[ SECRET POST #2189 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2189 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 084 secrets from Secret Submission Post #313.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 1 2 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ], [ 1 2 - posted twice ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Except there are excellent theaters outside of New York and London, and many of the actors in off Broadway productions have worked on Broadway themselves. Everywhere that is not Broadway =/= a community playhouse. I do agree that there's a difference between seeing a play performed live and watching it on screen, since seeing one live is a much more visceral experience, but saying that you can only be a true fan if you've seen certain productions in certain places is ridiculous. That kind of attitude also doesn't do much to dispel the idea that theater fans are all snobby assholes, and as a bonus it plays into the ridiculousness that is the urban and coastal superiority complex.

[(Anonymous)]

Nicely spoken, and to the heart of the matter! A+

[perfidiousfate]

+1, anon. I saw it in an excellent, high-quality production with professional actors, in Québec City. But since it wasn't Broadway/London, it's OMG unacceptable? I don't get that logic.

It doesn't matter if someone read the book, watched the movie, watched a production at Broadway or at high school, watched the 25th anniversary concert on YouTube - they can still be fans. No matter what anyone says.

[comma_chameleon]

Thisss. I saw Phantom at the Pantages Theatre in Toronto (at thirteen, it was my birthday gift), and it was in my opinion, still the best vocal cast for that musical. I also so Miss Saigon in a small theatre in Toronto as well, and it was AMAZINGLY done. I don't feel any regret for not being able to see them on ~broadway~ or wherever else they might play.

[perfidiousfate]

Exactly. While Broadway is pretty awesome, it's not the only possible theatrical production in the world. There are talented people everywhere, and plays/musicals are meant to be interpreted and reinterpreted by many different directors. That's part of what makes their charm and complexity!

Edited to also say Toronto props! I used to live there. :)

[(Anonymous)]

You were 13 and it was your first time to see it - on your birthday, so you were excited. A nice memory for you, but hardly an objective opinion.

[(Anonymous)]

Opinions, by their very definition, cannot be objective. Otherwise, they are facts. Your opinion can be formed from objective facts but, ultimately, they're two different things.

[comma_chameleon]

*shrug*

I've heard other casts since then and I still consider Colm Wilkinson and Rebecca Caine to be the best (in my opinion) voices when it comes to PoTO.

This is of course, a personal opinion, and I'm not going to say to someone else who prefers another cast that they're wrong...

Also, considering Phantom had a ten year run at the Pantages, I would think it wasn't a flop...

[(Anonymous)]

Here's to hoping no one's stupid enough to argue about Colm Wilkinson's voice with you....

[(Anonymous)]

Theater Snob Person's head would probably explode, since Colm Wilkinson was in the original London/Broadway cast of Les Mis...

I also really enjoyed seeing him in the part of the Bishop in the movie.

[(Anonymous)]

Because when describing viewing experience, an objective measuring standard is really what we're after, amirite?

[(Anonymous)]

Because "it's only possible to see a good production in NYC or London" is totally objective.

[tenlittlebullets]

Here's an objective opinion, asshole: I've seen Les Mis on Broadway, in the West End, 3rd national tour, 25th anniversary tours on both sides of the pond, and I've seen them all multiple times. And the Québec production was amazeballs. They could package that shit up and put it on tour and I'd choose it over the West End production any day of the week, at least until the day the London casting directors finally pull their thumbs out of their asses and learn to recognize talent when they see it. Which, as far-off and improbable as that day might be, is probably still sooner than the day you realize the theatre world is not divided into Broadway, the West End, and middle-school productions of Bye Bye Birdie.

(Also shoutout to Signature Theatre's fantastic gothed-out industrial-dystopia reimagining of Les Mis, because DAMN.)

[kamino_neko]

The Pantages (Now the Ed Mirvish Theatre) is awesome.

I can't for the life of me remember what I saw there - the only thing I've seen in a big theatre - beyond that it's mostly festivals (Stratford and Shaw), outdoor shows, and the much derided small local theatres - but I remember the experience as a whole.

[tenlittlebullets]

Oh man, the Québec version was fantastic.

