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Musicals.Net Forums -> Les Miserables

theaterchick2893	Best Eponine? So who do you think is the best Eponine? I love Lea Salong.
Piece of Crap II	Kaho Shimada gets my vote. She always seems very melancholy and has an amazing D in OMO. And on the Red cast version...her voice on the final note of OMO has this chilling echoe... I don't like Lea Salonga's voice...it sounds too mature to be Eponine. And Frances Ruffelle's voice is not my favorite.
The Very Angry Woman	Re: Best Eponine? theaterchick2893 wrote: So who do you think is the best Eponine? The only person who's able to answer this would be someone who has seen every single Eponine in the entire world. You probably want to say "favorite," not "best." Quote: I love Lea Salong. Looks like you're missing an "a."
small faces	I agree with PoC. Kaho Shimada was my first Eponine, and she will always remain my favorite. Whether or not the rumors of her not being able to speak English are true, I think she sounds properly sad and haunting and I think her "On My Own" is the saddest and most lonely. There is a French version that I think has the best "On My Own" (even though I think it's called Mon Histoire in the French version). It's perfectly sung, even if it isn't vocally acted. I still prefer Shimada's though. I think Lea Salonga's voice is too pure for Eponine. Ruffelle is too whiny. I liked Sutton Foster's version, she sounded like a much more hopeful version of Eponine with a brighter voice. I also liked Diana Kaarina (the only one I have seen play it, besides amateurs), and she was fine, but not striking.
Fantine	Having seen only Sophia Ragavelas, Lea Salonga (on the TAC) and Gemma Wardle, I like Gemma the best.
eponine_1832	Sophia is my favourite, her voice is amazing and overall her portrayal of the character was exactly how I thought it should be.
Alanna	small faces wrote: There is a French version that I think has the best "On My Own" (even though I think it's called Mon Histoire in the French version). It's perfectly sung, even if it isn't vocally acted. I still prefer Shimada's though. I liked Sutton Foster's version, she sounded like a much more hopeful version of Eponine with a brighter voice. St�phanie Martin, my personal favourite. I also think Sutton Foster deserves a mention for her exceptional belting.
theaterbuff12287	Lets count the many times that people have argued over this.... Oh yes....too many.
Moci	I can't believe that we're discussing this again! Oh well, Salonga, followed closely by Sophia Ragavelas.
Alanna	Actually, I've changed my mind. Me.
LesMisForever	Hello I agree with TVAW. Favourite is more appropriate than best. My personal favourite is Lea. Sophia, and Stephanie very close seconds.
EponineGiry	I also agree with TVAW, but I'd go with Frances Ruffelle, just because her voice adapts to fit the demands of the part. Lea Salonga's voice is gorgeous, but I agree with Piece of Crap, it doesn't sound remotely like a teenager's.
turkeyHONK!	I <3 Kaho. I think she's kinda in between Lea and Francis. Her voice is rough at some points, but also beautiful at others. I enjoy hers more than Lea's and Francis is irritating to me. She's my favorite. I did like Melissa Lyons from the touring company. I saw her in January. She's got a very nice voice. However Kaho is my favorite.
The Very Angry Woman	Moci wrote: I can't believe that we're discussing this again! Don't you know? Les Miz fandom questions are like Old Faithful. Except it seems that the "When will the movie be coming out?" question has been somewhat irregular as of late.
Quique	Old faithful....... My peculiar condition is more like a form of Tourette's Syndrome. With the number of times I listen to my various cast recordings, there's simply no other suitable diagnosis, hehe. My fav Eponines change constantly and I can never settle on just one. Right now, it's between Kaho Shimada, Pili Artaza and Meredith Braun. This is one of a few roles in the show that I have a hard time choosing favorites for. The others being Jean Valjean and Enjolras.
Bree	Sigh, again. My friend Sarah. Seriously. Recorded? Kaho hands down.
Alanna	(Evan) wrote: Alanna wrote: Actually, I've changed my mind. Me. Sad. I think the quality of my singing voice cunningly reflects the quality of Eponine's character.
broadway06405	Lea Salonga is definitely my favorite. Hurmph.
javertsw	Hehe, Alanna My favourite is Frances Ruffelle.
dramaqueen220222	Actually I think the senior girl, Caitlyn, who plays Eponine in our production is amazing. She has just the right mix of hopefulness and love and sadness when she sings on my own.
broadway06405	dramaqueen220222 wrote: Actually I think the senior girl, Caitlyn, who plays Eponine in our production is amazing. She has just the right mix of hopefulness and love and sadness when she sings on my own. Isn't it great how good talent appears in the most unexpected places? I know I'll never be forgiven for this, but, what was the name of the original cast album Eponine?
ADistantMoonAgo	I vote Frances Rufelle I just love her. Besides, Lea is better in Miss Saigon
broadway06405	Lea was AMAZING in Saigon. Though I did love her in Aladdin.
small faces	I'm so pleased to see so many people supporting Kaho. Back when I used to post here as someone else, I was probably the only one.
