#then thenardier danced with a man for all of a second

[thecandlesticksfromlesmis]

“THIS ONE’S A QUEER, I MIGHT TRY IT TOO”????!!!!!!??!??!!!

IM BEGGING

I AM ON MY KNEES

JUST TAKE IT OUT!!!!!!!!! REMOVE IT REMOVE REMOVE JUST REMOVE HEY LES MIS JUST TAKE IT OUT TAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[not-a-christmas-tree]

i watched the dallas theater company les mis and here are my observations part TWO

i recently watched a modern adaptation of les mis from 2014! i took hella notes bc les mis being set in modern day has a LOT MORE than you would think! i just posted my act one notes, so here are the ones from act two. enjoy! :D

ACT TWO

(Building The Barricade)

oh javert,,,you and your red beret-scarf combo

everyone shakes hands the same way?? they all like. half bro hug. young people ig 🤷‍♀️ 

oh on my own is gonna hurt me huh

éponine has her hands up when she goes to take the letter to cosette that’s an interesting take

jvj looks so done lmao “really bruh just give me the letter i’ll give it to cosette it’s FINE”

omg first time i’ve ever seen éponine not take the money after the letter!! that actually makes so much sense bc she doesn’t take marius’ money when he asks her to find cosette’s house either. that,,,yes that’s good

the modern era begs the question... why didn’t marius just ask for cosette’s number?? i’d assume it’s just a thing that jvj doesn’t allow her to have a phone bc The Cops, but. maybe marius and cosette are the straight version of cottagecore lesbians they just write letters for ~The Aesthetic~

(On My Own)

i was right on my own was gonna hurt me

first time i’ve ever seen an éponine disguise where she actually passes as a boy lmao 

FINALLY A VERSION OF OMO WHERE ITS NOT JUST FORLORN SELF-CARESSING THANK YOU

surprisingly i have less notes here that’s fun i thought i’d have more

(Javert at the Barricades)

WOAHHHHH THEY DID NOT SKIMP ON BARRICADE SET PIECES THAT SHIT IS COOOOOL

oh the barricade scenes are already hitting too hard 

cops are in riot gear cops. are in. riot gear.

oh the javert spy thing that also hits funny because obviously

gavroche is armed with a bat i love you son

FULL VERSION OF LITTLE PEOPLE AT THE BARRICADE AYEEEEE

(A Little Fall Of Rain)

wait hold on why is marius not,,,singing to éponine on “why have you come back here?” he’s like. scolding someone,,, huh??

oh enj goes to help marius with ép!! and he calls over who i assume would be joly i STAN

MARIUS CRIES AFTER ÉP DIES KILL MEEEE

(The First Attack)

i like how jvj does the second confrontation here. he looks less angry and more like,,,compassionate and that MAKES SENSE bc yk. he’s telling javert he’s wrong but he’s not doing it out of spite he’s doing it bc this guy NEEDS to know what he does as a cop and realize that being a cop isn’t just enforcing rules, and it never was just that. 

i do love the exasperated “gO” from jvj that’s kinda great ngl

(Drink With Me)

i’m very sad that there won’t be any exr from these boys

v e r y sad here

i do see grantaire looking PRETTY sad though

bold of y’all to assume that the modern day amis would all be straight

okay i can tell that grantaire really is going hard on the Existential Singing like,,,sure he’s just standing there but like. damn bro

SO THERE A R E LADIES ON THE BARRICADE WHY TF ARENT THEY FIGHTING

BETTER SEE SOME CHANGE THERE

i just realized that the cockades are buttons that is the BEST

(Bring Him Home)

jvj actually looks kinda happy in BHH and tbh i kinda like it?? it’s only on the “he’s like the son i might have known” line but i like it

oh those vowels oh boy they TALL

(The Final Battle)

enjolras is for some reason, still angry...why...why bro....

the staging for gavroche’s death is INTERESTING bc he’s reaching up at the sniper on the tower. hm. i dont hate it

OH SOMEONE ON THE BARRICADE IS RECORDING I THINK!!! GOOD ADDITION!!

i can’t imagine how many blood packs they went through 

oh enjolras’s death okay so. he’s in a like. No Man’s Land almost, and the riot cops come in after him. it’s an interesting take because it almost mirrors the scene in the book, except obvs grantaire isn’t here. they also have an added scene after he dies where cops are checking out and using radios that is. that is EERIE.

jvj walks over to enjolras’s body 🥺

HE ALSO FUCKIN S C R E A M S WHEN HE SEES MARIUS ON THE GROUND GODDAMN MAN O U C H

thenardier steals combeferre’s glasses wow thanks for that added pain

thenardier and jvj have a mini fight oh that’s kinda cool hm

(Javert’s Soliliquy)

javert opens his soliloquy with some SPICY SADNESS OH B O Y he sounds broken already!! start strong!!

emotions go broken - anger - confusion? - mAJOR confusion - hopelessness 

javert can FLY! no legit he’s on ropes

(Turning)

turning is. turning is almost a funeral. 

OH THEYRE N U N S !

nuns are visiting the barricade 🥺 

OH DAMN “what’s the use of praying if there’s nobody who hears?” THAT CERTAINLY HAS WEIGHT NOW THAT THEY ARE N U N S

it has just occurred to me that people have been dead on the floor for like. a solid five minutes 

(Empty Chairs At Empty Tables)

“now my friends. are dead. and gone” he pauses like he’s realizing it just then oh OUCHIE

wait is marius,,,at the barricades? is he legit singing to his friends dead bodies? oh shit oh NO

OH N O OH NONONO THIS IS WORSE

THE BARRICADE BOYS RISE UP FROM THE FLOOR OH N O OUCH OUCH

they group up and salute him and wALK OFF NO OWWWW

*cosette and marius kiss* jvj: *COUGH COUGH*

marius and valjean’s lil conversation is interesting in the way valjean seems to ask marius “who am i?” rather than ask himself. he phrases it in a way that makes me think he’s like. quizzing marius lmao 

(The Wedding)

omg i think baby cosette and éponine are flower girls 🥺🥺

“go away thenardier” *madame mouths ‘dammit!’*

thenardier your boat shoes hurt me

madame: “get up! get up!” thenardier: “stop—STOP IT!” 

