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Post by danb on Jun 5, 2021 18:26:57 GMT
It’s pathetic. He should be talking about the show not how some reviews are affecting his fragile male ego and his obsolete job.
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Post by ceebee on Jun 5, 2021 18:43:26 GMT
Such a diva.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 5, 2021 19:26:49 GMT
He seems very insecure.
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on Jun 5, 2021 20:05:30 GMT
It’s pathetic. He should be talking about the show not how some reviews are affecting his fragile male ego and his obsolete job. Does he even have a job? Wouldn’t he be one of those twitterers he is claiming to dislike? Also I can’t see why they’d invite critics to a show that has already been reviewed to death
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jun 5, 2021 20:12:49 GMT
It’s pathetic. He should be talking about the show not how some reviews are affecting his fragile male ego and his obsolete job. Does he even have a job? Wouldn’t he be one of those twitterers he is claiming to dislike? Also I can’t see why they’d invite critics to a show that has already been reviewed to death ... EXACTLY. Why would you review Les Mis? I don't get it.
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Post by hitmewithurbethshot on Jun 5, 2021 20:26:06 GMT
He threw at tantrum that Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park last year wasn’t inviting critics, at a point when the theatre was at half capacity and running at a loss
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Post by fiyero on Jun 5, 2021 22:12:49 GMT
Bradley ‘full mental breakdown on stage’ Jaden I’m on my way home and wow at Bradley’s Javert. I don’t remember the staged version as well, did he play it that way or is that new for the concert?
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 6, 2021 10:45:16 GMT
I do think that using gushing quotes from the great unwashed like “Goosebumps” and “finished me off” is a new low and pretty tragic.
Great that people love it, but using these low rent quotes on print advertising? I’m actually not surprised he is a bit miffed, let alone the fact a few of the esteemed critics quoted are linked to the show.
There are no lows Cameron M won’t plunge anymore.
He’ll be casting it with Love Island rejects next.
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Post by stuartmcd on Jun 6, 2021 11:06:03 GMT
I do think that using gushing quotes from the great unwashed like “Goosebumps” and “finished me off” is a new low and pretty tragic. Great that people love it, but using these low rent quotes on print advertising? I’m actually not surprised he is a bit miffed, let alone the fact a few of the esteemed critics quoted are linked to the show. There are no lows Cameron M won’t plunge anymore. He’ll be casting it with Love Island rejects next. Or how about we don’t look down on the paying audience and using condescending and rude terms such as “the great unwashed” and instead respect the fact that audience word of mouth and social media buzz can go a long way to make a show successful.
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Post by scarpia on Jun 6, 2021 11:16:18 GMT
I do think that using gushing quotes from the great unwashed like “Goosebumps” and “finished me off” is a new low and pretty tragic. Great that people love it, but using these low rent quotes on print advertising? I’m actually not surprised he is a bit miffed, let alone the fact a few of the esteemed critics quoted are linked to the show. There are no lows Cameron M won’t plunge anymore. He’ll be casting it with Love Island rejects next. Don't give him ideas... It's been a shame to see Miz descend from a quality RSC co-production to a concert where no-one has any understanding for the subject matter and just belt out songs, with really cringe slogans like 'MIZ ROCKS' so that ageing Tories think they can appeal to a younger crowd.
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Post by inthenose on Jun 6, 2021 11:24:40 GMT
Bradley ‘full mental breakdown on stage’ Jaden I’m on my way home and wow at Bradley’s Javert. I don’t remember the staged version as well, did he play it that way or is that new for the concert? He was very stiff and boring when I saw him in the show proper. Looked far too young and boybandy to be a grizzled veteran. Perfect for Enjolras, but pushed well beyond his experience and ability as Javert. Sadly this is happening all the time now in once great shows.
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Post by David J on Jun 6, 2021 12:59:04 GMT
Bradley is the best Enjorlas I’ve seen live on stage. Very charismatic and revolutionary leader material
Saw his Javert first on the last night of the original. Definitely too young but he didn’t let that get in his way.
He seemed to play a bold and confident Javert. During that “can this be true...” segement I wondered whether he knew who he was talking to valjean and was toying him to confess
Kudos to him I thought
Second time was when the ‘new’ production opened and it was impossible to ignore his youth because he resorted to shouting the lyrics to compensate.
