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

[Artemis@BC]

KCTS (Seattle) had it on last night as their "viewers' choice" from the pledge drive, so I managed to record it. I caught about 5 minutes in between other stuff I was watching, and my initial impressions were that Valjean didn't have enough gravitas, and Marius looked about 12 years old ... but I'll reserve judgment until I've seen the whole thing. (BTW, for anyone else who gets the Seattle PBS, they're repeating it again next Saturday at 9 pm.)

My most recent Les Mis experience was a local theatre company's production. The performances were superb (probably the best Javier and Enjolras I've seen/heard, and that includes Broadway & West End), but they were on a smaller stage and it felt like they were bumping up against each other at times.

A movie in the works? That could be wonderful ... or awful if they let the cinematic elements overwhelm the music. But if they do the best of both worlds ... could be wow.

[merrywidow]

What a pity that they cast Nick Jonas. His voice is too weak for a show like this. He's cute but goodness, Adam Lambert would have been terrific in the part. He has a lot of stage appearances in shows in his past plus having a beautiful voice when he isn't rocking it.

[Twilight1]

I've watched it about 4 times already. Love Samantha Barks as Eponine. Lea Salonga played Eponine in the 10th anniversary and IMHO she was one of the best to play the role but Samantha is really good. I youtubed her to watch the Brit show where she tried out for Nancy. The original London Eponine was horrible... her voice sounded so whiney.

ITA that Nick Jonas was terrible.

Can't remember who played Javert but he was absolutely fabulous!!

I DVR'd so I can watch it over and over.

Cool to see Colm Wilkinson at the end. Just love him too.

Watching the broadcast makes me want to see the musical live again...and I saw it in Toronto 3x. lol!! Micheal Burgess played Valjean in Toronto and he was really good too.

I have been humming The Confrontation, Stars, Do You Hear the People Sing, A Little Fall of Rain and On My Own for over a week now.

[colinmom71]

A movie in the works? That could be wonderful ... or awful if they let the cinematic elements overwhelm the music. But if they do the best of both worlds ... could be wow.

Rumors are that Tom Hooper, who directed and won an Oscar for Best Director for The King's Speech, may be looking to direct Les Mis as a film. He has apparently expressed interest in doing another historical period piece and/or musical and is eying Les Mis. He's already turned down directing Iron Man 3 later this year ostensibly to pursue Les Mis.

Cameron Mackintosh announced months ago that he's currently contracted and working with Working Title productions and Universal for the initial script and production development.

[pollyanna]

I've watched it about 4 times already. Love Samantha Barks as Eponine. Lea Salonga played Eponine in the 10th anniversary and IMHO she was one of the best to play the role but Samantha is really good. I youtubed her to watch the Brit show where she tried out for Nancy.

I dvr'd I'd Do Anything last January and just got to watch the finale yesterday. Samantha is amazing and has the perfect look for Eponine. It's good to know that despite finishing 3rd, she has had great success from the show.

Watching the broadcast makes me want to see the musical live again...

Me too. It was just here March 8 through March 13, but was completely sold out.

I liked the original London Eponine.....

[victoriaheidi]

Norm Lewis played Javert. Frances Ruffelle was the original Eponine.

Tom Hooper directing Les Mis=AMAZING.

[AnnieBgood]

Rumors are that Tom Hooper, who directed and won an Oscar for Best Director for The King's Speech, may be looking to direct Les Mis as a film. He has apparently expressed interest in doing another historical period piece and/or musical and is eying Les Mis. He's already turned down directing Iron Man 3 later this year ostensibly to pursue Les Mis.

Cameron Mackintosh announced months ago that he's currently contracted and working with Working Title productions and Universal for the initial script and production development.

I will go mega fangirl if this happens! My favorite musical since I was 14.

[Twilight1]

Norm Lewis played Javert.

Tom Hooper directing Les Mis=AMAZING.

ITA with Tom directing. That would be awesome!!

Frances' voice I found nasal & whiney, I could never get past that. lol

Norm Lewis...great job by him and the man who played Enjolas. Enjolas' role requires a very good strong voice.

[BelleBway]

Samantha is amazing and has the perfect look for Eponine.

And I thought she looked more like a girl who would be comfortable at a spa than a rough, street urchin. But I like my Eponines grittier than some. (I liked her performance fine)

I loved Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras- I'd heard of him before, but hadn't seen him perform until I saw the concert on TV this wknd.

Didn't think Nick Jonas was good, but thought he was better than the omg terrible catastrophe that I'd read about on theatre boards. I think that's just a case of me having waaaaaay low expectations.

Used to be a big les mis fan girl, but meh I'm a little over it all.

