#chris durling

[hadleysmis]

Singapore's 2016 Les Misérables performance

20 years after it was last performed since the 1996 performance at the Kallang Theatre.

This time, it was performed at the Esplanade theatre, with there being a costume showcase and a replica of the Barricades in the waiting area.

The cast was: JvJ: Simon Gleeson; Javert: Earl Carpenter; Fantine: Patrice Tipoki, Éponine: Kerrie Anne Greenland, Enjolras: Chris Durling, Cosette: Emily Langridge.

^ 2 Little Cosette (Photo: Jasper Lucena)

One Day More:

Trailer:

Main Source:

[syrupsyche]

Went to stalk Facebook for pics of me watching Les Mis when it came to my country and thank GOD for 15 y.o. me taking a pic with the cast list (though it was mainly bc an actor had the same name as me lol) so now I can look back at my very blurry memories and attach faces to the characters.

For starters, it mostly comprised of the cast from the Australian production back in 2016, with the exception of Earl Carpenter as Javert:

and opposite him starred Simon Gleeson as Valjean:

Alas I do not remember much of their performances but I do remember liking Valjean's Soliloquy and Javert's Suicide alot as well as crying at both of their death scenes so pretty sure they did something right lol.

Fantine was played by Patrice Tipoki:

I also do not remember much but I did find her death scene to be extremely haunting. The production I watched had the stage feel really bare so the coldness of it all really seeped in.

Marius and Cosette were played by Paul Wilkins and Emily Langridge:

Again I don't remember much LMAO but looking at Cosette's outfit here, it's extremely pretty! Alas I think by this production, Every Day (Marius and Cosette) had been cut out (or extremely cut down) so I didn't get to hear their rendition of it :(

Éponine at the back was played by Kerrie Anne Greenland:

I was an Éponine girlie at this age so I was really focusing on her parts lmao. She was good from what I can remember! Her On My Own was brilliant and I did cry at her death scene :')

Enjolras was played by Chris Durling:

Slight side track but WOW looking back at these pics, he is quite the quintessential Enjolras. Though Les Amis didn't catch my attention in the movie the first time I watched it, the images that burned into my mind the most from this production were of Enjolras and Les Amis. I know fans aren't too happy with the revolving barricade switch-off (and now that I know of it, I definitely agree the new scene doesn't hold a candle to it) but imagine 15 year old me seeing the guy I've been rooting for unceremoniously dumped in the wheelbarrow alone under a spotlight? It was still chilling, especially when compared to the colours and noise of the movie version. Another scene that haunted me was Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, when the ghosts of Les Amis picked up the candles left behind. THAT was good, I really loved it.

The Thénardiers were played by Cameron Blakely and Helen Walsh:

Hilarious duo lol. My favourite memory comes from Master of the House, when a young girl sitting in front of me asked her father what Mme. Thénardier was doing with the baguette during "...but there's not much there" and what the joke meant. Her father just said she was too young to understand 😭😭

Overall, this production of Les Mis was a changing point in my life. It was my first ever live musical and it expanded my interest for musicals and Les Mis ever since. I had only watched the movie previously just so I could be caught up with the plot, but iirc, this production got me to buy and read The Brick shortly after. And 7 years later, here I am still screaming about it :')

Also I found a rendition of One Day More by the 2015 Australian Cast so y'all can hear roughly what I had experienced back in 2016! Only difference is that Javert is played by Hayden Tee, Marius is played by Euan Doidge, and the Thénardiers were played by Trevor Ashley and Lara Mulcahy. Enjoy!

[azonewithu]

Nobody heard the album nobody cares. Well who did really? The older shits more fun better.everyone csn tell not only has the states lost its fuckn mind but ur musics fallen off too. Who wants to durl youre talkers you americans youre not talkers b. How many times have i busted your dip shot rapoa old man right the fuckn chops? That bitch is a fuvkn coward and yeah i calked him bitcg. No kne likes that album i rver talked to youre fugaze none if your shits realz ken smdickless le retatd is a fuckn bitch how many tknws do i kick hos face in befire your stupid ass calls him bitch bitch? There i just calked you bitch. You anericans ate fuck all in a scrap youremounis now fugaze nothing. Tell that chris bitch ass dead man kyle ir those troops i dumped in rhe bog in lithunia. People cant stand yoyr stupid as punk as s bitch asz country. Younpeopke have lost yourvway and your fuckn minds. Yo Azriel jumped and landed right innftont of B. You fcon heard me you fyckn brcg. Yoyr husbsnds a espist pie e if smdog shit whats uo bitch??? Azriel walked cliser. Notice he sint getn up is i stroll right ip here and tell you. We re gonna fuckn kilm his asz do t you ever bri g that mother fucker anywhere or uoure both dead bitxh.

BEYONCÉ Wins BEST COUNTRY ALBUM at the 67th GRAMMY Awards (Feb 02, 2025)

[laissezferre]

here’s the tiktok (https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFL5StaM/) 🫶🏼 and hard agree lol chris durling was like a constant bellowing in my ear it was not fun at all

bless, thank you bestie :D this has been such a fun stroll in memory lane

[ellensnowy]

Paul Wilkins with Enjolrases 请勿二传

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

I’m Always Curious Part Thirty Five

Previous Part | Next Part |  Masterlist Notes: I hope everyone’s having a good week 💕

Warnings: Cursing, a lil fluff, a lil angst. Y’all know me. (Still 😅) Summary: My first couple of weeks had been spent getting myself reacquainted with the ship, the crew.

I glanced back as Pike, Una, and Spock stepped onto the turbolift. It was odd, remaining on the Bridge for away missions-- I wasn’t sure I liked it, but I was getting used to it. In the two months I’d been back on the Enterprise, I’d been on a single away mission. It had lasted a total of five minutes, and I’d translated one word.

My first couple of weeks had been spent getting myself reacquainted with the ship, the crew. There was a fair amount to adjust to-- Paledore was a lieutenant now, and he was training up an ensign the way I’d once trained him. He did have a couple of my notebooks, but not all of them. That wasn’t to say that there weren’t interesting days on the Enterprise, there were. But it felt like I was being treated with kiddie gloves. I wasn’t sure who by-- the Captain, or Una perhaps. Either way, I was getting a little frustrated. 

--

“May I?”

“Course,” I didn’t look away from my PADD and notebook as Una settled down beside me. She leaned over my work, but I didn’t hesitate in my writing as I might've before. 

“Tamarian,” She commented lightly, turning back to her food. I hummed in affirmation.

“Your food is stone cold now, isn’t it,” She tacked on. 

“Dunno. Haven’t checked.”

Una reached across, plucking one of the fries off of my plate and popping it into her mouth. 

“Freezing,” She confirmed. 

“Perfect.” 

Una was quiet beside me for a moment before she pulled the pen out of my hand. I reached into my pocket, pulling out my back-up. Una made a little scoffing noise that bordered on a laugh. 

“What is it?” She asked knowingly. I sighed, lowering my pen and looking at her. 

“You realize I’ve left this ship once since I’ve been stationed here?”

“Well we didn’t bring you aboard for you to go running off again.” 

