Les Misérables - Sondheim Theatre

What Cameron Mackintosh is doing with Les Miserables is no different to what Disney with Beauty and the Beast which had a nine week break between closing at the Palace and reopening at the Lunt Fontanne which allowed them to downsize the shows, the five week gap between the Queens closure and the concert at the Gielgud is pretty small in comparison.

Sorry but it's completely different. Disney just downsized the same production and it looked more or less the same just with some set pieces etc missing. this is closing one and reopening another with a different creative team. Sure the new production has elements of the original but there are a lot of scenes that are staged and designed differently. Even some key moments are not as effective as the original.

It actually surprises me how people who love theatre enough to use this board don't see the difference.

I was thinking about this earlier on. Re-reading the press release they're holding on to the claim of "longest running musical". Whilst a slightly ambiguous claim, Les Miserables, as long as it continues to run, whatever form it is in, will maintain it's title of 'Longest Running Musical' (which is how it's being sold, not as Longest running musical production).

Phantom could (if they wanted to cause confusion) bill themselves as "Longest Running Musical Production" or "Longest Running Original Musical [production]" but I don't think they would (or should).

It's been changed on Wikipedia and there is already dispute about it in the edit history!

A very interesting interview with Trevor Nunn by Tim Bano in The Stage today (behind a paywall).

He is discussing very animatedly about his production of a long forgotten play by Harley Granville Barker called Agnes Colander which is playing at the Jermyn Street Theatre London.

During the wide ranging interview about his career the subject of the termination of the original Les Mis production turns up and this is what he had to say -

"There is a very long pause - "Don't go there is all I can say". Another long pause, Nunn looks away, and all the energy that had driven the conversation just disappears, "Thirty Seven years", he says finally, "of a show we started at the RSC is pretty extraordinary".

It clearly has to be totally gutting for his work to be dismissed in such a way. It is probably not even about the loss of royalties but about the rejection of the artistic ability, creativity and talent. His legacy with the show.

On a side note, I did not know that he turned down the opportunity (offered by Stephen Schwartz) to direct Wicked. "Idiot!" he remarks!!

Some details of the new production have leaked https://www.reddit.com/r/musicals/comments/apkv7k/les_miserables_but_where_everyone_in_the_cast/
(Tongue firmly in cheek)

Further light is shed on this issue with an interview (again in The Stage) with John Napier the original designer.

He acknowledges that shows should be re-invented and would have no issue with a "brand new production" with creatives that had no association with the original show, therefore bringing a totally fresh eye to the production. 

What is clearly galling though is that the designer for the touring production (from 2009) which is going to re-open the Queens Theatre, is Matt Kinley who was part of John Napier's own team for years, and many elements of the design and direction owe a lot to the original production.

He says "we had a dispute about the whole production. I felt I was relatively deserving (of royalties) given that it was the original production that had underpinned the new production really - but there was a disagreement about that. Strong words were said on both sides".

Again, interestingly, he says (and I think quite rightly) his use of the revolve in the design was ground breaking and still influences the staging of new musicals today. Come From Away and Hamilton for example. He wonders what will happen to the design in Hamilton (with its revolving stage) when it needs to move to a smaller theatre. Cam Mack producing again of course!! 

Some shows shouldn't be reinvented, it confuses change with progress.  Phantom,  for one ,belongs in a decrepit, traditional looking,  theatre ,  thats  not too big. Imagine it in the Palladium or New London. Les Mis was a success because the  original team and actors, crafted the  staging, revolve, and songs, and book to produce the acting moments that produced 37 years of emotional reactions. its a whole put together by a top quality team. The new production just plays around with adding some modern visuals, a less ambitious  or realistic barricade, and some new staging to avoid the lack of a revolve on tour. The result is the bright new lights come on,looking like they were lifted from the Enterprise phaser banks,  but most of the key death scenes are less effective, and the revolution looks as silly as its puny, if easier to move, barricade .It may be needed to tour and save a few quid, but its a false economy.

finally managed to see Les Mis again before they change everything i like

and finally i managed to see Bradley Jaden as Javert: WOW WOW WOW! What a brilliant performance: awesome voice and acting, never thought i get another Javert on my pole position next to Tam Mutu but now i got 2 🤗

Like Eponine better than the first time, but still don’t like Cosette. Cute acting sometimes but some high notes that did not work, one she had to end middle of it and started anew. Don’t know, but this is not how i love Cosette soundlike

Such a cute photo

Tickets for the 'new' production at the Queen's Theatre are now on sale from Delfont Mackintosh - playing from December 18th. A cursory glance suggests that ticket prices are pretty similar, and not much is changing in terms of seating but they appear to be getting rid of the central aisle in the Upper Circle. I'm sure @theatremonkey can comment more confidently on the changes.