TWO GUYS ARE DANCING TOGETHER AND WAVE AT THENARDIER ON “this ones a queer, but what can you do”

yeah i think i found my new favorite thenardiers thank you dallas theater company

fantine sits on the bench when cosette comes by, cosette sits on bench next to her, and fantine tries to touch her but can’t 🥺

jvj just gave a hand-over-heart head nod to cosette but fantine gave it back i,,,ouch

ENJOLRAS AND GAVROCHE ARE WITH FANTINE AND ÉPONINE FOR JVJ’S DEATH

the chain gang is in the epilogue i repeat the cHAIN GANG IS IN THE EPILOGUE

the orchestra rests on the last “say do you hear the distant drums” and that was the coolest thing i’ve ever heard

that final harmony is MONEYYYY and i want to cry

OVERALL NOTES:

this javert has the most interesting interpretation because up until his FINAL SCENE he is the stone cold police officer, and he plays it SO WELL. like i have never been truly angry at a javert up until this guy, and whether that was because it was modern and resonates A LOT in 2020 or he just looks like a cop i want to punch, I DON’T KNOW but he plays it SO WELL and i love it so much!!

these thenardiers are the fucking BEST NGL they are the perfect mix of funny and cruel. madame t is also funny as HELL and i wish i had her talent lmao

i said it before but the police costumes in this show are. woosh. kudos to the costumer i took one look at those guys and was like “haha, no!.” vaguely related to that, i think this was the first time i nearly cried at Look Down like. the first song at the show, simply because of the convict getting the SHIT beat out of him on the floor. that hurt me and i hate that it is completely accurate to what happens in prisons today.

lovely ladies was,,,a LOT and tbh, i feel like it didn’t need to be. obviously it does show how horrible it is for sex workers, but that is why the music is there. the music and lyrics is there to tell what you don’t show visually. (though i do love the male prostitute lmao he took no shit)

i also said this before but the fact that there wasn’t bigger of a relationship between enjolras and grantaire kind of annoys me simply because they are revolutionaries in the present day. you can’t tell me that ALL OF THEM WERE STRAIGHT. with how many people i know now that identify under the queer and trans umbrella, and also how queer they are (to me) in the brick, the absence of any exr in a modern interpretation hurts a little.

in conclusion, this show was fucking FANTASTIC and even though i’m six years late, it still resonates hard given the time we live in today. i think i nearly screamed when i saw the cops in riot gear on the barricade because that is LITERALLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. this just reminds me how timeless the story of les mis is because you had to change LITERALLY NOTHING from the story to make it make sense in the modern age, and that is really the lesson you should learn from les mis; these things happen everywhere, and they need to be fixed. 

thank you for listening to my rambling, i am sure i forgot something because there was just so damn much but i hope you enjoyed otherwise! not-a christmas-tree out! :)

[leninouche]

Some Les Mis observations I made today as I watched the show at the Sondheim Theatre in London. Hope you enjoy!

- jean valjean is SOFT his voice is soft and silky and i love him

- THEY INCLUDED PETIT GERVAIS IM DLWNLDSLL

- At the „you know what that means“ „yes it means i‘m free“ „NO“ they made it as if Javert said no to keep a guard from hitting Jean and I‘ve never seen that before??

- The confrontation was LIT i mean it was ON they FOUGHT and it was amazing I loved it a lot

- Javert‘s overpronounciating everything and it‘s perfectly in character (but his french is terrible)

- His OUTFIT (tight black pants and boots, blue coat and ponytail, he hot)

- Very high Tension ™️ between Javert and Valjean, they „held hands“ for approximately a minute straight

- After Javert told Valjean about „this con man he once knew“ he went off-stage. Valjean kept tense for a long moment. Then face-palmed while he sung: „he thought that man was me without a second glance“ as if to say: ughgh javert is SO embarassing!

- The thenardiers are excellent and very much in character, amazing

- Okokok paris scene was good but THEN ENJOLRAS APPEARED AND I WAS NOT READY FOR THIS MAN NOT READY

- he had beautiful blond curls and was wearing a violet coat with a red waistcoat

- Marius is a Dork ™️ he‘s living the dumb dumb life

- My god, Enjolras talked to the poor people around and to his friends and he was genuinely concerned and attentive

- When the Thenardiers attacked Jean, Cosette fell to the side a bit and nearly got robbed by Montparnasse, but Marius sprung in between them. Monty continued to threateningly wield is small little pocket knife at a very distressed and scared Marius

- Montparnasse is excellent btw, long black hair and tailored clothes, he cute tho

- Ponine and Cosette are both awesome and I enjoy them so much. Cosette hit the high notes flawlessly and Ponine‘s end of On my Own was luminous

- Jean let his tissue drop when he ran away with cosette and Javert picked it up. Is that a UF tissue reference??? He even smelled it

- THE AMIS SCENE I AM

- grantaire gave his all, he even danced a little

- When Marius started singing about Cosette all the amis shouted at him to shut up in a joking manner

- Enjolras is the BEST omg he is genuinely excited and soft and laughs at Marius and enjoys his friends a lot, I love him so much. And his voice is SOFT and beautiful, he is beautiful and one of my favorite Enjolraii ever

- They had Vicky Hug‘s aquarelle paintings as background

- Gavroche is GREAT, he really lives his role and does little dances and gestures

- Stars was just utterly beautiful. Javert was super excited about the stars in the first part, it was very adorable, and the second part was just his voice filling the damn hall, straight into my heart god he was so good

- Omg omg a heart full of love was great. Ponine and Marius heard some of the conversation between jean and cosette, then when they were gone Marius climbed into the garden. That idiot threw a stone at Cosette‘s window what the heck, cosette came out, then suddenly ran away excitedly when she saw who it was- Marius didn‘t understand what was happening and that‘s when he sang: I‘m doing everything all wrong. It was great.

- Also great romeo and juliet reference with the balcony

- My god, the robbery. Montparnasse was just squatting on the fence the whole time, like a bird. What the fuck. He got to wield that little knife of his again as well

- I don‘t know if it‘s real or if i‘m imagining things but during one day more Enjolras looked up and in my direction and smiled and i smiled back and i hope he was looking at me and that i didn‘t just imagine it

- i forgot what awkward props muskets are

- At the barricade Enjolras jumped down the different levels with such speed and grace i am honestly Amazed

- Grantaire kept to the side the whole time, cowering on the floor or sheltering Gavroche

- Just- Javert‘s face when Gavroche called him out was heavenly. And when he was done, Gavroche literally flipped Javert off. Legend.

- Javert‘s undercover outfit was very cute and his hair was open

- They had literal torches on stage

- Ok at the beginning of drink with me they played a flute- feuilly reference??

