Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net |
| Quique |
Revival ChangesI'd like to compile a list of changes that were put in place for the Broadway revival. Many of these changes are small, but others - like the orchestrations - are a HUGE travesty.So far, I know they've... - Reorchestrated (Why, oh, why, oh why?) most of the show. - Altered some of the lighting, adding bright shades of blue that were not there before. - Slo-mo in a verse during MOTH. - Restored some of the cuts, especially during the Prologue. - Changed the lyrics to Gavroche's Death. Please add anything I've missed. |
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| Paula74 |
I nearly wept when I heard what they did to "Stars." I'm fairly musically illiterate thanks to a school with no real music program, but I was horrified. I didn't know if I'd make it to NYC before Norm left and a friend who knew I was really interested in seeing him found a recording of "Stars" to send me...just in case. It sounded like Norm was accompanied by a music box from a dollar store. |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Re: Revival Changes
- Addition of the "eagle flies" line from London - Cut most of "Little People" - Exchanged "always be a slave" with "you're standing in your grave" |
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| flying_pigs |
Well, I don't know if this was in the Broadway production before it closed but after On My Own, the barricade boys sing the 'Now we pledge ourselves to hold this barricade...'. Whereas in London they go straight in with the warnings. | ||||
| Quique |
Grantaire's guitar strumming. | ||||
| Trevor |
I actually LOVE the Grantaire guitar part. | ||||
| EponineMNFF |
They changed Cosette's costume a bit too.
Is it me, or does it sound like they redid the end chords? The "AAAAHHH AAAHHH AAHHH TOMORROW COOOOMES" bit? It just seemed different last time. |
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| NotoriousFunnt |
I'm pretty sure that was there before. I remember it being in the national tour which I saw about a year after the Broadway production closed. Paula74, I'm glad you noticed that in "Stars". It makes me feel at least a tad more hopeful to see that someone who isn't a musician notices how...well, dreadful...some of the new orchestrations are. |
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| eponine5 |
To add to the comment about the lighting, as well as updating the original effects, they've added a window in Come To Me. And if I'm remembering correctly, they've also added a strong orange-ish light to the beginning of Turning. I don't know whether some of that has been in productions before, but I don't think any of it has been in the London production. | ||||
| LesMisForever |
(NT...thank you for changing your avatar back to the Oboe  )
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| Fantine |
What's this? |
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| Quique |
^ Grantaire plays a guitar during "Drink With Me."
I don't know...seems cheesy. I hope it doesn't pull focus away from the lyrics and interactions. |
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| Electricity24601 |
I think it's possibly the only good change they've made. It makes the song seem more intimate and bittersweet.
re: lighting- I've made friends with some of the stagehands and they affectionately call Javert's suicide "the toilet scene" because of the swirling, vortex-like lighting. It looks as ridiculous as it sounds. I'm pretty sure that's new to the revival. |
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| Quique |
^ They've always had that.