“You know that that is not what I mean, Una,” I leaned back in my seat, glancing around the canteen, “When Thaleh was on the Bridge, she beamed down on away missions constantly. I beamed down on away missions more often than this when I was a lieutenant.” 

“Not every away mission requires a Communications officer.”

“Perhaps not,” I conceded, “But you’ve had to comm me three times to translate something. It would be easier for me to beam down with the team, or to beam down afterward. When I offered, I was told not to.” 

Una turned back to her food, taking a bite and mulling this over. I picked at my own, having no true appetite.

“If I’ve been brought back just to be benched, then I would’ve been better stationed on the Pinnacle,” I said softly; I hated saying it, but I hated how it felt even more. Una turned her head toward me without meeting my eye.

“... He may be more hesitant to bring you on missions now. You understand where he's coming from, don't you?”

“Of course I do,” I sighed softly, turning back to my food, “But if this is what my time on the Enterprise looks like going forward…” 

“Let me talk to him,” Una said decisively. I glanced at her, frowning.

“Shouldn’t I--?”

“I’ll take a first pass at it,” She offered, “If things still don’t change, we’ll bring in the big guns.”

“Who’s the big guns? Spock?” 

Una raised a sharp brow, and my head tipped forward in disbelief. 

“I’m the big guns?” I asked, stunned. 

Una rolled her eyes, straightening and nudging my food toward me. 

“Eat. No more Tamarian while I’m sitting here— I will confiscate that pen.” 

-- 

It started with small missions to minimally inhabited planets. There were moments when I could still see Pike’s hesitation, a small twist of his mouth that he was quick to shield as a cough or a clearing of his throat. I never raised the issue, badly as I would’ve liked to. He was trying. He was trying, and the missions were being operated cleanly. The shifts on the Bridge without an away mission were always a little different; I had always known Pike in a certain way as Captain, but seeing him with that ease in the chair, day in and day out, was new for me. 

--

“Why am I not surprised to see you down here?” 

I didn’t still in my movements right away, completing the combo set before raising my hands to brace the swinging bag. 

“Dunno,” I answered in a huff, a little out of breath from my drills, “What’s got you up?”

Christopher shrugged a little, setting his communicator and water bottle down on the bench, beside my things. 

“One of those nights.” 

I nodded a bit, sympathetic. I couldn’t help but wonder what was keeping his mind busy: our mission from that day, perhaps? But then, I hadn’t presumed to know what was on his mind for a long time. “Care to join me?” My brows raised in slight surprise at his offer; I watched as he took a couple of steps back toward the sparring mats. “...I don’t know, Captain,” I said lightly. I saw the slight and disappointed twist to his lips, the pause as he prepared to tell me, ‘some other time perhaps’, and I tacked on, “I’m not sure you could handle it.” 

I had to fight to tamp down a wicked smile as Christopher’s eyes narrowed at me, his head turning just a little bit, as if he hadn’t heard me correctly. “Was that a challenge, Commander?” “Just don’t want you straining yourself, sir.” “Straining— that is a very pointed argument from someone that refuses to back it up.” I heaved a hefty sigh, taking a few steps toward him as he took up a fighting stance. “Well, if you insist—” I mirrored his pose. “Oh, insist?” “But you’re free to tap out at any time, Captain.” I felt a thrill run through me as Pike’s lips twisted into a smile; there was a glint in his eye that I hadn’t seen in a long time. “We’ll see who’s tapping out, Commander.”

-- “Where the hell did you learn the…” Pike trailed off, making the poking motion with his fore and middle finger. I laughed as I fought to catch my breath, sliding down the wall beside him. “Durling.” Christopher grunted, taking a swig from his water bottle before offering it to me. I took it with a mumble of thanks, drawing a long pull before passing it back. I was sweaty and sore, but I felt like I hadn’t smiled so much in a long time. Christopher and I had sparred for nearly an hour; it had felt like it used to, for the most part. We had trash-talked a fair amount, teased one another. But we didn’t know one another’s moves as we once had. We’d needed to find a new rhythm, and we’d damn near done it. I sighed softly, closing my eyes. I was tired now. A couple of hours before, I’d been certain that this would be a sleepless, frustrating night, but now? I wasn’t sure I could even lift myself off of the gym floor. “You’ve learned a few tricks,” Christopher muttered. I chuckled. “You’re one to talk. Almost took me out a few times yourself.” I was quiet for a few moments, focusing on my breathing. “...How are you?” I asked, “It’s weird, I feel like I see you all the time, but I never…” “I know what you mean,” Christopher murmured; I felt him turn his head to look at me, “And I’m… I’m alright, you know. It’s been quiet lately— the good kind of quiet.”  I nodded a little, smiling. His knee knocked mine gently. “What about you? How’s the Enterprise been treating you?” 

“It’s been better since you took the kid gloves off.” Christopher turned and ducked his head a little bit, pushing a sigh out through his nose, his hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck. It was stunning to see him anything akin to bashful; even when he and I had been together, I had always been the one to shy away from things. “Listen,” He started quietly. “Chris,” I shook my head, smiling, “Don’t, s’okay. I...I get it. It was frustrating, but I get it.” Christopher glanced at me, his eyes a little soft and guarded. “It’s not… It’s not that I think you're…Incapable, or don't have expertise or skill—”  “I know.” “I wanted you to just settle back in—” “Christopher—” “It’s been different, the situations you have been in are different. The bridge you’ve been working on under Durling, it was—” “Different, I know!”  I couldn’t stop my amusement from seeping into my tone, “I’m not mad. It was just confusing for a bit. But… You’re not treating me like a piece of Andorian crystal anymore. So,” I shrugged a shoulder, smiling when Christopher huffed out a short laugh and closed his eyes, “So, you know, we’re fine.” “Are we?” “Are we what?” “Fine.” I was quiet for a moment, searching his face. “Course,” I murmured, “Why wouldn’t we be?” Chris nodded, “It’s just nice to hear.” My stomach fluttered with his admission. “...It’s nice to say,” I admitted in a mumble, turning to look back at the vacated mats. We were quiet for a few moments before Christopher patted my knee with a sigh of, “C’mon.” I could hardly focus on his standing, too set on the warmth from his touch, and the goosebumps that it had sent skittering up my thigh. I glanced up, taking hold of his hand when he offered it to me. I grunted as I reached my feet, huffing softly. “Thank you,” I sighed, turning to reach for my things, and trying not to reflect on the fact that neither Chris nor I let go of each other’s hands right away. The walk to the turbolift was pretty quiet; I tried not to reflect on the fact that we passed that supply closet; I’d thought about that supply closet a lot while I was away. I sighed, leaning back against the wall of the turbolift and shutting my eyes. I heard Christopher chuckle softly. “You look like you’re asleep on your feet.” “Feel it. You wore me out, Pike,” I admitted. “Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it.” “I can take it. I can take it and like...Sleepwalk back to my room.” I opened my eyes as I felt the turbolift slow, the doors opening on my floor. “Night, Chris,” I sighed as I stepped off of the lift. “Night, sweetheart.” It was murmured behind me. I turned to look at him, brows raised in slight surprise, and he was offering me this gentle look from under his lashes as he leaned back against the wall of the lift. I grinned at him, and his smile widened as the lift doors slid shut. Those words would ring sweetly through my ears for the rest of the night; that smile on his face, that glint in his eye from the gym. It didn’t take me long to fall asleep. I woke up aching from the night’s workout, but I’d slept well. Chris was already on the Bridge when I reported for duty. I gave him a nod as I settled into my station, unable to help the small smile on my face. “Captain.” “Commander.” Tag list: @angels-pie ; @fantasticcopeaglepasta  ; @mylittlelonelyappreciationtoo ; @how-am-i-serpose-to-know ; @onlyhereforthefandomandgiggles​ ; @inmyowncorner​  ; @tardis-23​  ; @paintballkid711​ ; @katrynec ; @hypnobananaangelfish ; @elen-aranel​ ; @blueeyesatnight​ ; @hotchswifey​

