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Post by A.Ham on Jul 11, 2023 13:35:45 GMT
The WOS article says it will include UK venues and will be in large theatres and arenas between 3,000 and 5,000 capacity so doubt if the O2 will be one this time as that has a 20,000 capacity. Sounds good though and if anything like the O2 concert will be amazing to see and hear. Aha, that’s great news. Hopefully they’ll include the BIC in Bournemouth then (it’s a small arena with seated capacity around 4,500) 🤞🏻 |
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Post by alece10 on Jul 11, 2023 14:36:45 GMT
The WOS article says it will include UK venues and will be in large theatres and arenas between 3,000 and 5,000 capacity so doubt if the O2 will be one this time as that has a 20,000 capacity. Sounds good though and if anything like the O2 concert will be amazing to see and hear. The London venue if it does do a run in London that would match that description is the Hammersmith Apollo, they could go to the RAH as well but I think Hammersmith is more likely. I'm hoping it's not Hammersmith as I hate it and I want to go and see it so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the RAH. |
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Post by Alejo on Jul 11, 2023 15:11:07 GMT
I can't see Cameron taking this to the Hammersmith. Les Mis is his flagship show and he'll want the London performances to be more of an event, in a top-level venue.
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Post by theatrefan62 on Jul 11, 2023 15:15:01 GMT
Of course it could not play London at all.
Unless I missed it the release just says limited UK dates. With Les mis playing in London anyway, maybe it will do a couple venues further north and then head out worldwide
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Post by A.Ham on Jul 11, 2023 15:20:12 GMT
I agree. The Albert Hall would be infinitely better than Hammersmith, plus they can do all the ‘back at the hall after almost 30 years’ blurb in the advertising!
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Post by theatremiss on Jul 11, 2023 16:09:21 GMT
The London venue if it does do a run in London that would match that description is the Hammersmith Apollo, they could go to the RAH as well but I think Hammersmith is more likely. I'm hoping it's not Hammersmith as I hate it and I want to go and see it so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the RAH. Im the same, I hate Hammersmith, so ill avoid, avoid |
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Post by Alejo on Jul 11, 2023 17:40:37 GMT
Of course it could not play London at all.Unless I missed it the release just says limited UK dates. With Les mis playing in London anyway, maybe it will do a couple venues further north and then head out worldwide There's no way they are mounting a new arena world tour that will play other cities in the UK, but skip London. Probably later in the tour, for the 40th anniversary. The 25th anniversary tour played the Barbican while the original was still playing at the Queens. It's a different production and there will be demand, especially with, I imagine, top "guest names". |
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Post by danb on Jul 11, 2023 18:23:31 GMT
I hope we get it at Cardiff International Sports Hall (as I like to call it). I think its about 4,500 seated. My favourite ‘arena’, but Hammersmith Apollo is my absolute favourite music venue anywhere. Great transport links, great standing, great seated, beautiful building and it will forever be where I saw Kate Bush & Ben Platt.
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Post by greeny11 on Aug 10, 2023 11:55:00 GMT
New cast has been announced:
Josh Piterman, Stewart Clarke, Lulu-Mae Pears and Claire Machin are all staying from the principals.
The new (or returning) principals are:
Katie Hall - Fantine
Luke Kempner - Thenardier
Will Callan - Marius
Amena El-Kindy - Eponine
Djavan van de Fliert - Enjolras
A couple of familiar faces returning in the ensemble - Jordan Simon Pollard and Adam Pearce. New cast start September 25th.
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Post by A.Ham on Aug 10, 2023 13:09:21 GMT
Great to see the new cast announcement... especially Adam Pearce being back on stage.
Also good to see both Will Callan and Katie Hall 'promoted' from the recent UK tour to the London production (although not sure if Katie's done West End before?). I think Will was pretty much straight out of college when he did the tour, and was fantastic when I saw it in Southampton, so brilliant to see him announced to appear in London.
