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Newintown, how can you classify Les Miserables as 'mindless' and 'artless'? I don't think that position can be substantiated. Children's theatre... but with more whores and suicide than a Disney show?"
Anything can be "substantiated."
Les Miserables is an exceptionally simple-minded show - utterly devoid of humor (I'm aware that the Threnardier scens are meant to be "comic," but no one is laughing much at them), with a score that borders on Composition 101 level simplicity (much of the score can be sung to the same accompaniment). As far as narrative is concerned, the show is told in a string of sentimental clichés; when a potentially political moment does happen, the audience (unless they've studied it prior) has no idea what the students are "rebelling" against at all (nor do they seem to care much).
"Children's theatre," as I used it above, isn't about specific content, but about artlessness, lack of sophistication or deep thought, and superficiality (even when it pretends to be profound, generally by eschewing any semblance of humor).
Updated On: 1/3/13 at 02:33 PM