[azonewithu]

Theres isnt anyone elsevon earth smarter to talk to thsn me Emma. And no everyone backs foen im backing them all into a wall.we ll literalky attack honkey ice yhe teump family wecre gonna launch an assault the entire military wants trump dead. He treat congress people like that we te gonna do a massacre snd strack a border checkpoint. All the governors want him dead im start maki g actusl cslls n threats. Overchkin dead wayne gretzky dead, wayne ur a piece of rst dhot never ever come bsck to canada never imor ill perdonslly go see your faughters. Yourevs racist puecebof shit like thrm now. Its death you fucked up we re gonna fuckn murder yiy. Tell your biss hes dead if he fucks up onne more time. You arrest memenets of congress youre dead donnie bitch boi trunp upure dead we hate you. Fuck snyonecehoblikes you theyre deadctoo. Iran says they darevyou uou bscked fown. Israel is slone tell thrm to back the fuck up stup id. Youre no diplomat fuck the hostages thete aint dhit left of them really. No one gives a shot whst hsppens in demonlajd or the holy land csuse of sll the bullet holes, sieaki g of byllet holes tslk to your stupid people snd theyll tell your stupyd fst ass. Theyre arming themselves this eill he a physicsl civil war. We re gonna start attackibg ive with assault rigles 10 000 of us. Im startvcalli g uourvrmbassies we ll vsporoze uour one in toronyo wiyh a u haul bpmb. Hey trunp go fuck yer mother your dog shit. Fuck your friends theyre dead ehen we come. Your military wants uou fufkn dead die. Nstons dead we ll fucon vsporozs hom yoo. Ya dhit yhe fuck up do as we tell you ot youre fucki g dess melaniya. Id out my dick in ur ass too. Nah kets kill yhese people murdwr thrm dead, fyck uour husbsnd butch uiu want it in the ass? We te conin fir you. Dead we ll dksughter your entire fam bitch. Im not talking to uour stiupid butch ass because we sint gonna fo this.we ll byrn yhe white house yo the fuckn ground eith you in it. Fuck snyone you got cfros kules butch friends sint doin dhit nor are yiu. We re durrounfing uou. Yiure dead if we hear ine more comllaint.trll your stupid fsr ugky weirdo fyck sss husband we re gonna fuckn murder him. Ahhh fstry my dick her mouth. You fucjed up whsts a reset going bsck to ehet a better msn Jie Biden was doong. Fuck you ilk jill your fket top asshole. Tell your bsby sesls ehat i tell thrm everyday. Psint a yellow stripw doen your back bitches. Heres your embkrm some gas sone piss a mstch. Youll cradh n dfie in a hrlicopter soin. Fuck your keader fuck off viwards. Ive got Ukranisn bidyguards do fuck you punk ass bitches. Your boss is a dupe like you were. Les to the slsughter. I said fuck bsbt sesl tesm shit or dix i chsllenge uour pissant sesl team keader to a gin durl. I killed chris kyle i also chsined him on ourgatory.jesus lokes ne better yhsn hom Gid loves me he smdespiyses you bitch. Of upubdo t acceot this chalkenge ehat hsopened in lithusniys hspoens agsin. Syria yhat deone sgsin donewhere. Im killiing upur bitch goof americsn rat troops eho ate fuxkn yellow cowards im murderibg yhem. I admit it youre a punk asx bitch baby seal tram 6 your keadwr is oedi g his oanties roght niw. Oh i burned your tmbkem eith gas and puss. You assholes cant seim tou dink. If you font cons bitch youte bithing to snyone now. Youre done fisband go rensne yourstlves to yellow rat viward team 6z suck ky ddick.

[reginalds]

chris durling and henry cavill have the same energy no i won't elaborate

[mysticalhearth]

