Les Miserables - UK & Ireland Tour

Cast change will be after Newcastle supposedly with the majority of the touring cast going into the Sondheim.

I saw the tour today and, from some of the comments on here, I expected a substandard mess.

What I did get was absolute belter of a production and a stunning cast. The staging was fantastic and certainly was nothing sub standard about it or cheap in any way.

The show is very good hands!

He did!

What a great night to go!

If this cast's contract ends after a Liverpool we should have a new cast announcement soon right?

I remember somebody in one of the Les Mis threads saying they wondered how this production would fare in London when they (inevitabley) have a weaker cast. Something that happens with every long runner at times. Which is an excellent point, as the student scenes in the UK tour were the poorest I've seen. Take away the original epic barricades, revolving stage and original lighting, and you need a strong cast to tell the story.

Will Richardson was not good as Enjolras. He had a nice tone to his voice, but didn't have the power and command needed. And his acting soley consisted of making a fist to encourage the other students. While Grantaire was very amateur and didn't really have any direction. I think both have been cast too young / inexperienced, but it meant all the student scenes were forgettable.

On the other hand, you have the experienced performers (Killian Donnelly, Nic Greenshields, Katy Hall and Martin Ball), who all have long associations with the show, and who give fantastic performances. Their scenes were great.

I do think this production is worthy of a West End stage. However, I also think it is inferior to the original, and weaker cast members only highlight how effective the original staging was.

^...a spin into outer space never to be seen again,I hope lol

^Good for you...enjoy

Yes I know, people have been complaining about the London casts for years, and they will in the years to come.

But I recently saw the tour with my parents, who had seen the original production two or three times back in the 90's. And the first thing they said after the show was how flat the barricade scenes were. They spoke about the revolve, the first time the barricade comes on stage, the lighting during the final battle, and the impact seeing Enjolras's body hanging off the barricade after his death.

So my point is, when you remove (or alter) this staging, more emphasis is placed on the actors to carry these scenes and make sure they are strong enough to deliver the same wow-factor as the original production had. Which (in my opinion) the current UK tour Enjolras and Grantaire don't do.

Yes, it surprised me that my parents picked up on so many of the changes, which people have said the average audience member wouldn't notice or care when seeing this new production. And the fact they remember such detail, 25 years on, really is testament to the original staging.

That said, new audiences won't have that association, and maybe this is a modern take on it that younger theatregoers expect and want from a show. While I appreciate this version for what it is, I will always prefer and miss the original staging.

If I were you, I'd strike the photo of yourself from here. Else you might get into difficulties with your employer..