Moci	broadway06405 wrote: what was the name of the original cast album Eponine? Frances Ruffelle. (Or if you mean the original, original French cast- Marie)
RainyCrystal	Ok, i'll list mine again... out of boredom: My favs: Frances Ruffelle Lea Salonga Vera Bolten Jane Comerford Sutton Foster ~Sissi
flying_pigs	Frances Ruffelle closely followed by Gemma!
piscesmoni	Stephanie Martin from the French Revival Cast.
Piece of Crap II	small faces wrote: I'm so pleased to see so many people supporting Kaho. Back when I used to post here as someone else, I was probably the only one. I made an acronym... K andy A pple H ard O pen
Stargirl5	Two words. Sutton Foster. She's perfect.
lineyjoe	Stargirl5 wrote: Two words. Sutton Foster. She's perfect. I completely agree. I don't think she was Eponine for very long, and to my knowledge it was a non-Equity tour, but I've heard every one of her solos as Eponine and I have never heard a better one. I absolutely love her voice, and I also love how she didn't try too hard to have a "cockney" accent (which doesn't make sense at all, and soooo many actresses try to do it for Eponine). I would have loved to have seen her do it...but alas, I only can listen to my bootleg recordings...
cmccarthy76	Frances Ruffelle. The best!! Sutton Foster was pretty great too.
The Very Angry Woman	lineyjoe wrote: I completely agree. I don't think she was Eponine for very long, and to my knowledge it was a non-Equity tour, but I've heard every one of her solos as Eponine and I have never heard a better one. I absolutely love her voice, and I also love how she didn't try too hard to have a "cockney" accent (which doesn't make sense at all, and soooo many actresses try to do it for Eponine). I would have loved to have seen her do it...but alas, I only can listen to my bootleg recordings... There has never been a non-Equity tour of Les Miz. What's more, Sutton understudied Eponine on Broadway before touring as Eponine -- so she could not have been non-Equity at the time regardless. I believe she was in the Broadway cast for a few months and then spent about a year on tour as Eponine. No American Eponine has ever been made to put on an English accent of any kind, so you're just being ridiculous. That said, I did see her as Eponine. She was amazing.
javertim	From favorite to least favorite: Dana Meller Ma-Anne Dionisio Jodie Langel Melissa Lyons Jessica-Snow Wilson Catherine Brunell Diana Kaarina I have to be one of the only people on the planet who doesn't like Diana's portrayal. I just find her to be *way* too sweet and girly to be a convincing Eponine. She just bopped around and was way too nice and syrupy to be the spawn of two horrible people like the Thenardiers. Her voice is incredible, yes, but I just didn't find any substance whatsoever in Ms. Kaarina's performance. Oh, well. She has a lot of followers anyway. I am thoroughly convinced that, had I ever had the chance to see her, Marnie Nicolella would be my favorite Eponine ever. I just love her attention to detail, her fearless attitude toward portraying the "rough" edges to characters, as well as her raspy voice. She would be the perfect Eponine in my book. It's a shame I never got to see her in the part. [/b]
The Very Angry Woman	javertim wrote: I have to be one of the only people on the planet who doesn't like Diana's portrayal. Nope, make that two.
Quique	The Very Angry Woman wrote: javertim wrote: I have to be one of the only people on the planet who doesn't like Diana's portrayal. Nope, make that two. Nope, make that three.
Moci	lineyjoe wrote: Stargirl5 wrote: Two words. Sutton Foster. She's perfect. I completely agree. I don't think she was Eponine for very long, and to my knowledge it was a non-Equity tour, but I've heard every one of her solos as Eponine and I have never heard a better one. I absolutely love her voice, and I also love how she didn't try too hard to have a "cockney" accent (which doesn't make sense at all, and soooo many actresses try to do it for Eponine). I would have loved to have seen her do it...but alas, I only can listen to my bootleg recordings... She is a good Eponine, but I would say that she sounds better in other roles. (I'm only going be bootlegs and cast recordings though- Never seen her on stage )
Alanna	(Evan) wrote: Alanna wrote: I think the quality of my singing voice cunningly reflects the quality of Eponine's character. Sad and tired? No, just rubbish. I can't even sing in tune.
theaterbuff12287	cmccarthy76 wrote: Frances Ruffelle. The best!! Sutton Foster was pretty great too. YAY! Someone else agrees.
LesWickedPhantom	Frances Ruffelle hands down is my favorite. but Debbie Gibson looks like she was good (never actually heard her, but I'm looking at her picture singing On My Own from the official Les Mis site and she just looks like THE Eponine) and Sutton Foster is one of my favorite Broadway actors, but I prefered her in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for some reason.
NotoriousFunnt	In comes NF, the understudy loving queen... Gina Milo, understudy of the national tour back in 2004. I saw her understudy for Ma-anne in June, and wow! What an Eponine! Everything about her was ideal. She had the voice, she had the acting (she had a few book moments, it was awesome), and she even had that skinny build. She was the perfect Eponine in my eyes, and always will take that number one spot.
