Les Misérables

The musical masterpiece that is Les Misérables has finally been immortalised on film in an equally staggering portrayal directed by Oscar nominated Tom Hooper. In the words of prison guard Javert, prisoner 24601’s time is up and his parole has begun. Cue 150 minutes of turmoil, battles for survival, love, sacrifice, some stellar renditions of the musical’s well-known classics, and just wishing you knew the reason why Gavroche, a Parisian boy, has a notably cockney accent.

The story, based on Victor Hugo’s hefty novel of the same name, primarily follows ex-convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) as he sets out to be the best possible version of himself. In the meantime, Javert (Russell Crowe) is on a relentless man hunt because, by going on the run, Valjean has broken the rules of his parole. Despite becoming Mayor of Montreuil, the former prison mate does not ignore the needy and unfortunate; from the moment he promises a desperate mother called Fantine (Anne Hathaway) that he will look after her child, the rest of his life is dramatically changed. The second half of the film also involves a tumultuous student uprising in Paris, and one of the most exhilarating finales I’ve ever experienced outside of a live theatre show.

Jackman was even better than I anticipated; his storytelling through song was second to none. His fellow Oscar nominee Anne Hathaway was also extraordinary and her Fantine will break the hearts of any who are exposed to her rendition of the iconic, I Dreamed a Dream. As for Russell Crowe…at least when the film comes out on DVD we have the luxury of volume control. Having said that, he did have moments where the singing ability took a backseat and I was just too impressed with his acting performance to care which notes he was attempting to hit. Put it this way, I doubt you’ll find his vocals anywhere near as bad as Monsieur Brosnan’s in the Mamma Mia movie.

It was fantastic to see cameos from original Les Mis legends such as Colm Wilkinson, who originated the role of Jean Valjean on stage in London back in the 80s. Speaking of ‘back in the day’, Hooper’s decision to have the cast sing live for every take, rather than dubbing their pre-recorded voices over the top, has not been used in film since around the 1930s and it really worked in this movie’s favour. The spontaneity of the acting choices made whilst singing live produced more raw and honest performances, just like those we come to expect in a professional stage production, especially when Eddie Redmayne sang ‘Empty Chairs At Empty Tables’ and whenever Hugh Jackman opened his mouth. This approach also benefited the comedic timing of the disgustingly bizarre yet uproarious Thénardiers (Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen).

I will undoubtedly be making another trip to see this master class in performing and film making. Les Misérables is a must see, for both life long fans of the musical and those who are new to this timeless story.

Response to David Sexton

David Sexton: How can anyone who loves music enjoy musicals? 

Original article-  http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/david-sexton-how-can-anyone-who-loves-music-enjoy-musicals-8445520.html

Sexton’s article header is clearly a rhetorical question, but as a fan of musical theatre, otherwise referred to ever so eloquently by Sexton as a “poor sap”, I am obviously too intellectually inferior to understand this and have therefore written him an answer.

While the majority of us who write about theatre aim to give fair and balanced opinions, Sexton feels that he and his army of musical theatre haters have been under represented, and so he has written a rather baseless and misinformed article formulated around the argument that acting, singing, and God forbid, dancing all at the same time is “embarrassing and stupid.” Those who dare to appreciate the years of hard work and dedication that go into a musical can only be described as “freaks”, so Sexton says.

I find watching a musical an immersive and exciting experience. The standard of performance on professional stages can be breathtaking, and only comes from genuine talent that has been shaped by years of training. Bearing in mind these performers are on stage almost every night and are expected to deliver the same standard each time, I would consider them just as impressive if not more so than the recording artists of today who are hardly ever required to do this. Singing and dancing at the same time may “repel” the likes of Sexton, but the stamina required is at a level a lot of us spend our lives trying to reach and never do. Of course there are those who don’t enjoy musicals, and they are quite within their rights to dislike it, but what is unprofessional and unnecessary is to insult those who are equally within their rights to enjoy this harmless form of entertainment.

Where Sexton reveals his lack of thorough knowledge of the performance industry is when he writes that the big musicals, claiming Les Misérables to be the notable offender, have “wallowingly melodramatic plots”, and later writes that anyone over the age of five with any taste cannot possibly enjoy the contributions of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Many will know that the plot of Les Misérables is based on a classic novel written by Victor Hugo, and so Sexton’s criticism actually relates back to the original literature rather than the musical adaptation by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg. In fact, a considerable number of the musicals that are currently doing well in both the West End and on Broadway are based on literature (Wicked, Matilda), or film (The Lion King), or a true story (Jersey Boys), so Sexton is in fact degrading a whole host of different and, I think it would be fair to say, hugely popular art forms. He may find musical theatre “idiotic”, but a bit of background research into the subject before making a comment wouldn’t go amiss.