[Parsley Sage]

I loved Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras- I'd heard of him before, but hadn't seen him perform until I saw the concert on TV this wknd.

Loved Ramin as Enjolras!

[Twilight1]

I remember singing Castle on a Cloud for Vocal class and sounding so mousey at the start of grade 10. I went from that to singing the Soprano (aka Sarah Brightman part lol!!) Pie Jesu with another girl for the end of year concert the same year. No one could sing in that high of a vocal range in key.

I have a soft spot for Les Miz and Phantom of the Opera because they helped me develop my love for music as a teen.

[AragornElessar]

Loved Ramin as Enjolras!

As did I. He was wonderful!!

For those interested...Alfie Boe (and thanks to those who posted his name earlier in the thread) has several albums available over at iTunes. His latest though is Bring Him Home.

I still have some money left over from my last iTunes gift card I was able to redeem (Don't ask), so bought the title song and...

Sigh...

Just putting that out there for those interested.

[AnnieBgood]

I remember singing Castle on a Cloud for Vocal class and sounding so mousey at the start of grade 10. I went from that to singing the Soprano (aka Sarah Brightman part lol!!) Pie Jesu with another girl for the end of year concert the same year. No one could sing in that high of a vocal range in key.

I have a soft spot for Les Miz and Phantom of the Opera because they helped me develop my love for music as a teen.

I sang "I Dreamed a Dream", for a junior high singing competition, back in 95'. Those songs are so elevating to sing in front of people. They just bring out so much emotion.

btw, found this. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/

[AragornElessar]

I sang "I Dreamed a Dream", for a junior high singing competition, back in 95'. Those songs are so elevating to sing in front of people. They just bring out so much emotion.

btw, found this. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/

I know. My HS Choir did Do You Hear The People Sing to end our Christmas Concert performance back in 91 and there's just something about these songs that stirs the heart. It's really very special music.

[The Accordion]

les Mis

I never get tired of it somehow.

I also just bought Alfie Boe's album from itunes. I listened to some Ramin Karimloo too - but didn't like the sound of what was there at all compared to how he sounded in Les Mis.



Anyhow - I must have watched Alfie Boe's Bring Him Home about 35 times already. That is a true showstopper.

[AnnieBgood]

bumps!

[Era]

I was visiting with an old friend a few weeks ago and as we channel surfed and talked we stumbled across this special. It was amazing timing as the first time we both saw Les Mis was in London 23 years ago at the end of our holiday. The concert special brought back so many memories!

I was impressed with Ramin, Norm Lewis, John-Owen Jones and Alfie. My friend liked Norm and really really liked Alfie, although I feel he needs a bit more theatrical experience in the part as he seemed a bit too introverted in the role. Great voice though.

I read somewhere that Katie Hall replaced Camilla Kerslake as Cosette due to a throat infection so I don't know how much notice Katie had to fill in. I've always liked Eponine more than Cosette so I don't feel too strongly one way or the other about the part. I didn't even realize it was a Jonas playing Marius. All I kept thinking was there is only one Marius and his name is Michael Ball.

Speaking of Michael, it was so great to see the 1985 original cast (I believe only David Burt as Javert was missing from the lead roles.) Ah, Colm Wilkinson, he is still amazing, and sue me but I love Frances Ruffle as Eponine. (though her choice of clothing had us going WTH? )

I've seen Les Mis twice and the music/story always moves me to tears in several places. It remains my favorite musical, a perfect blend of a wonderful story and great music. I will always be grateful to the red headed Scotsman in the TIC office who told me I must go see Les Mis.

[sk8sue]

Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas are to start their run in Les Misérables at the Queen's Theatre in London on Thursday and Alfie was recently the guest on Desert Island Discs. He tells how his parents once took him skating wearing clogs and he was kicked off the ice. Also, his first memory of singing was when he was 8 or 9 and sang "Mull of Kintyre" while holding a tennis racket and wearing a cowboy hat and, once again, clogs! And the luxury item he'd take for the desert island is his drum kit.

Tom Hooper directing Les Mis=AMAZING.

Apparently the production wants Hugh Jackman to play a lead role, presumably Jean Valjean, although at the time of the report no talks had yet taken place. I'm torn by this. If they must have a movie star, Jackman would be my choice, yet, as someone already commented, at the anniversary concerts Alfie Boe won over thousands of people who had seen someone else in the role before, so why couldn't he win over a cinema audience as well? I know that big names sell tickets, but word-of-mouth is great for selling tickets as well.

[skatesindreams]

I believe that Hugh Jackman could certainly do justice to Jean Valjean as a singer, and an actor,
Has he done the show before?

[sk8sue]

I don't believe so, but he won the Tony and other awards for best actor in a musical for his performance in The Boy from Oz several years ago.