[perfidiousfate]

!!! Did you see the same version as I did? The 400th anniversary, I think it was, a few years back. If so, that's amazing. I loved that show, and to this bitter day regret not having some kind of recording of it, because it had a huge impact on me. It was definitely fantastic.

[tenlittlebullets]

I did! Twice, in fact. It was so popular they brought it back with the same cast the following summer, and I just had to go see it again even though it's a long damn drive up from Massachusetts. First time I saw it, it took me all of thirty seconds to completely lose my shit--I didn't think I'd ever get to hear Les Mis performed live in French, let alone performed in French with an operatic baritone Valjean in a production that showed so much love for the original novel. Les Mis was my primary fandom for aaaaages, and the Québec production was like someone had been peeking at my secret wishlist for how the show should be done. (The film gives me the exact same feeling, only more so because they had the power to add and change material and used it For Great Justice And Hugo Shoutouts.)

...let me get back to you on the "not having a recording of it" thing when I get home from work. :)

[penoftruthiness]

You have a recording? I might love you...

[perfidiousfate]

...I'm not going to get my hopes up for the recording but just know that if it does happen, you will be by far my most favourite person in the entire world and I will give you my eternal love. :)

Oh man, I didn't know it came back a second time! I would have totally gone to see it again (even though I was fairly young at the time and would have to have badgered my parents into it). The performers deserve every ounce of the popularity though, because they were pretty much perfect. And I really enjoyed the way they used the screen, too, to set the scene. I was already crying at all the deaths and when "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" started playing and all the names came up I pretty much lost it. I'll admit that was my introduction into Les Misérables, and I've never seen any other production, so I don't know how it's different, but I adore musicals and Les Misérables in a language I only half-understood is still by far my favourite.

I really enjoyed the movie too! It does make a great difference, being able to see the actors' faces in close up. And, of course, all the gorgeous period costumes. (I have a thing for military uniforms of that era, I admit). And the book shoutouts were wonderful. Cosette's doll is an example that comes to mind, as well as Gavroche's elephant. I'll admit I was a bit sad some songs were cut short, but I understand that they had to make tough directorial choices.

[tenlittlebullets]

Yessss. For all the other characters' big solos, I thought having their name on the screen was a bit cheesy, but then it got to Empty Chairs and I was like "....OH. Oh. Well that makes the whole concept worth it. oh my heart."

The costuuuuumes and the location filming and the perfect gorgeousness of everything and the book shoutouts (Fantine's teeth, jesus). And yeah, most of the cuts didn't bother me but I was super bummed that they didn't manage to include the end of the Confrontation or the beginning of On My Own. Both were in the shooting script, so I think they wanted to include them but ran out of running time. :(

[perfidiousfate]

Ha, well, the screen actually helped me figure out the names of the characters at first. But I agree the best part was Empty Chairs. Including the very last bit, where all the Amis were lit up from behind it, with Enjolras holding the flag...One of the more vivid memories I have.

The scene with Fantine's teeth was really good; tons of people actually flinched watching it. And yeah, the running time was an issue. Already a lot of people are saying it's too long. D: Personally, I would've been very happy with a longer version :) My least favourite cut is probably "Little People"; Gavroche is flawless and deserves as much screen time as possible, and it would have also made his death scene more poignant, as he sung an excerpt from the same song.

Speaking of death scenes, I like how they did Enjolras' death scene - it was close to the book version, but still had the drama of the stage version. Oh, and the Bishop at the end, with Jean Valjean...That was amazing, too.

Well, maybe once they release the DVD there might be an extended edition of the movie...I heard they cut out at least fifteen minutes that they were definitely planning to include. A DVD seems an apt place to show more footage.

[(Anonymous)]

Well said! One of the things I love best about live theatre is that talent is by no means confined to Broadway or the West End. Great performances can come from anywhere. I've personally been lucky enough to see several shows on Broadway/the West End, including Les Miz. Were they all incredible? Some more than others, but for the most part yes. Is that the only place I've seen great theatre? Absolutely not.

(FWIW, my favorite theatre company is the Arden in Philadelphia.)