- After Grantaire‘s solo Enjolras came up to console him but Grantaire pushed him away and retreated to the background again, with his face to the wall. Gavroche approached him and then pulled him into a hug, they went to sleep side by side

- Towards the end of Rain will make the Flowers grow, Gavroche noticed Ponine dying and froze which in turn made Grantaire notice what‘s going on. He signalled to the other barricade people to shut up and pay some respect and they watched on silently as the song finished

- The guy who i think was feuilly had a girlfriend which i assume was musichetta? They were adorable

- When Gavroche had climbed over the barricade, Grantaire froze with his face to the audience and waited with bated breath for the sound of a shot. When it came, he nearly collapsed until he heard Gavroche singing again. He ran towards the barricade and shouted something like: GO ON KID, HURRY UP. When Gravroche appeared at the top of the barricade he was shot. He fell into Enjolras‘ arms who in turn handed him to Grantaire. As the fighting ensued, Grantaire slowly carried Gavroche over to the side of the stage, seemingly unaware of shots being fired

- Next encounter between Valjean and Javert was intense again, and then Valjean uttered the softest „go“ ever as he stared into Javert‘s eyes

- Usually i don‘t quite enjoy Bring me Home but this Valjean did an awesome job, his singing was so mellow and emotional

- At the barricade, Enjolras was the first to die and he fell over the barricade into the void, and Grantaire was the last to die. He got shot in the head.

- When the barricade got cleared away and Javert inspected the grounds a cart was wield up on which Enjolras was half lying half hanging off it. They put Gavroche‘s body on top of him and pulled them off-stage

- Javert‘s suicide was fucking weird. The song was great, but when he jumped off the bridge they added a bit of animation in the background and lifted him up slightly with the help of ropes so that you saw him fall from different angles but... it just didn‘t work, it was more funny than dramatic

- During turning the women placed candles on stage. One woman began to cry and a small girl (who earlier had played cosette) gave her her handkerchief. It was really sweet. During Empty Chairs the boys came onstage and each took one candle, together with Marius

- During the wedding-feast the actor that had played Enjolras was one of the waiters and he was hilarious, even though the role was so small

- After bowing, as they ran off-stage, Enjolras made a heart sign with his hands

- And bonus: as the applause thundered through the theatre, Jean Valjean and Cosette were the last on stage. Jean carried Cosette in his arms and just stood there for a while, grinning. Then the curtain fell.

[darlingcolette24601]

Why The 10th Anniversary Concert is the Best Version of Les Miserables

Colm Wilkinson when he hit the perfect note: “Took the silver. Took...my...FLIIIIIIIIIIGHT”

The perfect melding of voices of the women workers At the End of The Day

Just the raw, powerful, heart wrenching emotion in Ruthie Henshaw’s voice when she accented “this HELL I’m living”

And...the rest of I Dreamed a Dream

The. Con. Fron. Ta. TION. “I AM WARNING YOU, JAVERT!” I thought Colm was about to lunge at Phillip. So convincing and so filled with rage.

The entire performance

“The Color of DesPAIIIIIIIIIIR!”

Do You Hear the People sing, but ESPECIALLY Michael Maguire. The sheer energy and passion in his voice is palpable.

Literally all of it

Master of the house was just perfect. The Thenardiers were weirdly endearing. You wanted to be in that inn. The audience was pulled into it. Excellent. But nothing tops Michael Ball and Phillip Quast just acting like five year olds and having a blast the entire time.

“I KNOW this house, I tell you” Lea Salona = goddess

One Day More (the first time): the energy, the power, the beauty of the perfect blending of voices and the seamless transition between duets was flawless. Stunning, blessed work.

On My Own, Lea Salonga. But most importantly the anger and sadness in her voice when she knows “his world will go on turning.” If Marius had to be a jerk, at least there was a killer song that came out of it.

Javert’s question mark as he sings his Stars reprise and the tremble in his voice: “of a world that....cannot hold?” I mean Quast so accurately and gutachingly conveyed a man whose entire world is shattering around him. Who is falling into paranoia and disbelief because all that he has known to be true in his life is crumbling. Masterful.

Bring. Him. Home.

Seriously. Colm’s voice was so tender and loving for someone he’d just met - he sang it not only for Marius so his daughter would be happy but he was singing on behalf of all the students. The emotion in his voice when he sings “the sumMERS diiiie one by one, how SOON they flyyyy on and on....” Beautiful. Perfect.

The second battle, when the vibrato in Maguires voice is perfect as he proclaims “untiiil the earth IS FREE!”

The oboe solo as Valjean is carrying Marius through the sewers. So pure and gentle...excellent.

Dog Eats Dog, as Thenardier ponders the night sky and the clearest, crispest, most haunting note rings out “and only the mooooooon...”

Seriously the whole damn thing was phenomenal

Michael Ball - wow. Empty Chairs at Emory tables. The massive crescendo in “oh my friends my FRIEEEENDS.” The visible and audible tremble as he holds “no more” at the end. So moving and powerful. Heart wrenching.

Beggars at the feast, the whole audience clapping along and cheering...I don’t think there’s ever been two more lovable antagonists in a musical.

Ruthie and Leas harmonization...especially “salvation”

The steady buildup to the finale. The creeping ascent to the massive, wonderful, tear jerking, stunning, masterful end. “Tomorrow COOOOMES”

When you get to see the audience applauding, see them visibly weeping at how beautiful it all was - and the well-deserved cheers received by all, but ESPECIALLY the defeaning roar for Colm. And, of course, Michaels little happy dance.

The teamwork of all the international valjeans and their seamless composition of their traditional “Do you hear the people sing?” Renditions. Beautiful, and even more powerful at the very end with the very last “COOOOMES”

All of it was incredibly, artfully, masterfully done. The venue at Royal Albert Hall, the incredible cast, everything. Truly magnificent spectacle and my favorite performance of my favorite musical of all time. Victor Hugo would be proud.

