Les Mis question (not very important, but still!)

[PeterPan]

I saw a bit of the Les Mis music on a PBS donation special and am listening to the soundtrack right now. When they do the musical/play as a whole, do they stand in a row and walk forward then back to the sing? Or do they have the normal scenes and acting like any other musical? I was just curious. On the PBS show they just stood in a row and came forward to sing their parts. There was acting in the songs, and they were in costume. I just didn't know if that's how the play is normally presented...

 

And then, do you LIKE Les Mis? Is it depressing?

[Harriet Vane]

Les Mis is absolutely my favorite theater musical production, EVER.

 

Parts of it are sad, but on the whole it's wonderfully inspiring. It ends on a high note. The lyrics are absolutely profound.You will walk away from it with a smile on your face and a soul full to the brim.

 

A word of warning, because I know you would appreciate knowing this Elizabeth: There is one short section that is fairly crass. There is one character who falls into prostitution. Her desperate poverty is clearly shown, and the prostitution is clearly understood to be evil. There is one song that's pretty bawdy. I have seen it performed tastefully, and I have also seen it performed in a pretty vulgar way--it all depends on who the director is. This part is short, and I would not let it stop you from watching and enjoying the musical, especially because the prostitute's story is used to show much nobler and more beautiful (godly) ideals both in her and in others.

 

The PBS production you are referring to is a concert rendering of the musical. The real musical has scenes and props, etc. It's NOTHING like the concert you watched. I enjoy the concert because I love this story so much, but I love the real musical even better.

 

Try it, you'll like it. :)

[Dana]

Normal play.

 

The PBS special is an anniversary production.

I love how everyone tries to just stand still but by the end they're interacting more with the other actors :)

 

It is very depressing but it's also wonderful.

One Day More is one of my favorites.

[Annie G]

I've seen the show you're watching and it's a special presentation. I've seen it performed live many times, always as a regular musical.

I love, love, love it.

Do You Hear the People Sing is wonderful, especially live. It makes me want to climb on the barricade and fight!

[jcgonczi]

It is a normal play / musical. It is my absolute favorite! It speaks to my soul. Before we went the first time I got the CD and listened to it. That way I was familiar with both the story and the music and could completely enjoy the performance. I would highly recommend it!

[Dana]

Do You Hear the People Sing is wonderful, especially live. It makes me want to climb on the barricade and fight!

 

I like the PBS version in all the languages at the end. Very stirring.

[PeterPan]

Les Mis is absolutely my favorite theater musical production, EVER.

 

Parts of it are sad, but on the whole it's wonderfully inspiring. It ends on a high note. The lyrics are absolutely profound.You will walk away from it with a smile on your face and a soul full to the brim.

 

A word of warning, because I know you would appreciate knowing this Elizabeth: There is one short section that is fairly crass. There is one character who falls into prostitution. Her desperate poverty is clearly shown, and the prostitution is clearly understood to be evil. There is one song that's pretty bawdy. I have seen it performed tastefully, and I have also seen it performed in a pretty vulgar way--it all depends on who the director is. This part is short, and I would not let it stop you from watching and enjoying the musical, especially because the prostitute's story is used to show much nobler and more beautiful (godly) ideals both in her and in others.

 

The PBS production you are referring to is a concert rendering of the musical. The real musical has scenes and props, etc. It's NOTHING like the concert you watched. I enjoy the concert because I love this story so much, but I love the real musical even better.

 

Try it, you'll like it. :)

 

Thanks, you're right that is, um, an issue for me. But I get what you're saying about how it's going somewhere. And it makes sense that it depends on the director. I'm also hearing some, um, less than genteel terms on the songs. But it's not prolific and is probably contextually appropriate, shall we say. So how do you know if it's a good production? Is there a video of it? Yes, I thought we'd listen to the cd's this week. I grew up on musicals (though not this particular one), so I have tons of music in my head. I always thought it was a bad thing, but now I'm realizing how nice it is. It's something dd and I can enjoy together that has nothing to do with spelling, handwriting, or memorizing terms. :)

[kokotg]

I seem to be interpreting the question differently than other people. Les Mis is a "sung through" musical, i.e. there's no spoken dialogue (like, say, in The Sound of Music, where there are scenes with spoken dialogue interspersed with songs). The actors act out scenes, but they sing as they act.

 

DH's high school did Les Mis as their spring musical this year, and, as a result, my kids are currently OBSESSED with it. They break into songs from it constantly, they listen to the CDs over and over, they try to pick out the songs on the piano, and they're working on their own musical. So...I like it, but I'm getting just a little tired of it right now ;). That said, we have big plans to go see the Broadway Across America production of it when it's in town next spring.

