quick Les Mis Philly review

[Marway44]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 12:55am

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.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 1:11am

Thanks for the review!

I agree with much of what you said (though I was less than thrilled by Fantine, and Paul's Javert is growing on me the more I hear it.)

Hugh & Josh Young were the real stand-outs for me. Josh was an especially nice surprise: I had never seen or heard him before, and he was phenomenal. I saw that they were selling his CD in the lobby. The next time I stop by I will have to remember to pick up a copy.

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 9:32am

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.

[JRybka]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:00am

am I right to think that this production does not have a rotating stage?

[Marway44]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:43am

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.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:51am

Thank you for this

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:04am

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.

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:06am

I actually liked not having the turntable at all. Not that it didn't impress me when I saw it originally, but I loved the staging for this production.

[p.s.]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:06am

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

[Marway44]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:08am

Thanks cape twirl, but did the brigde go up when he jumped?

[Marway44]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:32am

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.

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 3:06pm

"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?)."

Yes, Hugh has Tuesday off. I think Jeffrey Coons is now covering the role.

[Broadwayfanatic2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 3:18pm

How was Gavroche and Marius?

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 3:24pm

I don't have any real opinion on Gavroche. The boy I saw was cute and tough and that's about all I really expect from the role - it's not a character I pay too much attention to...though I did tear up a tiny bit when he died.

Marius - Josh Young - was wonderful. Gorgeous voice and his acting was terrific. Quite endearingly awkward at the beginning of "A Heart Full of Love." And he's very cute...I wrote a bit more about him as Marius in my opening night review:

http://panarophiles.net/board/YaBB.pl?num=1211562090 Updated On: 7/8/08 at 03:24 PM

[Colle]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 3:58pm

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.

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 7:52pm

I think things flow very well between scenes without the turntable. There's never a point where I feel there is some lagging in the transitions.

[p.s.]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 1:48am

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.

[LoveIsCompany]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 1:52am

How was the Cosette?

[p.s.]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 2:14pm

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

[incognito2]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 4:48pm

peter schmitz was never the booming offstage voice. it was originally going to be constantine germanicos, now it is nick saverine, except on tuesdays when he's valjean. then it's his external understudy, steve pollack (NOT steve pacek).

the bridge has not changed. paul jumps off it in the dark, and it flies out, unless he is injured, which he was the other night (nothing serious).

also, it's jeff COON, not coons.

[p.s.]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 6:24pm

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?)

[alz748]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 6:52pm

Question - I was wondering if anyone knew how likely it was to get same day tickets? I really want to go Saturday, but I wasn't sure if any tickets would be available.
Thanks!

[chino]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 10:51pm

I really did not like the actress who played Fantine!

[CockeyedOptimist]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 4:48pm

Not exactly related to a review per se, but this is the only thread I figured people would be able to easily answer my question...

I've never sat mezz at the Walnut St and I was wondering for anyone who has...would you rather be lower mezzanine to the left in the second row or lower mezzanine center but a few rows back? Does it even matter very much?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 4:51pm

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!