The Very Angry Woman	LesWickedPhantom wrote: but Debbie Gibson looks like she was good (never actually heard her, but I'm looking at her picture singing On My Own from the official Les Mis site and she just looks like THE Eponine) I've heard Debbie Gibson as Eponine, and she was quite good. I was honestly very impressed.
Quique	DeborAHHH... The Very Angry Woman wrote: LesWickedPhantom wrote: but Debbie Gibson looks like she was good (never actually heard her, but I'm looking at her picture singing On My Own from the official Les Mis site and she just looks like THE Eponine) I've heard Debbie Gibson as Eponine, and she was quite good. I was honestly very impressed. At first, I didn't like her at all. I never saw her in the show live, but I didn't like what I saw and heard of her while she did the morning program rounds, promoting her stint in Les Mis. I thought she sang in VERY heavy pop style and she even sounded like a bimbo at times. But then I saw some clips of her actually performing on stage, and it was indeed very different than what she presented on those morning T.V. programs. I guess it would've been cheesy, had she performed in a very dramatic, serious way like she did onstage. I would love to get a hold of a full "audio" from one of her performances. If anyone out there has one, hit me up. I know some of you have some real gems, so lets do a trade damn it! Hehehe! Tomorrow I'm FINALLY recieving by Fed-Ex, the Mexican cast recording and some other lil' treats. So don't be afraid, PM me or something.....I want more recordings, moooree MOREEEE!......((has orgasm)).
dramaqueen220222	I love Lea Salonga, and closely followed by Kaho Shimada
Aphrodite	To be honest, i haven't seen an Eponine who I really agreed with their interpretation at all. I don't like cutesy seeming Eponines and it seems like thats the take most actresses have on it. It would be really refreshing if someone had a new take on the characterization of Eponine that was more desperate seeming because of her situation in life instead of desperate because of her unrequited love with Marius. Actresses who just bring out the unrequited love section of her character make her seem like an immature teenager who needs to get over herself. I think i would have liked sutton foster in the role though i did not get to see her.
Meliara	I wish I could ahve seen Sutton perform too. For one thing I've always wanted to see a tall Eponine, and also from the reviews I've read, she was the supposively the best thing in the show while she was in it. I agree with you Aphrodite. I haven't seen an Eponine that I've reallly liked. They all have their good moments, some more than others. But I have yet to see that one that really does it for me.
Fantine	I really would have liked to see Lea Salonga and Frances Ruffelle in the role.
The Very Angry Woman	Meliara wrote: For one thing I've always wanted to see a tall Eponine, and also from the reviews I've read, she was the supposively the best thing in the show while she was in it. I only saw Sutton once as Eponine, but I'm chiming in: that was absolutely true.
Quique	Sutton........ Meliara wrote: I wish I could ahve seen Sutton perform too. For one thing I've always wanted to see a tall Eponine, and also from the reviews I've read, she was the supposively the best thing in the show while she was in it. I agree with you Aphrodite. I haven't seen an Eponine that I've reallly liked. They all have their good moments, some more than others. But I have yet to see that one that really does it for me. Ahh, too bad you missed Sutton, she was a true rarity. Not that most Eponines suck, but few are as amazing as she. I saw her do Eponine about 5 times or so, and her On My Own stands out as the most breath-taking I've ever seen or heard. Especially her...."pre-te-n-ding!" Wow! Have you heard her do On My Own? I have an mp3 of her singing it, if you want me to pass it on to you, just PM me. Oh and check your e-mail tonight, I'm going to continue sending those files you requested. Take care. -Enrique =)
Meliara	Aww thanks Quique. I actually have a copy of her singing it already Thanks for the thought though!
Colle	I have a list of favorite Eponine's, I might post more details on why I like them later, but here is my list: From recordings: Lea Salonga and Kaho Shimada. I have liked both Eponine's I have seen on stage: Rona Figueroa and Ma-Anne Dionisio.
Annaliese	Could someone explain Sutton's take on Eponine? How did she portray her? And has anyone ever seen Frances do it? Her voice, though beautifully raw, can be a bit much at times- yet, I can't quite imagine her playing Eponine as "cute." It's funny, since she originated her in the English version, but her Eponine always seemed so off-beat (in a good way) compared to all the cutesy Eponines.
The Very Angry Woman	Annaliese wrote: Could someone explain Sutton's take on Eponine? How did she portray her? I saw Sutton as Eponine once, six years ago, from a faraway seat I would never sit in these days. From what I remember, she was a very determined, strong, sort of gawky Eponine. She was street smart but a bit goofy and socially awkward. Sutton herself is a very intense performer, and she made Eponine very passionate and forceful about her love for Marius. Again, I only saw Sutton once. Quique can write orgasmic reams about her. Now that he has a prompt to do so, I'm sure he will.
sweeteponine	Who is it that's playing Eponine on the West End just now? Because I didn't like her very much at all.