I was reading some newapaper reviews of the revival and noticed that some of them mention how the show has been 'scaled down' or that it's not as visually impressive as the original Broadway production. First off, that's bull. Those of us who know the show well know that the 3rd national tour is identical in design and scale as the original Broadway production. I've seen all three U.S. national tours a total of 19 times, the original Broadway production 6 times and - being the nit-picky fan that I am - I can tell you with absolute certainty that all 4 U.S. productions were visually indistinguishable from each other. The revival is using the 3rd national tour's set, so nothing has been cut down or redesigned. Second, I'm willing to bet that the new orchestrations are responsible for the critics' perception that the show has been 'scaled down.' I bet the cheaply thin and stupid new orchestrations have affected the overall impact of the show on a subconscious level. What used to be a thrilling, moving piece, now feels emotionally watered-down and distant. The original orchestrations gave the show warmth and a passionate sound that tugged at audience's heartstrings the world over. John Cameron's original orchestrations were emotive, lush, and simply genius. They messed with perfection all in the name of $$$$. And it can't be the performances, because the original revival cast did a marvelous job...something echoed by most critics. I know I keep harping on this, but I'm DEEPLY saddended by what they've done. It's like a nightmare. Hah...remember how furious I was back when they first started using that crappo Sinfonia machine in London? I feel kind of dumb ranting about that back then, because the new orchestrations make that seem like nothing. I NEVER would've imagined that they'd ever go in and do something like this to the show. How many popular shows do you know of that have had their original, award winning orchestrations changed? Hardly none I'm sure, if any. And to pull something like this on a show like Les Mis is just heartless and idiotic. What the ---- were they thinking? The most depressing thing is there is nothing that we can do to reverse this. It is likely that the new orchestrations will be used in all future productions of the show, seeing as they are planning on using them in the upcoming Dutch production. If I could, I'd do something about it. The first thing I'd do if I saw Cameron on the street is literally beg him to bring back the original orchestrations (as if he'd ever listen to me)...bring in that Sinfonia, downsize the orchestra, whatever, I don't care....just bring back those beautiful orchestrations. It's not the same show without them. I feel an enormous void whenever I listen to the new ones, and find myself looking forward to the little bits that have not been tampered with. That's a cruel thing to do to faithful fans of this amazing show, not to mention to the show itself. [/End Highly Emotional Rant] |
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| Orestes Fasting |
Depends. It pulls the focus away from the other barricade boys and the general camraderie of the scene, but it highlights Grantaire's interaction with Marius and especially Enjolras. |
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| Fantine |
Javert's Suicide is one of my favourite scenes, if the actor puts it off well. McCarthy was amazing in that.
I cannot forgive the directors for the cut that they made to my favourite line in the whole of Les Mis (during Drink With Me): "Could it be your death means nothing at all? Is your life just one more lie?" |
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| Orestes Fasting |
Er... that line is still in there, at least in the revival. |
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| Fantine |
I thought they changed it...? When we were discussing the "new" cuts way back when, I thought someone said that those lyrics had changed... It made me really angry. BTW OF, is that a "joke" in your signature? Lamarque spelled as Lamarck and l'�volution instead of r�volution? |
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| Orestes Fasting |
Nope, none of the lines in Drink With Me were changed. As far as I know, the only new cuts were Little People and a verse of Castle on a Cloud. There are other weird cuts in the revival, but they're the same as the ones that have been around since 2001 or so.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Lamarck |
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| Quique |
They didn't cut it, but they reversed the line to "Could it be your life means nothing at all? Will your death be one more lie?" for the 10th anniversary Broadway production and remained in place up until the revival.
The original lyric and the revival's is "Could it be your death means nothing at all? Is your life just one more lie?" |
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| bigsis222 |
Uhmmm... no, it hasn't changed. A swing was on that night, and the lyric you see above was his genius invention when he forgot the words. I remember having to stifle a laugh when it happened. |
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| EponineMNFF |
Hahaha I always reverse those by mistake when I sing along. x_x | ||||
| mastachen |
to me the words seem to make more sense the revised way... | ||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
They actually did it that way in the original Aussie run. Michael Turkic flubbed DWM during rehearsal in the presence of Trevor Nunn -- who suggested they keep it. |
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| Quique |
Really? 
I always thought that it was reversed for the 10th ann. Broadway production in 1997. I even recall there being much talk about it both online and in "The Barricade" at the time. I know the revival now uses the original lyric, not the reversed one. It has been awhile, so I could be wrong. Which night were you referring to, by the way? |
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| Fantine |
I see 
I'm thankful that they didn't change those lines. |
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| BroadwayBeast |
They did...and i hated it! |
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| EponineMNFF |
I actually quite like the new version. I think it sounds more... hm I can't think of a word. I think it packs less of a "YES WE'RE DONE" punch, but it's more inspiring to me.
It's brought me to tears every time. *Blush* ^^;; Were any other harmonies changed? I don't quite remember. x_x |
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| Fantine |
In what way did that harmony change? |