Les Misérables

Les Misérables - 10th Anniversary: The Dream Cast In Concert - October, 1995 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Colm Wilkinson (Jean Valjean), Philip Quast (Javert), Ruthie Henshall (Fantine), Judy Kuhn (Cosette), Michael Ball (Marius), Lea Salonga (Éponine), Michael Maguire (Enjolras), Alun Armstrong (Thénardier), Jenny Galloway (Madame Thénardier), Adam Searles (Gavroche), Hannah Chick (Little Cosette), Paul F Monaghan (The Bishop), Anthony Crivello (Grantaire), David Bardsley (Combeferre), Matt Cammelle (Feuilly), Jérôme Pradon (Courfeyrac), Peter Polycarpou (Jean Prouvaire), Darryl Knock (Joly), Mike Sterling (Lesgles), Nick Holder (Brujon), Tony Timberlake (Babet), Stephen Matthews (Claquesous), Keith Burns (Montparnasse), Michael McCarthy (Factory Foreman), Jackie Marks (Factory Girl), Gareth Snook (Bamatabois), Andy Reiss (Pimp), Peter Polycarpou (Labourer), Glyn Kerslake (Constables), Beverly Klein (Old Woman), Christopher Howard (Loud Hailer), Halcro Johnston (Farmer), Adrian Beaumont, Alasdair Harvey, Alistair Robins, Allan Hardman, Annette Yeo, Cameron Stewart, Charles Shirvell, Christopher Coleman, Claire Machin, Claudia Bradley, Cliff Brayshaw, Craig Schulman, Danny Coll, David Alder, David Arneil, David Delve, David Malek, David Shannon, Egill Olaffson, Ellen Jackson, Fenton Gray, Gerard Leighton-Duffy, Glenn Carter, Grania Renihan, Gyula Vikidál, Hadrian Delacey, Helen Hobson, Henk Poort, Irene Warren, James Barron, James Head, Jan Ježek, Jeff Leyton, Jerzy Jeszke, Joanne Redman, Jody Crosier, John Barr, John Owen-Jones, Julia Howson, Julia Worsley, Krzysztof Stasierowicz, Kurt Ravn, Linda-Mae Brewer, Lynden Edwards, Mario Frangoulis, Mark Turnbull, Mark White, Martin George, Martin Scott Warden, Matthew Gould, Matthew White, Michael Burgess, Michael Cantwell, Myra Sands, Neil Couperthwaite, Nicholas Pound, Nicola Sloane, Norma Atallah, Paul Baker, Paula Simpson, Peter Ledbury, Phil Cavill, Philip Cox, Rebecca Storm, Rebecca Thornhill, Reinhard Brussmann, Richard Burman, Rob Guest, Robert Marien, Sara West, Sarah Hay, Steve Balsamo, Susie Fenwick, Takeshi Kaga, Tommy Körberg, Tricia Deighton, Øystein Wiik NOTES: Features key performers from the original Broadway and London casts like Colm Wilkinson, Phillip Quast and Lea Salonga. Includes the encore performance featuring 17 Valjeans from various productions. Les Misérables - 25th Anniversary Concert Live At The O2 - October 3, 2010 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Alfie Boe (Jean Valjean), Norm Lewis (Javert), Lea Salonga (Fantine), Katie Hall (Cosette), Nick Jonas (Marius), Samantha Barks (Éponine), Ramin Karimloo (Enjolras), Matt Lucas (Thénardier), Jenny Galloway (Madame Thénardier), Robert Madge (Gavroche), Mia Jenkins (Little Cosette), Earl Carpenter (The Bishop), Hadley Fraser (Grantaire), Jonathan Williams (Combeferre), Owain Williams (Feuilly), Killian Donnelly (Courfeyrac), Alistair Brammer (Jean Prouvaire), Jamie Muscato (Joly), Edward Baruwa (Lesgles), Phil Snowden (Brujon), Stephen Tate (Babet), Tony Timberlake (Claquesous), Keith Burns (Montparnasse), Jeff Nicholson (Factory Foreman), Grainne Renihan (Factory Girl), Valda Aviks (Crone), Cameron Blakely (Bamatabois), Peter Polycarpou (Pimp) Les Misérables - Asia Tour - June 2, 2016 (Highlights) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Simon Gleeson (Jean Valjean), Earl Carpenter (Javert), Patrice Tipoki (Fantine), Emily Langridge (Cosette), Paul Wilkins (Marius), Kerrie Anne Greenland (Éponine), Chris Durling (Enjolras), David McDonald (Thénardier), Jennifer Butt (Madame Thénardier), Austyn Myers (Gavroche), Rachel Schier (Little Cosette) NOTES: On My Own, Upon These Stones, Bring Him Home and two angles of the same One Day More Les Misérables - Dallas - August 2, 2014 (SJ Bernly's master) FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Nehal Joshi (Jean Valjean), Edward Watts (Javert), Allison Blackwell (Fantine), Dorcas Leung (Cosette), Justin Keyes (Marius), Elizabeth Judd (Éponine), John Campione (Enjolras), Steven Michael Walters (Thénardier), Christia Mantzke (Madame Thénardier) NOTES: A great capture of Dallas Theatre Center’s inventively staged production of Les Miserables. The much-talked about production did not disappoint; the modernized visuals create many new layers to the show, and make you think about events and characters in a whole new way. Nehal, Allison, Justin, and Christia were probably my favorites, but the entire cast is so talented, it’s difficult to choose any as standouts. A very nice capture overall. There are a couple quick dropouts in act one, but no major blackouts. There is one head that can be seen occasionally, but it only blocks a small portion of the stage and only affects the action for about 20-30 seconds of the entire show. It’s filmed in 16:9, with a mix of wides, mediums, and close-ups. The sound is excellent as usual. Includes curtain call and playbill scans. Les Misérables - Duisburg - 1996 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Jerzy Jeszke (Jean Valjean), Hardy Rudolz (Javert), Cornelia Drese (Fantine), Deborah Dutcher (Cosette), Felix Martin (Marius), Sanni Luis (Éponine), Martin Berger (Enjolras), Tom Zahner (Thénardier), Anne Welte (Madame Thénardier), Willi Welp (The Bishop) Les Misérables - Dutch Revival - Spring, 2008 FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: René van Kooten (Jean Valjean), Wim van den Driessche (Javert), Nurlaila Karim (Fantine), Suzan Seegers (Cosette), Jamai Loman (Marius), Céline Purcell (Éponine), Freek Bartels (Enjolras), Gerben Grimmius (u/s Thénardier), Marjolein Algera (Madame Thénardier) NOTES: Complete show, Amateur capture A, Double dvd Les Misérables - Fifth National Tour - October 5, 2018 (hitmewithyourbethshot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Nick Cartell (Jean Valjean), Josh Davis (Javert), Mary Kate Moore (Fantine), Jillian Butler (Cosette), Joshua Grosso (Marius), Paige Smallwood (Éponine), Matt Shingledecker (Enjolras), J Anthony Crane (Thénardier), Allison Guinn (Madame Thénardier), Sam Middleton (Gavroche), Cate Elefante (u/s Little Cosette), Matt Moisey (Grantaire), Monte J Howell (Combeferre), Tim Quartier (s/w Feuilly), Christopher Viljoen (Courfeyrac), Patrick Rooney (Jean Prouvaire), Gabriel Sidney Brown (Joly), Andrew Maughan (Lesgles), Felipe Barbosa Bombonato (Babet), John Ambrosino (Claquesous), Steve Czarnecki (Factory Foreman), Ashley Dawn Mortensen (Factory Girl), John Ambrosino (Bamatabois) Les Misérables - First Broadway Revival - November 11, 2006 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Victor Hawks (u/s Jean Valjean), Norm Lewis (Javert), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Fantine), Ali Ewoldt (Cosette), Adam Jacobs (Marius), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Éponine), Aaron Lazar (Enjolras), Gary Beach (Thénardier), Jenny Galloway (Madame Thénardier), Jacob Levine (Gavroche), Drew Sarich (Grantaire) NOTES: A nice capture here of Victor as Valjean. The capture is a little on the dark side, but still enjoyable. Les Misérables - First Broadway Revival - February 17, 2007 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Alexander Gemignani (Jean Valjean), Norm Lewis (Javert), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Fantine), Ali Ewoldt (Cosette), Adam Jacobs (Marius), Celia Keenan-Bolger (Éponine), Drew Sarich (u/s Enjolras), Gary Beach (Thénardier), Jenny Galloway (Madame Thénardier), Jacob Levine (Gavroche) NOTES: A really nice video of the first broadway revival. Widescreen. Cleaned up nicely in remastering. And it has Sarich. Les Misérables - First Broadway Revival - May 12, 2007 (Matinee) (jstarz's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Alexander Gemignani (Jean Valjean), Drew Sarich (u/s Javert), Lea Salonga (Fantine), Ali Ewoldt (Cosette), Adam Jacobs (Marius), Mandy Bruno (Éponine), Max von Essen (Enjolras), Gary Beach (Thénardier), Ann Harada (Madame Thénardier), Stephen Trafton (u/s Grantaire) NOTES: Filmed in widescreen (though encoded in 4:3, so there are bars at the top and bottom of the screen), this is a nice capture of some of the new cast members. Drew and Ann give great performances in their roles. The second disc also includes the first 15 minutes of the February 24, 2007 Evening show, filmed from the rear right orchestra. Les Misérables - First Broadway Revival - June 1, 2007 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Alexander Gemignani (Jean Valjean), Ben Davis (Javert), Lea Salonga (Fantine), Ali Ewoldt (Cosette), Adam Jacobs (Marius), Marissa McGowan (Éponine), Max von Essen (Enjolras), Gary Beach (Thénardier), Ann Harada (Madame Thénardier) Les Misérables - First Broadway Revival - August 24, 2007 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Drew Sarich (Jean Valjean), Robert Hunt (Javert), Nikki Renée Daniels (u/s Fantine), Ali Ewoldt (Cosette), Adam Jacobs (Marius), Megan McGinnis (Éponine), Max von Essen (Enjolras), Chip Zien (Thénardier), Becca Ayers (u/s Madame Thénardier), Brian D'Addario (Gavroche) NOTES: Some nice closeups/mediums. A nice capture of the new cast. Capture can be dark at times, but mostly in the darker scenes. Includes a technical difficulty when the Barricades first come out, the show is stopped and includes the announcement.. A- Les Misérables - Fourth UK & Ireland Tour - January, 2019 (House-Cam's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Killian Donnelly (Jean Valjean), Nic Greenshields (Javert), Katie Hall (Fantine), Bronwen Hanson (Cosette), Harry Apps (Marius), Tegan Bannister (Éponine), Will Richardson (Enjolras), Martin Ball (Thénardier), Sophie-Louise Dann (Madame Thénardier) Les Misérables - Hollywood Bowl - August 9, 2008 FORMAT:  WMV (HD) CAST: J Mark McVey (Jean Valjean), Brian Stokes Mitchell (Javert), Melora Hardin (Fantine), Michele Maika (Cosette), John Lloyd Young (Marius), Lea Michele (Éponine), Tom Lowe (Enjolras), Sage Ryan (Gavroche) NOTES: J. Mark McVey, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lea Michele, Melora Hardin, John Lloyd Young, Michele Maika, Michael McCormick, Tom Lowe, Ruth Williamson. Juni's master filmed in widescreen and can be a little shakey at times in tight zooms. Nice to see the audience version compared to the Proshot one. A- Les Misérables - Japan - 1997

