Oh. My. God.
Saturday, I, for the first time in my life, saw a professional version of Les Miserables. The 3NT in Boston. We all know I loved Rent. I loved Phantom. I loved Wicked. But nothing, absolutely nothing can match this experience, save for actually being in the show. This isn't your average fluffy, showy, flashy, over the top musical. It isn't shallow or virtually plotless. It has substance. It makes you think. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. But even beyond all that, it resonates in every single time period. In every single place, which is, I think, what makes this story so universally appealing. There are Fantines in every city. Every police force has a Javert. And once in a while you will find a person as good as Valjean. Every high school is filled with Eponines and Cosettes. There's always an Enjolras and Les Amis. This show can be played anywhere and people will come to see it. Everyone can relate and understand. It touches people. It makes you want to be more. This is THE SHOW for me. This story, this musical, has touched my life in a way nothing else has or ever will. It inspires me. It touches me. And it makes me strive to become a better person. So, before I start my incredibly obnoxious review, I'd like to say thank you. Thank you Alain Boublil, Claude Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer, Cameron Mackintosh, John Caird, and Trevor Nunn. But, most importantly, thank you Victor Hugo for inspiring countless people with this story. You are a genius.
February 18, 2006. Les Miserables at the Boston Opera House.
The drive to Boston with the family was uneventful except for an hour stuck in traffic. Thank God for ipods. =) We got our hotel, we ate dinner, we chilled (well, actually I didn't chill. I was bouncing off the walls, I was so excited), and then we went. The weather was absolutely freezing cold. Around 7 degrees. Good thing I was so excited, or the walk from the hotel to the Opera house would have been extremely unpleasant. But we got there. And the Opera House is gorgeous. It's so beautiful. I was SO excited. I bought the sounvenier program from the lady. It was only $10, which made me really happy. Everything on Broadway is so much more expensive. The lady selling the programs was telling us how she thinks Randal Keith is the best Valjean ever. Better than Colm Wilkinson. I didn't believe her. I still don't. But, we'll save my comments on that for the actor's comment section of this review. I bought a shirt and a mug. Then I stood in line and waited to go in and pretty much started hyperventilating. I'm sure everyone around me thought I was on crack or something. But I didn't care whatsoever. Because then we started to go in. We got our seats. Row H. SO CLOSE. I could see EVERYTHING perfectly. I looked the the brochure. I read the playbill. I squealed over the gorgeousness of Victor Wallace =). Then, it began....
The Cast.
Jean Valjean- Randal Keith: Okay. I had very high expectations, since the lady claimed he was better than Colm. And he met every single one of them. At the beginning, he was so angry and hateful, it was perfect. And his transformation occuring within himself during his Soliloquy was so real. As the mayor, you could tell he had genuinely changed. It's hard to really describe the whole performance. It was just so heartfelt. It was captivating. It was pretty much incredible.
Javert- Robert Hunt: It was weird. They didn't age him very well. But that aside, he was great. He commanded your attention right from the start of the play, and he had a great voice to match. It was kind of young sounding, which isn't a bad thing, but sounded weird to me. I adored his low note in the Confrontation. He hit it right on. A very intense, very strong performance. The emotions he displayed during the Suicide were just...indescribeable.
Fantine- Joan Almedilla: Personally, she was my least favorite person in the whole play. I did not like her voice at all. Her vibrato was all over the place, and it sounded like she was trying to combine a British and a Japanese accent when she sang. Her voice just was not very pleasant to listen to. And she kind of sang I Dreamed A Dream mostly in her head voice, when it is meant to be belted. But what she lacked in singing, she made up for in acting. She was so pitiful and desperate and she definately broke my heart. She had me crying my eyes out. She was the best during Lovely Ladies and her Arrest. Very very strong acting.
Young Cosette- Meg Guzulescu: Adorable. She was so sweet and pitiful. I also really liked the way, instead of acting so timid and trembling around the Thenardiers during the Waltz of Treachery, she stood still and was kind of numb, like she was just immune to everything. I liked it. Overall, she was incredibly darling and endearing, especially when JVJ gave her the doll. She just looked at it and held it at arm's length like she couldn't believe it was hers, and then she hugged it. Had me crying. She's a very talented little girl.