[burningivy]

Les Mis Highlights Act 2

“On My Own” was absolutely heart wrenching

when Valjean was supposed to shoot Javert everything else just stopped

“A Little Fall of Rain” was also heart wrenching

Paige Smallwood was just a great Eponine in general

Grantaire holding Gavroche back as Eponine died

“sing with me” “okay”

when Grantaire started singing the second part of “Drink With Me” everyone was getting mad at him so Enjolras came off the barricade and they just stared at each other then Grantaire walked off and Gavroche followed to hug him from behind

then they were lying on the ground on the side of the stage

in short: the relationship between Gavroche and Grantaire was amazing

“Bring Him Home”

so Gavroche was right at the top of the barricade like he was about to get back over when he died

his death was so sudden

“so you better run for cover when the pup grows-” *loud gunshot*

you could pinpoint the exact moment my heart shattered

he fell into Enjolras’s arms so he passed him to Grantaire who was cradling the body until the fall of the barricade

everyone was falling on the side of the barricade they were already on

then Enjolras was like crouching on the very edge holding the flag when he got shot and fell onto the other side

a couple other people tried to get up to where he had been but got shot before the could

Javert and the gaurdsmen were pulling around a cart with Enjolras’s body in it

then they threw Gavroche on top of him

during “Turning” the women were arranging candles on the floor

they were for “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”

so Marius starting singing and all the barricade boys (including Gavroche) appeared behind him

they all stood where there was a candle and picked one up and there was one left for Marius

towards the end of the song everyone did this thing where they spun around and walked out except Enjolras and Marius turned around and I swear he stared right at him

Valjean doing the nose boop thing to Cosette again

I really liked the choreography for the wedding scene

Madame Thenardier yelling “but first you pay” and everyone turning to look at her so she pretends to shove cake in her mouth and says “it’s delicious”

Marius punching Thenardier and everyone staring at him

then he Cosette run off and no one cares

when the Thenardiers try to run away plates fall out of Madame Thenardier’s dress and Thenardier says “pennies from heaven”

“this one’s a queer but what can you do” “I am not”

then the woman dancing with him walks away and refuses to talk to him

later he tries to take her hand and she slaps him so he goes by this other man

as the curtain fell after the bows the cast was waving at the audience

[ohheyiknowthatguy]

HERE’S MY REACTION TO LES MIS 2012 AKA ME WATCHING IT FOR THE SECOND TIME!!! DON’T READ IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT!!

“My life was a war that could never be won, they gave me a number and they murdered valjean” poetic cinema

For someone dying of consumption fantine can belt pretty good

imagine ur dying at the hospital and the these mfs start swashbuckling in front of ur bed that’s basically what the confrontation is

jean I love you but you should NOT be kissing someone with tuberculosis

Love how Jean Valjean can pick up a heavy ass wagon without breaking a sweat but he grunts when he picks up little Cosette

Russell Crowe has such a nice voice 🥺🥺

The transition from Stars to Paris/Look Down?? legendary

How do you do? My name’s Gavroche!

Me: oh hi....

Gavroche: what the hell!

Me: omg... 🤭

Gavroche’s friends: wait!

Gavroche, fuckin cruisin on the back of a carriage: perish

HOW COURFEYRAC PICKS UP GAVROCHE AND THE TRANSITION FROM GAVROCHE SINGING TO EVERYONE SINGING??? LEGENDARY

Me, an American: omg.. Vive la France...

Enjolras is DONE WITH MARIUS he is FED UP

Marius: h-

Enjolras: no!! uh uh!! Bitch!!!

I NEVER NOTICED GRANTAIRE PROMPTS HIM ON HE’S LIKE “red!” WITH A LITTLE SMIRK OMG AND THEN EVERYONE JOINS IN And hes so CLEARLY MAKING FUN OF MARIUS BUT MARIUS IS JUST :) IM LOVE THIS MOVIE

GAVROCHE’S LITTLE FIST PUMP..

Sorry for shitty camerawork 😔

In my life time... angels

IMAGINE IF MARIUS HEARD EPONINE

Eponine: every word he says is a dagger in me

Marius, stupid: huh??? And I oop...

Eponine and Marius: share a tender little duet

Marius, moving on: a heeaaaart full of looove

Marius and Cosette: Not a dream after all!

Valjean: Cosette!

Cosette:

Uh oh one day more time

GAVROCHE’S LITTLE ‘yeah!’ WHEN MARIUS SAYS ‘my place is here, I fight with you!’ IM WEEPING

Do you hear the people sing time

ENJOLRAS RUNNING OUT AND EVERYONE ELSE LIKE “ah shit time to go!!”

THEY’RE CLIMBING OH JEEZ

Javert went 😳 >:(

OH SHIT BARRICADE TIME OH GOD PH FUCK

JAVERT HELPED COURFEYRAC UP?? WHAT

oh everyone’s throwing their furniture out to help the barricade!!!!

MARIUS TELLING GRANTAIRE TO GET OFF HIS ASS WHDJDJD

Joly’s just stealing a table!

oh javert is evil he’s plotting that’s why he helped him up

GRANTAIRE JUST KISSED A LADY, STOOD HER UP AND THEN STOLE HER CHAIR I

where did javert get the patch??

god the music here is so pretty GOD THIS PART IS SO PRETTY

Gavroche’s time to shine baby fuck u javert

LIAR

gavroche: inspector

everyone: OH SHIT

GAVROCHE HAS A GUN HE’S LIKE 10

MARIUS JUST HIT A SOLDIER IN THE FACE WITH A TORCH

Eponine’s gonna die tho that’s sad as hell

marius: hushabye, dear Eponine

Me: FUCK

Marius hits notes though

Their LAST DUET FUCK FUFKD CUCK

HIS LITTLE “grow.” FUCK MAN

GAVROCHEBIS CRUNG FUCK I HATE THIS SCENE

Gavroche is just chilling in a box I love that

Marius: gavroche, will you do something for me?

Gavroche: anything! Without you, I’d have bitten the dust!

Me: and I oop... we love foreshadowing

Valjean: stay away from there (the barricade)

Gavroche NO ONE WANTS YOU TO GET HURT STOP!!!

Valjean reading Marius’ love letter: lol wut

OH MY GOD “he’s gonna take my cosette away :,( but... he could die tonight! Lightbulb!” VALJEAN NO

Valjean: give me the spy javert let me take care of him

Gavroche: ok lol here’s a gun

Enjolras: also here’s another gun

“You are wrong and always have been wrong” BAHAHAH SUCK IT JAVERT

Enjolras: marius, rest.

My last braincell: 🥺🥺🥺

oh of course Grantaire is singing drink with me

IM SO MEAN TO HIM

but this song.... all my uwus

Gavroche joining in.... mwah

Everyone looks so disheveled I 🥺

It’s honestly such a powerful image everyone sitting there drinking together like wow... the flavor...

Everyone harmonizing in the back of Marius singing about cosette... total 180° from them making fun of him earlier... masterpiece

Valjean going from wanting to get rid of Marius to praying he makes it home ok?? The development!!

The Les Amis listening to this old man belt in Bring Him Home:

👁👄👁

Valjean: if I die, let me die!

