Les Misérables

News about the London production:

Simon Bowman will return to the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables on 12th October. He previously played the role from April 2000 to October 2000, and was also stand-in for a few weeks in June 2004. Bowman also played the role of Marius in Les Misérables at the Palace theatre from 1986 to 1987.

Hans Peter Janssens will return to the role of Javert on 12th October. Janssens has played many performances as a lead in London Les Misérables since 2000. He took over the role of Jean Valjean from Simon Bowman in October 2000, a role he played for approximately three years. He then returned as Javert in June 2006, and stayed with the show until June 2008.

Im a little disappointed. I know people really enjoyed their portrayals, but i was really hoping for fresh blood in the role.

On the news on the tour, Jon Robyns' website has confirmed that he is to play Enjolras for the tour

THEFISH<3 wrote:Im a little disappointed. I know people really enjoyed their portrayals, but i was really hoping for fresh blood in the role.

Yeah, me too. It would have been nice with some new talents.

THEFISH<3 wrote: On the news on the tour, Jon Robyns' website has confirmed that he is to play Enjolras for the tour

I liked him as Marius so I'm glad he will be a part of the tour.

More news, they are now making an EPK for Les Misérables. Haven't found any more information about it but Nancy Sullivan wrote it on her Twitter page

What's EPK?

Les Mis has opened in Copenhagen, to rather good reviews. Flemming Enevold (Jean Valjean) got raving reviews, as usual. I hope to see it in October sometime, but my dilemma is that I both want to see Flemming Enevold and Tomas "Tomas!" Kofod (alternate) in the role... Hmmm....

Glossy, lovely pics here: http://www.detnyteater.dk/flora/flora.asp?page=13871

Not too fond of the costumes, but I rather like the sets.

operafantomet wrote:What's EPK?

Electronic Press Kit

As for Les Miz...God, I love this musical. Was completely unfamiliar with both the show and the book when I first heard Michael Crawford sing "Bring Him Home" on his first solo album, saw the first national tour when it came here, and remember sobbing so much.

Thought the recent Broadway revival was OK...but just OK. The new orchestrations sounds thin and cheap, but there were some excellent cast members like Norm Lewis and Aaron Lazar. Loved the Walnut Street Theatre's production last year...so far, the best I've seen.

Is David Shannon still Valjean? I hope so, because he sounds like a Valjean worth recording. Same for Earl's Javert. Probably the best pair of leads in the show in a long time.

Yes, he is. It's about time they make a new trailer for the London show, and with David and Earl in it it's something I look forward to.

SenorSwanky wrote:Is David Shannon still Valjean? I hope so, because he sounds like a Valjean worth recording. Same for Earl's Javert. Probably the best pair of leads in the show in a long time.

He is. He and Earl Carpenter leave on October the 10th. Earl's going into the Les Mis tour, David's the new London Phantom, but you probably new that already. I love the London cast this year.

Yeah, I did know where they were both going next, but I didn't know the exact date they were leaving. Thanks.

random: happy 24th to Les Mis in London. according to Rebecca's twitter, it was 24 years tonight that they opened at the royal shakespeare company.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvtUP4oY9UE

A three-minute promo from the new Copenhagen production, with "Bring him home", "On my own" and "Master of the house". Loving Flemming Enevold (Valjean) and Steen Springborg (Thenardier), but bit ambivalent to Maria Lucia (Eponine).

The production looks great, Flemming seems to be a really good Jean Valjean. I'm not sure what to think of Maria Lucia, she didn't impress me in this video. Definitely must try to get some time to go Copenhagen and see this.

I want to see it sooooooo bad!!! Does anyone know if there is still a U.S. tour of it???

Callie Daae wrote:I want to see it sooooooo bad!!! Does anyone know if there is still a U.S. tour of it???

Not at the moment.

There's some sort of plans for a tour next year, but there aren't any details about that yet.

I would love to see it again. The Philadelphia production last year was terrific and really rekindled my original love for the show.

I adore Les Mis. Second only to Phantom in my heart.

(Pointless post is pointless.)

phantomgirl110 wrote:I adore Les Mis. Second only to Phantom in my heart.

(Pointless post is pointless.)

Truth is, I can't really say whether I like Phantom or Les Miz better. Phantom tends to be a sentimental favorite, but I think Les Miz has a bigger emotional impact for me. I cry at Phantom every time, but not as much as I cry at Les Miz.