As for ALW’s contribution to the industry, let us use Phantom of the Opera (another musical based on previously written literature­) as the example. This musical has been running in the West End now for over 25 years… not bad considering it is apparently only the toddlers and the tasteless who are going to see it. For a show to last that long, each performance needs to be almost if not completely sold out in order to raise enough money to keep it running. I would be interested to hear Sexton’s reasoning for why people would be filling the theatres and spending their hard earned cash on shows such as this if they don’t actually enjoy them.

Sexton claims he would rather endure root canal treatment than sit through a musical, in which case I welcome him to all the dentistry operations he can imagine and suggest he write articles on them instead, rather than brandishing his ignorance of musical theatre and mindlessly attacking a highly successful and appreciated part of our culture.

Loserville Review- Garrick Theatre

'Pinch me, is this real?’ Song writer James Bourne, along with writer/composer Elliot Davis, have turned Son of Dork’s debut album, Welcome to Loserville, into a fun, geeky, and electric new musical. Set in the 70s, Loserville celebrates the high school underdog, the teenagers who have all the weird and wonderful ideas but are mocked and shunned by the other kids. Michael Dork, (Aaron Sidwell) along with his best friends and potential first ever girlfriend, Holly (Eliza Hope Bennett), set out to change their status with a revolutionary idea- electronic communication.

It would be unfair to merely disregard this musical as a new manifestation of the T.V. show Glee. Yes it shares similar themes, but where Glee tends to, on occasion, shoe-horn relevant tunes into the story, Son of Dork’s music is seamlessly woven with a clever and refreshing script, showcasing the anecdotal quality of the tunes and encouraging the fluidity of the production overall. The show isn’t perfect, but it does not deserve to have its run in the West End cut short.

The choreography was executed with euphoria-inducing energy and the props were simple but playfully utilised by a well-rounded cast. Strong but seemingly effortless performances were given by all, and their vibrancy was reflected in the colourful lighting design we were treated to throughout the show.

What was encouraging to see was the sea of fresh new faces amongst the actors. As well as all of its other delights, Loserville afforded new names the opportunity to have their time in the spotlight. If the future of theatre lies in the hands of this talented group, then colour me satisfied.

 

Reality TV Talent Searches

There are some reality TV shows I’ll sit and watch every week, some I’m indifferent to, and others I question the sanity and intelligence of the producers/creators. In July 2006, composer extraordinaire Andrew Lloyd Webber approached the BBC to launch a programme that would allow the public to watch a selection of talented young ladies in a series of weekly, live ‘auditions’, and then vote for who they would like to see as the new Maria Von Trapp in the West End production of The Sound of Music. Six years later, the controversy of such a method of casting is still going strong, and has come back into the spotlight with yet another reality show- a search for the lead role in Jesus Christ Superstar. This time Lloyd Webber is offering the winner the chance to perform in an arena tour, and he has also jumped ship from the BBC to ITV.

I have been reading several different responses to this more recent show, and they have varied from calling it blasphemous, to a terrible shame that the casting of musicals has been lowered to this undignified approach to finding a new leading man/lady. So I thought I’d share my point of view, and please remember it is just that- I’m not a performer, I never went to a theatre school in London, and I’ve never been, nor know anybody who has been, on the inside of one of these shows, so I’m not for one second trying to maintain that I’m completely right or 100% ‘in the know’.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’m against these kinds of shows and I honestly don’t think they do the damage that some are maintaining. If you think about the positive attributes- it gives those who couldn’t afford musical theatre training a chance to break into the industry thereby revealing talent that nobody knew existed and widening the search; people who have always dreamed of being on the stage but had to pursue other careers have the chance to turn back time, shall we say, and give theatre another chance; and it allows the viewers, the ones who pay to see these West End shows, to voice an opinion about who we would prefer to see in the lead role. I’ve read a couple of articles that make it sound as though the public having a say in these casting shows is one of their biggest problems. This is interesting, considering when it comes to award shows like the What’s On Stage Awards, where the winners are voted for entirely by the public, the audience’s opinion is a big deal, and is considerably relevant (if you watch interviews with the nominated actors, nearly all of them say that the reason these awards are so special is because they are voted for by the public instead of critics). So why when it comes to us having a say in the casting are we all of a sudden incapable and unqualified? It’s not like it’s entirely up to us; even though the public get a vote, each week ‘the Lord’ gets the ultimate say on who out of the least popular contestants is staying and who should go home (until the very last week) and there is always a panel of judges who tend to know what they are talking about to help us with our decision.

