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Post by theoracle on Dec 7, 2019 22:24:20 GMT
Just got back from a last minute trip to see an encore screening of this at Empire Haymarket and wow, I always underestimate how exhausting it is to watch this show. So much emotion and oomph from all the cast. I saw JOJ in August so it was interesting to compare Alfie who whilst at times was rather static, no one can ignore the total silence during BHH. Absolutely stunning! His final confrontation with Javert was another highlight.
I do hope if there will be a dvd/cd, they’ll be able to edit out the coughs during Empty Chairs; Rob Houchen deserves more respect than that. Also loved the shared moment between Bradley and Michael and look forward to seeing him at the Sondheim. There’s no week link in the show and I reiterate my point that this really showcases what a masterpiece Les Miserables is. It’s like the whole company coming out to say this is the best musical ever written and we’re going to prove it. Bravo!
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Post by 49thand8th on Dec 9, 2019 0:59:29 GMT
Had a fun time seeing this at the AMC Theater in Times Square. The audience seemed to be a mix of die-hards and theatre fans who were casually knowledgeable about the show (a group of 20-something friends behind me ranged from knowing everything about the theatre situation/move to one who swore he saw Daphne Rubin-Vega as Eponine). A fun part was when the audience burst out laughing at the Cats trailer. And a handful of folks cheered at JOJ's first appearance.
I liked the idea of this being more staged than some concerts. I lamented the splash effect at Javert's Suicide, but Michael Ball generated his own Seine, so that was nice of him. Bradley Jaden was the highlight for me — I haven't been to London in far too long and while I'm sad I'll never get to see him as Enjolras, I'll be sure to see what he's up to post-Javert if I can't get back to see him in that role.
I may go back on Wednesday, which will likely be the last time I can see it until I buy it. In the restroom line, I chatted with a very nice lady from the UK who had seen the concert in September and we discussed the manbun.
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Post by 49thand8th on Dec 9, 2019 15:20:57 GMT
Also, is Lily Kerhoas American? I thought she was delightful and did some googling and watched her Instagram stories and still couldn't tell for sure. She sounds like an American who's been overseas for a long time (or someone from the UK who's been in the US for a while).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 15:31:15 GMT
Also, is Lily Kerhoas American? I thought she was delightful and did some googling and watched her Instagram stories and still couldn't tell for sure. She sounds like an American who's been overseas for a long time (or someone from the UK who's been in the US for a while). I believe she's French. But yes, her accent when speaking English sounds more American than British. |
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 9, 2019 15:46:38 GMT
I clearly need to get my ears syringed! Listening to Lily Kerhoas talking, briefly, on that film during the interval, I genuinely thought she was Irish. I even assumed Kerhoas was a less common Irish surname.
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Post by 49thand8th on Dec 9, 2019 15:49:26 GMT
The people behind me got in a short debate about that too — one thought she was Irish and one thought she was American!
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Post by ruby on Dec 9, 2019 17:22:46 GMT
Are there likely to be any more cinema showings in the UK?
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Post by eliza on Dec 9, 2019 19:44:40 GMT
I clearly need to get my ears syringed! Listening to Lily Kerhoas talking, briefly, on that film during the interval, I genuinely thought she was Irish. I even assumed Kerhoas was a less common Irish surname. Not just you, I thought she sounded Irish in that too! |
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Post by djp on Dec 9, 2019 23:37:16 GMT
I just watched a few scenes, Rob Houchen was a bit shouty during ECAET, wasn't he? Shame, he always sang it impeccably when I saw him live. I think some of the leads were exhausted after 16-week-run. They were not at their best during live broadcast. Rob was perfect when I saw him at lesmiz 34th birthday. Whole concert thing was a bit of a mess. Ball's voice was giving out. Boe still doesn't act it well. Carrie lacked power at times and didn't look right for the role ,and why she was the only worker working in her own dress was baffling. Dying standing up wasn't that effective- there must be better ways to do it. It was weaker than the 25th version at actually enacting the story- partly because the stage was too small? Props appeared for some scenes but not others. Some fights happened, others didn't. Some scenes heavily dependant on action, vanished leaving story holes, notably Valjean's attempts to make his new life work, and the failure of the revolt, but others didn't. Cuts and lack of motion should have made it shorter but it seemed to meander.