[Harriet Vane]

Thanks, you're right that is, um, an issue for me. But I get what you're saying about how it's going somewhere. And it makes sense that it depends on the director. I'm also hearing some, um, less than genteel terms on the songs. But it's not prolific and is probably contextually appropriate, shall we say. So how do you know if it's a good production? Is there a video of it? Yes, I thought we'd listen to the cd's this week. I grew up on musicals (though not this particular one), so I have tons of music in my head. I always thought it was a bad thing, but now I'm realizing how nice it is. It's something dd and I can enjoy together that has nothing to do with spelling, handwriting, or memorizing terms. :)

 

I'm afraid I cannot tell you which one is good and which one isn't. I have seen it multiple times, and some of those productions were more crass for that one part than others. I don't know who produced what--I just remember the ones I saw.

 

The part is short. Just skip the song, "Lovely Ladies." All you need to know is that Fantine starts the scene trying to sell her jewelery, even her hair, in order to take care of her daughter. She is left with nothing else to sell, and is persuaded into prostitution. As the song ends, she hates herself for it, and she sings of her self-loathing and despair at this evil.

 

The other song that is kind of bawdy is "Master of the House." I wouldn't necessarily skip this one though, as it has a lot of key information as to the characters of the Thenardiers. The song/scene focuses more on their thievery, with a couple off-color remarks thrown in.

 

A major theme to appreciate in this musical is that of redemption. There are layers of this in several characters' stories. There is a marked contrast between redemption as Jean Valjean comes to understand it versus Javert's idea of redemption. I think you'll enjoy soaking this in.

[Catherine]

Despite a small amount of bawdy humor, which is needed to tell the story fully, and the prostitution scene strider mentions, it is on the whole a beautiful, inspiring, very moving story. I've seen it staged twice with props and costumes. When Jean Valjean sings his prayer for the young man his daughter loves to survive the fighting, I sobbed. Redemption is one of the biggest themes of the story.

[PeterPan]

Thanks! Now I'm looking forward to us possibly getting to see it! :)

[littlebug42]

My absolute favorite song from Les Mis is "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" and no one can sing it like Michael Ball. Gives me chills every time. He played Marius in the original London production.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJnjcX8skXk

[Mom in High Heels]

Les Miz is hands down the best musical ever. EVER. I've seen it several times and worked on a touring production. It moved me every single time I saw it. I still get chills when I hear certain songs.

 

 

Do You Hear the People Sing is wonderful, especially live. It makes me want to climb on the barricade and fight!

 

YES! Me too!!

 

 

 

 

My absolute favorite song from Les Mis is "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" and no one can sing it like Michael Ball. Gives me chills every time. He played Marius in the original London production.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJnjcX8skXk

 

 

The original London cast is the soundtrack I have on my iPod (the best, IMO) and that song can move me to tears. Michael Ball owns that song.

 

To the OP, there are also a few rude gestures done by the Thenardiers, and a few rude bits in their main song (Master of the House), but they are important to characterization.

You can't go wrong with this show. I hope you get a chance to see it performed live. It will blow you away.

[Phoatogirl]

♫♪Will you join in our crusade? Will you be strong and stand with me...♪♫♪

 

We've have been listening to and singing this sound track since my boys were 6 and 10. Last year my oldest, at age 15, played Javert and my youngest Thenadie in a community theater's youth production. Here's Michael as Javert:

 

He has done at least 20 shows since the age of 6, directed a few, sung with the FW Opera chorus, and this was the only show that made him so sad to see end that he cried.

 

I seem to be interpreting the question differently than other people. Les Mis is a "sung through" musical, i.e. there's no spoken dialogue (like, say, in The Sound of Music, where there are scenes with spoken dialogue interspersed with songs). The actors act out scenes, but they sing as they act.

 

DH's high school did Les Mis as their spring musical this year, and, as a result, my kids are currently OBSESSED with it. They break into songs from it constantly, they listen to the CDs over and over, they try to pick out the songs on the piano, and they're working on their own musical. So...I like it, but I'm getting just a little tired of it right now ;). That said, we have big plans to go see the Broadway Across America production of it when it's in town next spring.

[Phoatogirl]

I'll add that the first time I saw the professional touring company, I cried through the entire last scene. I was riveted and had to return to the theater the next night to see it again.

I took my boys to Dallas to see the last performance in Dallas of the last tour (when we didn't know when we would ever be able to see it live again). Randal Keith was with the tour for years as ValJean and was said by the associate director to be one of the best. Many of you probably saw him.