Madame Thenardier- Jennifer Butt: What better than seeing the original Broadway Mme. T? Nothing, that's what. She was...hilarious. So funny. She's SO skinny too. She doesn't look like your average MT, but she can be a beast. She was also kind of fed up with Thenardier it seemed. And she also seemed more disinterested in Cosette than mean to her. She seemed to ignore her unless she needed her to do something instead of going out of her way to be mean to her. It's an interesting take on things. Definately a highlight of the show.
Thenardier- Fabio Polanco: A perfect match for Jennifer Butt. He was sneaky and slimy and hysterical. Master of the House was a showstopper. He was also actually really cute with Little Eponine. And a riot in The Waltz of Treachery. Then, a complete asshole for the rest of the show until the Wedding, when he was completely hilarious again. And he had a great Dog Eats Dog. Very creepy.
Gavroche- Austyn Myers: Very cute. Though I definately missed the Cockney accent. The only thing about him was that sometimes he seemed bored. But other times he was really spunky and cute. His death, oh God. I was a mess. Overall, he did a good job.
Eponine- Melissa Lyons: Amazing. Lord knows, Eponine isn't my favorite character, but Melissa has a certain charm about her that made me like the character. She made me feel bad for her, and while I wasn't rooting for her to get the guy, she definately had you feeling that she could be so much more if she had only had the chance. Plus, she has a voice to die for. On My Own was wonderfully done, and A Little Fall Of Rain was very moving. Props to her for making me like the character I like the least.
Enjolras- Victor Wallace: *fans self* Oh gawd. He was definately the hottest guy in the whole play. Not lie. And talk about charisma. I know I would have followed him to the barricades. His Enjolras was one of those people who can whip up so much support and energy and are so full of life that they can make everyone feel like they're going to conquer the world. His voice was gorgeous. He was also really cute during Look Down. He was being so sweet to the poor people. At the cafe`, his "Who cares about your lonely soul" practically made me pee. I love that part. And his interaction with Grantaire was great. He was always pushing him aside and giving him dirty looks. The look on his face during "The people have not stirred" was amazing. Completely heartbroken, yet something else was there. Hope, I guess. Hope that even though they wouldn't succeed, he had hope that someone else could one day. That someday his dream would come true. "Let others rise" left me with chills and, of course hysterical crying. Overall, an incredible performance. I think he should get the part of Enjolras for the Broadway Return. Plus he has a nice ass.
Marius- Adam Jacobs: I thought he was adorable. He was such a lovesick little puppy. He reminded me of a young boy throughout the first act and most of the second act. But when Eponine died in his arms, it was like he was suddenly thrust into adulthood. He captured that really well. His interaction with Cosette was a-freaking-dorable. He was so funny in the cafe`. Everyone was making fun of him, and he was running around trying to get them to take him seriously. Hi voice was decent for the most part, but sometimes he went really nasal and it kind of ruined the songs, since he did it at really inopportune times, such as during Empty Chairs. But, I think he played the part well. He was everything I think Marius is supposed to be. A hopeless romantic thrust into a fight for freedom. I thought he did a good job. He captured the innocence of Marius.
Cosette- Leslie Henstock: Beautiful beautiful voice. I want her voice. She has the most perfect Cosette I've ever seen. She was everything I tried to make my Cosette. She gave Cosette so much life and innocence and spirit and....it was an amazing performance. Her In My Life was so cute. She perfectly showed the feeling of excitement and nervousness that you have when you first meet someone you really like. All her scenes with JVJ were very sweet and loving. A Heart Full Of Love was...gahhh soooo effing cute. Everything she did was so real. I could identify with all the things she was going through. I think they've happened to everyone before, and she really brought them to life. Cosette is really such a thankless part, and much of it is silent. She was absolutely brilliant doing the silent things, especially during One Day More, The Wedding, and the Finale. Her reaction to the letter at the end was fabulous, as were her last moments with JVJ. She was clinging to him for dear life, almost as if she could keep the life inside him if she held tight enough. When he died, she threw herself onto Marius and she was in tears. They were so cute at the end part. Her facial expressions were wonderful. She is definately a breath of fresh air in the part.