Admittedly looking back at the last night he was shouting then, but now he went overboard shouting every few words in Javert s suicide
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2021 14:55:39 GMT
I do think that using gushing quotes from the great unwashed like “Goosebumps” and “finished me off” is a new low and pretty tragic. Great that people love it, but using these low rent quotes on print advertising? I’m actually not surprised he is a bit miffed, let alone the fact a few of the esteemed critics quoted are linked to the show. There are no lows Cameron M won’t plunge anymore. He’ll be casting it with Love Island rejects next. Don't give him ideas... It's been a shame to see Miz descend from a quality RSC co-production to a concert where no-one has any understanding for the subject matter and just belt out songs, with really cringe slogans like 'MIZ ROCKS' so that ageing Tories think they can appeal to a younger crowd. Couldn't agree more. We've come a long way from that glorious original nearly 4 hour epic production at the RSC with stalwarts like Roger Allam, Alun Armstrong, Patti LuPone becoming the first American to work with the RSC and first American actress to win an Olivier for her performance... How carefully and beautifully that production was put together and crafted. Now it's just a bloated Vegas showbiz watered down belt-fest as you say. The songs have lost all meaning. The film, stage revisions, new productions, new orchestrations, concert versions, new casts were all meant to revitalise the show but instead it has diluted the very essence of it. And all these very questionable casting choices give me a headache - Josefina Gabrielle as Mme Thenardier...? The embryonic Bradley Jaden as Javert. It used to be brilliant character actors playing these roles. Now it's just about (in Jaden's case) the hottest, youngest people we can cast. In no universe (or at least mine) do casting decisions like those make any sense.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 6, 2021 19:45:59 GMT
I do think that using gushing quotes from the great unwashed like “Goosebumps” and “finished me off” is a new low and pretty tragic. Great that people love it, but using these low rent quotes on print advertising? I’m actually not surprised he is a bit miffed, let alone the fact a few of the esteemed critics quoted are linked to the show. There are no lows Cameron M won’t plunge anymore. He’ll be casting it with Love Island rejects next. Or how about we don’t look down on the paying audience and using condescending and rude terms such as “the great unwashed” and instead respect the fact that audience word of mouth and social media buzz can go a long way to make a show successful. I don’t care. I don’t want to see these moronic quotes on advertising. I cannot believe that anyone would see someone tweeting “Buzzin after Seeing Les Mis smash it blah blah blah, and think I have to rush and book this. Absolute drivel.
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Post by Mark on Jun 9, 2021 13:44:00 GMT
Some very good dynamic pricing going on for this. Just got 2 dress circle tickets for Friday night for £22.50
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 16, 2021 0:54:34 GMT
Saw the show this evening - I had tickets in the back of the grand circle, but once I saw the dynamic pricing kick in the other day, I called the Box Office and they upgraded me to row D of the Dress for no extra fee (just as an FYI for all - it's worth an ask!)
A real mixed bag in terms of casting for me. Whilst everyone sang it really well, very few people actually managed to really ACT their way through the evening. I liked Jon Robyns a lot more than I thought I might, but I didn't feel him age as the piece goes on (both he and Jaden just look too...young). Jaden is good but for me didn't get going until Act 2 (but his Javerts Suicide was pretty spectacular). Lucie Jones sings like a dream but there is absolutely nothing going on in her face (for me anyway) so none of her material to me hit the emotional heights it should (it really highlighted to me how good Carrie Hope Fletcher is as Fantine). And I really enjoyed the Thenardiers (it's nice for them not to be played as Panto characters A la Matt Lucas - although Josefina Gabrielle is FAR too glamorous to play Madame T, as she looks fabulous in all those costumes 🤣)
Thought it sounded very full in terms of music though, even with a smaller cast and smaller orchestra than before - the wall of sound is still pretty stellar in the two end of act numbers.
Also, there must have been 200+ people in the dress circle (with some distancing) and I was worried I'd feel unsafe. Not at all, in fact it felt really wonderful to see so many people in the theatre again after such a long time (I think it was the biggest audience I've been in for 15 months which is a strange feeling...!)
