Les Mis Fans ~ Keep An Eye Out During PBS Pledge Break Times

[Kruss]

You got me all excited for a moment...I was like, Les Mis is coming back to Chicago?!? And then I looked it up, and they JUST ended their run. Super depressing.

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was over already. I knew that I was looking into tickets and seats awhile back, and decided I couldn't afford it this time.

[CarolineL]

I saw Alfie Boe in Kismet in 2007. The show was kind of a hot mess, but he was divine. I had not heard of him prior to that (I went to stalk Michael Ball) but was delighted to see him in Les Miserables. His performance saved it for me, as I was underwhelmed by most of the casting (loved Lea, Ramin, Matt Lucas, did not love the Javert). It saddens me especially that what are usually my favourite songs are the ones I skip now because Jonas is butchering them

[venja]

Actually I think Cosette was the weakest link.

Cosette sounded whiny to me - at times it was like fingernails on a chalk board for me. Nick Jonas sounded constipated every time he opened his mouth. Why on earth was he chosen for this???

I had the opportunity to watch this a while back (it was my first time watching Les Mis), and I was in awe of Alfie Boe. His performance moved me to tears, and I am not one to tear up easily. One of the advantages of seeing the whole thing, and not just the main program from the pledge, is the encore:

Here's an encore of "Bring him home." I love Colm Wilkinson's reaction when Alfie Boe starts singing.

[AnnieBgood]

I think Nicks voice was just fine, it was the way he kept moving that bothered me. Any singing teacher will tell you, "don't sing with your eyebrows", "don't touch your diaphragm too much", and I can guess "don't stand on your tiptoes!". They're all a sign that you're not comfortable and in turn makes the viewer uncomfortable. I'm surprised the director didn't call him on his nervous habits.

[Parsley Sage]

My PBS station (Buffalo) is broadcasting this tomorrow night at 7pm. (March 12)

As an aside, one of my online friends in Florida was surprised that I get PBS in Canada.

[Skittl1321]

I think Nicks voice was just fine, it was the way he kept moving that bothered me. Any singing teacher will tell you, "don't sing with your eyebrows", "don't touch your diaphragm too much", and I can guess "don't stand on your tiptoes!". They're all a sign that you're not comfortable and in turn makes the viewer uncomfortable. I'm surprised the director didn't call him on his nervous habits.

I thought he was moving in the nature of his character. Lifted eyebrows to me mean "concerned about serious situation".

I'll have to rewatch to see if I notice the diaphragm touching/lifting from the tiptoes

[danceronice]

I thought he was moving in the nature of his character. Lifted eyebrows to me mean "concerned about serious situation".

I'll have to rewatch to see if I notice the diaphragm touching/lifting from the tiptoes

Yeah, I really think he was trying way harder than the situation warranted. It's also hard to be in what's more an "acting" show being presented in a static format. (I would bet if the camera didn't pull WAY back in the "battle" numbers they'd all look a little bemused, as they're just supposed to stand there staring.) Plus, he probably was nervous as everyone else was, AFAIK, musical-theater people (or "insane tenor" in Boe's case) and he's, well, a Jonas Brother, and unless he lives in a bubble when he's off stage he HAD to know there'd be people just waiting for him to screw up.

ETA: When Boe starts singing in the "Bring Him Home" encore I honestly thought right there "I would NOT want to be one of the other Valejans up there right now."

[floskate]

Glad you guys over there got to see this. What a pity Nick Jonas can't sing more than two words without a sharp intake of breath. It's a shame he was in it becasue the rest of it is really the highest quality. I'll never know what Cameron Mackintosh was thinking with that bit of genius mis-casting!!

[skatesindreams]

Why was he cast in something as apt to be saved/preserved for future viewing as this?

I'm so glad that Colm Wilkinson got the final phrase in the Encore.
He is a joy!

[venja]

My PBS station (Buffalo) is broadcasting this tomorrow night at 7pm. (March 12)

As an aside, one of my online friends in Florida was surprised that I get PBS in Canada.

I think that WNED gets more support from Ontario than New York (hence the logo paying tribute to Toronto: "WNED Buffalo-Toronto"

I'm fighting the flu, so I guess I'm going to be watching it again tomorrow. Thanks for the heads up.