Grantaire- I'm not sure who played him, since it was an understudy. But I need to give him some props, not only for being really hot, but being really good and taking a small part and making it stand out. He was funny, he was moving, and his devotion to Enjolras was apparent. They don't really make a big deal of it in the play, but I enjoyed how he put it in. I also loved his interactions with Gavroche. Drink With Me had me in tears. His Bamatabois was very good as well. Incredibly sleazy.
The show.
Prologue: The chain gang was fantastic. I adored them. But, it was a little redundant how after every guy's solo, the guard had to kick every single one. It's like, okay we get it. The Javert/Valjean exchange was really good. I liked how Javert had to read the book to know what JVJ's crime was before he said "Five years for what you did..." cause when you listen to the CD, it always seems like he just knows without looking. The workers were all ganging up on Valjean and he started trying to beat them down, which was funny. I liked how all the women workers shyed away from Valjean like he was gross or something. Cause I could completely see myself doing the same thing. The Bishop was really really good. I loved him. He played such a great old man. JVJ looked so amazed when the Bishop lied for him, and then after the police left and the bishop handed the candlesticks to him, he kept shaking his head like no, I can't do this. But the Bishop just nodded at him and walked off. JVJ kind of stared at the candlesticks like they were going to bite him.
What Have I Done?: Very good. In the beginning, it was like he feared he couldn't change. Like he was afraid of leaving the only way of life he had ever known. But by the end, when he made his decision, you could almost see something in his face had changed and he got up and tore the ticket and left. It was a really intense number and brought you through so many emotions.
At The End Of The Day: I love this song, and it was great to see it onstage. I liked how they showed Fantine as actually having friends inside the factory. I also liked how the foreman kept grabbing at her, and Fantine kept curtseying to him and scurrying away, being as submissive as she could in order to keep her job, yet also not giving into him completely. I liked how her one friend was comforting her after the foreman was harassing her. Factory Girl was great. Not so much in voice (because I did not care for her voice at all) but in bitchiness, she owned. Her facial expressions were killer. She was just like one of those nosy, gossipy girls you want to knock out because all they care about is making other people miserable. I felt so bad for Fantine because she was trying to justify herself but no one wanted to listen. Whe JVJ came in, she was trying to explain it to him, but he just dismissed her and walked off. She looked so forlorn after she got fired, and her friend was trying to do the best she could to comfort her, but she also had this look like she knew everything was going to go downhill from there. After everyone walked off leaving her alone, she tried to run after them and screamed "wait!". But no one came, and she just kind of fell to her knees.
I Dreamed A Dream: Like I said, I didn't like her voice, and she had some weird stuff going on in the way she was speaking, but the emotional aspect of it was very good. I was crying by the end of this song, because she made you feel her pain very well. She has no hope left in her life, and she accepts it, and that makes it all the more sad.
Lovely Ladies: Ah, so good! Although, it's gotten much slower. I love the whores. The hair hag was really good. I liked her a lot. I also like the new verse they added in. Your heart goes out to Fantine when she comes back from selling her hair and it's all sheared. She started shaking while she went to her first customer, and when she came back in her whore outfit, she started coughing and wheezing, which gave it good effect. It makes it realistic that she should be taken to the hospital. Then the Bamatabois thing. Wow. That was kind of hard to watch. He pretty muched shoved his walking stick into her crotch. I don't blame the poor girl for hitting him. I would have too. Her arrest was brutal. They knocked her to the ground and she could hardly get up so they just dragged her around until JVJ came and saved her. She spit in his face like in the book, which was brilliant. And then she kind of passed out and they carried her off. The Runaway Cart was really good as well. And again the javert/Valjean exchange. When JVJ said "Can you be sure that I am not your man?" He held his arms out towards Javert like come and get it hahaha.
