Les Misérables - Sondheim Theatre

Oh, I don't like Colm. I think he has an annoying vibrato.

What sort of lyric changes were made?

I'm sure there used to be a website which detailed all the cuts / lyric changes over the years. I'll see if I can find it.

But I wrote this post on another thread about a year ago:

I first saw Les Mis in 1993, so despite the show being 8 years old at the time, it was relatively early on in it's 32 year run. My memory of the show as it was then was perfect (for want of a better word). I am fully aware that part of that is nostalgia, and probably the reason I have never felt the same love for the revised 25th anniversary production. But I agree that the original London production now lacks something.

In 1993 the show was pretty much as it is on the Complete Symphonic Recording. From memory, I think it was added to slightly in 1997 (Broadway 10th anniversary) when they reinstated the well scene from the Barbican days, where Valjean first meets Cosette. There were possibly minor lyric changes then too. However a few years later (2000?) the Broadway production was cut by around 15 minutes to bring the running time to just under 3 hours, and save on overtime costs. These changes were implemented into productions around the world shortly after. However, I think the current running time is 2h50, so other stuff may have been cut since then. Or perhaps as people have said, the pace has just been increased.

I can’t believe they should be able to say it’s the longest running show when that version is closing. It’s a joke if they do.

I mean until another show exceeds its run (at the time the current version closes)

I already said I made a mistake. Totally misread Shaftesbury Avenue as Shaftesbury Theatre and it all went wrong from there.

Am I right in thinking that if they continue to claim that “New” Les Mis, is still the original Les Mis, then they’re intact breaking the law? False advertising and all that.

In all fairness, I’ve not seen Les Miserables for a couple of years, but the last time I saw it at Queens, it was very very dull, and looked very tired. 30-odd Years is a great run, maybe we need to rest it for a while.

The same could be said for Phantom, since I made that last point.

I feel like we should be championing new, fresh, exciting theatre. Theatre land is changing in London and we should be embracing that, and looking to the future.

I also get the points made that it’s a cash cow that brings people in, and will sell tickets. It’s a tourist attraction - and hugely profitable. I get that. I understand that’s what investors want.

I feel they've made a mistake in heavily promoting the Gielgud run, that'll only last for 4 months, they should be getting the big names together for the re-opening at the Queens, that's what I'm sure they hope is gonna last for another 30 years.

I didn't realise they hadn't, that's awful.

If Alfie calls out sick, will JOJ do it do you think? Or will the show go to a separate standby / understudy?

It still would have been the decent thing to do. Of course the contracts finish in July. But letting the cast hear from the papers they are being replaced by an "all star" cast for the concert version is awful.