FORMAT: video |  TRADER'S NOTES: Looking for a replacement link CAST: Yuichiro Yamaguchi (Jean Valjean), Mayo Kawasaki (Javert), Hiromi Iwasaki (Fantine), Yu Hayami (Cosette), Kazukata Ishii (Marius), Minako Honda (Éponine), Kojiro Oka (Enjolras), Yukio Yamagata (Thénardier), Bibari Maeda (Madame Thénardier) NOTES: Yamaguchi’s first of fourteen year as Valjean. Les Misérables - Madrid - 1993 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Pedro Ruy Blas (Jean Valjean), Miguel del Arco (Javert), Gema Castaño (Fantine), Luisa Torres (Cosette), Carlos Marín (Marius), Margarita Marbán (Éponine), Enrique R del Portal (Enjolras), Francisco La Hoz (Thénardier), Connie Philip (Madame Thénardier) Les Misérables - Madrid Revival - July 14, 2011 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Gerónimo Rauch (Jean Valjean), David Ordinas (Javert), Virginia Carmona (Fantine), Talía del Val (Cosette), Guido Balzaretti (Marius), Lydia Fairén (Éponine), Daniel Diges (Enjolras), Enrique R del Portal (Thénardier) NOTES: Multi-Camera proshot Les Misérables - Netherlands - 1991/1992 (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Henk Poort (Jean Valjean), Ernst Daniël Smid (Javert), Pia Douwes (Fantine), Marika Lansen (u/s Cosette), Danny de Munk (Marius), Vera Mann (Éponine), Uwe Kröger (u/s Enjolras), Filip Bolluyt (u/s Thénardier), Simone Kleinsma (Madame Thénardier), Maya Hakvoort, Peter de Smet NOTES: This video starts with the Les Mis flag and the last scene is a close-up. Les Misérables - Paris - 1991 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Robert Marien (Jean Valjean), Patrick Rocca (Javert), Marie Zamora (Cosette), Jérôme Pradon (Marius), Stéphanie Martin (Éponine), Julien Combey (Enjolras), Laurent Gendron (Thénardier), Marie-France Roussel (Madame Thénardier) NOTES: Act 1 + finale of act 2. This is 100% NOT Louise Pitre playing Fantine Les Misérables - Second Broadway Revival - March 1, 2014 (Preview) (Highlights) (where is your red schaaaf's master) FORMAT:  MOV (HD) CAST: Ramin Karimloo (Jean Valjean), Will Swenson (Javert), Caissie Levy (Fantine), Samantha Hill (Cosette), Andy Mientus (Marius), Nikki M James (Éponine), Kyle Scatliffe (Enjolras), Cliff Saunders (Thénardier), Keala Settle (Madame Thénardier), Gaten Matarazzo (Gavroche) NOTES: First preview. It includes most of the show. Loud excited audience. Blind shot from stage right third row, with no zooms. Keala Settle sprained her ankle at some point between The Robbery and One Day More, resulting in her not being in One Day More and using a cane during Wedding Chorale/Beggars at the Feast. Les Misérables - Second Broadway Revival - March 8, 2014 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Ramin Karimloo (Jean Valjean), Will Swenson (Javert), Caissie Levy (Fantine), Samantha Hill (Cosette), Andy Mientus (Marius), Nikki M James (Éponine), Kyle Scatliffe (Enjolras), Cliff Saunders (Thénardier), Keala Settle (Madame Thénardier), Joshua Colley (Gavroche) NOTES: Audience was full of excitement! The last 20 seconds are missing from the very end due to battery issues Les Misérables - Second Broadway Revival - August 21, 2014 (SJ Bernly's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Nathaniel Hackmann (u/s Jean Valjean), Earl Carpenter (Javert), Caissie Levy (Fantine), Samantha Hill (Cosette), Andy Mientus (Marius), Nikki M James (Éponine), Kyle Scatliffe (Enjolras), Cliff Saunders (Thénardier), Keala Settle (Madame Thénardier), Joshua Colley (Gavroche), Mia Sinclair Jenness (Little Cosette), Angeli Negron (Young Éponine), Adam Monley (The Bishop) NOTES: A fantastic capture of this lavish production. It’s refreshing to see different faces in the lead roles, and both Nathaniel and Earl carry the show well. Nathaniel’s vocals are powerful and he has a great rapport with Caissie and Samantha. A lovely capture overall with no obstruction. Look Down is mostly blacked out and there are a couple quick dropouts during The Bishop scene and Lovely Ladies, but the show is otherwise fully intact. There is also some washout in high contrast wide shots. It’s filmed in 16:9, with a mix of wides, mediums, and close-ups. The sound is excellent. Includes curtain call and playbill scans. Les Misérables - Second Broadway Revival - July 1, 2015 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Ramin Karimloo (Jean Valjean), John Rapson (u/s Javert), Erika Henningsen (Fantine), Melissa Mitchell (u/s Cosette), Chris McCarrell (Marius), Brennyn Lark (Éponine), Wallace Smith (Enjolras), Gavin Lee (Thénardier), Rachel Izen (Madame Thénardier), Sam Chuck (Gavroche), Joe Spieldenner (Grantaire), Weston Wells Olson (s/w Combeferre) NOTES: Act I begins at "The Runaway Cart" and nearly complete Act II. Some obstructions, but audio is quite good. Rapson's last Javert. Les Misérables - Spanish Tour - December 21, 2013 (House-Cam's master)

FORMAT: video CAST: Nicholas Martinelli (Jean Valjean), Ignasi Vidal (Javert), Elena Medina (Fantine), Talía del Val (Cosette), Guido Balzeratti (Marius), Lydia Fairén (Éponine), Manu Pilas (u/s Enjolras), Armando Pita (Thénardier), Eva Digo (Madame Thénardier), Samuel Gomez (Grantaire) Les Misérables - Tecklenburg - 2006 (1) (Pro-Shot's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Chris Murray (Jean Valjean), Marc Clear (Javert), Jana Werner (Fantine), Barbara Köhler (Éponine) NOTES: Different from the other video of this production; multicam proshot. Definitely a different performance too.  