Who Am I?: Very emotional and very intense. Randal Keith has a voice to die for. You could almost see the wheels turning in his head and all the emotions and things he was struggling with in his mind. But by the end there was a conviction on his face when he tore open his shirt and revealed himself as 24601. That gave me chills. Very well done. Plus there was the added bonus of Victor Wallace as the Judge hehe.
Come To Me: So very sad. I was pissed they cut the "don't you see the evening star appearing" part. It's so sad that she knows she's dying and she knows she can't ever see her child again. It's even sadder because she's really only a child herself, yet she's been through so much and her life is being cut short. When JVJ came in, and she was telling him to take care of Cosette, at first it was like he was just yessing her to death and he made to walk away, but then she grabbed his arm and pulled him down and said "Take my child". That was when I think he really realized that she was serious. Of course, I was crying. A lot. And then she died and it was terribly heartbreaking.
Confrontation: SOOOO intense. I love this face off because it's two strong personalities clashing. They both think they're doing the right thing. The fight kicked ass. It was rather amusing when Javert was passed out and Fantine was dead and the turntable was rotating.
Castle On A Cloud: Little Cosette was adorable. She had a very sweet voice and you just wanted to go give her a hug. And the bucket was as big as her, it was so sad to see her lugging it around. And then finally a good "you look very well in that little blue hat." That's probably one of the most difficult parts to sing in the whole show, and she did it wonderfully. And I have to make a quick mention of Little Eponine. She was a riot. Very bratty and very good. She was making faces at Cosette when Mme. T was fussing over her, and it was like Mme. T almost forgot Cosette was still there, and so Eponine tapped her on the shoulder to show her that Cosette was still standing there. And she looked so happy to have gotten her in trouble.
Master of the House: I really liked how Thenardier was flirting with all the women who were there and also how he was robbing people of their stuff right from under their noses. When he said "bridal suite is occupied" he grabbed Mme. T and she had the best look on her face. She looked disgusted. Everyone was up and dancing on tables and they honestly looked like they were having a great time. It was a great number, and it was a great way to forget for a little while about how sad everything had just been. The well scene was too cute for words. When Cosette told JVJ her name, his eyes lit up and he hugged her and he said "Cosette!" like he was amazed he found her. Then he looked her over and got this digusted expression on his face, obviously about how terrible she looked. Their "lalalalas" were so cute. I love that part.
Thenardier Waltz of Treachery: Hilarious. Thenardier started fake crying when JVJ said "now her mother is with God" and Cosette gave him a look like he was crazy. I always cry at the "and I stand here in her place" part, and it was done very well. Thenardier did the "Colette" thing, which was really funny because Mme. Thenardier ws like "Cosette" and he stuck his nose up in the air and went "Cosette!!" And he kept squishing poor Cosette's face and crushing her into him. And it was really the most darling thing ever when JVJ gave Cosette her new dress and the doll. Like I said before, her reaction to the doll was great. And then he swung her around and kept saying "Cosette". Yeah, I was crying again. It was so touching. But then I was like hmmm, she never gets to change her dress until she gets married. Because, if you notice, the dress JVJ gives her is almost identical to the one she wears when she's older.
Look Down: Really really intense number. I love this song. Marius and Enjolras made a nice entrance. I definately wasn't staring at Victor Wallace. Gavroche's part wasn't great until the "Follow me!" That was cute. Montparnasse kept on grabbing Eponine and she kept shoving him off her, which was interesting. The Marius/Eponine exchange was...I grudgingly admit...cute. I liked how he was ready to walk away, so she tried to keep him there by telling him "I like the way you grow your hair", but even that didn't work and he walked away after "I like the way you always tease". Then JVJ and Cosette came in and Cosette was being so sweet, passing out blankets and everything and so was JVJ. And then yay, my favorite part of the scene. "I did not see you there, forgive me..." They were way too cute. They were staring at each other for a while, and then the whole robbery thing happened, so it cut their fun short. I felt so bad for JVJ, her really looked like he was about to cry. Then, all hell broke loose, so to speak. Patron Minette starting grabbing Cosette's ass, and then Montparnasse grabbed her around the waist, and then the most adorable thing happened. Marius came up and ripped him off of her, and stood in front of her, warding everyone off. Then he took her over to the side and had his arm around her and he was protecting her. Adorable. I loved it. But then Javert came and JVJ was pretty much shaking and Cosette ran over to him and then they left. Marius looked so lost and confused after that. He was looking around for Cosette everywhere. When Javert asked for the wittness, he raised his hand, but then he left too, so Javert looked even more confused. His "clear this grabage off the street" was brilliant. Very authoritave, but you could also tell he was pissed off so he was taking it out on everyone around him.