Just watched my old VHS tape of Les Miserables Stage By Stage for the first time since I bought the tape (ca 1990) and appreciated it a lot more than I did back then. When I first got it, I was really just interested in the clips from the show. Now, I really enjoyed hearing more about how the show came together. And those show clips left me in major need of a good Les Miz fix...and reminded me how much I've always disliked Gary Morris as Valjean.

So today's the day rehearsals start for the 25th anniversary UK Tour with JOJ and Earl. Is anyone planning a trip when it opens? Tempted to go and see it when it stops in Paris, presuming they keep the same cast.

Scorp wrote:So today's the day rehearsals start for the 25th anniversary UK Tour with JOJ and Earl. Is anyone planning a trip when it opens? Tempted to go and see it when it stops in Paris, presuming they keep the same cast.

I'm seeing it when it comes to Edinburgh. It's not until April, so I've got ages to wait.

Apparently the new design eliminates the revolve! Will be interested to see the show done without it...

Scorp wrote:Apparently the new design eliminates the revolve! Will be interested to see the show done without it...

Last year's production at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre didn't use a turntable and, truth is, event though I knew that in advance, I never actually noticed it was gone. There was never a moment where I thought, "Oh, wait, usually the stage revolves in this scene."

Not that I didn't think a rotating stage was the coolest thing ever. The first time I saw Les Miz years ago, my seats were very high so I could see the turntable and I was like, "The floor is spinning...neat!"

Also, the Walnut barricade didn't come in from the wings in two pieces, but was a single piece that came forward from the rear of the stage slowly with this deep red-orange light of the sunset piercing through it...very impressive and the bloody color of the light was sort of foreshadowing...and it was a nice contrast with the post-battle scene with the barricade in shadows lit only by the single white beam of Javert's lantern.

A terrific production and I miss it.

I saw a student edition without a turntable, and it was otherwise a replica of the Nunn/Caird production's set; they darkened the stage a few times to move scenery onstage, but I'm sure there might be something else up the sleeves of those handling the tour.

operafantomet wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvtUP4oY9UE

A three-minute promo from the new Copenhagen production, with "Bring him home", "On my own" and "Master of the house". Loving Flemming Enevold (Valjean) and Steen Springborg (Thenardier), but bit ambivalent to Maria Lucia (Eponine).

I want to go back to Det Ny Teater!

Scorp wrote:

operafantomet wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvtUP4oY9UE

A three-minute promo from the new Copenhagen production, with "Bring him home", "On my own" and "Master of the house". Loving Flemming Enevold (Valjean) and Steen Springborg (Thenardier), but bit ambivalent to Maria Lucia (Eponine).

I want to go back to Det Ny Teater!

Oooooh Scoooooooorp! ( <------ dangerous Siren call..... )

Think of the fun backstage tours we could do... And to think the two guys we bumped into last time is now sharing the role of Valjean. 't was fun.

operafantomet wrote:

Scorp wrote:

operafantomet wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvtUP4oY9UE

A three-minute promo from the new Copenhagen production, with "Bring him home", "On my own" and "Master of the house". Loving Flemming Enevold (Valjean) and Steen Springborg (Thenardier), but bit ambivalent to Maria Lucia (Eponine).

I want to go back to Det Ny Teater!

Oooooh Scoooooooorp! ( <------ dangerous Siren call..... )

Think of the fun backstage tours we could do... And to think the two guys we bumped into last time is now sharing the role of Valjean. 't was fun.

I really want to, but no time or money... Why can't they make it run longer? Agh. I might come over for Mary Poppins, though. The London production was one of my favourite shows.

Oh and re: the 25th anniversary tour, casting details here. Can't say I've heard of Madalena Alberto before.

Scorp wrote: Can't say I've heard of Madalena Alberto before.

Me neither. Apparently she's not that new to musical theatre so a bit strange I've never heard of her. I'm sure I would have remembered her name

Scorp wrote:Oh and re: the 25th anniversary tour, casting details here. Can't say I've heard of Madalena Alberto before.

I've never heard of Madalena Alberto either, but hopefully she'll be good!

Call me crazy but something about the way it says "will now play his loyal friend Enjolras" really doesn't sit right with me, I don't know, perhaps because I have never viewed them as "friends" really I don't know. It just seems odd in my mind.

apparently this was announced ages ago on broadway.com

Les Mis Movie (apparently)

I would have said "It's about time!" but considering the direction most movie musicals have gone off in *coughjoelcough* part of me worries greatly.