Les Misérables - Third UK (25th Anniversary) Tour - June 20, 2010 (thewho's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: John Owen-Jones (Jean Valjean), Earl Carpenter (Javert), Madalena Alberto (Fantine), Katie Hall (Cosette), Luke Kempner (u/s Marius), Rosalind James (Éponine), Jon Robyns (Enjolras), Ashley Artus (Thénardier), Lynne Wilmott (Madame Thénardier), Jordi Clark (Gavroche), David Lawrence (The Bishop), Adam Linstead (Grantaire), David Covey (Combeferre), Owain Williams (Feuilly), Christopher Jacobsen (Courfeyrac), Rhidian Marc (Joly), David Lawrence (Lesgles), Carl Mullaney (Claquesous), Carl Mullaney (Bamatabois) NOTES: Act 1 starts at At The End of the Day, Act 2 starts at Drink with me. okay quality though blurry and shaky throughout. Les Misérables - Third UK (25th Anniversary) Tour - September 17, 2010 (thewho's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Christopher Jacobsen (u/s Jean Valjean), Earl Carpenter (Javert), Madalena Alberto (Fantine), Katie Hall (Cosette), Gareth Gates (Marius), Rosalind James (Éponine), Jon Robyns (Enjolras), Ashley Artus (Thénardier), Lynne Wilmott (Madame Thénardier), David Lawrence (The Bishop), Adam Linstead (Grantaire), David Covey (Combeferre), Owain Williams (Feuilly), Peter Manchester (u/s Courfeyrac), Jamie Muscato (Jean Prouvaire), Rhidian Marc (Joly), David Lawrence (Lesgles), Luke Kempner (Montparnasse) NOTES: Barbican Center Theatre, London. First time in history two same productions of a major musical played in the same city. Les Misérables - West End - May 9, 1987 (House-Cam's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (SD) CAST: Martin Smith (u/s Jean Valjean), Clive Carter (Javert), Kathleen Rowe McAllen (Fantine), Jacinta Mulcahy (Cosette), Maurice Clarke (u/s Marius), Jayne Draper (Éponine), Martin George (Enjolras), David Delve (Thénardier), Myra Sand (Madame Thénardier), Cameron Stewart (u/s Grantaire) NOTES: Commonly mistaken as December 28, 1988! Martin Smith was part of the West End cast for 6 months starting December 1986, and the non-circulated first-generation DVD labels the date as 1987/05/09. Les Misérables - West End - December 28, 1991 (House-Cam's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Stig Rossen (Jean Valjean), Paul Leonard (Javert), Jenna Russell (Fantine), Sarah Jane Hassell (Cosette), Daryll Winslow (Marius), Meredith Braun (Éponine), Mike Sterling (u/s Enjolras), David Hampshire (u/s The Bishop), Amanda Dainty (u/s Factory Girl) NOTES: Black and white. Audio is nice and clear. A more rare color version does exist. (Proof: https://youtu.be/KI_KHnLwk_k) Les Misérables - West End - May 6, 2006 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Tim Godwin (u/s Jean Valjean), Cornell John (Javert), Kerry Ellis (Fantine), Julia Möller (Cosette), Hayden Tee (Marius), AJ Callaghan (u/s Éponine), Nolan Dark (u/s Enjolras), Barry James (Thénardier), Tracie Bennett (Madame Thénardier) NOTES: Taper’s comments: Amanda and Nolan are better than the principles and Tim sounds uncannily like JOJ (Home Counties accent not-withstanding). He first understudied in 1999, when JOJ was the principal, which may explain the similarity. About half of the Chain Gang song missing and filming starts in earnest during Valjean on parole. Other parts missed because of ushers include several random one-second cover-ups, part of the wedding and about half of Finale. Heads in the way sometimes block the action on the lower right of the stage, but they are shot around well. Vantage point provides some interesting views such as of Fantine during Lovely Ladies. Wonderful performances from the entire cast but especially then soon-to-be-Elphaba Kerry Ellis. Les Misérables - West End - September 19, 2013 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Daniel Koek (Jean Valjean), James Gant (u/s Javert), Na-Young Jeon (Fantine), Samantha Dorsey (Cosette), Rob Houchen (Marius), Carrie Hope Fletcher (Éponine), Anton Zetterholm (Enjolras), Cameron Blakely (Thénardier), Wendy Ferguson (Madame Thénardier), Ilan Galkoff (Gavroche), Caoimhe Judd (Little Cosette) Les Misérables - West End - June 14, 2014 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Daniel Koek (Jean Valjean), Tam Mutu (Javert), Na-Young Jeon (Fantine), Samantha Dorsey (Cosette), Dougie Carter (Marius), Carrie Hope Fletcher (Éponine), Anton Zetterholm (Enjolras), Cameron Blakely (Thénardier), Wendy Ferguson (Madame Thénardier), Carl Mullaney (Grantaire) NOTES: Final performance of the 2013/14 cast Les Misérables - West End - July 9, 2015 (Highlights) (musicalmania123's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Peter Lockyer (Jean Valjean), Jeremy Secomb (Javert), Rachelle Ann Go (Fantine), Zoe Doano (Cosette), Rob Houchen (Marius), Carrie Hope Fletcher (Éponine), Bradley Jaden (Enjolras), Phil Daniels (Thénardier), Katy Secombe (Madame Thénardier) NOTES: Highlights only. Most of Act 1 and first 20 minutes of Act 2. Les Misérables - West End - May, 2011 FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Jonathan Williams (u/s Jean Valjean), Norm Lewis (Javert), Rebecca Seale (Fantine), AJ Callaghan (u/s Cosette), Gareth Gates (Marius), Samantha Barks (Éponine), Killian Donnelly (Enjolras), Martin Ball (Thénardier), Katy Secombe (Madame Thénardier) Les Misérables - West End - Spring, 2013 FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Chris Holland (u/s Jean Valjean), Tam Mutu (Javert), AJ Callaghan (u/s Fantine), Samantha Dorsey (Cosette), Jamie Ward (Marius), Danielle Hope (Éponine), Christopher Jacobsen (Enjolras), Cameron Blakely (Thénardier), Vicky Entwistle (Madame Thénardier) NOTES: Please make sure your copy isn't September 19, 2013!