Stars: Amazing. You could tell that he believed in what he was saying so much. The voice was incredible. He added a nice touch to "God let me find him". he knelt down and did the sign of the cross and so it looked like he actually was praying. Very nice ending too. Powerful as hell.
Eponine's Errand: Gavroche was a riot. After he sang his song, he sat back and put his feet up. Then, it turned and you saw Eponine sitting there, thinking during the "Cosette now I remember" part. And then Marius came and she said "Good God oh what a rumpus" almost as small talk or something, but he only answered her by saying "That girl who can she be?". So she tried to get his attention with the "that cop he'd like to jump us" and it was cute, cause you could tell she was trying to show off a little. And her face completely fell but she looked at Marius who was so hopeful, and she sighed and agreed to find her.
Red And Black: Oh my God. Why is this number so good? First the guys were just sitting around talking. Victor Wallace is hot. Then Marius burst in and said his bit. He looked so geniuinely upset when they started to make fun of him, and he tried to convince them he was sincere. Then Grantaire started up. This was by far the funniest moment of the show. He took one of the pamphlets off the table and rolled it up, stood up on his chair, and pretended it was a sword for the "here he comes like Don Juan" part. Then, he stuck it in his crotch and it flopped over. I was cracking up. Then he took an empty bottle and put it there and it worked much better. Marius looked so embarassed and he just made a face at R. Enjolras was rolling his eyes and the "Who cares about your lonely soul" part was fabulous. When they finally got into the red and black part, someone threw the red flag to Grantaire and he didn't catch it, so he pretended to drunkenly stagger over and pick it up and then sang his part. When Gavroche came bursting in, I liked his "Listen everybody!" because it was kind of like he was having a temper tantrum that they wouldn't listen. Enjolras's "They will come when we call" was beautifulllll beyond belief. The whole song was amazing. One of my favorite scenes, definitely.
Do You Hear The People Sing?: Really really inspiring. I loved it. Definately not staring at Victor Wallace's ass while he was in the cart. You could tell they absolutely believed in the cause. I loved how they handed out pamphlets to all the ladies on the street. Nice touch. GREAT.
In My Life: CUTE. Leslie Henstock, can I please BE you? I want your voiceeee. She has such a great grasp on Cosette. She started off the scene standing by the gate, looking out, and you knew she was hoping Marius would miraculously find her. Then, she walked away from it, as if she realized she was being foolish. But then for "In my life I'm no longer alone" she picked up her skirt and ran back to the gate. It was really really cute. She did that kind of stuff throughout the whole. She gave Cosette really cute little touches, and it's those kind of things that make a great performance. When JVJ came in, she jumped like she was caught doing something she shouldn't have been. When she was asking Valjean about his past and her past, she was so serious and all thoughts of Marius were pushed from her mind for the moment. I was mad they cut the "Like a child lost in a wood" part, since I love how it references to the well scene. And also, it isn't fair they cut a lot of Cosette's lines, since she has so little of them to begin with. But, I digress. She and JVJ hugged and it was very cute, then he left and she sat on the bench again, staring into space and daydreaming. Marius and Eponine showed up and Eponine looked very defeated and just kind of pointed at the house. Marius looked so happy, it was the cutest thing. He hugged Eponine, and she looked so surprised, at first she didn't even hug back. It reminded me a little of when Christine kisses Erik at the end of POTO haha. Then she just kind of patted him on the back and then he climbed over the fence. That was kind of random though.
