Les Mis in LONDON!
yeppers. i have finally seen LES MIS in London at the Queens Theatre. Beautiful - simply beautiful. in order not to bore y'all i'll try to keep my comments to a mininum. if you have specific questions feel free to ask, however.
THE THEATRE
the theatre was quite intimate so even though i was in the Dress Circle (row B) and to the severe right of the stage i still felt like i had a great view of the entire stage. probably as intimate an encounter w/ les mis as my first time @ the Ahmanson in 2000.
VALJEAN
The actor who played Valjean, John Owen-Jones, took a while to grow on me... at first i thought he was one of the worst i've ever seen demonstrating hardly any vocal power. :-/ Yet i was greatly relieved when he seemed to have turned the switch on vocally during "Who Am I?" Maybe he was just having a bad night. :-/ Nevertheless, his acting was phenomenal and that alone almost brought me to tears several times - such as during The Confession when he tells Marius who he is. Oh MY GOSH! He was chocking back tears, himself, and couldn't even look Marius in the face. WOW. His second act was probably his better half vocally - esp. during BRING HIM HOME and THE FINALE.
JAVERT
Javert was played by Cornell Johns and again took a while to grow on me. Actually he didn't grow on me until his suicide. (is that a bad thing? :-/) he had a very annoying tendancy to speak his lines rather like Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady. Don't get me wrong. he could sing fine enough but he just chose to not exercise that talent of his except during STARS and THE SUICIDE. His acting during the first half was mediocre but one high light during the Runaway Cart scene was when Valjean suggested he might be the man Javert was looking for and Cornwell Johns (Javert) spun around and gave Valjean this look of pure shock and almost tripped over he was in such amazement at the idea. (Made me smile). The reason I particularly liked his Suicide scene was that he finally allowed himself to SING and with power and ethos. His acting also was top-notch and you felt as if you were looking into his soul and seeing how wretched he really was feeling. I can't describe it except that it was VERY INTIMATE.
FANTINE
Kerry Ellis played Fantine to be very innocent and hopeful. Her I DREAMED A DREAM was beautifully sung and she acts as if she still believes there is a chance for her to be with her former lover. She played Fantine so hopefully that you truly felt sorry for her.
ENJOLRAS
Shaun Escoffery was a decent Enjolras. Reminded me a lot like Kevin Earley.
GRANTAIRE
His "Drink With Me" was the first to bring a tear to my eye. I always thought Trent's was the best but I'm gonna have to say this guy was just as good if not better.
THENARDIERS (Barry James/Claire Moore)
Hilarious! Perfect! Comical!
They are definitely my favorite duo.
COSETTE
Yikes! her voice was shrill and she was way too whiny and she couldn't even hit the high notes
MARIUS
Beautiful voice (my favorite "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables"). He played Marius to be completely oblivious to Eponine's love (looking so confused when she accuses him of not caring) and so enamoured with Cosette (yet not too floppish). Reminded me of Adam Jacobs' portrayl. It was cute, also, how he took Eponine's hat and held on to it throughout the entire barricade scene.
EPONINE
Lovely voice although not as strong as Diana or Sutton. She also didn't seem to know how to interpret Eponine - sometimes she was angry/bitter and at other times hopeful/optimistic. Her death scene was well done and i liked how she practically directed Marius through the whole scene on how he should hold her as if she knew she was dying and wanted this last moment to be like in her dreams - although she died just as she reached up to kiss him. So painful for the audience as you really feel for her agony and desires.
GAVROCHE
the best actor yet i've seen. thank heavens he didn't just stand there. this kid could act.
other comments:
BISHOP - the first actor to show any shreds of a strong voice. And quite moving when he thrusts the candlesticks into Valjean's hands and grabs a hold of him as he tries to make his point that he'd bought Valjean's soul for God.
BEGGARS AT THE FEAST - I thought it cute how the "queer" was the one who had Cosette's wedding bouquet. I can't remember. is that how it happens in the US too?
OLD BEGGAR WOMAN/YOUNG PROSTITUTE - boo! i missed the US Tour ladies.
MAJOR DOMO - not at all comical. boo!