4 stars from me - everyone sang really well, and that material really does stand the test of time. I would be interested to see if the full production allows some of these performances to grow at all...
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Post by theatrefan77 on Jun 16, 2021 11:51:10 GMT
Saw the show this evening - I had tickets in the back of the grand circle, but once I saw the dynamic pricing kick in the other day, I called the Box Office and they upgraded me to row D of the Dress for no extra fee (just as an FYI for all - it's worth an ask!) A real mixed bag in terms of casting for me. Whilst everyone sang it really well, very few people actually managed to really ACT their way through the evening. I liked Jon Robyns a lot more than I thought I might, but I didn't feel him age as the piece goes on (both he and Jaden just look too...young). Jaden is good but for me didn't get going until Act 2 (but his Javerts Suicide was pretty spectacular). Lucie Jones sings like a dream but there is absolutely nothing going on in her face (for me anyway) so none of her material to me hit the emotional heights it should (it really highlighted to me how good Carrie Hope Fletcher is as Fantine). And I really enjoyed the Thenardiers (it's nice for them not to be played as Panto characters A la Matt Lucas - although Josefina Gabrielle is FAR too glamorous to play Madame T, as she looks fabulous in all those costumes 🤣) Thought it sounded very full in terms of music though, even with a smaller cast and smaller orchestra than before - the wall of sound is still pretty stellar in the two end of act numbers. Also, there must have been 200+ people in the dress circle (with some distancing) and I was worried I'd feel unsafe. Not at all, in fact it felt really wonderful to see so many people in the theatre again after such a long time (I think it was the biggest audience I've been in for 15 months which is a strange feeling...!) 4 stars from me - everyone sang really well, and that material really does stand the test of time. I would be interested to see if the full production allows some of these performances to grow at all... Saw the show last night too and also took advantage of the dynamic pricing. Got Dress Circle tickets for £20!
I echo your comments about Jaden and Jones. Jaden is too young for the part, I didn't enjoy his take on Javert. Jones sings beautifully, but needs some work on her acting. I also agree that Gabrielle is a far too glamorous or Madame Thenardier, but I still enjoyed her performance quite a lot.
John Robyns was quite good, and I look forward to seeing again before the end of the run.
The ensemble are quite a mixed bag, some good, some ok, some pretty bad.
Not sure if it's just me, but in every new visit to Les Mis I discover some new obscene gestures, which in some songs -eg Drink With Me- seem absolutely unnecessary and spoil the emotion of the lyrics by adding a touch of tackiness.
Overall, still a great night out. It's wonderful to be back to live theatre
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 16, 2021 12:55:44 GMT
Yes, it seems to get cruder every time I see it, which a lot of the audience loved, but the original material is so brilliant that I don't get the need to do it...
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Post by theatrefan77 on Jun 16, 2021 13:39:09 GMT
Yes, some members of the audience, not all, laughed at certain rude gestures, ie Gavroche giving the finger to Javert. Some other moments however didn't get much of a reaction. Nobody around me laughed during the 'Here's to witty girls who went to our beds' line accompanied by the unnecessary obscene gesture.
These are of course minor glitches in what it's still a wonderful show.
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Post by David J on Jun 16, 2021 16:06:30 GMT
If I recall the gavorche giving Javert the finger was in the tour. I can't remember if it was in the Sondheim production but it wouldn't surprise me.
Is this is what Les Mis has come to? Picking the low hanging fruit? Then I'm certainly not in a hurry to go see it again.
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Post by danb on Jun 16, 2021 16:14:19 GMT
That was Dawns favourite bit that Alfie Boe wasn’t in…that and the bit where someone says arse. She’s a bit basic like that.
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Post by stagebyte on Jun 16, 2021 21:27:08 GMT
If I recall the gavorche giving Javert the finger was in the tour. I can't remember if it was in the Sondheim production but it wouldn't surprise me. Is this is what Les Mis has come to? Picking the low hanging fruit? Then I'm certainly not in a hurry to go see it again. Definitely don’t remember any of it in the original...😢
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 17, 2021 11:29:04 GMT
The general public seem to love the lyrics changes and Gavroche giving Javert the finger etc, but it just grated on me - that's not what Les Mis is...
