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Vanessa20

Favorite Thenardiers

Since a fair amount of people have responded to Disney-Bway27's "Favorite Fantine" thread, I thought I'd start another one about characters who aren't discussed that often.

Of the Thenardiers I've seen live, I think it's a tossup between David Benoit and Norman Large, though I also liked Chip Zien and wish I could have seen him more than once. As for Mme. T. it's a tossup between Jenny Galloway, Jennifer Butt, and what I remember of my first one, Aymee Garcia. As a pair, the best were probably Benoit and Butt.

On the recordings, I think I like Alun Armstrong and Jenny Galloway the best overall. Barry James and Gay Soper are unforgettable too, though- they steal the CSR. The pair on the Paris recording (what are their names again?) aren't half bad either.
Disney-Bway27

Jenny Galloway is amaaaazing. I don't know the M. Thenardier's that well but Jenny Galloway is by far the best Mme. Thenardier I've ever heard.
jackrussell

No names spring to mind but I'd like any who can just sing the words without putting on exaggerated Cockney accents and falling over themselves trying to be funny.

As someone else has said, it's a bit odd that the musical, unlike the book, uses the Thenardiers to show us the funny side of child abuse.
lesmisloony

I understand the point of using them as comic relief, though--what else is? Without them people would stagger out of Les Mis like they'd been slapped in the face. Three hours of misery? Despite the title, I don't think it'd sell.

That said, I much prefer performances in which the Thenardiers, or at least M., get darker as the show goes on. I don't see any need for any humour at all during Dog Eats Dog. It's a beautiful, chilling song with no room for comedic embellishments... *narrows eyes at Gary Beach*... and it finally pays some respect to Hugo's version of the character. But then I'm not sure how to reconcile such a performance with Beggars at the Feast. Sigh.

Think about it, though. In the Book, the bishop gets more jokes than the Thenardiers. It's weird because, having seen the musical first, I still look at them with a slight softness, like I expect them to do something funny at any moment, but the musical just pulled that out of nowhere.
The Very Angry Woman

Stephen Colella, Norman Large, James Chip Leonard

Jennifer Butt, Lisa Howard, Aymee Garcia
Artemis Entreri

Agreed, Dogs Eats Dog is not funny. And at that point of the show, we don't need fun. It shows Th�nardier as the rat he is.

I have to confess, I can't stand Master of the House. Especially not when the audience is crazy about them (see Broadway Abridged).

Favourite Th�nardier: PRC one

Favourite Madame: Jenny
jackrussell

lesmisloony wrote:
I understand the point of using them as comic relief, though--what else is? Without them people would stagger out of Les Mis like they'd been slapped in the face. Three hours of misery? Despite the title, I don't think it'd sell.

That said, I much prefer performances in which the Thenardiers, or at least M., get darker as the show goes on. I don't see any need for any humour at all during Dog Eats Dog. It's a beautiful, chilling song with no room for comedic embellishments... *narrows eyes at Gary Beach*... and it finally pays some respect to Hugo's version of the character. But then I'm not sure how to reconcile such a performance with Beggars at the Feast. Sigh.

Think about it, though. In the Book, the bishop gets more jokes than the Thenardiers. It's weird because, having seen the musical first, I still look at them with a slight softness, like I expect them to do something funny at any moment, but the musical just pulled that out of nowhere.


I agree there has to be some comic relief, otherwise the tragic parts lose their effect. However I think Gavroche is a much better comic relief character - that's why it's a shame the original Little People was cut. If that had been left in, Gavroche would make for excellent comedy relief, plus it would give his death more poignancy. It would also then be easier for Thenardier to be portrayed as a rounded character rather than just a pantomime villain.
Orestes Fasting

Jenny Galloway is a goddamn genius and had the audience wrapped around her pinky finger every single time I saw her. I liked Jennifer Butt's take also, but Jenny Galloway is just masterful.

As for Th�nardier, I liked Chip Zien and James Chip Leonard, and I'm very sad I never got to see either of them with Jenny.
lesmisloony

jackrussell wrote:
lesmisloony wrote:
I understand the point of using them as comic relief, though--what else is? Without them people would stagger out of Les Mis like they'd been slapped in the face. Three hours of misery? Despite the title, I don't think it'd sell.

That said, I much prefer performances in which the Thenardiers, or at least M., get darker as the show goes on. I don't see any need for any humour at all during Dog Eats Dog. It's a beautiful, chilling song with no room for comedic embellishments... *narrows eyes at Gary Beach*... and it finally pays some respect to Hugo's version of the character. But then I'm not sure how to reconcile such a performance with Beggars at the Feast. Sigh.

Think about it, though. In the Book, the bishop gets more jokes than the Thenardiers. It's weird because, having seen the musical first, I still look at them with a slight softness, like I expect them to do something funny at any moment, but the musical just pulled that out of nowhere.


I agree there has to be some comic relief, otherwise the tragic parts lose their effect. However I think Gavroche is a much better comic relief character - that's why it's a shame the original Little People was cut. If that had been left in, Gavroche would make for excellent comedy relief, plus it would give his death more poignancy. It would also then be easier for Thenardier to be portrayed as a rounded character rather than just a pantomime villain.


Yeah, but if you hate little kids, like me... Gavroche is just annoying.
Quique

Jennifer Butt
Aymee Garcia

Norman Large
Drew Eshelman
David Benoit
Chip Zien


My fave Mme. T. will always be Gina Ferrall. Unfortunately, she really played up the comedy a bit much when she did the role on Broadway. But I loved her when she was with the 3rd NT.
EponineBarker

I saw Jenny on the TAC and she was really good, but she's so much better live! Definately my favorite. Smile

I liked Alun Armstrong as Thenardier and he was good in the TAC as well...and I'm probably going to get shot for this, but...I liked Gary Beach too when I saw the revival.
EponineMNFF

Loved Jenny like everyone else.

It's sort of horrible, but I have sort of a hard time telling one Thenardier from the other. Because the character is so out there, it seems like nobody does anything new with him... Except for Gary Beach, who's just on his own little planet. >.<
javertim

Favorite Thenardiers:
DAVID BENOIT, David McDonald, and Christopher Hoch.
(I think Benoit as Thenardier is the best Les Mis performance I've ever seen.)

Favorite Madames:
Jennifer Butt, Sarah Dacey Charles, and Aymee Garcia.
mastachen

The only ones I've seen live are Norman Large and Gary Beach, and I've only seen Jenny Galloway and Jennifer Butt live. Both of the Madame T's are brilliant, and Norman Large is a great Thernardier.
javeroo-japan

I saw Les Mis in London & NY several times, and also in Japan for more than 10 times.
My conclusion is that, Japanese Thenardiers are very good. Especially Thenardiers are good. Please come to Japan to see them! Japanese Les Mis is open for 2-4 months almost every year.
http://www.tohostage.com/lesmiserables/top.html
Jekkienumber24601

Norman Large and Nick Wyman
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