The Very Angry Woman	Shonagh Daly.
nicnikniki	I realise I may be violently protested against about this, but Frances Ruffelle's voice sets my teeth on edge! The first person I ever heard was Lea Salonga and I absolutely love her voice but I do agree she is perhaps a bit too perfect at singing it - Eponine needs to seem more human! (For the record, I have the same opinion of Ruthie Henshall's "Now That I've Seen Her" from Miss Saigon). But as for Frances, I downloaded OMO by her once because I thought she'd be good. What a mistake. Listening to her voice just... agghh. It's like putting yourself through torture. And her accent is kind of weird what nationality is she?
The Very Angry Woman	nicnikniki wrote: Listening to her voice just... agghh. It's like putting yourself through torture. And her accent is kind of weird what nationality is she? Read some of the older topics. You are certainly not alone. In fact, reading older topics before making some of your own, or even replying, is advisable. She's British.
Quique	O... The Very Angry Woman wrote: Again, I only saw Sutton once. Quique can write orgasmic reams about her. Now that he has a prompt to do so, I'm sure he will. Orgasmic ream comin' right up... The Very Angry Woman's description was right on. I saw Sutton opposite Tim Howar's Marius. Next to him, she was tall and lanky and I remember reading in a review of the tour at the time, where Sutton was said to be reminiscent of a young Carol Burnett, not so much in looks, but in her body language. I got to see her do the role about 5 times and unlike many Eponines, she was neither overly dramatic nor was she stiff. She didn't try hard to look anguished and didn't play the role vulnerably. She did it the way I had always envisioned Eponine to be; strong, confident, independant, self-aware, and...PASSIONATE! She put her all into every performance I saw and did something very similar to Kaho Shimada's take on Eponine, she was focused, she became her character and expressed great passion through her vocals without sounding like a chipmunk. Though Kaho will always be my favorite acting-wise, Sutton will always be my favorite vocally. Sarah Uriarte Berry is another favorite but Sutton I think comes closest to hitting the nail right on the head. It bothered me just a lil' bit that Sutton's diction was perfect. There were moments where she looked odd in her rags, as she came across very well educated. That's really minimal though and she isn't the first to play the role in her own "voice." Also, too much characterization can become cheesy, hehe. Sutton's "On My Own" is just perfect in my eyes (or ears) and when she hits that climax, one just melts and wants to smack many an Eponine hard across the face, should they continue on with their cutesy, smirkish, Diana Kaarina-ish, sassy chickie, teenie take on the role. And yeah, the best word to describe Sutton as Eponine is "intense." Her "On My Own" just builds and builds, until... *Ooooooooooh*
nicnikniki	OK sorry. I did read all through this thread but I didn't go through the others because I didn't have time to read like 100 pages of topics before posting. As for British? I guess that makes sense, but her accent is just so incredibly weird. Maybe she's from Liverpool.
Moci	Frances Ruffelle doesn't have a Liverpool accent, if it's the OLC you're talking about, it's cockney.
nicnikniki	Haha ok. I'm not from England so I was just picking a random strange accent that I know of. It's not just the accent it's the way she sings as well - it's almost lazy? Then again Lea Salonga is the direct opposite and she pronounces every word so crisply that I guess it could get on your nerves, but seeing as Lea Salonga's Eponine is the one I heard first, I like it the best.
Fantine	nicnikniki wrote: it's the way she sings as well - it's almost lazy? That's exactly why I don't like her either.
Aimee	Moci wrote: Frances Ruffelle doesn't have a Liverpool accent, if it's the OLC you're talking about, it's cockney. nicnikniki wrote: Haha ok. I'm not from England so I was just picking a random strange accent that I know of. hehehe wait until javertsw see this.
javertsw	Aimee wrote: Moci wrote: Frances Ruffelle doesn't have a Liverpool accent, if it's the OLC you're talking about, it's cockney. nicnikniki wrote: Haha ok. I'm not from England so I was just picking a random strange accent that I know of. hehehe wait until javertsw see this. I know! Saying Frances Ruffelle is lazy and that she has a Liverpool accent (which is strange?) in the same thread! For the record, it sounds NOTHING like a Liverpool accent. And its not being lazy. It's called 'Characterization'.
Fantine	javertsw wrote: And its not being lazy. It's called 'Characterization'. In Frances' eyes maybe.
Quique	Eponine..... Some personal thoughts regarding two of the most well known Eponines ever... -Lea Salonga over-annunciates ONE word ("without")...again, ONE WORD, twice during "On My Own," and that's it. Lea does NOT do this enough to cause it to get on anyone's nerves. Well, not anyone with a mind of their own, anyway. I'm amazed this still bothers people a decade later. -I've heard of hardly anyone who's first Eponine was Frances, say they dislike her in the role and they also usually have mixed feelings about Lea's whole interpretation of it, NOT Lea herself. Most who've had Lea as their first Eponine, tend to strongly dislike Frances, NOT her Eponine, and it's almost always based on insignificant detail. Interesting. -I don't like Lea's Eponine on the 10th anniversary London concert. I've never heard nor seen her Eponine live onstage, not even through bootlegs. My opinion is strictly concerning her London concert performance ONLY. In fact, I tend to lean toward the idea she actually might've been way better in the Broadway, 3rd U.S. national tour's Honolulu engagement, and London productions. -"On My Own" is an emotionally heart-wrenching song, during a not-so-pretty moment in Eponine's life. Frances gives one of the most vocally emotional renditions of "On My Own" ever recorded, on the OBC album. Her raw emotion is often times mistaken for an inability to sing beautifully, sound appealing or taken as being whiney and annoying. I think Frances is a great Eponine.
