Les Miserables - The Staged Concert

Do you really think the rest of the cast members are just standing in front of the mic and simply going over the melody and lyrics?

But if that's the impression you are getting, I will respect your personal view.

Second visit yesterday. Having gone with family deliberately to see JOJ, I booked a solo trip on a Boe night, because it's a slight family joke that he was off both times I tried at Queen's. Fully prepared for a Boe No Show, I'd actually begun to secretly hope to repeat the wonders of JOJ. However! Mr Boe was there. I don't have anything to add to what's been said really. There were memorable moments. I feel like Bring Him Home has been done to death (no pun intended) now, but it was good to hear it live and the audience were silent til the end, bar an occasional sniff. Carrie and Bradley were even stronger this time. Michael Ball was very pirate-like at the beginning, much to the amusement of a loud guy behind me who kept repeating "Jean Valjean" in a Ball voice. Yet Stars was much stronger than on my first trip.A lady in front had been on the Stages Floating Festival and said someone had heckled Boe and shouted comments about him turning up this time..so it's probably fair to say that he knows his absences are unpopular! Finally I was on the edge of Row B in the Grand Circle and was very pleased that FOH asked the front row to sit back in their seats. People in front of me complied and it made all the difference.

JOJ on Insta "Alfie unable to perform tonight so a last minute phone call means I’m doing Valjean again for Show 36!"

I bet unplanned Saturday night shows for himself and MB's alernate/cover/understudy are a tough crowd!

 
Singing is storytelling through notes. Which means that little colors and nuances in notes tell stories and convey emotions.
This has nothing to do with acting in spite of song, over-acting every word on top of the notes (Hugh Jackman), or singing everything with a standard opera technique on 1 volume (Alfie Boe).

This is a very delicate art and all about paining with colors, textures and nuances. 
For example one long soft note can convey 4 different colors and emotions if done right.

People vastly underestimate this artform. There are singers who turn into the beste actors in the world while simply singing a song, without over-acting or exaggerating one word. People mistakenly think that "acting in spite of song" has anything to do with "acting through song".

I’d throw Houchen & Karimloo into the mix here. Both excellent vocallists & actors, likewise David Hunter in more light hearted fayre. I’ve said it before but I thought Carrie was a revelation in the Les Mis concert, securing her long term future in MT if she wants it. I’m no fan of IDAD but her take was fresh and she gave it meaning.

I thought that these were all advertised non-Alfie days?

😄😄😄

we wouldn’t want nan 2 B fumin 2 eh bbs? 

I am not an expert on the singing profession, but I guess that singing on a cruise ship as a mega star is easier and a lot more lucrative than singing a lead role in an opera with the ENO, let alone singing a small role with the Royal Opera. I am not against an artist earning a lot of money (with the exception of K Jenkins, but that's another story).

However, if you a freelancer like myself (and I believe concert artists can be considered freelancers too) it's not professional to schedule yourself in a way you can't be sure of delivering, physically and time-wise. So, agreeing to appear in a Sunday concert, if that's the reason for the last minute cancellaion, fully knowing he has two shows to perform on Saturday could possibly come across as an exapmple of unprofessional decision making.

Money is important for everyone, but not at the cost of professional integrity.

AB is probably wise not to get into it all on social media though. Announcing you’re not going to be on when you’re scheduled to perform is inviting a backlash unless refunds are to be offered. And responding to the absence-shaming posts is a hiding to nothing too,
This is one of the things I hate about twitter. The expectation that everyone is answerable to everyone about everything. I totally understand why the few people who aren’t on it choose that.

I have to say it niggles me that JOJ is at pains to mention how many shows he has done. Each time, he announces "show #36" or whatever. Not necessary.

I'm not condoning the absence-shaming on social media at all- there must be valid reasons for Alfie to miss those shows- but I'd be more ready to forgive him IF he wasn't tweeting about his Boe/Ball album every other day! If you can peddle your album surely you can notify the fans you're letting down. No grovelling apology needed or expected. 

I quite enjoy JOJ's updates, if he's having a blast and wants to share that excitement with his followers, why shouldn't he? It's social media after all, not the White House Press Office. 

WHY?