So far the public have chosen exceptional winners, such as Danielle Hope who at just 18 gave one of the most beautiful renditions of Somewhere Over the Rainbow I have ever heard, and Lee Mead, after winning the search for Joseph in 2007, continued to find work in popular West End shows like Wicked. But not only do the winners gain West End careers, other contestants who reach the live shows have also found themselves in show business- Samantha Barks for example did not win the search for Oliver!’s Nancy, but she gained the part of Eponine in the stage version of Les Miserables, and was recently cast in the film version alongside Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman. I chose Samantha as the example because critic for The Stage, Mark Shenton, wrote: “It’s possible that Samantha Barks, who came third in the Oliver! contest, is destined for bigger stardom now than anyone on the reality TV shows so far”. Yes, Samantha will more than likely become a bigger star and more famous (which some celebrities consider more of a curse than a blessing) than winner of the show Jodie Prenger, but that does not mean she was more suitable for the role of Nancy- she left the programme and found her own path, and good for her. Shenton wrote previously to this that: “It’s arguable that the best person for the job isn’t necessarily the one the public chooses”, but you can say the same for private auditions where the casting directors make all the decisions; at the end of the day it’s all a matter of opinion, but if the actor sells tickets, they entertain, and they receive excellent feedback from the audience and critics, then they can’t be doing much wrong.

Jesus Christ Superstar has sparked even further debate than the previous talent shows because of already established West End performers, such as Oliver Tompsett, Alex Gaumond, and Roger Wright taking part. Shenton wrote (and he is by no means the only one saying this): “It’s certainly depressing that established talent feels it’s necessary to submit themselves to the indignity of a public popularity contest.” Firstly, I wouldn’t refer to their situation as depressing; as already stated, they are established and successful performers who have experienced the spotlight and they already know how capable they are. They are more than likely living, or have lived, their dream of being a West End star, so I’m not too quick to feel sorry for them just because their audition for this particular part involves being part of a televised talent search. I’d also like to point out that established performers are not some sort of higher being, and nor are they above going back to the beginning and auditioning with people who don’t have the training, the agent, or the experience that most West End performers have.  I don’t believe these guys see themselves as above this process either, otherwise they wouldn’t have gone ahead and auditioned for it. Here I’d like to insert a quote from Oliver Tompsett’s Facebook page that gives evidence to my point: "I have never asked for a free pass for anything & do not want to be treated any different from the next guy […] to those who think that it’s beneath them to audition in such a manner in front of the nation & show that you’re only human and share your warts and all? I only have this to say: ‘TOO CHICKEN?’ ”

Well said.

As for referring to the shows as a popularity contest, the majority of the audience doesn’t personally know the contestants on these shows, so realistically we can’t just vote for the one we think we could be friends with; we have to vote on the performances they give and the attitudes they have. We want to know that they are willing to put every ounce of effort into the role, should they be chosen for it.

Having said all this, based on the viewings of this search for Jesus Christ Superstar, the public are getting a little disinterested in this format of casting. To begin with if he wanted to continue with these searches, Lloyd Webber would have done better to stay with the BBC, because ITV have made this year’s cheesier than ever, and quite a lot of it seems disjointed and a bit rushed. Not to mention the ‘last supper’ and other religious puns are not doing the show any favours, and I can’t be doing with all the adverts every ten minutes. Let’s just say the format of the show could do with some work. Nonetheless we shouldn’t predict that ticket sales for the arena tour are also going to suffer; I believe people will still be highly interested in seeing the actual production regardless of their discontentment for the casting process. Those who are feeling as though all of musical theatre is going down the pan because of Lloyd Webber’s reality TV should remember that there are several incredible musicals and shows out there that have nothing to do with him, and they seem happy to not follow in his footsteps and continue with the traditional ways of auditioning- all is not lost!

What we should all come to accept however is that however beneficial three years of training at Arts Ed, Mountview, and LIPA etc are, it is not the only route to becoming a professional performer. It definitely works for some people, but others have their reasons for attempting a different approach. When it comes down to it, it shouldn’t matter where you start; if you have the talent, you’re prepared to work hard, and you’re ready for the multiple rejections and harsh words on your way to the top, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, televised or not. Some see these shows as an elongated advertisement for the production, but that could be what the West End needs, especially with the Olympics approaching amidst fears that shows are going to have to close because everyone’s attentions will either be on sport or on staying away from the capital. If Lloyd Webber can encourage people to see a show, and others besides, I don’t see it as something to complain about.

Rock of Ages

L-R Simon Lipkin, Justin Lee Collins, Oliver Tompsett. Photo taken from Rock of Ages London website.

