Andy
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Disappointing matineeSaw the mat yesterday and it was nothing to how I remembered the show from April 2005 and wondered what general opinion has been. Not found too much searching the last posts.
Tracie Bennett got me so angry. Why did she keep sticking her stomach out at everyone?
We had Jeff Nicholson as Javert and while his acting was an improvement on last year's guy, he had no voice to speak of in my opinion I'm afraid.
I remain puzzled about Phil Cavill. He was nice, but should that be the reaction I get from Valjean? He had good moments but then a lot of the time I was thinking if he gave it some more oomph it would have been great. I was straining to hear him a lot of it. Very very good "Bring him home" though he fell off the last note.
I don't buy a black Enjorlas. I'm so sorry but I just didn't. And that's no more racist than it is sexist to say I wouldn't buy a female Enjorlas. I didn't believe it at all.
However I adored Kerry Ellis. Her I Dreamed A Dream paled in comparison to Ampil's last year but the Arrest ripped my heart out, fantastic fantastic girl there. And finally an Eponine with some guts. Marius and Cosette also great.
I don't know I felt a bit cold after this time. The Ensemble seemed better but I still think they need new orchestrations and the blocking didn't seem that great. There was a really powerful moment where JVJ and young Cosette walk hand in hand into pitch-black and then Paris appears on the projection, took my breath away. I don't know if they didn't get off in time or what yesterday but they were fighting there way through Paris crowds. A little moment but one I took away with me last year.
Maybe I'm just picky cos I'm a musical director myself and I notice stuff i'd do differently. I don't know. Hope I've not offended anyone, I love the show, but I wasn't bowled over this time.
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flying_pigs
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I know what you mean and I agree with you an most things. As I whole I prefer the previous cast but this cast is great too!
I've always heard such great reviews abotu Jeff, but then everyones entitled to their own opinions.
Do you think Kerry Ellis sounds like Ruthie Henshall?
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javertsw
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I agree.
I didn't really like this years cast so much.
No-one really impressed me that much.
Last years cast and the year before were both so good though, so it was a hard act to follow.
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flying_pigs
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The best people in this cast are Hayden, JOJ and Julia (principle wise anyway)
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eponine5
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Kerry Ellis sings with the same style as Ruthie Henshall, but I think that her voice is quite different though. But I love both their voices.
To be honest, I quite like the current cast, although I haven't seen Phil Cavill. In my opinion, Kerry Ellis, Hayden Tee, Julia Moller and especially Shonagh Daly and John Owen Jones are excellent.
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Andy
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Stylistically similar to Ruthie yeah, but less of an edge.
I agree that she, Julia and Hayden were excellent. She played Cosette's frustration very well.
I don't know, i seem to have liked more about it than i thought. somehow the magic wasn't there for me. Good excuse to go back next year though to check it's not just cos I've now seen it twice!
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javertsw
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I just felt like Kerry Ellis was "copying" Ruthie Henshall.
Hayden Tee looked bored.
Julia Moeller is wonderful though! She was better with Gary Tushaw last year though.
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eponine5
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I don't think she was copying so much, there have been so many Fantines that it would be rare to get a completely new style after so long.
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Andy
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I think there's a line between copying someone and doing something the way it should be done and has been successfully done. Never struck me she copied Ruthie.
First Cosette I liked though. Even Judie Kuhn pissed me off.
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Fantine
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| javertsw wrote: | I just felt like Kerry Ellis was "copying" Ruthie Henshall.
Hayden Tee looked bored.
Julia Moeller is wonderful though! She was better with Gary Tushaw last year though. |
What, voice-like?
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Moci
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| eponine5 wrote: | | I don't think she was copying so much, there have been so many Fantines that it would be rare to get a completely new style after so long. |
Just wait until the revival of Les Mis on Broadway.  I sense it'll be unique if nothing else.
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Etoile
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| Moci wrote: |
Just wait until the revival of Les Mis on Broadway. I sense it'll be unique if nothing else. |
In a good way or a bad way? I wanted to go to that but now after reading about it I'm a bit worried...
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Moci
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| Etoile wrote: | | Moci wrote: |
Just wait until the revival of Les Mis on Broadway. I sense it'll be unique if nothing else. |
In a good way or a bad way? I wanted to go to that but now after reading about it I'm a bit worried... |
Well Daphne Rubin-Vega is playing Fantine, I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt until I see or hear her, but she seems an unusual choice. Go and see it though because of Jenny Galloway, if nothing else. 
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javertsw
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| Fantine wrote: |
What, voice-like? |
Yes her voice sounded just like her, except not quite as good.
Strange, because I saw her in Miss Saigon and thought she was wonderful, but I didn't like her in Les Mis.
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