Pluses were - Gavroche was excellent, Eponine was powerful , Fantine visibly handing over to little Cosette has been missed, and the female ensemble were impressive .
The end was bizarre - the marketing point was that he had assembled 5 Valjeans - the new ones for the Sondheim and the tour, the previous tour Valjean, Boe and JoJ from the concert - but no one said who they were, so the point was lost . And that was preceeded by showing the epk for the sondheim - but with the cast of the tour .
Glad i spent my money on the tour which has/had 3 better top leads and only £15 on the concert.
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Post by 141920grm on Dec 10, 2019 14:05:17 GMT
I think some of the leads were exhausted after 16-week-run. They were not at their best during live broadcast. Rob was perfect when I saw him at lesmiz 34th birthday. Whole concert thing was a bit of a mess. Ball's voice was giving out. Boe still doesn't act it well. Carrie lacked power at times and didn't look right for the role ,and why she was the only worker working in her own dress was baffling. Dying standing up wasn't that effective- there must be better ways to do it. It was weaker than the 25th version at actually enacting the story- partly because the stage was too small? Props appeared for some scenes but not others. Some fights happened, others didn't. Some scenes heavily dependant on action, vanished leaving story holes, notably Valjean's attempts to make his new life work, and the failure of the revolt, but others didn't. Cuts and lack of motion should have made it shorter but it seemed to meander.
Pluses were - Gavroche was excellent, Eponine was powerful , Fantine visibly handing over to little Cosette has been missed, and the female ensemble were impressive .
The end was bizarre - the marketing point was that he had assembled 5 Valjeans - the new ones for the Sondheim and the tour, the previous tour Valjean, Boe and JoJ from the concert - but no one said who they were, so the point was lost . And that was preceeded by showing the epk for the sondheim - but with the cast of the tour .
Glad i spent my money on the tour which has/had 3 better top leads and only £15 on the concert.
Overall I think the disparity between quality of the older leads and ensemble that night was a real shame. Performing in Les Mis requires stamina, the leads had their good days but on off days quite shockingly below standard. If this had simply been a normal "final night" they might have been more comfortable with giving it their best for a great last show. The filmed and livestream aspect probably added pressure to "perform more", which, considering their exhausted form, did not work in their favour. Poor Michael sounded rough and sang off-tempo/tune more than usual, but still gave a memorable performance. The younger leads fared better as they all had recent experience in the show, and know how to strike a balance between putting on a good show and taking care of themselves and their voices. Though even Rob fell into the trap of over-acting a bit. Additionally, the students and ensemble were consistently in top form as they are all show alumni as well. Agreed the 5 Valjeans must have been bizarre for audiences less familiar with the show who don't follow former/future cast members. Even Michael had the courtesy to introduce Bradley by name before starting their duet, I'm amazed at the producer/directors' lack of respect (for the performers) and consideration (for the audience) with no introductions at all for the 4 most "relevant" Valjeans in Les Mis today. Hope they insert some titles at least, for the DVD- naming the "special guests" only in the end credits don't really help. Apparently there's even going to be "cast album". |
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Post by 49thand8th on Dec 10, 2019 15:09:27 GMT
It reminded me of the quartet at the end of the Phantom anniversary concert. If you didn't know a decent amount about Phantom, you wouldn't have known who some of them were.