Also lovely to see that so many of my favourites from the ensemble are staying on - people like Matt Dempsey (who I think is Dance Captain) and Matthew Dale, who have become Les Mis-stalwarts through the staged concert in 2021 and the return of the full production.
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Post by Jon on Aug 10, 2023 13:58:49 GMT
I'm sure Luke Kempner was in Les Mis years ago? Most people know him as a comedian but he can sing.
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Post by Alejo on Aug 10, 2023 14:10:12 GMT
I'm sure Luke Kempner was in Les Mis years ago? Most people know him as a comedian but he can sing. He was in the 25th Anniversary Tour in 2010 - understudied Marius and was excellent in the role too. |
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Post by BVM on Aug 10, 2023 15:38:16 GMT
Gosh what an amazing cast. There's very few musicals I love enough to be excited by cast changes, but Les Mis is truly one of them.
Will Callan was an amazing Marius on tour; only managed to see him once but he was perfect in the role.
Katie Hall has had such a long association with the show (Cosette to Fantine via Christine in Phantom - a well trodden path) and great to see her back.
Absolutely incredible to see Adam Pearce back on stage - what amazing news after everything he's been through.
And Luke Kempner! The original Montparnasse/Pimp when the "new" 25th version was born. Never saw him as Marius sadly but another great voice. And given his comedy career since sure he'll be brilliant.
And Josh and Stewart staying - great stuff.
Expect I'll go more than once to get to see everyone..... (literally the only London musical I would currently do this for!)
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Post by toomasj on Aug 10, 2023 15:41:13 GMT
It’s Chris Jacobsen I feel sorry for. What does the guy have to do to get JVJ?!
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Post by matilda1 on Aug 10, 2023 15:51:04 GMT
Does Sarah Lark have some sort of permanent contract?
Also Phoebe Williams, third year in ensemble/ cover Cosette. How do some cast members stay for consecutive years?
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Post by toomasj on Aug 10, 2023 15:54:55 GMT
Does Sarah Lark have some sort of permanent contract? Also Phoebe Williams, third year in ensemble/ cover Cosette. How do some cast members stay for consecutive years? Quite simply their contracts are renewed. |
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Post by BVM on Aug 10, 2023 15:55:41 GMT
Does Sarah Lark have some sort of permanent contract? Also Phoebe Williams, third year in ensemble/ cover Cosette. How do some cast members stay for consecutive years? Does feel like she's been there forever! No idea how it works in Les Mis. In Starlight Express in Bochum there are 7 or 8 who seem to stay year after year after year. Most of them can a) cover pretty much every role and b) are involved in training new cast members and have various "resident" roles. So I guess are very useful in a long running musical. You do need some people to pass on knowledge and provide continuity. But I don't know how this works in most shows. Like at cast change, if anyone in current cast wants to stay on, do they get first refusal (assuming producers happy with their work)!? |
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Post by toomasj on Aug 10, 2023 16:23:45 GMT
So, in long runners such as Les Mis, producers want reliability, the ability to cover multiple tracks and good professionals. I have friends who have done multiple contracts in long runners including this show. Their experiences all align pretty much the same: if the show (namely the producers) is happy with them they are asked about their availability for another contract (9/12 months for most open run shows such as this). If they accept they simply begin a new contract when their old one ends. The production and the agent get together and work out terms. If they want to leave, they say so and the part goes out to agents to put up candidates for audition. If they want to extend but the show want to recast (poor performance, poor attitude, lateness/absence or any other reason) they simply inform the performer (sometimes through their agent) that the role will be recast upon the end of their contract. Sometimes, performers are invited to re-audition for their own part. This isn’t always a terrible thing, as they may have other parts in mind for you (in the same show or other shows they produce) and I’ve known several performer friends actually be promoted/win other roles from these auditions. Other factors can be at play - if a performer noticeably ages/becomes inappropriate for the part originally cast, if they are burnt out, and so forth. A simple conversation is all that needed. One friend described this as (copy/paste) “thank you very much for all you’ve given the show, we are going in another direction at the end of your contract and wish you all the best. Please feel free to audition in the future”. I hope this answers your questions!  |
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 10, 2023 16:31:00 GMT
Pretty sure Sarah is resident something (director or choreographer or something similar) hence why she's been there so long.