A Heart Full Of Love: MY FAVORITE SCENE. SO EFFING CUTE AND ADORABLE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ANYONE CAN HATE MARIUS/COSETTE. But, I digress yet again. Cosette wasn't facing the fence when he entered, so when he said "A heart full of love" she jumped and turned and had the most adorable look on her face. She walked over to him while he was singing, but then she turned away like she was nervous. He turned away after he asked her name, as if he were going to leave, but then she turned around and stopped him and said "A heart full of love, no fear no regret." He looked so happy, and I was being so obnoxiously loud going AWW and OHMYGOD and THEY'RESOCUTE. My dad told me to shut up. When he introduced himself, he bowed really low. And when she introdiced herself, she curtsied. I thought that was adorable. Then they grabbed each other's hands and were singing and they kept getting closer. I really can't tell you what Eponine was doing during this because I was not paying any attention to her. I was completely absorbed in Marius and Cosette. They portrayed the love and the excitement and the innocence perfectly. The highlight of the show. Absolutely. They were so endearing. I absolutely adored this number. And Cosette's high B at the end was lovely.
Plumet Attack: Kind of upsetting that they cut out the whole "Parnasse what are you doing" bit, but I can live with it. Thenardier's evil side came out and he slapped Eponine to the ground. But she screamed anyway. But I guess she can't scream, cause she just said "NOOOO!" Then Marius and Cosette came rushing out, and once again it was adorable, because he had his arm around her shoulders to protect her. AWWW. When Marius introduced them, Cosette curtsied to Eponine, which was a really cute touch. It shows you what kind of person Cosette is. Eponine curtises back. Well, she tried. It didn't turn out very well. The Marius and Eponine ran out the gate and hid behind the two pillars, which amused me. JVJ looked like he was so scared he was about to have a heart attack. Cosette looked really nervous, so she just blurted out "That was my cry". Her lines there were really good. She has such a lovely voice.
One Day More: AMAZING. INCREDIBLE. SPECTACULAR. There are no words that can do this justice. Marius and Cosette looked so heartbroken at being torn away from each other. At first, they just simply looked at each other, but then Cosette offered her hand to him, and he grabbed her hands to his chest and they looked into each other's eyes, and you could absolutely tell they were in love. You have to be heartless not to love them! When JVJ was packing his suitcase, he handed Cosette the doll he had given her ten years before. She looked at it almost the same way she did when she first got it, and you knew she was angry at him for taking her from Marius. But then she remembered how kind JVJ was, and she took the doll and hugged him. Cute but sad. This is what I meant about silent acting. Marius looked genuinely torn. Enjolras and Co burst out and it was awe inspiring. Really. I got chills. The marching thing they do always makes me laugh. The rest of it was brilliance. Sheer brilliance. I will admit right now that I cried. I was so inspired and moved and you could feel the energy radiating off of the actors and into the audience. The perfect way to end Act 1. The perfect song. The perfect play.
Act 2
Upon These Stones: I really liked the way all the rebels were in the same positions they ended in. Enjolras's eyes were literally sparkling and everyone was so excited. Marius looked really lost until he saw Eponine and gave her the letter. At that point, I think Eponine was just so pissed and sick of everything with him that she didn't care about keeping her love for him a secret anymore. She said her "little you know little you care" right in his face, and he looked really confused. After she gave the letter to JVJ, she stayed right by the gate so she could hear what it said. JVJ's reading of the letter was great. At first he looked
shocked and appalled that this was going on, but then he softened when he learned Cosette loved Marius and that Marius was so sincere.
On My Own: Very very good. She took a song that has been sung a thousand times and made it her own. She had really raw emotion and it was good. Normally when I hear this song, I'm like oh poor you Eps. Boohoo. But, she just made me feel really bad for her. I think it was because she didn't treat the situation like Marius was hers and he was being taken away from her. She was pretty accepting of it, even though it was killing her. I liked it.