Me, knowing it’s foreshadowing again: aw shit

Gavroche singin do you hear the people sing 🥺🥺

EVERYONE ACREAMING FOR GAVROCHE TO COME BAKC IM IN TEARS “you dirty bastard!” COURFEYRAC COMING TO GET HIM HES CRYING THIS IS HORRIBLE

The soldier singing after he shoots gavroche... nice voice for a BABY KILLER

THE GUY HUGGING COURFEYRAC 🥺🥺🥺

BRO THE NOTES ENJOLRAS HITS...

Soldier: cannons!

The Les Amis: c-c-c-cannons????

Ok but the music in the final battle... fucking SUPERB!! FANTASTIC!!

OH NO EVERYONES BANGING ON DOORS AND NO ONES LETTING THEM IN EVERYONES CARRYING THE WOUNDED THIS IS THE WORST MOVIE EVER

MARIUS GOT SHOT OH GOD

OH NO THEY WERE ALL HUDDLED AND THEN THE SOLDIERS SHOT THROUGH THE FLOOR OH GOD PH GOD

OH NO GRANTAIRE RUN RUJ MAN RUN THE MUSIC ENJOLRAS GOT SHOT HES HANGING IUT RHE WINDOW IM GONNA CRY IM FONNA CRY FUCK

ALL THE BODIES ARE LINED UP

JAVERT GAVE GAVROCHE HIS MEDAL IM GONNA SOB BRO

so basically I’m gonna die tonight from dehydration from crying

Bro Thenardier stole Marius’ ring....

“I saved you!” Headass did not

So I’d be sad but Hugh Jackman is wading through shit so...

JAVERT STANDING THERE THATS SO OMINOUS

“Look down, Javert!” BDE PURE BDE

“One more step and you die.” AND HE KEEPS WALKING

Javert: I’m tough as hell! Nothing in this world will stop me from hunting Valjean!

Valjean: shows him pity

Javert:

shall his crimes be repRIEEEEEEEEEVED

bro he sings to the tune of valjean’s soliloquy...wow

BRO STARS IS PLAYING IN THE BACK

turning is so fuckin sad I’m :,((

OH NO EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES TIME

How the music slowly fades in... wow

HES CRYING OHBNO

he can hit notes though... wow... the flavor

OH MY FRIENDS MY FRIENDS DONT ASK ME WHAT YOUR SACRIFICE WAS FOR

THIS IS SO FUCKING SAD

bro dude is TRAUMATIZED he’s just starin blankly at the floor

A HEART FULL OF LOVE REPRISE TIME

THERE HE IS HES SINGIN GOOD JOB BABY

aw man instead of Eponine singin it’s valjean... poetic cinema

Marius: thank u so much!!! :))

Valjean: :/

WHO AM I REPRISE

instead of “who am I? Jean Valjean.” It’s “who am I?” “You’re Jean Valjean.” POETIC CINEMA!!!

Eddie Redmayne’s eyes are so pretty though..

suddenly reprise.. uh oh jean isn’t looking so hot

WEDDING TIME THEY LOOK SO GOOD

THEY’RE DANCING!!!

“Go away, Thenardier!” HE LIKE SPITS IT WOW SASS TIME “do you think I don’t know who you are?”

“I was there, never fear. I even found me this fine souvenir!” “I know this. This is mine!” HAKDHSJXBD

MARIUS JUST DECKED HIM BAHAHAHAH

Oh no epilogue time

bring him home reprise time..

Wow you couldn’t have even give hallucination fantine her hair back

Dam cosette can RUN in those heels

Ok this is all I can fit here for now! Thank you for reading all this if you made it to the end! Mwah I’ll fit the rest in another post!

[shadows-of-1832]

20 + D?

I hope you were looking for a bit of angst here, because that’s what resulted. Hope you like it!

“I can’t stand my own reflection.”/Victory

The people’scheers cry throughout the Parisian streets. From his window, Enjolras watcheschildren dance with tricolor flags. Mothers smile as fathers raise the childrenon their shoulders. It’s a celebration, and all is peaceful.

But there’s thosehe can’t see. Those who even amidst this celebration and victory are stillbegging for a sous or some scraps, those who are likely huddled in a cornersomewhere waiting for all the joy to die down, for things to return to asemblance of normalcy even with a shift in the government.

Change takes time, he reminds himself. They’ll be helped soon enough.

But not soon enough for some. And who’s to say evenwith the changes that occur, they’ll ever be helped?

He reaches for thecane that sits by the bed, trying to put as little pressure on his right leg ashe’s able; if he tore open the stitches again, Joly would never let him hearthe end of it.

“You should not beout of bed yet,” the doctor had scolded. “It has not even been a week!”

That had beenyesterday.

He glances out thewindow again. Just a few dawns ago, the street below had been littered incorpses, surrounded in rivers of blood belonging to National Guardsmen andcommon men alike. Bayonets scattered and bullets left forgotten behind brokenwindows.

Yet the peopleprevailed. He never thought he’d see that again after 1830, didn’t think hewould just two years later.

Will things turnout as they hoped this time?

He recalls thefight of 1830 well, and the happiness and disappointment that later transpired.But the events of the past week are what remains fresh in his mind.

The execution hehad performed on a man who had shot a harmless civilian. Shooting theartilleryman. Many others whose names he will never know and faces who havealready blurred.

The loss ofProuvaire. The death of Gavroche. Other fallen brothers whose names he hadnever known, and probably never would.

Deaths on thebattlefield happen, a fact one must accept when fighting such a war as theywere. One does not pull the trigger without knowing the blood that will be ontheir hands, and the burden such an act may later carry.

He limps to thedoor, hissing when his foot touches the floor. He pauses by the standingmirror. Cuts cover his hands and forearms from grazing bullets and dodgingbayonets. There’s a gash that runs from his cheek and halfway across his neck,shallow enough to not cause any major damage, and another that’s just along hishairline.

He’s survived, heshould be glad for that.

But the longer hestares at the mirror, the thought digs deeper into him: he’s looking at astranger.

The execution, itwas the only time he held a gun to someone like that, the only time such ferocityemerged from him in the form of judge, jury, and executioner. He had no doubtthen the civilian had been intentionally struck down, for what reason wasunknown, but despite the words he had said then, he wonders if his own actionswere justified.

“God will judge mefor my actions when my time comes, and I will take punishment in any form Hewishes.”

Then the artilleryman.A face all too clear, a face that when he looks back or sees in his sleep, isreplaced with his own. The face of someone whose death bought them only a fewprecious seconds of time, a face who haunts his nightmares.