Like Kempner will be a fun Thenadier but will look weird af opposite Clare Machin.
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Post by BVM on Aug 10, 2023 16:37:48 GMT
So, in long runners such as Les Mis, producers want reliability, the ability to cover multiple tracks and good professionals. I have friends who have done multiple contracts in long runners including this show. Their experiences all align pretty much the same: if the show (namely the producers) is happy with them they are asked about their availability for another contract (9/12 months for most open run shows such as this). If they accept they simply begin a new contract when their old one ends. The production and the agent get together and work out terms. If they want to leave, they say so and the part goes out to agents to put up candidates for audition. If they want to extend but the show want to recast (poor performance, poor attitude, lateness/absence or any other reason) they simply inform the performer (sometimes through their agent) that the role will be recast upon the end of their contract. Sometimes, performers are invited to re-audition for their own part. This isn’t always a terrible thing, as they may have other parts in mind for you (in the same show or other shows they produce) and I’ve known several performer friends actually be promoted/win other roles from these auditions. Other factors can be at play - if a performer noticeably ages/becomes inappropriate for the part originally cast, if they are burnt out, and so forth. A simple conversation is all that needed. One friend described this as (copy/paste) “thank you very much for all you’ve given the show, we are going in another direction at the end of your contract and wish you all the best. Please feel free to audition in the future”. I hope this answers your questions! Thanks for this. This is kinda how I imagined it but great to have it confirmed. Really interesting :-) |
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Post by toomasj on Aug 10, 2023 16:39:17 GMT
Pretty sure Sarah is resident something (director or choreographer or something similar) hence why she's been there so long. Like Kempner will be a fun Thenadier but will look weird af opposite Clare Machin. Pretty sure Sam Hiller is resident director and Sarah is (or was at least) dance captain, which (as you know but in case others reading don’t), a key position in a musical. They oversee put-in rehearsals, teach choreography and blocking and are generally the resident director’s “eyes on the ground”. A good dance captain is a crucial and hugely underrated - to outsiders - part of the cast. |
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Post by BVM on Aug 10, 2023 16:40:01 GMT
Pretty sure Sarah is resident something (director or choreographer or something similar) hence why she's been there so long. Like Kempner will be a fun Thenadier but will look weird af opposite Clare Machin. Ha! Yes it will a bit now you mention it. Though if anyone can make it work, those two can. |
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Post by Dawnstar on Aug 10, 2023 17:00:59 GMT
Also good to see both Will Callan and Katie Hall 'promoted' from the recent UK tour to the London production (although not sure if Katie's done West End before?). She did Cosette in the WE for a few months in 2009 before moving to the then-new tour production. I'm not sure whether or not she's done Fantine though, as I haven't followed the WE casts changes in detail in the last few years. |
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Post by greeny11 on Aug 10, 2023 17:08:33 GMT
I saw Claire with the understudy Thenardier last week, who I is quite a bit younger than Claire, but make up and wigs made the difference much less noticeable. Hopefully, they will be able to work the same magic with Luke.
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Post by A.Ham on Aug 10, 2023 17:18:49 GMT
Also good to see both Will Callan and Katie Hall 'promoted' from the recent UK tour to the London production (although not sure if Katie's done West End before?). She did Cosette in the WE for a few months in 2009 before moving to the then-new tour production. I'm not sure whether or not she's done Fantine though, as I haven't followed the WE casts changes in detail in the last few years. Thank you. I thought she’d been in the WE cast at some point! She was great as Fantine on the tour last year. |
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