Les Misérables - Sondheim Theatre

Just bought my ticket for the last night of the current production

I'm in row C on the final performance and I'm now looking forward to it even more knowing it really will be the end of the revolve.

JOJ is a superb Valjean and Phantom. He can do no wrong in either role.

Am I the only one who finds it laughable Les Mis is being reduced to a concert version for several months? And yet the Guinness Book of Records say it'll still hold the record for longest-running musical? Makes you wonder if Cameron paid for the title!

It makes absolutely no sense to me, it's a completely different production, as will the production at the Queen's Theatre. There will of been some work behind the scenes go keep that title as it really shouldn't be kept like that.

Same here. See you in the cheap seats

I never comment on understudies, but I wonder who will be Alfie's on October 16 and 17 because he will not be there.

Maybe we should turn this into a social get together

Gutted, but not surprised. I can’t be bothered to go back and quote the relevant parts of my posts and responses. When I saw it last year I opined that the show looked on last legs, with extremely dubious casting and an influx of much younger performers in key roles and the emsemble. I predicted closure within a year. I was told I was being dramatic, but it was always going to happen - in my near-century of LM visits around the world, my visit last autumn was comfortably the worst.

Not that I’m happy with this. I enjoyed the tour previously and it made a refreshing change to see new sets, costumes and touches of new direction from Laurence - a really strong cast (JOJ and Earl Carpenter) and a mixture of experience and youth in the ensemble. But I really did miss the revolve.

The casting of Ball as Javert, however temporarily and in a “staged concert” version (whatever that means), I take as a tacit admission of failure with the current casting policy.

Finally, this whole situation is a mess in my mind. I’m still a little confused about what is happening. The run can no longer be “continuous” if there is a month break. If it’s a fully staged concert it is a different production. If it’s a different, new “full” production that reopens, it shouldn’t count as continuous anyway.

So it closes in July at the Queens, rests for a month, opens as a staged concert in August for 16 weeks, then the touring production goes into the Gielgud?

Interesting. You have a great point that the quality of the original had declined bit by bit over the years - but that doesn't lead shows to close.
Despite this, sales remained through the roof and the Queen's is usually sold out. Joe Public don't notice the decline in quality clearly. So surely while you still rake the cash in, that is not in itself a reason for a producer to change/close?

So there have been a few trims since the Compete Symphonic recording but they are minimal.
The main issues are more subtle:
- reduced orchestra over the years (although sound wise things improved when the new orchestrations were brought in as it was orchestrated for the size of orchestra it now had)
- MDs seem (though for me is just a perception) to be conducting the show faster and faster so everyone gets out quicker
- younger and younger casts - talented no doubt but lacking the acting subtlety and nuance that experience brings

The piece itself hasn't been cut since the 90s though I don't think.

I do echo others views that something was lost when it moved from The Palace. Something difficult to put into words. As certain shows fit certain theatres (Cats in New London, Starlight in Apollo Victoria) The Palace felt totally right for Les Mis and it was a holistic fabulous experience there.