Iconic? Phantom vs. Les Mis

I've just seen both of them (for the first time ever) in the past few months, so I'm at the stage of being excited about both shows, when they must seem like old news to most people.
I had watched the Les Mis film on TV because I know some of the actors in it; also I really like Amanda Seyfried, but the show felt very different.
For me, Phantom felt more iconic and was the greater experience, I'm really keen to see it again soon.
I AM going to the Les Mis concert though.

TheatreMonkey,I thought that your emotional attachment to Lot 665 may have swayed you to favour the Phantom.Joking apart,the very opening of Phantom with the auction and then ‘that’ moment when some illumination is brought to the proceedings still remains for me one of the most awe-inspiring and powerful moments in MT history.

Speaking as a relative newcomer to musical theatre, I was aware of Les Mis before Phantom; I saw the film and then that led me to the stage show, and I had heard some of the songs in talent shows etc. I was aware of Phantom but I didn't know the plot or any songs from it until I saw it live. It has less of a profile in popular culture imo.

A friend recently asked me what musical I would recommend to someone who had never seen one before, I think I'd always go for Les Mis. I think it's more accessible in terms of themes and music, although I loved Phantom too. 

I've now seen Les Miserables 10 times, but Phantom only once. Sitting in the audience at Her Majesty's very much felt like I was at a tourist attraction.

As has been said already, Les Mis has been flogged to death and back over the last few years (decade?) whilst Phantom has continue quietly but successfully.

sleepflower's comments about Les Mis being more of a profile in popular culture are interesting. I'd agree to an extent, BBC's Les Miserables drama series strengthening this point. However, I do feel Phantom's story/novel is more internationally and culturally recognised, this being emphasised by references to the story/musical in The Simpsons and Family Guy. Other episodic series' where recurring characters have a different story/journey per episode, like Goosebumps, have used the Phantom story as a narrative, which may explain why people may be more aware/subconciously aware of Phantom.

Another element, quite small, but still significant in terms of cultural acceptance of Phantom is Halloween, with Phantom-type costumes available to buy/rent. Phantom is literally 'inside peoples minds' annually.

But also currently Les Mis is on it's 4th UK tour (granted one was an anniversary concert tour) whilst this will be Phantoms 3rd, also reverting to it's original format last seen on the UK road almost 20 years ago, which I think may account for some of the excitement.

I think the 2012 film is to thank for Les Mis' continued popularity in a huge way. It was big budget and high profile and really played up the 'classic' side of it, and it won the story so many new fans. It was massively popular on Tumblr and other fandom spaces with younger people, which in turn made more people watch it as they wanted to see what the fuss was about. There was a glut of content - fanfiction, fanart etc because it's such a complex story with so many characters and themes to play with. I knew the names of the characters long before I actually got around to watching the film about 18 months after it came out! I'm not sure if Phantom would be the same - it's a singular story with a handful of characters. Having that 'space' for fans to create new stuff from the source material is pretty much the key to having a popular piece of media nowadays and Les Mis has that in spades.
I did my masters dissertation about how information/knowledge is treated by (music) fans so I'm really interested in this kind of stuff!

I think Cameron mentioned that Les Mis was ticking along nicely but then Susan Boyle on BGT singing I Dreamed a Dream helped increased sales dramatically

You weren’t wearing the mask and cloak again were you? 

I think they both appeal very much to a broad spectrum of theatregoers, hence their endurance. Lush sweeping romance-check, epic staging-check, well worn universal themes-check, coach party appeal-check, repeat business-check, ‘hit’ songs-check...I could go on, but won’t; they are both of a particular time where MT had a bit of a pop culture resurgence in ways that other mainstays like ‘Cats’, ‘Starlight’ and ‘Miss Saigon’ didn’t quite manage to capture. Sure they’re popular and can sustain regular tours but they’re just not Les Mis or Phantom, which if you said to 90% of Mums & Nans what they’d go and see if they could go and see anything, would be the answer.

Maybe we should let them battle out in duel... like a football match... oh wait 😂😂😂 honestly that is what the thread was about to be honest until I read it!! I miss the Phantom V Mis football I went to the last one they did and it was fab day out.