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Post by David J on Dec 16, 2019 17:09:00 GMT
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Post by tonylony on Dec 17, 2019 15:12:49 GMT
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Post by anita on Dec 18, 2019 9:58:24 GMT
No CD?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2019 11:47:42 GMT
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Post by Dr Tom on Jan 5, 2020 18:18:55 GMT
Anyone listening on Radio 2 right now? I missed the start, is this the same show that was in the cinema, or was it recorded on a different date?
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Post by richey on Jan 5, 2020 18:35:45 GMT
Anyone listening on Radio 2 right now? I missed the start, is this the same show that was in the cinema, or was it recorded on a different date? Am listening too. From Matt Lucas' introduction, I got the impression it was the same one as the cinema broadcast. Not really impressed with this version. It's ok but nothing special. |
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Post by 141920grm on Jan 5, 2020 20:48:57 GMT
It's an edited version- how much I do not know as I didn't listen to the full thing, but where Michael flubbed "there is nowhere I can go (instead of 'turn'), there is no way to go on...", it is now corrected. So probably a mix of an earlier recording and the livestream night. Might give it a re-listen on iplayer sometime...
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 5, 2020 21:43:10 GMT
Is it just me, or does Alfie just sound really... dull?
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Post by 49thand8th on Jan 6, 2020 4:40:45 GMT
It's an edited version- how much I do not know as I didn't listen to the full thing, but where Michael flubbed "there is nowhere I can go (instead of 'turn'), there is no way to go on...", it is now corrected. So probably a mix of an earlier recording and the livestream night. Might give it a re-listen on iplayer sometime... What about "and where the hell did he run" when it should've been "and why on earth did he run"? Gave me a chuckle both times I saw it in the movie theater. |
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Post by tonylony on Jan 6, 2020 6:57:10 GMT
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Post by 141920grm on Jan 6, 2020 13:31:49 GMT
The "why the hell did he run" is still there 😂 Michael does enjoy singing his own alternate lyrics doesn't he... there are a few more instances where he arbitrarily switches between “and yet”, “still” and “instead”- he does these consistently so I think it's less of a flub than him simply not bothering to sing the score word for word. The lyric switches mess with the pacing and sound of their respective verses as a whole IMO but I have plenty other gripes with his performance... The "there is no where I can go" was a genuine mistake I think though, the Suicide is such a pivotal moment for him in the show it was especially glaring. And on livestream night of all nights! Is it just me, or does Alfie just sound really... dull? Actually, this may be from a performance sometime earlier in the run (Aug/Sept), as the Courfeyrac is still Barnaby Hughes (who was replaced by Niall Sheehy 2nd week of Oct). So it could be a case of the cast still getting into the groove... personally I found Alfie laughably dull till the end including livestream night- no offence to everyone else out here who thinks otherwise 😂😂 |
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 9, 2020 13:20:08 GMT
It was interesting listening to the all star concert. Really just listening for Miss Ball - who I was very impressed with. I also thought Hope Fletcher's voice was surprisingly lovely.
I still can't with the Thernardiers being reduced to panto villians/comic relief. It's so lowest common denominator. In the first few years of the show this couple were darkly comic in the vein of Sweeney and Lovett, not the broad comedy the roles have been directed as for years now
(I assume this is a Mackintosh decision?)
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 9, 2020 13:23:27 GMT
Has anyone been distracted by the way this is performed in the concert style? It’s largely played to the audience apart from some very rare moments where the characters look at each other or direct their singing to someone else on stage. I just thought it looked odd for someone, for example, dying in someone’s arms to be singing out to the audience instead of looking at the person holding them. It seemed incongruous all the way through really, and I couldn’t get past the fact that they were all very much in character without actually interacting with each other. I also found the artifice of the mic stands at the front a bit distracting when they were all wearing microphones. Sounds bizarre. Glad I didnt' go! |
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Post by Dave25 on Jan 9, 2020 13:29:52 GMT
So it might be a mix of 3 different recording days? One recording with the old Courfeyrac (aug/sept), one back up rehearsal recording of november 28 and one of the performance of december 2nd?
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