A Little Fall Of Rain: Very sweet. I am not a Marius/Eponine shipper in the slightest, but this was really very moving. This was the point when Marius realized the whole thing wasn't a game anymore. It was interesting that at first, the other people didn't even realize something was going on. But when they did notice, Gavroche started to run over to Eponine, but Grantaire held him back, like he didn't want him to have to see that. Enjolras started to run over too, but then he stopped himself, but he looked ready to cry. It definately renewed my love for Eponine/Enjolras hehe. I was crossing my fingers that they wouldn't actually kiss, and it all turned out well. She did the whole dying before she reached his face thing. But she did it well. It was sad, and then he kissed her on the forehead after she died, which was nice. Very canon =P I cried a lot. A hell of a lot. It's a pitiful situation. I love the whole part when Enj then comforts Marius. He really looked in denial for a bit there, but then he just kind of sank down and Enj was comforting him. Cute, but slashy. haha.
First Attack: Really intense. The sniper shots scared the shit out of me cause it came from the mezzanine. Then JVJ and Javert were brilliant. Javert honestly looked completely confused. JVJ kind of sighed and explained it to him and then Javert just ran off.
Drink With Me: SO SAD. I was still crying by this point. I really liked how at the end, Enjolras realized there was more to Grantaire than his drinking and he really accepted him into the group. Uggh, so sad. This song always makes me cry. Very good.
Bring Him Home: Alright, so I'm a Colm Wilkinson fangirl. I love the man beyond belief. He IS Valjean. But dear Lord, Randal Keith was spectacular. This song was absolutely on Colm level. So emotional filled and sweet and just amazing. It was a genuine performance. He was incredible. This song was incredible.
Dawn of Anguish: Broke my heart. I cried. Again.
Death of Gavroche: This was weird. It was sad as hell, but I thought it was really lacking in emotion and energy. He just kind of...fell over without even sounding like he was hurt and dying. Weird stuff.
Final Battle: Wow. "Let others rise" seriously sent chills down my spine. So powerful. When Marius went down, Valjean ran to him and then he got hit and he went down too. People were falling all over the place. Then Enjolras ran up the barricade and took the flag, but he got hit. Grantaire was still sitting at the table at that point, but when he saw Enjolras go down, he bolted up and ran to him and got hit as well. That definately summed up all of Drink With Me: If I die, I die with you. So sad. Then of course, the barricade spin and Bring Him Home playing and, well, I was sobbing. To see Enjolras sprawled over with his flag breaks your heart. Also, Valjean started coughing and waking up while the barricade was spinning. And then he picked him up and they went into the sewers.
Dog Eats Dog: Very creepy and eerie. This song really helps you to understand why Thenardier is the way he is. He believes God is dead, and so all he can do whatever he pleases and there are no repercussions.
Javert's Suicide: The whole JVJ/Javert thing was exceptionally well done. Valjean was pleading and Javert finally caved and pointed offstage and said told him to leave. Then he pulled his hair out of the ribbon and went onto the bridge. The soliloquy really intense. You could tell he was right on the edge of his sanity and he was slipping off the edge. He didn't know what to do with the mercy JVJ had show him because in his mind, criminals were not capable of that sort of thing. And so he jumped and it took you through so many emotions and in the end, you felt bad for him. GREAT performance.
Turning: I love this song. Many people think this is the worst song in the show, but I disagree. I think it's really powerful. Lines like "They were schoolboys, never held a gun. Fighting for a new world that would rise up like the sun...." they hit close to home. The song is a reflection on war. You need a reaction when so many lives are lost, and the women are the ones who lost their men. They're at the end of their ropes, thus they sing that "nothing ever changes." I really love this song and it was very well done.
Empty Chairs At Empty Tables: The song that gives Marius depth. I love this song. He looked very very distraught and it's understandable that he feels almost like he betrayed his friends by living. But his weird nasal thing started at some points, and that almost took away from the emotion of the song. But it started again when Les Amis came back and sat at the tables with them. That's the most emotional point of the whole thing. It's very poignant. And then they kind of fade off and yes, I cried. Like a baby.