The creaking doordistracts him enough to turn his head.

The injured gaminestands in the frame, her arm in a sling to prevent stress on the area of hershoulder where she’d been struck by a bullet. She was lucky to have survived,for had the bullet struck her just a few more inches to her chest, she would bedead.

“Heard you upabout. Thought I’d check in.”

“You should be inbed, Thenardier,” he tells her, his head gesturing towards her room.

“Speak foryourself,” Eponine argues, walking towards him. “Resting doesn’t suit me.Neither does it with you.”

She stands besidehim, looking at him and tilting her head. She turns to glance at the mirror,then back at him.

“You’ve no need todo that, you know.” She moves to put herself between him and the mirror. “There’sno need to remember yourself in this state, especially with what good that’s tocome with the barricades left behind.”

“My appearance isnot what concerns me,” he replies, his narrowed eyes staring past her. “Icannot stand my own reflection. I do not recognize myself.”

She nods inunderstanding. “Then why bother trying to see? And to continue to look anyway?”

A pause.

“Are you lookingfor your past self?” she asks. “You won’t find it there; the barricades changedus all too much. Let’s sit; standing can’t be good for you anyway.”

She motionstowards the bed, waiting for him to sit before she does. It takes a moment forhim to do so, trying not to think of the pain in his leg; any wrong movementcould cause him to cry out or tear the stitches again. Then, she sits besidehim.

[grandrsachilles]

Here is my Les Mis experience

(its really long but what the hell)

I was sat on the 2nd row so I was so close to the stage and at times the cast were no more than 5ft away and it was crazy

As soon as the first note to ‘Look Down’ played I was crying 

Valjean and Javert screaming their names at each other

The way they had the stage rotate as Valjean was walking round finding work was so awesome

The Bishop and Valjean ?? Is this a ship?? There was definitely something going on there, the way they looked at each other whilst the Bishop had his hands on Valjean’s chest (Valjean had his hands over the Bishop’s) and when the Bishop went to leave the stage they still held hands until they couldn’t anymore

‘Valjean’s Soliloquy’ was amazing, the first time we really got to experience Valjean’s vocals and Dean Chisnall’s voice is AMAZING and I teared up

I loved how in the factory Fantine had one friend who stuck with her and held her hands and tried to reassure her when she had been thrown out until she was dragged away off stage by the other women 

Also the factory workers were a mixture of men and women though it was only the women that were horrible to Fantine

‘I Dreamed A Dream’ was pretty emotional, Carley Stenson’s voice was so powerful

‘Lovely Ladies’ was done really well I liked how the prostitutes were all in the centre stage and there was smoke and it was really cool with all the effects and how they had Fantine coming back with short hair

AND BAMATABOIS I cannot stand that man he was so horrible to Fantine and how the women rallied against her trying to comfort her after she attacked him and he threw her onto the floor

The cart scene was incredible, how everyone was running around the stage and then when the cart had fallen some of the cast were practically right next to me like rolling and tumbling 

How they did ‘Who Am I?’ was pretty cool, how he was alone but then he was standing before the court showing his 24601 brand on his chest

Fantine’s death scene was really sad, how she got out of bed and collapsed and Valjean carried her back to bed and she died in his arms and that bright white light that shone on her once she had died got me real good

THE CONFRONTATION I loved this part and how they chased each other around Fantine’s bed?? And Valjean picking up a chair and smashing it on the floor and then threatening Javert with a chair leg what a man

Little Cosette was so adorable, her voice was incredible for someone so young 

The Thenardier’s were so funny throughout the entire thing, just small comments and actions

‘Master Of The House’ was really good and there were multiple laughs during the performance 

‘The Bargain’ was also pretty funny, the things the Thenardiers did when Valjean wasn’t looking like the faces they made at each other and afterwards when they had the money and Mdm Thenardier was rubbing it on herself and Thenardier grabbed her and they ran off stage

THE DANCE SCENE VALJEAN AND LITTLE COSETTE HAD AFTERWARDS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL and how she changed super fast into a nice dress and Catherine

‘Look Down’ was really good again and when Enjolras and Marius appeared !! And some of the ensemble were right next to me again which was awesome

Marius and Cosette meeting each other was really cute and he tried to help her during the robbery scene

Montparnasse like grabbed Eponine during the robbery and she attacked him and pushed him away but then he helped her with the robbery and his outfit was just so Montparnasse?? Like top hat and a better tailcoat than all the others??

When Javert appeared during this and Valjean had gone, Patron-Minette and the Thenardiers were all on the floor next to Javert and Thenardier crawled towards Javert’s feet as he sung ‘in the absence of a victim dear inspector may I go..’ And Javert just glared at him and he shuffled back towards the others really quickly and whispered guess not to the others

‘STARS’ WAS AMAZING once again the vocals were incredible, the Javert was an understudy played by Lee Van Geleen and he was an amazing Javert

‘Red and Black/ ABC Cafe’ was soo good, Samuel’s voice he’s such an awesome Enjolras like his voice was just perfect for this role and THE HAIR he was amazing but when Enjolras said ‘dont let the wine go to your brains’ he stared at Grantaire who stared back in disbelief and pointed to the guy behind him 

Grantaire then continued to lovingly stare at Enjolras throughout the song (minus the parts when he was annoying Enjolras with his lines)

GRANTAIRE PUT THE BOTTLE DOWN 

Grantaire literally sulked and sat down and read a newspaper for the rest of the song whilst everyone else was gathered together listening to Enjolras

I LOVED how this transitioned into ‘Do You Hear The People Sing?’ how they moved from the cafe into the streets to rally people, and Enjolras in the cart omg 

‘In My Life/ Heart Full Of Love’ was so cute and how Marius just climbed the gate and held Cosette, it was also really cool how the gate rotated to fit where the scene was more focused AND Toby’s Marius was so well played like his Marius was so awkward and adorable

‘ONE DAY MORE’ OMG I’m still not over this, how Enjolras came onto the stage wearing the red vest and went between Cosette and Marius and then when they were all doing THAT walk across the stage and the last couple lines got to me SO BAD 

Also Valjean handing Catherine to Cosette and packing her into her bag to leave for England omg

‘On My Own’ was pretty good and again emotional 

And at the barricade when Javert had been found out and Gavroche the little savage has no chill 

And Grantaire whilst singing ‘bravo little Gavroche you’re the top of the class’ picked him up and put him on his shoulders