BABET - i thought he was really going to kill Eponine at the robbery when she screamed. Got me scared a little :-D
Claire Moore (Mme. Thenardier)
Shaun Escoffery (Enjolras) & Kerry Ellis (Fantine)
THE THEATRE
the theatre was quite intimate so even though i was in the Dress Circle (row B) and to the severe right of the stage i still felt like i had a great view of the entire stage. probably as intimate an encounter w/ les mis as my first time @ the Ahmanson in 2000.
VALJEAN
The actor who played Valjean, John Owen-Jones, took a while to grow on me... at first i thought he was one of the worst i've ever seen demonstrating hardly any vocal power. :-/ Yet i was greatly relieved when he seemed to have turned the switch on vocally during "Who Am I?" Maybe he was just having a bad night. :-/ Nevertheless, his acting was phenomenal and that alone almost brought me to tears several times - such as during The Confession when he tells Marius who he is. Oh MY GOSH! He was chocking back tears, himself, and couldn't even look Marius in the face. WOW. His second act was probably his better half vocally - esp. during BRING HIM HOME and THE FINALE.
JAVERT
Javert was played by Cornell Johns and again took a while to grow on me. Actually he didn't grow on me until his suicide. (is that a bad thing? :-/) he had a very annoying tendancy to speak his lines rather like Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady. Don't get me wrong. he could sing fine enough but he just chose to not exercise that talent of his except during STARS and THE SUICIDE. His acting during the first half was mediocre but one high light during the Runaway Cart scene was when Valjean suggested he might be the man Javert was looking for and Cornwell Johns (Javert) spun around and gave Valjean this look of pure shock and almost tripped over he was in such amazement at the idea. (Made me smile). The reason I particularly liked his Suicide scene was that he finally allowed himself to SING and with power and ethos. His acting also was top-notch and you felt as if you were looking into his soul and seeing how wretched he really was feeling. I can't describe it except that it was VERY INTIMATE.
FANTINE
Kerry Ellis played Fantine to be very innocent and hopeful. Her I DREAMED A DREAM was beautifully sung and she acts as if she still believes there is a chance for her to be with her former lover. She played Fantine so hopefully that you truly felt sorry for her.
ENJOLRAS
Shaun Escoffery was a decent Enjolras. Reminded me a lot like Kevin Earley.
GRANTAIRE
His "Drink With Me" was the first to bring a tear to my eye. I always thought Trent's was the best but I'm gonna have to say this guy was just as good if not better.
THENARDIERS (Barry James/Claire Moore)
Hilarious! Perfect! Comical!
They are definitely my favorite duo.
COSETTE
Yikes! her voice was shrill and she was way too whiny and she couldn't even hit the high notes
MARIUS
Beautiful voice (my favorite "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables"). He played Marius to be completely oblivious to Eponine's love (looking so confused when she accuses him of not caring) and so enamoured with Cosette (yet not too floppish). Reminded me of Adam Jacobs' portrayl. It was cute, also, how he took Eponine's hat and held on to it throughout the entire barricade scene.
EPONINE
Lovely voice although not as strong as Diana or Sutton. She also didn't seem to know how to interpret Eponine - sometimes she was angry/bitter and at other times hopeful/optimistic. Her death scene was well done and i liked how she practically directed Marius through the whole scene on how he should hold her as if she knew she was dying and wanted this last moment to be like in her dreams - although she died just as she reached up to kiss him. So painful for the audience as you really feel for her agony and desires.
GAVROCHE
the best actor yet i've seen. thank heavens he didn't just stand there. this kid could act.
other comments:
BISHOP - the first actor to show any shreds of a strong voice. And quite moving when he thrusts the candlesticks into Valjean's hands and grabs a hold of him as he tries to make his point that he'd bought Valjean's soul for God.
BEGGARS AT THE FEAST - I thought it cute how the "queer" was the one who had Cosette's wedding bouquet. I can't remember. is that how it happens in the US too?
OLD BEGGAR WOMAN/YOUNG PROSTITUTE - boo! i missed the US Tour ladies.
MAJOR DOMO - not at all comical. boo!
BABET - i thought he was really going to kill Eponine at the robbery when she screamed. Got me scared a little :-D
Claire Moore (Mme. Thenardier)
Shaun Escoffery (Enjolras) & Kerry Ellis (Fantine)