[lesmisveteran]

Capitol Theatre, Sydney June 24 2015

CAST: Simon Gleeson (Jean Valjean), Hayden Tee (Javert), Patrice Tipoki (Fantine), Lara Mulcahy (Madame Thénardier), Trevor Ashley (Thénardier), Kerrie Anne Greenland (Éponine), Allyce Martins (2nd cover u/s Cosette), Chris Durling (Enjolras), Ben Hall (u/s Marius), Rodney Dobson (The Bishop of Digne), Luke Joslin (Grantaire), Olivia Swinton (Little Cosette), Nicholas Cradock (Gavroche), Melanie Cornell (swing Inkeeper’s Wife), Joel Parnis (swing Joly), Liam McIlwain (swing Prouvaire), Matt Heyward (Loud Hailer)

[azonewithu]

Look st Savrina.be nicer yo toyr fans silly. Knoei g most smericans theyre likeky stupud assholes so go ahead let them have it. Hey fonnie bik trump look hiw i dpeak of uour people. I feel bad fir yhrm theyre ftom your shitty nstion. Vkaddis dying yoyr fat as fuck and coukd fie wny monute. This eorld will outlast you both.gid fucon hates you bith. Ha ha ha hey putin your daugters face my fuckn nuts.

God.

you bitch ass ounk american nen are jeslous how i get these women. Most of yhem wre just friebfs but you hsve yo admit donnie biu. Im way better than aby of your stupid ass peopke. Who wants to durl donnue bou. Yoyr soldiers ate fuckn lisers snd in dangee of having slk its vetrans condemnned to hell. I can do it. Kerp it up your ouece of shit. Hey baby rat navy sesl rats. Look ar this giy. Look at yiu. Hes not a dueler and nor are any of you. Thats yellow cowardice.i called your entire outffit putside. Me n that chris kyle did not get slong. I eoukdnt get slong eith yoy. I chslkenged uou yo a duel pucj one guy ill kill hom then st keast uour not yellow fuckn ciwards, hey trump whats fsie idls fair not that you know. I tried to kill uour oresiydent teice oll get hom next time. Punk ass bufch goof removee from yhe light putfit. Yiu follow hos irdere youre satsn noe and woll be hung in hell when you fmfie. Hey vlint eartwood youte men are bitches now i bitchesd them out. Their lkace of honor on earth is hereby revoled by God homself. No durlers. Rat cowards. The beby seals are no more uou cant exist and still calm uoursrlves men you just cant. Yoyr rats. Yellow fckn rats. God fucon hates younand your family. Hes honna rack you in hell.

Victoria Justice

[proceduralbob]

Your top 5 ships from musicals

This was an extraordinarily difficult ask to answer. What are my top 5 ships from musicals? Why is this so difficult?1. Enjolras/Grantaire, Les MiserablesI could do my top 5 ships just from Les Miserables but I won't because 1) that would be boring and 2) most of my ships from Les Mis are based more on the novel than the musical. I ship Courfeyrac with Marius terribly, but that's based entirely on their interactions as intimate friends in the brick. That being said...Enjolras is the passionate leader and when I first saw him on stage (shout out to Chris Durling) I fell in love with him. Grantaire isn't a stronger man than I am. Any time they touch or embrace or exchange a look during "Drink With Me" I die a little inside.2. Elle Woods/Emmett Forrest, Legally BlondeThe relationship between Elle and Emmett is one of the things I actually like more in the musical than in the film. I've heard the argument that Elle gets to stand on her own two feet more in the film (doesn't get as much help and support) but the flip side is that their relationship feels more rounded and deep. You get a much greater sense of why they fell in love. Plus, I'm a sucker for "Emmett Forrest, please make me the happiest woman I know".3. Elphaba/Galinda, WickedI'm not going to go too deep on this one, I'm going to just leave this straightforward and simple."My pulse is rushingMy head is reelingMy face is flushingWhat is this feeling?Fervent as a flameDoes it have a name?"4. Angel/Collins, RENTCatch me in the front row of a local production ugly crying to the reprise of "I'll Cover You". Just two people who don't know what the future holds clinging close to each other. Watch as the recurring motif of "no day but today" wars with Angel's philosophy of "today for you, tomorrow for me" breaks my heart every time I think about it.Side note: I don't exactly consider it one of my top 5 ships, but "Halloween"/"Goodbye Love" being played as though Mark is harbouring secret feelings for Roger is fascinating.5. ....I am drawing a blank for number 5. So I'm going to throw out there real quick -- I love Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schultz in Cabaret because it's a kind of relationship that you don't see often as a major subplot. I love the songs "Our Love Is God" and "Meant to be Yours" from Heathers although I can't claim I ship Veronica and JD because the whole point is that's toxic as fuck.

[laissezferre]

of course babe! as soon as i heard him mention the “great | good | bad” rating system i KNEWWW (bc i vividly remembered you putting kerrie anne greenland as great and little 11 yo me was over the moon. i loved her sm and am so bummed her ellen stint ended in aus. i was looking forward to seeing her again in miss saigon) 😭 your commentary was on point though and i agree with a lot of it LOL. those were good times i miss them

idk if you saw but he also posted a bit of the audio you recorded (correct me if i’m wrong haha) so i was like oooouuuuuu cheeky

oh wow is that far back? im gonna have to crawl his tiktok arent i? this is too funny bc now i remember---nigel Did message me asking for the full audio HAHAA. that dog! he said smth about how it was incredible that someone was even recording the night he was on, and then even offered to buy it. i sent him the link no biggie, and then promptly forgot about it. it's all coming back now. he made a tumblr specifically to get a bootleg of himself 😅

i didnt remember being too freaked out then bc i knew i'd given him a good review. and hey! at least he wasnt chris durling

[faucetdouble51-blog]

Red Beer Is the Midwest’s Cult-Favorite Morning Beverage

It’s 10:30 a.m. outside of Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska — home of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers — but plenty of people here have already had a few alcoholic beverages, as indicated by the difficulty some have controlling the volume of their voices. Technically the area around the stadium is dry, but every group in sight in this parking lot has a cooler full of light beer, and many are also toting a bottle of tomato juice or bloody mary mix — though neither are intended for bloody marys. They’re for red beer, the michelada’s bland but mysterious Midwestern cousin: light domestic beer mixed with a healthy blob of tomato juice.

“Beer isn’t the best-tasting thing at eight in the morning,” said Scott Vonderharr, who drove down from Omaha for a tailgate. “If you’re gonna have a drink, I like to put a little tomato juice in it.”

Red beer is well-known in Nebraska, but its origins are unclear; a local historical society’s menu collection lacks any mention of it. Hypotheses abound, though: Vonderharr’s view on palatability in the morning is one theory why red beer exists; another is that it’s good for hangovers. Some drink it because they want to add flavor to the notoriously flavorless light beers they have on hand. A more cynical take theorizes that tomato juice companies used red beer as a marketing tool.

On this particular sunny morning outside Memorial Stadium, the binge-drinking is fueled by optimism: After years of stagnation, the world is the Huskers’ oyster. Many people sport red shirts with slogans hailing Scott Frost, the new coach who led the team to national glory as a quarterback in the ’90s. Other shirts say “Make Nebraska Great Again.”