javertsw	I agree with you Quique. I only know Lea from the TAC... and I think she is very very average in this. I feel she has absolutely no character... and although her voice is pretty it does nothing for me. She probaly is better live... Frances' voice on the OLC just blows me away. I don't care that her voice sounds raw, and unpretty... that is what makes her GOOD! Because Eponine isn't pretty. Her voice is full of so much emotion. And Fantine, its characterization in my eyes and everybody else who likes Frances Ruffelle. That's why I said it....
Quique	Sarah... I promised someone over at the "LesMis.com" message board 2 audio clips of Sarah Uriarte Berry's Eponine. We got into a discussion about the character and I wrote about how she is one of my top Eponines due to her fresh take on the role. I love how she sings wildly and passionately, without regard to how pretty she sounds. I had the pleasure of seeing her twice on Broadway and is one of the only Eponines to actually play her more realistically than I'm used to seeing. Her dramatic gaspings in-between lines in "On My Own" is perfect, as the song is supposed to be a very painful moment for her character and who could forget her "pretend-ing!" during her initial stint with the Broadway production in 1994? She toned it down when she reprised her role for the Broadway 10th anniversary production, which I saw in July, 1997. She was a breath of fresh air in the already stale, usual, unvaried interpretations this character had seen. Both clips feature Sarah's "On My Own. The first is from her 1994 Broadway run and the second from opening night of the newly revamped Broadway production on 12 March, 1997 - the show's 10th anniversary. Both are in mp3 format. Enjoy. "On My Own" - Sarah Uriarte (Broadway, 1994) http://s13.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1HZOAOR0LJX272W1HN36TFNYMI (3.2 Mb.) "On My Own" - Sarah Uriarte Berry (Broadway, 1997) http://s8.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=090UAQKUE8YM51RMCJIMKVKCC3 (5.5 Mb.)
nicnikniki	OK fair enough. Each to their own opinion - I'm really not a fan of her voice but maybe I need to listen to her more.
Fantine	javertsw wrote: Frances' voice on the OLC just blows me away. I don't care that her voice sounds raw, and unpretty... that is what makes her GOOD! Because Eponine isn't pretty. Her voice is full of so much emotion. And Fantine, its characterization in my eyes and everybody else who likes Frances Ruffelle. That's why I said it.... I'm not talking about her raw, whiney voice, I'm talking about her lazy singing. Sarah Uriarte Berry is so pretty, but her recording dissapoints me a little. I feel like everyone could sing like that.
javertsw	I don't get where this lazy singing has come from...?!
Fantine	From a vid I have..
Moci	Fantine wrote: From a vid I have.. ...share?
javertsw	I refuse to believe Frances is lazy when she performs. All the people I have met in real life who were lucky enough to see the original cast of Les Mis said she was the best thing and (to quote): "There will never be another Eponine like Frances Ruffelle."
nicnikniki	Like I said, each to their own opinion. I have never heard Frances Ruffelle live (obviously, since I wasn't born yet when Les Mis first came out), but I have a recording and I doubt that she sounds so much more fantastic live than on the CD. I know it happens, but I don't think so in this case. It always sounds to me like she's not opening her mouth or enunciating her words properly, and it sounds like she slides up to her notes instead of hitting them, which is a pet hate of mine. But like, you said, maybe that's her way of characterisation and obviously she is very popular and a lot of people think she's the best Eponine ever, and that's fine. But everyone has their own opinion and I don't think I can ever be convinced to like her voice.