 

Even after hearing the music that many times, it still has the ability to move me. It has inspired us to watch the video with Liam Neeson and all of us to read the full-length unabridged book. This is by far one of the best novels you can have your kids read and discuss! The musical does an admirable job of telling the story also and there are study guides on the UK site that look pretty good http://www.lesmis.com/london-uk/education

 

Even with the bawdy scene, I would not hesitate to bring a young person to the show or let them listen to the music. Most kids understand, with a little explaination, that what is going on in that scene is not admirable behavior and, as my good friend told her car-Les Miz-singing kids: you will not repeat THAT particular word outside of that song. Most of it goes right over their head anyway.

[LittleIzumi]

I've never even seen it in theaters. Just the soundtrack makes me want to bawl. It is so, so beautiful.

[LaxMom]

I've sobbed my way through the book and a couple rounds of theater. Truly amazing.

 

Truly, I think it is the only novel I've ever read a page at a time because I was crying so hard in parts I literally couldn't read.

[Jamee]

I would LOVE to see a professional production of Les Miz again. It's an amazing experinece. (I saw a touring group after it left LA.:glare: Should have seen it there, but Phantom took over.) I have the DVD of the anniversary concert production and I need to watch it again after this!

 

I will agree too that the Original London cast is the best. This is not your typical "musical," I'd say, especially given when it first came out in the 80s. The sets were amazing.

[Dolphin]

I'll add that the first time I saw the professional touring company, I cried through the entire last scene. I was riveted and had to return to the theater the next night to see it again.

I took my boys to Dallas to see the last performance in Dallas of the last tour (when we didn't know when we would ever be able to see it live again). Randal Keith was with the tour for years as ValJean and was said by the associate director to be one of the best. Many of you probably saw him.

 

Even after hearing the music that many times, it still has the ability to move me. It has inspired us to watch the video with Liam Neeson and all of us to read the full-length unabridged book. This is by far one of the best novels you can have your kids read and discuss! The musical does an admirable job of telling the story also and there are study guides on the UK site that look pretty good http://www.lesmis.com/london-uk/education

 

Even with the bawdy scene, I would not hesitate to bring a young person to the show or let them listen to the music. Most kids understand, with a little explaination, that what is going on in that scene is not admirable behavior and, as my good friend told her car-Les Miz-singing kids: you will not repeat THAT particular word outside of that song. Most of it goes right over their head anyway.

 

Take my hand

And lead me to salvation

Take my love

For love is everlasting

And remember

The truth that once was spoken

To love another person

Is to see the face of God.

 

This part especially.

[leeannpal]

I would LOVE to see a professional production of Les Miz again. It's an amazing experinece. (I saw a touring group after it left LA.:glare: Should have seen it there, but Phantom took over.) I have the DVD of the anniversary concert production and I need to watch it again after this!

 

I will agree too that the Original London cast is the best. This is not your typical "musical," I'd say, especially given when it first came out in the 80s. The sets were amazing.

 

I saw the play in London and was awe struck, seriously. It is very moving-bring tissue! Eponine will always be one of my favorite heroines from a musical. The song, "On My Own" always makes me cry.

[Jamee]

I saw the play in London and was awe struck, seriously. It is very moving-bring tissue! Eponine will always be one of my favorite heroines from a musical. The song, "On My Own" always makes me cry.

 

I know! I forgot how moving that was until I just saw the clip from the concert. Thankfully it picked up and I wasn't a wreck the entire second act, like when I saw it the first time.:tongue_smilie:

[valkett]

I've seen it on stage and it puts chills up and down my arms. It is definitely my all time favorite musical.

 

They recently released the 25th Anniversary Concert. I enjoy this one more than the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast because they do the ENTIRE musical - all three hours and there is enough interaction that you know what's going on. The only down part is that Nick Jonas is Marius. No one can come close to Michael Ball as Marius, but Nick Jonas is just the pits. Alphie Boe is Jean Valjean and he is AMAZING! I bought the concert through iTunes and have probably seen it about 8 times at this point.

 

At the end of the 25th Anniversary Concert, they have the Valjean quartet (Colm Wilkinson [original Valjean], John Owen Jones, Simon Bowman and Alfie Boe) sing "Bring Him Home". You can watch it below:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcbe4gSoef8

 

I don't think I've seen another musical that stirs the emotions the way that Les Mis does. It is beyond amazing.

 

Enjoy!

Val

[Wendi]

I agree with Val that the 25th anniversary concert is wonderful! All of the performers are extremely good, except Nick Jonas, who just doesn't have the voice, and it really shows when he sings with these people! My MIL and I are now big fans of Alfie Boe, and I am also a huge fan of Ramin Karimloo, who was Enjolras in that concert.

 

I just saw the 25th anniversary touring production last night, as a matter of fact. I cried when Fantine sang, "Tell Cosette I love her", and when Jean Valjean was dying - the whole finale. This was my third time seeing Les Miz live.

 

Wendi