Quite frankly this musical was genuinely the most fun I think I’ve ever had in the theatre; a simple and enjoyable storyline with a script permeated with uninhibited and hilarious jokes that delight your unashamed and slightly naughty funny bone.

Five-time Tony nominated musical Rock of Ages is the story of young dreamers Drew (Oliver Tompsett) and Sherrie (Natalie Andreou) who find themselves working in Dennis Dupree’s (Justin Lee Collins) Bourbon Room on the Sunset Strip of Los Angeles. Narrated by the hysterical Lonny (Simon Lipkin) we watch this city boy and small town girl strive to achieve their goals, while Dupree does his utmost best to keep his beloved bar from being closed down- enter womaniser Stacee Jaxx (Shayne Ward) whose popularity could be the Bourbon’s only chance. Containing 28 rock anthems, including Wanted Dead or Alive, The Final Countdown, Don’t Stop Believin’ and Here I Go Again, heart-racing choreography by Kelly Devine, and a cheesy but witty book by Chris D'arienzo, this show will have you out of your seats and brimming with nostalgia and cheer.

Tompsett’s vocal range is outstanding, and he gave his character the perfect balance of charm, perseverance, and at times (as most musicians who had to battle the odds at the beginning of their careers may remember) the frustration that only comes from wanting something so badly. The audience were in his corner from start to finish, and the energy Oliver has on stage makes him simply glow with excellence. Natalie’s performance was also a stand out; she has a powerful and beautiful voice, and her Sherrie is charismatic and very likable, despite the mistakes she makes on her way to Hollywood stardom. Simon Lipkin’s Lonny is cheeky, childish, and playful as the day is long; he provides the majority of the humour and he does it extremely well.

I found myself feeling extremely proud of Justin Lee Collins in this musical; having watched the programme he did for Sky about his progression from a karaoke regular to a professional performer on the West End stage, I was aware of where he started and could compare that to where he is now. It is very obvious how hard he has worked for this part, and even though his vocals were not quite on the same level of those in the cast who have perhaps received years of training in preparation for this kind of career, they were still brilliant and well suited to his part, and his acting was of an incredible standard. Rachel McFarlane (Justice) should have been in more of the show in my opinion- she is fairly absent during the first few scenes, then all of sudden out she comes with such a strong, crystal clear voice that just stunned the audience into silence (quite a considerable achievement considering how excitable they had been throughout the rest of the show).

The success of this musical rests on the cast’s abilities to sing these already established classic hits that almost everybody in the audience will know the words to, and several will be protective of their legacy. Both individually and collectively, this group of actors do an exceptional job. You do feel like you are at a best of the best rock concert, and that is also thanks to the live band who remain on stage throughout the entire performance and from the beginning are vital members of the cast- staggering performances were given by these guys as well. If you’re looking for an entertaining, loud, and lively night this is the perfect musical for you- it is one of the few currently on the West End where you can let your hair down and sing along as loudly as you’d like. Rock of Ages is the king of the crowd pleasers.

I wouldn't recommend this show for young children- but for you adults out there, here is the link to get your tickets http://www.rockofagesmusical.co.uk/

My Stage Door Experiences (all two of them)

Making my way to the stage door after watching a show was never something I had done until fairly recently when, after my second viewing of the Jersey Boys, my friend Hollie said: “you do know we have to take you to the stage door after this”. Half of me was so pleased she said this because I had really wanted to meet the actors ever since I started watching Youtube videos to find out who the Jersey Boys even were. However, the other half of me felt like she’d just said I was going to be part of an electric chair experiment- what on earth was I going to say to these people?! I can be really self-conscious when meeting new people for the first time, and I can either be stunned into silence or I’ll start talking complete nonsense; so you can imagine what I was worried I’d be like meeting people I admired so much. If it wasn’t for Hollie, I’d still be completely oblivious to the experience and I’d still be too nervous to approach it by myself. Not to mention I don’t even know where any of the theatres’ stage doors are, and as I usually go to these shows with friends who do enjoy theatre, but are perhaps not as invested in it as me, I would usually deem it unfair to make them walk up and down side streets with me looking for them.