Frank_Rind	nicnikniki wrote: Then again Lea Salonga is the direct opposite and she pronounces every word so crisply that I guess it could get on your nerves All the major English cast albums we hear except for the TAC were recorded in the comfort of a studio, and the performers' key consideration was obviously preserving their performance on record in the best possible way. In the TAC, the key consideration of the performers' was not the CD or DVD, but more the audience who was present that night. The way we perform in a studio booth and the way we perform in front of hundreds of people are usually different. When performing in a venue like Royal Albert Hall with that many audience members I wouldn't expect a professional's diction to be any less than Lea Salonga's, otherwise the audience wouldn't be able to understand the lyrics. Remember that the recording we all hear is taken clearly and from the best possible location - Lea's microphone. If we were an audience member in the auditorium the sound wouldn't be as clear, more muffled due to the amount of people present. Its just something to consider before we condemn Ms Salonga for over-pronunciation . I know somebody who saw Lea Salonga live as Eponine in London, and maintains that she was absolutely stunning. I, for one, prefer Lea's performance of Eponine on the "Hey, Mr Producer" video than on the TAC...this is possibly because the former is set up more like the actual show, with blocking and head mics, so the performer is not constrained by those bulky stand microphones. It gives you more of an idea of what Ms Salonga's Eponine is like in the context of the actual production, rather than taking it from a special concert event with different considerations. I agree also that while Frances Ruffelle's voice takes some getting used to, her performance is definitely filled with passion. I am acquainted with someone who saw her when she returned to the cast for six months in the late-90s. The person of whom I speak has seen the show in excess of two-hundred times, and says Ms. Ruffelle is the best Eponine he's ever witnessed, stating his reason as, "You can see in her performance that she remembers all the way back to the very first rehearsal and the very first thing Trevor Nunn ever told her. Everything she does onstage has purpose and reason and is spot-on. She gives every line her all." However, my personal favourite of the Eponine's I've heard must be Kaho Shimada. The one word I feel describes her interpretation is "mournful". She is a heartbreaking Eponine, especially in the letter scene... "I have a letter M'sieur, its addressed to your daughter Cosette." The first time I heard that it made me want to cry. And Eponine rarely makes me cry, especially on a CD. However, I really enjoy Sutton Foster's "On My Own", particularly her climax. She really pushes the power and desperation of the character up a notch with her "pre-TEN-ding" release.
Colle	Since people are giving their opinion(probably again) on Frances Rueffelle, I thought I would start with her. I don't love her but I don't hate her either, though she is my least favorite on recording. Frances's voice can be good at times, but at other times I think it crosses the line from being not pretty to being awful. I have heard wrose Eponine's though. On to Lea, one of my favorites, I have never really minded her pronoucation and thought she was using it to try sound angry(which worked), and it made her voice sound less pretty then is actually is. Fank_Rind, I actually liked Lea a little better on the TAC than "Hey Mr.Producer.(I feel that I am the only one who thinks this here)" Lea toned the emotion down on "Hey! Mr. Producer," and I think that took away from the intensity of her performance. It didn't help that some parts of "On My Own" were cut, though Lea's ending was beauiful and help lend into Colm's "Bring Him Home" very well. You do have a good point, Fank_Raid, that having the set in "Hey! Mr.Producer" gave more of an idea of how Lea was like on stage. Lastly, what I appreicate about Lea's "On My Own" , besides the emotion, is that it seems like she is stuggling with her feelings for Marius and that is what makes it intense. I agree with you Frank_Rind about Kaho Shimada, in the CSR she is very sad, but tough at times, and her pretending is the best I have heard on recording. On the Japanese Red cast Kaho is stronger. Lastly, I do want to say a word about the two Eponines' I have seen on stage. Ma-Anne Dionisio reminded me somewhat of Kaho Shimada on the CSR, sad, tough, with probably a little anger mixed in. Rona Figueroa had some spunk and a temper though her "On My Own" seemed very sad. I liked both Ma-Anne and Rona.
Lesmiserables24601	hmmm Frances Rueffelle ranks highly though, I believe, noone ranks more so than Kaho Shimada. She has the perfect blend of feeling and pronunciation for an Eponine, whereas Lea Salonga overenunciates and I feel destroys the character. Shimada, especially in those songs concerning or featuring Marius and/or Cosette, has this aire of sadness and trepidation that makes me cry everytime i hear it. The perfect example of this is the pensive attitude she displays in her part of 'In my Life' on the Complete Symphonic, at 'theres, noone like him anywhere, anywhere, where he is, if he asked I'd be his..." wahhhh I can't even think about it
nicnikniki	Could I just say I've had a listen to the Sarah Uriarte (Berry?) recordings of A Little Fall Of Rain and On My Own, and I like A Little Fall Of Rain, but I really don't like her OMO. I think she does ALFOR well because Eponine's meant to sound like she's dying, and nothing irks me more than singers that singing their dying songs perfectly - sure, they still need to sound good, but if they've got a bullet wound they're not exactly going to worry about hitting the right note! So I liked her version. However I didn't really like her OMO. I don't know what it was... maybe too many rhythm changes and breathiness, and before you all attack me saying that it's "characterisation" and "her interpretation" , i KNOW that, but I'm saying it's not for me.
Quique	Sarah... nicnikniki wrote: Could I just say I've had a listen to the Sarah Uriarte (Berry?) recordings of A Little Fall Of Rain and On My Own, and I like A Little Fall Of Rain, but I really don't like her OMO. I think she does ALFOR well because Eponine's meant to sound like she's dying, and nothing irks me more than singers that singing their dying songs perfectly - sure, they still need to sound good, but if they've got a bullet wound they're not exactly going to worry about hitting the right note! So I liked her version. However I didn't really like her OMO. I don't know what it was... maybe too many rhythm changes and breathiness, and before you all attack me saying that it's "characterisation" and "her interpretation" , i KNOW that, but I'm saying it's not for me. Heehee! Don't worry, nobody will attack you like I did, heehee! I apologize by the way, I might have been a bit harsh. You'll get used to it and it won't phase you anymore...me and my occasional bad moods. I swear you'd think I'm bi-polar, or something. Anyway, I agree with you 100% about a hole-ridden Eponine singing like an angel and it being annoying, LOL! My thoughts exactly, why sing as if everything is just dandy, when you've got gaping holes in your abdomen? It completely kills the moment for me. They don't have to sound like a wounded animal either, just sound a bit believable, which is why I love Sarah's. Oh, and I failed to explain the whole "Berry" thing before. I'm sure The Very Angry Woman can fill you in on the details since I'm not big on cast member knowledge like she is, but she added "Berry" after marrying a fellow cast member...forgot his first name. I guess she retained "Uriarte" as well, for professional reasons.
