I saw Les Misérables performed live today at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City. You don’t know how I felt. You can’t know. I haven’t talked about Les Miz as much as Wicked, but I love it. I adore it. That music makes me want to run around and jump off a cliff because it’s so good. And I finally saw it performed.
It was fantastic.
Right before it started I had a moment of fear that it was going to suck. I was so afraid.
It was fantastic.
I cried. I never cry at performances. I cried. I cried when Gavroche died and then when they showed him on the barricade, and then during “Bring Him Home.” I knew the story, but I was not emotionally prepared.
Jean Valjean was definitely good, but better in the second act.
I LOVED Javert. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. He was so utterly and completely wonderful. I liked whenever he took off his hat, though he should not wear red bandanas. I loved how physically he always seemed to command the stage. And of course his voice….ah! I just wish I could tell him that and then follow him around for the rest of my life. Is that so much to ask? “Stars.” And every other line he sang.
Marius was good, I just hate his character and that’s not his fault.
Same goes for Cosette, although her hair looked ridiculously fake.
Eponine was great, and I am her. Her death started off the first of the tears, I should note.
Fantine was good. I liked her. I’ve never really thought her character was that memorable, though that’s not a popular opinion.
The little kid who played Gavroche was absolutely adorable, although his accent (Cockney, for some odd reason) was so thick I didn’t know what he was saying most of the time. As I said, his death killed me with him, and then when he was dead on the barricade I just lost it.
The student leader, Enjolras, was totally hot, in case you were wondering, and that guy can sing. He got shot waving the red flag of freedom, and then he was draped down the front of the barricade horribly.
I thought the Bishop and the Foreman were both great, although obviously in very different ways, because they’re very different characters, haha. I just don’t have much to say about either.
There were two sign language interpreters and they were fun to watch. They were definitely performing with their faces as they signed.
The ensemble was really talented, and I loved how they danced and sang and whatnot and they rocked it.
Okay, Javert is obviously the best. I adore him. But I saved these two for last, because I didn’t expect to love them. And did. The Thenardiers. Especially Mssr. Thenardier. I. Adored. Him. He was so despicable, and I loved him for it. I can’t explain it, he was HILARIOUS. So funny. SO FUNNY. And once Amber pointed it out to me I realized that she is totally right: he did look/move/act like Timothy Spall (aka Peter Pettigrew and that sidekick guy in Enchanted). Very ratlike. His wife was hilarious as well. When they exited for the last time in their crazy rich people makeup he bowed and we were all screaming and clapping because we love them, and he was like, "Stop," with his hands, and then, "Oh, go on," and bowed, and I love him.
Basically I want to stalk this show after Wicked. I LOVE IT. I’m seriously considering going down in a month or so to see it again. And I vowed to Amber that I will always make the Utah Shakespeare Festival a part of my summer.
It was fantastic.
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