Orestes Fasting
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An evil "would you rather" questionOkay, picture this. You are suddenly in charge of the Les Mis revival, and you have the budget to either:
1. Hire enough orchestra members to bring the show back to its original pit size, and go back to the original orchestrations.
2. Restore all the cut material, bringing the show's running time back above 3 hours, and pay the (reduced) orchestra overtime.
But not both.
Which do you do?
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Mademoiselle Lanoire
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Option B, without hesitation. The orchestra is not the primary focal point.
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Eponine93
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Definitely go back to the original orchestrations and hire more orchestra members. I like the cut material, but it doesn't make or break the show for me. I'm much more bothered by the awful orchestrations. I feel the orchestrations just bring the whole experience down. As for the cut material... except for the obvious ones (Little People) I didn't even notice some material was missing.
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Aimee
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I have to say I am torn but ultimately I too would rather have the full band, I have got used to the cuts. They used to jolt me in my seat but after a while they become normal The lack of volume/sound is still a mild disapointment, when you expect 'wow' its just not there without a full band.
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metaphor17
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Orchestrations.
Difficult choice, though.
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Orestes Fasting
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And to answer my own question...
Tough choice, but in the end I'd prefer to restore the cuts. The reorchestrations blow, yes, but there are so many scenes that feel oddly timed with the cuts. Runaway Cart, Come to Me, Castle on a Cloud, and Valjean's confession spring immediately to mind. Then there are some that are just fun, like the little prologue to Master of the House, and the Drink With Me reprise. And finally, what I hate even more than the "fun parts" that got the chop is the "here a little slice, there a little cut" attitude to the instrumental sections. Do people immediately, consciously notice when the intros to certain songs are cut in half, random orchestral bits are gone, pauses aren't drawn out long enough, etc? Probably not. But it still makes the show feel unforgivably rushed.
Basically, a full orchestra is a treat, but the reduced size and the reorchestrations don't maim the show the way some of the cuts do.
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Quique
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Omg...this is a very, very difficult decision!
I was almost going to choose option A without hesitation but then I realized how awkward the pacing was last time I saw it. I love all those little parts they cut because they build the scenes up. For example - "Castle On a Cloud" used to be so lovely with the long musical intro. It set the mood instead of just rushing through it.
I'll have to think about this. 
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MsDivaKate
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| Quique wrote: | Omg...this is a very, very difficult decision!
I was almost going to choose option A without hesitation but then I realized how awkward the pacing was last time I saw it. I love all those little parts they cut because they build the scenes up. For example - "Castle On a Cloud" used to be so lovely with the long musical intro. It set the mood instead of just rushing through it.
I'll have to think about this. |
I agree. Its killing me inside to try to make a decision on this one. I miss all the cuts...but the orchestrations with the full orchestra are so pretty.....
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BroadwayBaby0202
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Orchestrations. The orchestra is very important, in my opinion. I think it can make or break a show at times.
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AndrewShatterhand
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| Orestes Fasting wrote: | And to answer my own question...
Tough choice, but in the end I'd prefer to restore the cuts. The reorchestrations blow, yes, but there are so many scenes that feel oddly timed with the cuts. Runaway Cart, Come to Me, Castle on a Cloud, and Valjean's confession spring immediately to mind. Then there are some that are just fun, like the little prologue to Master of the House, and the Drink With Me reprise. And finally, what I hate even more than the "fun parts" that got the chop is the "here a little slice, there a little cut" attitude to the instrumental sections. Do people immediately, consciously notice when the intros to certain songs are cut in half, random orchestral bits are gone, pauses aren't drawn out long enough, etc? Probably not. But it still makes the show feel unforgivably rushed.
Basically, a full orchestra is a treat, but the reduced size and the reorchestrations don't maim the show the way some of the cuts do. |
I completely agree. I was going to post an explanation but you seem to have done it for me 
I'd love to see the show restored fully.
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Elin
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Restore the cuts.
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Quique
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I'd restore the original orchestrations and add a full orchestra in the pit.
Like Aimee, I've gotten used to the cuts and most of them aren't too bad. But I do nearly have a fit when I hear the new orchestrations. They take so much away from the show I've always known and love. It just isn't the same.
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MsDivaKate
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I suppose, like everyone else, that I shall live without the cuts. However the new orchestrations are pure rubbish. So my vote also goes for restoring the old orchestrations/bring back the full pit size once again.
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happyguava
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Oooooh can't I do both??!  I would probably restore the orchestrations and get the bigger orchestra - it's how Les Mis is meant to sound!! The new orchestrations are yuck! Ooh, and I would conduct said orchestra as well. That would be nice 
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Aimee
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| happyguava wrote: | | Ooh, and I would conduct said orchestra as well. That would be nice |
If we get an option like that, I'd be 10 years younger and play Fantine too.
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EponineJavert
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| Orestes Fasting wrote: | And to answer my own question...
Tough choice, but in the end I'd prefer to restore the cuts. The reorchestrations blow, yes, but there are so many scenes that feel oddly timed with the cuts. Runaway Cart, Come to Me, Castle on a Cloud, and Valjean's confession spring immediately to mind. Then there are some that are just fun, like the little prologue to Master of the House, and the Drink With Me reprise. And finally, what I hate even more than the "fun parts" that got the chop is the "here a little slice, there a little cut" attitude to the instrumental sections.
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THEY CUT A PART IN ONE DAY MORE????
Let me at 'em
Option B - no doubt about it. It's nice to have a big orchestra but even the short cuts they took in the TAC drive me crazy - the people paying all this money deserve to see the full version of a brilliant show.
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kitty17794
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| EponineJavert wrote: | | Orestes Fasting wrote: | And to answer my own question...
Tough choice, but in the end I'd prefer to restore the cuts. The reorchestrations blow, yes, but there are so many scenes that feel oddly timed with the cuts. Runaway Cart, Come to Me, Castle on a Cloud, and Valjean's confession spring immediately to mind. Then there are some that are just fun, like the little prologue to Master of the House, and the Drink With Me reprise. And finally, what I hate even more than the "fun parts" that got the chop is the "here a little slice, there a little cut" attitude to the instrumental sections.
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THEY CUT A PART IN ONE DAY MORE????
Let me at 'em |
...what? Nobody ever said anything about One Day More being snipped. 
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Ixius
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One Day More wasn't snipped, just some of the occasional orchestrations coinciding with Thenardier's "Here a little slice, there a little cut," line.
But really tough choice. I'd have to say restore the cut sections - Valjean's Confession and Young Cosette and Valjean's part during the start and end of The Bargain just stick out to me as marvelous pieces of musical writing, and the Confession is essential to the plot.
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EponineBarker
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Definately restore the cut material. I was a little said that they cut some of Castle on a Cloud when I saw it last Saturday. (4/14/07)
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olly
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Definitely A. I miss a full orchestra.
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christinadaae
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Full orchestra.
The entire public might not understand the length of the show, but a full pit can work wonders on the publics' perception of a show.
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eponine5
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Such a hard decision!
Which cuts do you mean exactly? Restore it back so it resembles the London production, the CSR or the London previews?
If it was only back to London, I'd definately restore the orchestra. But you seem to mean to the CSR....? If so, than I'd definately go for the cuts. The lines that they cut aren't necessary to show, but it gives you a fuller picture and makes the story that much broader.
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