nicnikniki	I know I've criticised Frances earlier, but after listening to her in "Attack On Rue Plumet" I think she expresses herself better than Lea Salonga (just in this song). I also actually like the Original Broadway Cast recording of this song better than the TAC because it sounds more urgent/scary/seedy.
The Very Angry Woman	Re: Sarah... [quote="Quique"] nicnikniki wrote: Oh, and I failed to explain the whole "Berry" thing before. I'm sure The Very Angry Woman can fill you in on the details since I'm not big on cast member knowledge like she is, but she added "Berry" after marrying a fellow cast member...forgot his first name. I guess she retained "Uriarte" as well, for professional reasons. His name is Michael Berry. She also performed in Sunset Boulevard with him.
Emperor of the Fiends	Re: hmmm Lesmiserables24601 wrote: Frances Rueffelle ranks highly though, I believe, noone ranks more so than Kaho Shimada. She has the perfect blend of feeling and pronunciation for an Eponine, whereas Lea Salonga overenunciates and I feel destroys the character. Shimada, especially in those songs concerning or featuring Marius and/or Cosette, has this aire of sadness and trepidation that makes me cry everytime i hear it. The perfect example of this is the pensive attitude she displays in her part of 'In my Life' on the Complete Symphonic, at 'theres, noone like him anywhere, anywhere, where he is, if he asked I'd be his..." wahhhh I can't even think about it I wasn't totally fond of her on the CSR-she's not awful, but I liked Lea Salonga better; however, after getting a copy of the Red Cast (I think) ALFOR a few days ago, my opinion of her is a bit higher; possibly the fact that it's a live recording and she's acting more than she had been on the CSR.
Vicam	I personally really like Francis Ruffelle, but it may be largely because I grew up listening to the OBC so she's the one I'm used to. I just think she puts a lot of emotion and strength behind her voice, and I really like it. I agree that Kaho is really good on the CSR as well, her voice is very pure and sad. As for the Eponine's I've seen perform, I want to saw that I loved Jessica Snow-Wilson's interpretation (I think I've only seen her mentioned once in this whole thread). I got to see her twice, and while I was pretty young at the time, I remember thinking she was incredible (maybe I'd feel differnetly now)
Colle	nicnikniki wrote: I know I've criticised Frances earlier, but after listening to her in "Attack On Rue Plumet" I think she expresses herself better than Lea Salonga (just in this song). I also actually like the Original Broadway Cast recording of this song better than the TAC because it sounds more urgent/scary/seedy. I agree "Attack on Rue Plumet" is really good on the OBC, the arrangement of the music is great and so are all the actors. On the TAC, I thought Lea did really well; she was strong willed, angry and disguested at her farther. Now that I can compare Alun Armstrong with other Thenardier's, I think he was kinda of weak in that scene. I wish he would have showed more anger. Yes, Kaho is even stronger on the Red Cast, I especially like how she turns things up during "Plumet Attack," and in ALFOR she really sounds like she is in pain.
javertsw	nicniknik, (I am just assuming you haven't heard it) perhaps you would like Frances Ruffelle on the OLC version? This is the recording I adore her on... and think her OBC performance isn't much in comparison. I think her accent sounds more "american" on the OBC, whereas on the OLC she sounds more "cockney", which I prefer.
MaryMag	I only own the OBC recording and therefore get to listen to Frances, so I can't vote. I just thought I would share what my best friend said about her singing the song: my best friend gets in my car and "On My Own" is playing. "What is this?" she asks. "It's called, 'On My Own.' It's from 'Les Mis.'" I reply. "Oh. Ew. Sounds like Britney Spears trying to sing a song that's too hard for her." And that's my friend's opinion of Frances' "On My Own." Her voice has grown on me, however, it's a little, what's a good word for it, bright/young/shallow for my tastes. I prefer richer, deeper voices. But Frances acts the song very well.