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Post by ceebee on Jun 17, 2021 12:24:53 GMT
Some of the newer add-ons are just plain crass. Plays to a certain type of person - usually the same person wants to clap along with the music at the end.
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Post by fiyero on Jun 17, 2021 13:29:12 GMT
Some of the newer add-ons are just plain crass. Plays to a certain type of person - usually the same person wants to clap along with the music at the end. I was impressed when I saw it, very little clapping along. I agree about the crass parts, seems to be done to make up for gavroche not having much to do now
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Post by talkstageytome on Jun 17, 2021 16:22:58 GMT
I saw this last weekend actually, and loved it. Excellent cast, and music played very well.
Didn't actually mind Gavroche giving the finger to Javert (although I didn't feel that it added much either), but the thrusting in Drink With Me definitely felt a little bit out of place. Kind of at odds with the solemnity of the song.
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Post by jgblunners on Jul 4, 2021 19:12:45 GMT
Saw this yesterday and had a fair few criticisms. The rest of the audience seemed to love it though, applause was rapturous and the standing ovation was almost immediate at the curtain call.
There are some gems in the cast - for me, Jon Robyns, Jamie Muscato, Gerard Carey and Josefina Gabrielle were all top notch and as good as the best I've seen before in those roles. Jenna Innes (2nd cover on for Eponine) was also sensational. Lucie Jones and Harry Apps are good but are victims of the direction of this production - in the hands of a great creative team I think they have fantastic performances in them but here they don't quite come to fruition. Everyone else is fairly mediocre in my opinion - the girl playing Cosette is the blandest I'd ever seen and Bradley Jaden's Javert verges on the ridiculous.
Having said that, the entire cast have to contend with the sometimes baffling choices that have been made by the creative team, not least of which is that I am sure this is more 'staged' then the original version at the Gielgud. I know it must be cheaper to run this production than a fully staged one, but there were entire sections of the show where the standing microphones seemed entirely superfluous, since all the principles were mic'd up anyway and spent a lot of time interacting properly. In some sections it feels like the cast have been told to shout instead of sing (not helped by the fact that where I was sitting, the vocals were notably louder than the band) and of course the Thenardiers have those awful new lines added in.
If I remember correctly (and there's no guarantee that I do!), in the Gielgud incarnation of this production, Alfonso Casado was remarkably restrained as MD and paced the show quite well. He is still listed as MD for this version, but was definitely not conducting yesterday. Under the new conductor's baton, the tempi are fast. Sometimes it felt like we were rushing through the show, but then moments of rubato/pauses were milked for all they were worth and it sounded a bit ridiculous in contrast with the otherwise lightning pace. The fast tempi also don't help with diction, which was poor for several cast members.
There also seems to be a tendency among the cast to bend the rhythms. I'm sure this is also in part due to the speed at which they have to go through some sections of music, but the rhythms were written that way for a reason and in my opinion it really hurt the music when they were messed with. I'm usually a fan of a good riff but when every other bar of music is altered (it felt that way sometimes!) it's quite detrimental.
And then there's the buttons. The buttons! Lots of transition music is cut, and instead of flowing smoothly from scene to scene, some numbers now end on a painfully extended note and a big fanfare chord that triggers the audience's applause. I don't recall whether this was the case at the Gielgud, but it felt really cheap yesterday.
In a nutshell, it feels like every last drop of nuance has been drained from this show. I can't see into the minds of Trevor Nunn, John Caird, et al but I'm fairly sure they'd be dismayed by this version of Les Mis. As I said though, rapturous applause all round, so clearly they're still doing something right. Or maybe Les Mis is just bulletproof and is so beloved that it will survive in any incarnation, no matter the quality.
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Post by rosie on Jul 7, 2021 22:05:34 GMT
Great concert, still 20mins too long in my opinion. FOH very good but appalling audience distancing. No thought gone into their seating plan whatsoever.
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Post by wardrobemistress76 on Jul 8, 2021 8:09:39 GMT
Does anyone know what size the band is for this specific production?
Thanks in advance!
WM
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Post by sophie92 on Jul 18, 2021 12:08:21 GMT
Earl Carpenter on as Javert this afternoon - if it wasn’t so hot I’d be rushing into London!
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