Back to the story; the show ended and I decided yes, let’s go to the stage door and say hello (baby steps). I had a rough idea of where this door was, because I’d seen other fan’s photos and figured out which bars/shops it was opposite, so this one wasn’t much of a hassle. It turns out I really had nothing to be nervous about. The blue doors opened and the cast came out in steady flow and either greeted people they recognised and some they didn’t, or alternatively they headed off somewhere to refresh for the next show. Basically, they were just like normal human beings- who knew! The first cast member I spoke to was Matt Wycliffe, and the first thing my friend Emily told him was that I was nervous to meet him (thanks Em) and I denied it with a “nooooo I’m not, I’m fiiiiiine”, even though we all know it was actually “yessss, I really am”. Either way, it didn’t seem like he was bothered by that one bit; he signed our tickets and we had a quick chat about the liveliness of the crowd and how it makes the show even better, he gave the tickets back with a smile, and there ended my first encounter with a west end star. I survived!!  Once that was over, I realised how silly I’d been to be so worried about embarrassing myself. When you think about it, they get all sorts of people ranging from the shy to the over confident, but as long as you’re polite, kind, and you don’t start crying, the actors will nearly always be happy to speak to you.

Next to appear a short while later was Ryan Molloy- the star of the show, an original cast member, and the real Frankie Valli’s favourite Frankie Valli. As he came out he was stopped by a couple of girls for a chat, and as he walked away from them myself and Emily approached him, and I waved (it was very much a geeky, ‘I carried a watermelon’ wave) to indicate that we wanted to say hi. Once again, he was very friendly, he signed our tickets, we told him how we loved the show, and this time I even asked for a photo- such progress! There endeth my first stage door experience. The second time I went to this very same stage door was with a different friend, Emma, who loves musicals just as much as I do, and this time as well as speaking to Matt and Ryan, we caught Wayne Smith’s attention. He was such a sweetheart, and he seemed just as interested in hearing little things about us as we were listening to what he had to say.

My main point here is that stage doors are definitely worth a visit, should it be something you really want to do. It can be daunting for some, but don’t forget that even though you may be completely star struck and you fear the sudden emergence of word vomit, these actors meet a wide range of people every day, and they probably won’t even remember that really silly, irrelevant comment about baby monkeys you accidentally blurted out in excitement, but positive thoughts about the show and their performance will be appreciated. Having said this, there is such a thing as behaving unnecessarily over the top in these situations. Below is a link to a great blog post that describes Stage Door Etiquette- basically pointing out how to avoid making the experience uncomfortable for other fans and for the actors. Be yourself, be considerate, and you’re bound to make some really great memories.



Link to Stage Door Etiquette, which partly inspired me to write this post! http://confessionsofatheatregirl.wordpress.com/

West End Live 2012

Over the past weekend (June 23-24^th) London’s Trafalgar Square was engulfed by around 15,000 musical theatre enthusiasts in celebration of the extraordinary talent and vivacity of our West End. Across the two days 39 shows (every single musical running at this present time) plus recording artists, choirs, and a few theatre youngsters put on a FREE display showcasing some of their spectacular music and performers, demonstrating just how lucky we are in this country to be home to some of the best theatre the world has to offer. West End Live has been running since 2005 and started out in Leicester Square, but it became so huge that it outgrew its origins and was relocated to Trafalgar Square. I have regrettably never been before and this weekend was resounding proof that I had been missing out!

Surrounded by exhibition tents promoting other top London attractions, the big stage treated us to exhilarating performances from musicals such as Les Miserables, Matilda, Thriller Live, Billy Elliot, The Lion King, We Will Rock You, Wicked, and so many more. Crowd favourites seemed to be the Jersey Boys and Rock of Ages, both of which had everyone dancing, cheering, and singing along to the timeless songs that have been going strong for decades. Sunday’s timetable of delights also included a few solo artists such as Louise Dearman and Alex Gaumond who have recently released new albums following their thus far successful West End careers.

If you so wished you could’ve temporarily escaped the crowd and walked around the exhibitions which included Angelina Ballerina dance classes, the War Horse puppeteers who brought Joey the horse along with them so you could see for yourself the intricacies of their work and the puppets used in the show, TKTS who were selling musical theatre tickets should what you had seen that day inspired you to see an entire show, and Anthony Daniels (voice of C3PO in all six Star Wars films) even made an appearance with C3PO and R2D2 for meet and greet and photo opportunities.

The inclination to refer to West End Live as the perfect music festival is notably overbearing, however the technical side could have done with some fine tuning and there were a few too many advertisements appearing on the big screens when the majority of us were more interested in the next show about to come on stage. Nevertheless, I would recommend this event to everyone, from those who are the least bit curious about theatre to those who cannot get enough. I can guarantee you will have a fantastic time regardless of whatever the British weather brings your way; we had both sunshine and some rain this weekend, but it did not seem like anyone’s mood was dampened. I for one am already excited for West End Live 2013- hope to see you there!

One more thing- here's the video footage I took of the weekend. It's by no means all the performances, but it's the ones I could get a good view of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfczn_zs7T0&feature=plcp