Kragey	Quique wrote: The Very Angry Woman wrote: javertim wrote: I have to be one of the only people on the planet who doesn't like Diana's portrayal. Nope, make that two. Nope, make that three. Realizing that I'm extremely late on this bandwagon...make it four. Her voice drives me BATSHIT. For me, from favorite to least favorite [Diana is probably the only one I really hated, although Melissa Lyons was pretty damn boring]: Kaho Shimada Frances Ruffelle Sutton Foster Vera Mann Sanni Luis Caroline Sheen Marie [from the concept album] Lea Salonga Stephanie Martin Joanna Ampil Melissa Lyons
Kragey	Quique wrote: The Very Angry Woman wrote: javertim wrote: I have to be one of the only people on the planet who doesn't like Diana's portrayal. Nope, make that two. Nope, make that three. Realizing that I'm extremely late on this bandwagon...make it four. Her voice drives me BATSHIT. For me, from favorite to least favorite [Diana is probably the only one I really hated, although Melissa Lyons was pretty damn boring]: Kaho Shimada Frances Ruffelle Sutton Foster Vera Mann Sanni Luis Caroline Sheen Marie [from the concept album] Lea Salonga Stephanie Martin Joanna Ampil Melissa Lyons
Fantine	Kragey wrote: Quique wrote: The Very Angry Woman wrote: javertim wrote: I have to be one of the only people on the planet who doesn't like Diana's portrayal. Nope, make that two. Nope, make that three. Realizing that I'm extremely late on this bandwagon...make it four. Make that five.
Kragey	Fantine wrote: Kragey wrote: Quique wrote: The Very Angry Woman wrote: javertim wrote: I have to be one of the only people on the planet who doesn't like Diana's portrayal. Nope, make that two. Nope, make that three. Realizing that I'm extremely late on this bandwagon...make it four. Make that five. I honestly don't know how people can like her. I always try to see other peoples' opinions, but she's so damn SHRILL. On to a slightly unrelated topic: I prefer Frances on bootlegs. In my opinion, she sounds better live than she does on a studio recording.
Sairin	Jumping on the Diana Kaarina bandwagon. Her cutesy little face makes me want to hit people. Plus that closing B'way note was pretty obnoxious.
Quique	Diana... Sairin wrote: Jumping on the Diana Kaarina bandwagon. Her cutesy little face makes me want to hit people. Plus that closing B'way note was pretty obnoxious. She has a pretty voice. That's it. I saw her Eponine on tour in 2001 and the last time I saw the Broadway production, on 2 January, 2003. She made saying "goodbye" much easier, with that constant smirk upon her face during parts where she should be frowning. I felt like getting a giant pillow and smothering the audience everytime they clapped for her during the show. Both times I saw her, the clapping effectively turned her smirk into a smile. It was very strange, like seeing the 10th anniversary London concert video acted-out upon a stage. Well, the Eponine parts, anyway. Oh, and Diana's smirking/smiling replaced Lea's puckering.
javertsw	Re: Diana... Quique wrote: Sairin wrote: Jumping on the Diana Kaarina bandwagon. Her cutesy little face makes me want to hit people. Plus that closing B'way note was pretty obnoxious. Both times I saw her, the clapping effectively turned her smirk into a smile. It was very strange, like seeing the 10th anniversary London concert video acted-out upon a stage. Well, the Eponine parts, anyway. Oh, and Diana's smirking/smiling replaced Lea's puckering. Hah!
Moci	Re: Diana... javertsw wrote: Quique wrote: Sairin wrote: Jumping on the Diana Kaarina bandwagon. Her cutesy little face makes me want to hit people. Plus that closing B'way note was pretty obnoxious. Both times I saw her, the clapping effectively turned her smirk into a smile. It was very strange, like seeing the 10th anniversary London concert video acted-out upon a stage. Well, the Eponine parts, anyway. Oh, and Diana's smirking/smiling replaced Lea's puckering. Hah! Hmm.
LesMisForever	Fantine wrote: Kragey wrote: Quique wrote: The Very Angry Woman wrote: javertim wrote: I have to be one of the only people on the planet who doesn't like Diana's portrayal. Nope, make that two. Nope, make that three. Realizing that I'm extremely late on this bandwagon...make it four. Make that five. Make it six!
nicnikniki	What do you mean by puckering? I've never heard that used as a description for a facial expression... is it like scowling? And yes. Diana Kaarina = cringe. With Frances Ruffelle I can at least understand why other people like her, but not with DK.
The Very Angry Woman	nicnikniki wrote: What do you mean by puckering? I've never heard that used as a description for a facial expression... is it like scowling? Have you heard of puckering one's lips?
Colle	Since everything is giving their thoughts on Diana, I thought I might as well too. I have only seen video clips and audio clips of her. Based on those clips, there are some parts where Diana sounds pretty good, but in other places she doesn't. For example, I don't like how she handles the line "I know a lot of things, I do," it sounds too cute.
Kragey	Colle wrote: Since everything is giving their thoughts on Diana, I thought I might as well too. I have only seen video clips and audio clips of her. Based on those clips, there are some parts where Diana sounds pretty good, but in other places she doesn't. For example, I don't like how she handles the line "I know a lot of things, I do," it sounds too cute. I just think her voice is too shrill all around. She'd probably fit another character in another musical very well...in fact, she might even make a slightly obnoxious Madame Thenardier. But her Eponine made me puke in my mouth. (Kind of like Tim Howar. :: shivers :

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