When Eponine came back to the barricade and was shot it was SO sad like a ‘Little Fall Of Rain’, the blood and Marius’ sobs as he hugged her body and after she was carried away during ‘Night Of Anguish’

During the first attack Grantaire tried to protect Gavroche and everyone screamed get down and everyone did except Grantaire who stayed stood on top of a box with his arms wide and he said bring it on and Feuilly and Courf I think kept shouting at him to get down and he eventually did when they dragged him down

Them gunshots though every time I would full on jump they were SO loud and sharp 

And ‘DRINK WITH ME’ afterwards holy hell, during Grantaire’s part Courf pointed him out to Enjolras who then ran down the barricade and grabbed his shoulder before standing in front of him and they stared at each other for a while before Grantaire literally THREW himself into Enjolras’ arms and they hugged for a few seconds and I cried

Grantaire and Marius also hugged multiple times

‘Bring Him Home’ has always been my least favourite song but Dean’s performance was just INCREDIBLE and I LOVED it and how Marius went to sleep hugging Eponine’s hat just broke my heart

Gavroche’s death omg, just before when Marius and Enjolras were talking Grantaire made sure Gavroche was okay and safe and two seconds later he had run around the barricade and then he was killed once he had thrown the ammunition over the barricade and it was really sad

Marius was then shot and Grantaire was crying over him trying to wake him up

And then he and Enjolras shook hands and Enjolras smiled (which I guess in a way was do you permit it?) 

Enjolras then ran to the top of the barricade and tried to take the flag but was shot and the epic death fall??

BUT then Grantaire ran up to the top after Enjolras was shot and threw his wine bottle at the National Guard and was then shot and killed

How that bright white light shone on each one as they died, was that really necessary???

When the barricade rotated and Enjolras was fallen backwards over the barricade it was so sad but looked SO awesome

The sewer scene was also really good, like how a light would shine on Valjean and Marius and each time Valjean was carrying Marius in a different way it looked awesome

JAVERT’S SUICIDE WAS DONE AMAZINGLY

First off the vocals again, and secondly how it was performed?? There was a bridge on the stage and he climbed over the railings and as he stepped from the bridge to the stage the bridge went up and Javert ‘fell’ and it just looked so amazing?? 

‘Turning’ was so sad and ‘Empty Chairs At Empty Tables’ when they all came and stood behind Marius omg my heart

The wedding scene was so beautiful, some of the barricade guys came back to dance and the dancing was really pretty 

When Thenardier sang ‘this ones a queer but what can you do’ the guy who was Grantaire (Raymond Walsh) stopped dancing, let go of his partner and once again stared in disbelief at Thenardier and the audience

The ending will forever get to me

When Fantine appeared and I started to tear up and then once he had gone and Marius was holding Cosette as she cried and Eponine appeared behind them

THEN everyone reappeared and I SOBBED badly it was so sad yet beautiful 

Don’t even get me started on the bows at the end

I started crying even more I was so sad it was over but soo happy with the cast and the entire thing 

The entire theatre gave a standing ovation and Id never experienced that with a show and it was incredible and that made me cry even more

AND during the final bows the cast were SO close and they all looked so happy and thankful and I cant 

Im SO glad I got to see the new cast in one of their first weeks they were seriously incredible and I recommend it so much

I also got to meet some of the cast afterwards and they were all SO nice 

BEST NIGHT EVER

[transannabeth]

some people were interested in hearing more about my high school’s production of les mis, so here’s a massive screaming post (also i don’t want to forget a minute of it)

hello i like to talk it’s under a cut

our pit was behind us

like the orchestra was hidden behind a canvas at the back of the stage

so our music director was watching us from a live feed with an audio feed and we saw her through a tv on the floor in front of the stage covered with a black sheet

also the feeds went out opening night so she did act one blind  

our valjean not realizing how heavy the pickaxe he was using for the prologue was and hurting his back and shoulder. 

and then switching sides the next night and hurting the other shoulder

one of the boy’s quick changes from prisoner to farmer oh my god talk about me panicking 

all the struggles getting the silver into that bag

me scrambling offstage for the factory girls’ embroidery hoops and getting shoved by the foreman 

getting felt up by the foreman oh boy

shouting slut in a high school auditorium 

the costumes for lovely ladies were just a+

corsets and bold colors and black and fishnets

versus fantine’s pure white prostitute dress oh it was gorgeous

all the nonofficial lovely ladies walked through the audience and flirted with the people on the aisle seats

we tattooed 24601 on our valjean with henna 

when fantine died valjean blew out a candle 

because we did the school version, instead of the confrontation, valjean and javert just stare at each other intensely for like 20 seconds 

all of master of the house

what a gift

our thenardiers were incredible just so so good

thenardier sliding between the prostitutes’ legs as we lifted our skirts 

‘thinks he’s quite a lover but there’s not much there’ 

madame laying on the table and us lifting one end and sliding her off as she sang ‘master and a half’

our gavroche. just everything about him

during the beggars madame has a loaf of bread wrapped in a blanket as a ‘baby’ and literally the second and last show the poor people ripped pieces off and ate it 

stars was so good we had star lighting and a bridge we flew in 

also at the end gavroche lays on the ground and listens up to javert before singing his lines it’s adorable

the first night our enjolras sang the wrong verse for do you hear the people sing

he had a nightmare about it that night and nailed it both other shows

(i love him) 

the girls walk through the aisles during do you hear the people sing and man is it awkward

fun but awkward, especially when you make eye contact with someone texting during the show

our cosette was just so pretty and good and she wore a pink dress and had a pink flower

the goddamn chain on that goddamn gate

it worked the last night finally but the other nights smh

during in my life marius pulls on the gate and realizes it’s not locked well and then he stands there unsure with this look on his face for like the last 30 seconds of the song and i love it 

marius kisses cosette’s hand before he starts singing a heart full of love like talk about doing it all wrong 

one day more

i could talk about this song for hours

i just want to say 

at the end, gavroche climbs up on enjolras’ back and waves a flag

but he’s too short to really wave it

so enjolras has to twist back and forth to move it well

and it’s adorable

ACT TWO 

god our intermission is just us sobbing 

on my own is beautiful as always

our barricade b r u h 

ok so it’s two staircases on wheels that we lock and clamp together

with some old things on it like chairs and railings and hat racks and a coffin 

and it looks so good

ok we gotta skip stuff so we can talk about bring him home

our valjean is actually our lowest bass, so bring him home is way at the edge of his range