[AnnieBgood]

I thought he was moving in the nature of his character. Lifted eyebrows to me mean "concerned about serious situation".

I'll have to rewatch to see if I notice the diaphragm touching/lifting from the tiptoes

Not really sure if he touched his abdomen. I just added that for good measure.

[Reuven]

Wonderful show! Except Nick Jonas, who’s adenoidal buzzing was very irritating. Alfie’s “Bring Him Home” Wow!

[viennese]

The Little Britain guy was fab. I didn't know he could sing so well.

[UGG]

Glad you guys over there got to see this. What a pity Nick Jonas can't sing more than two words without a sharp intake of breath. It's a shame he was in it becasue the rest of it is really the highest quality. I'll never know what Cameron Mackintosh was thinking with that bit of genius mis-casting!!

UGH I cannot believe I missed this!! nick Jonas could not have been worse than the Marius on the OBC recording...was he? I think there shoudl be a law that no one other than Michael Ball can play Marius and it does not matter how old he is at the time!!

Les Mis has been so beloved to me since I was 10 years old in 1987 and I first heard the OBC. I have not seen it in years though...I think the last time i saw it was in 1993.

[CarolineL]

I think there shoudl be a law that no one other than Michael Ball can play Marius and it does not matter how old he is at the time!!.

So agree with this! I will be seeing it this summer cause I want to see Alfie and Matt Lucas, but I fear the Marius casting...they have of late been casting the role with breathy pop star types instead of booming voiced stage stars like Mr. Ball.

[sk8sue]

Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas at rehearsal

From what I could find out, this concert seems to have been the first time Alfie Boe played Valjean, but he will be appearing in Les Miserables in London from late June to November this year.

Looking forward to watching again tonight and recording this time since on Sunday I just happened to come across it at around the bishop scene. I liked that they staged it more than the 10th anniversary concert. Apparently Cameron Mackintosh is reviving the plan to make a movie of the musical.

I thought Nick Jonas was ok and better than I anticipated, but when Michael Ball came out at the end and started to sing it just made me want them to start over and do the whole thing with him in it. However, there were Jonas fans gushing all over twitter about how great he was (take that, haters), and even the best part of the show! I also saw some twitterers who seemed to be Jonas fans saying that it was their first time seeing the show and they seemed to like it, so I guess if the goal was adding to their audience, then they were successful at that, and that must be a good thing.

[Theatregirl1122]

UGH I cannot believe I missed this!! nick Jonas could not have been worse than the Marius on the OBC recording...was he? I think there shoudl be a law that no one other than Michael Ball can play Marius and it does not matter how old he is at the time!!

I was just thinking that the guy on my cast album is awesome so I have no idea what you are talking about but then I remembered that, unlike most of my cast albums, I switched from OBC to Original London cast years ago. I don't remember what the OBC sounded like, but I fully agree with you that Michael Ball was amazing.

I didn't see the whole thing when it was on (I'll try for another showing). I heard Jonas sing like two notes in the finale and decided it was bad. So to be fair I just found Empty Chairs at Empty Tables on youtube. And, well, yeah, it's not good.

The upside is that a lot of this is on Youtube right now. So anyone who has been unable to catch it on PBS can youtube it if they want.

[CarolineL]

Alfie did a short run as Valjean at the Queen's theatre last summer; Matt Lucas is the only one at the O2 who had never played the part on stage

[Ageless]

Didn't they do one of these concert performances about 10 or 15 years ago? I remember enjoying that one. And IIRC, at the end they brought out about a dozen Valjeans who'd played the role on various stages around the world.

I taped the 10-year concert and pulled out the old tape after watching part of the 25-year concert. The part where they brought out the 17 Valjeans from around the world was always my favorite part, but I really liked how they ended the new concert. It was awesome seeing the same actors on stage 15 years later!

[love skating]

I finally watched the whole thing. Loved it. I too have the 10th Anniversary on tape. I used to watch the parts with Lea Salonga and Michael Ball all the time. Now it's nice to have the 25th Anniversary too. I've never actually seen the show on stage, sadly. I have loved the show from listening to the double CD I have (the Broadway recording) and the 10th Anniversary concert, plus all the skating done to Les Miz. It's such great music!