Red beer’s thematic coloring leads many Nebraskans to think it’s a product of the tailgates, but the drink is more widespread than that: In different areas of the Midwest and West, a red beer can also be known as a red eye, red rooster, red draw, bloody beer, or Montana mary. At a dive bar or a steakhouse you can get one without fuss; a bartender at a more upscale place, if they agree to mix one for you, might serve it with a side of condescension.

Like many other beloved regional dishes, the progenitor of red beer is unclear, but the simplest version of red beer’s murky origin story is that it was imported from Mexican drinking culture. Micheladas, or beer flavored with a combination of tomato juice, lime, salt, and various spices, sauces, and seasonings, are one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in Mexico, and well-known to taco lovers and brunch-goers in America’s cities.

According to legend, the michelada was invented as a hangover cure by a bartender at Potosino Sports Club in San Luis Potosí in the 1960s, and its ingredients vary by region. It can be as simple as salt and lemon, or it can include bouillon powder, chamoy, tomato juice, or Clamato. (Major brewers have been attuned to the drink’s appeal for some time: Anheuser-Busch sells a beer pre-mixed with Clamato, salt, and lime.)

Pouring and drinking a pitcher of red beer at Neighber’s bar in Omaha

Red beer could also be, like many other tomato-based drinks, simply a case of convergent mixology. By the early 20th century, tomato-based drinks were on the rise: Louis Perrin created what’s considered to be the first tomato juice cocktail in 1917, and Fernand Petiot is largely credited with creating the bloody mary in Paris in 1921. The ascendancy of such drinks was assisted by the invention of canned tomato juice in the 1920s. The Bloody Caesar — a stripped-down version of the bloody mary with clam juice — took Canada by storm in the 1970s. Red beer seems to have emerged somewhere in the midst of all these other beverage inventions: EV Durling, a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist from New York, was puzzled by a man ordering beer and tomato juice in 1946. “When I saw him drink it, I shuddered,” he wrote.

Midwesterners usually add tomato juice to Michelob, Keystone, Bud Light, or Busch Light (often referred to by bros as “Busch Latté”), and they don’t adhere to a standard for the ratio of beer to “red,” leaving it up to drinkers’ individual tastes. “You know why I drank it in college?” asked tailgater Dale Lefferts. “Because it gives you the runs! It cleans you out.”

Lefferts said he only puts a splash of beer in a glass that’s “three-quarters red,” to be consumed with lunch. His digestive theory goes along with the convention among Nebraskans that it’s a drink best suited for the morning.

From the street, the Neighber’s bar in Omaha looks like a suburban version of the false-front architecture of Western films. At 6:30 a.m., it’s quiet inside — just three men drinking alone. One animatedly plays video games on a touchscreen system. Another sits quietly with a Busch Light and a pack of menthol cigarettes, while the other sips on a clear mixed drink.

“[This early], it’s usually a couple of regulars, older guys,” says Josh Bruckner, the son of Neighber’s owner, on the bar’s typical morning clientele. He’s been working mornings here for seven years. “The shift lets out at the hospital over here about 7 to 7:30, then we usually see a big rush of nurses,” he says, referring to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Sure enough, by 7:30 a.m., there’s a group of nurses in scrubs drinking bottles of Busch Light.

Leah Warren, one of the nurses, takes sips directly from a mini-pitcher of red beer. It’ll set her back $4.50: $4.25 for “whatever light beer Josh pours,” and a quarter for the “red.”

“It’s kind of like breakfast in a cup,” she says. On the way out of Neighber’s, patrons can grab a paper cup of joe from a drip coffee machine before facing the morning traffic on Saddle Creek Road.

The morning crowd at Neighber’s in Omaha

Despite its popularity, a lot of beer drinkers have never heard of red beer, or simply don’t care for it. Darrell Smith, the executive director of the American Breweriana Association, a group of beer aficionados, didn’t know what red beer was; Bill Baburek, the owner of Crescent Moon, one of the oldest craft beer bars in Omaha, isn’t a fan.

“We went to Chicago and when we ordered a red beer, they looked at us and were like, ‘What? What is that?’” said Tina Meeske, a hairdresser from Lincoln, over a red beer at the Railyard, an outdoor drinking hall near Lincoln.

Chris Hernstrom, master brewer at Bolo Beer Co. in Valentine, Nebraska, says red beer’s popularity in the Great Plains might have to do with the historical unavailability of more flavorful beers in small towns. For the older generation, especially in rural Nebraska where it would be rare to see anything but light domestics on the menu, red beer is a way to get a drink with more flavor and depth.

”It’s still relatively hard to find tap beer in a lot of small towns,” Hernstrom said. “Nobody uses a microbrew with a red beer. But almost everywhere has Busch Light or Bud Light.”

Part of the drink’s appeal is also the adjustability of the tomato-to-beer ratio: Some red beer drinkers are just beginning to consume alcohol, while others use it — much like a bloody mary — as the hair of the dog. Tailgater Lefferts claims his red-heavy beer is better for hangovers, while bartender Bruckner says patrons ordering red beer often cite a hungover need for vitamins.

Outside Memorial Stadium, Christine Kupfer said her grandmother likes red beer at any time of the day. “My grandma is 85, and every time we go out to dinner, she orders a red beer,” she said. “Old people like red beer, young people like red beer. Boys like red beer, girls like red beer. Everyone likes red beer. Unless you don’t like tomato juice.”

Jahd Khalil is a radio and print journalist based in Cairo, Egypt. Photographer Alex Matzke is currently based in Omaha focused on Community Building and Mentorship. Editor: Erin DeJesus

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Source: https://www.eater.com/2018/12/19/18146459/red-beer-nebraska-tomato-juice-morning-drink-tailgate-midwest

[raggedtyanne]

Enjolras was perplexed by the modern metallic horse @cjdurling Chris Durling as Enjolras"  Les Mis Australia 2014-2015

[jadetiggy]

Random Deliria: Les Mis

On my way to work today, I was listening to Les Miserables. And one year ago at this time, I was counting days to go to Singapore to catch the show. It was a random thought, I know. 

Let me tell you, I had a serious crush on Enjolras (Aaron Tveit) when I watched the movie. Then I went to the show in Singapore. It was the Australian Cast on tour and OHMYGOD, ENJOLRAS (Chris Durling)!! Even the original London Les Mis cast Enjolras (David Burt) was gorgeous! THEN THERE IS RAMIN KARIMLOO! Then, there is poor Eponine, to me, the perfect Eponines are Lea Salonga and Samatha Barks. And there is no Jean Valjean but Colm Wilkinson!

But, if given the chance, I would love to watch the musical again. I did not feel this way with the Phantom of the Opera nor did I feel it with Cats. But Mamma Mia!, that was the other show I wanted to watch again BUT... it was different with Les Mis. I cried throughout the musical and I could not find myself to sing along. 

We were in London when we walked by the Queen’s Theatre and Les Miserables was on. It was full but I dragged my sister and Mum in just to go and take a peek at the merchandise. In Singapore, I got the 3/4 sleeve baseball shirt and a keychain. In London, I got the tee shirt. 

Oh well, if God wills, I will go again. 

Although, I want to watch We Will Rock You :D