Every Day: I adore this song to bits. Cosette came in and Marius brightened up. I think he realized that she was what he had to live for, and his friends would have wanted him to be happy with her and not waste his time thinking he should be dead. It's really a shame they've cut this song so much over the years. Because the whole part when she says "Oh God for shame, you did not even know my name" gives her so much more personality. It's a really cute line, almost like she's making fun of him. But at the same time, it was cute how they changed it to "You saw me waiting and you knew" because she's going over it in her mind and it's like when little kids tell the stories of their parents first meeting. Leslie is incredible, and her voice blends so nicely with Adam's. It's also really cute when JVJ puts their hands together, giving his blessing. Then Cosette gets up and hugs Marius from behind and, oh, it's the most darling thing you'll ever see. Valjean's confession was good. But I hate how they take Cosette for so stupid in that part. JVJ goes "make her believe I've gone on a journey". She's not an idiot, and that's how they're treating her.
Wedding Chorale: SO FUCKING ADORABLE. I adored this so much. Marius lifting her veil and then their kiss was the cutest moment of the whole thing. It proved their love and devotion to each other. And of course, it was THE DRESS AND I LOVE IT. (Cosette's wedding dress, I mean). Then they danced and I was seriously crying. It was so cute. They looked so happy together. Then the whole Thenardier deal, and Cosette was doing this weird ass dance in the background and interacting with the guests. More silent acting. And then Marius said one of my favorite lines. "Come my love, come Cosette" It's so cute.
Beggars At The Feast: FUNNY. I love how Thenardier was swinging Mme. around and then they sang and they stole all the silverware and stuff. Always good for a few laughs before the really emotional stuff.
Finale: INCREDIBLE. Probabaly the single most moving and inspiring thing I've seen in my life. Valjean's reprise of Bring Him Home had me crying, and then Fantine came and I cried even more. Cosette's interaction with him was incredible. She was clinging to him for dear life. He died right in her arms. So sad. You could see the pain on her face. But then, Marius adorably took her in his arms and held her for a really long time while she cried and everyone sang. Her reaction to the letter was great. So realistic. Yay silent acting! Then they hugged more and then they sang. I was sobbing hysterically at this point. Then the final chorus of the finale. SO POWERFUL. That's really all I can say. I had chills and it was so damn inspiring. I really can't think of anything else to describe it. It means so much to me and it sends out such a wonderful message. Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.
Curtain call: Yayyy for everyone. Everyone was amazing. But Marius and Cosette/Adam and Leslie got the least applause. I hate that. Seriously, even if you don't like the characters, give the actors some support. So I jumped up and clapped really loudly. I thought they were great. Everyone was. This whole experience was amazing, and I'm so grateful to have discovered this show and to have been able to see it was a dream come true. I'm thankful for every moment of it, every note of music, every lyric, every actor in it, and every single friend I've made from it. I'm so grateful. If there is one show that has completely changed my life, Les Mis is it.
Stage Door: or lack thereof. It was about 6 or 7 degress when we got out of the show. Boston is a damn cold city! Even I thought it was too cold to wait for an hour at the stagedoor. So, it was with a heavy heart that I departed from the theatre without a single autograph. Lucky for me, I'm getting my dad to take me to see it again in Connecticut. Cause he lovesssss me.
So, in conclusion, I had the time of my LIFE this past weekend. It was in fucking credible.
In other news: RENT ON DVD TODAY. AND I OWN IT. AND I WATCHED IT. AND I CRIED EVEN MORE, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
Today in voice I hit a C over high C? I didn't even think that was possible. But apparently it is. I don't think you could pay me to do it again haha. I was just messing around.
Thanks to everyone who voted for my song. It's defiantely gonna be "Wishing".
Okay, that would be all. This is madddd ass long. Comment with "24601" if you read this whole thing. Then I'll knowwwww.
I wore my les mis shirt today. And everyone commented on it and my haircut and stuff. yayyyy.
Okay, that's enough. I've been writing this for 3 days already.
loveeeee
<33333333
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