she was not liked but I really overall loved her interpretation of this key song.

And yes, it is true there is no turntable, but I did not miss it one bit. The barricade still turned and nothing else really had to. The minimal sets were changed with lightning speed in the dark.

I did forget to mention the bridge was not working right and it was deemed unsafe for Paul to "jump" off of. He just put his hands up instead on the ledge of the bridge and screamed. Can anyone tell me what I missed who saw it? I assume he jumps and the lights swril around him like on Broadway. Thanks.

I did forget to mention the bridge was not working right and it was deemed unsafe for Paul to "jump" off of. He just put his hands up instead on the ledge of the bridge and screamed. Can anyone tell me what I missed who saw it? I assume he jumps and the lights swril around him like on Broadway. Thanks.

That's pretty much how it always is (or at least was when I saw it as well.) He stands on the ledge, puts his hands up, screams & jumps and as soon as he steps off the bridge the lights go completely black so you only hear him yelling, you don't actually see anything.

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I assume he jumps and the lights swirl around him like on Broadway. Thanks.


He jumps. Dark. He doesn't flail, swim or swirl around. (Walks off in the dark.)

I've seen this three times. Hugh Panaro, Josh Young, Jeffrey Coon (Enjolras)and Christina DeCicco (Eponine) all stand out.

I'm going again tonight, but I heard that Hugh is off on Tuesdays. If so, I'll miss him, but it will be interesting to see how well the understudy performs (Nicholas Saverine? maybe Jeffrey Coon?).



p.s. I wish either Brian or Zack would somehow show up to play Gavroche.

Updated On: 7/8/08 at 11:06 AM

p.s., I agree with you. I would have really liked to have seen Zach show up, but alas that's not going to happen. I think you are going to see Jeff. He's the understudy through 7/20. Enjoy, and please post a review. I am curious how Jeff's understudy is and who it will be.

How was Gavroche and Marius?

I saw Josh Young as Marius, when he was on the 3nt, and thought he was pretty good back then. I like alot of what I have heard this production did, like young Eponine helping her parents. It shows even more that, from an early age, Eponine's parents would use her to get what they wanted. Also, I am open to the idea of not having a turntable in the staging, depending on how the staging is done without it. Things have to flow well between scenes.

I think you are going to see Jeff. He's the understudy through 7/20.

Nope. Understudy was actually Nicholas F. Saverine. (He is stated in the Playbill to be the understudy through 7/20.)

Regarding the bridge: The bridge doesn't appear to be broken, but the scene has been changed. Javert sings/screams the last note and throws his arms up, but he doesn't jump at all. As soon as it all goes dark, Javert walks off unseen to stage left along/on the bridge. Then, still in the dark, the bridge flies up.[The bridge flying up is not part of the effect.] The women start to come out on stage for Turning.


p.s. Steve Pacek (Ensemble) apparently replaced Peter Schmitz (Bishop/Ensemble) as the "Booming Officer's Voice at the Barricade".

pps: I miss Nehal.

Walnut Street Theatre new JVJ schedule:

THIS JUST IN! Attention Jeffrey Coon fans... Philadelphia favorite Jeffrey Coon will be taking over the role of Jean Valjean for three performances only. Tuesday nights, July 15, 22 and 29. Broadway star Hugh Panaro (Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables) will play all other performances.


p.s.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday evening discounts available:

$40 promo code CAGAIN

Sorry about the misinformation. I thought I saw Peter Schmitz "sneak" back frontstage last week; I must have been mistaken. And I was told, reliably, that yesterday's voice was "an ensemble member named Steve." I assumed it was the Steve listed as a cast member.

I guess Paul was still injured last night (Tuesday), because he walked off as described.


p.s. I don't recall anyone here referring to more than one Jeff Coon, who, by the way, performed another superb Enjolras.

pps: Christina was my favorite last night. Next was Josh Young, whose voice was emotionally powerful, sweet and full. But we listened to his CD on the way home, and it was disappointingly weak. (Maybe because it was recorded three or four years ago?)

I really did not like the actress who played Fantine!

Did you see Patti B (that's how she's known to her theater pals) there on Opening Night? She was wearing a sequined muu muu and orthopedic go-go boots. You couldn't miss her if you tried!

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