he has done it!!! but they had him sing it down the octave and dude 

cue me crying 

each time gavroche gets shot, the lights turn red for a moment 

he stumbles down the stairs

‘when the pup grows—’ and throws his entire weight into enjolras’ arms

oh boy

there’s silence, and you can hear a pin drop as enjolras turns to the audience

a high school senior who is 6 foot 4 inches

hunched over an 11 year old boy

face crumpled, sobbing and shaking

and tonight, he shook gavroche, like he was trying to wake him up 

it’s way worse than you think it is reading it

and then enjolras hands gavroche off to grantaire

gav comes offstage to hug all the sobbing girls in the wings, including his sister who’s on the ground a complete mess

also gavroche cried every night when he died, and god it was painful

enjolras is the last barricade boy standing

he’s at the very very top of the barricade

he throws his arm out as he gets shot and then covers his chest with his hand, staring down at his ‘wound’ 

tonight, he did it different

when everyone else went down, he grabbed the red fabric we used for the flag and started waving it

when he got shot, he did what he always did

he falls onto the coffin on the barricade as he dies

and then, as he’s dying, he lifts the flag in his arm one more time

and the lights on the barricade change from red to pure white

cue literally all of us sobbing

seriously me and my friend playing fantine had to run back to find enjolras every night to hug him 

the freaking sewers the barricade boys never knew when to get up

first night, someone sat up, realized no one was getting up, and laid back down 

second night, someone stayed on for most of the valjean/javert confrontation, sat up, went ‘oh shit’, and got offstage

tonight, one person was left and it took both valjean and javert kicking him multiple times to get him to leave

boy

javert’s suicide

oh man 

so the bridge comes back and he does his thing and it’s awful and sad and we cry

and when he jumps, he throws his arms in the air, the bridge flies up, there’s a blackout, and the stars that were on the stage move out into the audience in some lighting magic

hooooo

turning? i cried for all of turning 

we walk in circles and stuff it’s not a big deal, we were just all sobbing

e m p t y  c h a i r s 

marius is sitting where he sat in the abc cafe

all the boys come out with their chairs and lit candles and set up their chairs exactly where they were 

eponine comes out the opposite side of the stage with her candle

they all stand on their chairs at ‘all my friends my friends don’t ask me’ 

and then as the song ends, they blow out their candles one at a time, ending with eponine 

also marius is crying the whole time

it’s fine

man ok the wedding is just a fun disastrous mess of us guests being horrified by the thenardiers

the epilogue 

where to begin 

ok so everyone is in white and they just glow 

and fantine stands behind valjean and cosette is crying the whole time

and valjean stands when fantine says ‘take my hand’  

him, fantine, and eponine, hold hands as cosette is reading valjean’s letter

then valjean turns and picks up a lit candle that was next to him 

‘to love another person is to see the face of god—’ 

valjean blows out his candle

cosette starts sobbing 

(tonight, all five of them were crying) 

this is all you need to know for the last song

(good things said to me in particular and other random things that i want to save and remember: 

my director thanking me for everything i did for the show and saying it wouldn’t have been possible without me

our choreographer hugging me and crying each night

valjean’s dad hugging me and saying that i have a vibrant stage presence that’s just incredible and a real gift [i was sobbing into his shirt]

valjean’s mom asking if i was going to continue to do theater and perform because i have such talent and gift

someone legitimately asking for our autographs

the standing ovation we got for master of the house opening night

enjolras crying tonight after the show and hugging us all 

me and the sister of marius hugging backstage as fantine died and trying not to cry too much 

the senior support group valjean made as we all cried backstage during intermission

all of the girls piled up for the barricade scenes backstage on fantine’s dying bed, holding each other as we cried 

the music director saying that i have a fantastic presence and amazing expressions during lovely ladies, and saying that her eyes kept being drawn to me during it

everyone loving the dance behind the scrim during i dreamed a dream 

when we first did the lift with the light change during the dress rehearsal and everyone screamed

our director calling this the peak of his career)

[shesaidshelikesitlikethat]

Les Miserables American Tour Review

So.

That was fun.

I remember reading a review coming into the show that was like “great show, too bad I couldn’t hear shit”. And well, that’s Centennial Hall for you. They haven’t changed the sound system since 1900 I bet. Or maybe since B.C.

But oh God what a show. I was such a mess because this show has been such a huge part of my life! I’ve seen it live twice, seen the movie in theaters, owned the CDs of both concerts, and have all the songs memorized. I know it pretty well.

And I got to fall in love with it all over again.

Nick Cartell. That man young. And a pretty good John McJohn as well. He had a gorgeous voice and knocked the hell outta Bring Him Home. The tension between him and Javert was good. And in general he had good presence and was running around killing it. When he looked out the audience in Bring Him Home. Ascended right then. 

Javert! Josh Davis. Blessed. Stars stars stars stars stars was amazing. Like holy hell easy highlight of the night. Just something between the staging and the acting just really hit home. He got some interesting moments of humor too- right after Valjean let him go at the barricade? Interesting choice. Also his growth over the course of the play was good- especially demonstrating that he had some soul in him. And his Javert’s Suicide was great. Somehow it feels inappropriate to clap at a man’s suicide. But hey.

I really wanted to see Joshua Grosso as Marius. Like so bad. And was so angry that I didn’t. But oh god  Gabriel Sidney Brown was just too cute for words. Like Eponine girl, I’d die for him too honestly. He was best at the romantic Marius; as an awkward guy in love for the first time. It was too damn endearing and I couldn’t hold a grudge against him. His delivery of “I’m doing everything all wrong” and “I don’t know what to say” was too damn much. And the staging of Empty Chairs at Empty Tables just hurt. Candles and shit. 

Matt Shingledecker was great as Enjolras- I particularly loved his sustained note during the final battle. Awe-some. The Amis were just wonderful in general and worked well together. They were super chummy. I wish there’d been a bit more of the relationship between Grantaire and Enjolras- since that’s a detail I’ve grown to love. But their scenes were a highlight nonetheless.

Jillian Butler! What a sweet, lovable, and real Cosette. She felt like a strong presence in the show with her voice and her prettiness and her sweetness. Okay- there’s this scene where she picks Eponine off the ground after the confrontation with Thenardier and it was like oh. Little details like that can just change so much.

And the relationship between Cosette and Valjean? My freaking heart. He danced with little Cosette adorably and then was constantly holding her and being gentle and protective and it gave me such feels.

Eponine. Paige Smallwood I  bow to you. I always thought she was so cool. And they gave her a knife . Where was this CamMack when I saw it 10 years ago? On My Own was incredible and heartbreaking and beautiful. And her Little Fall of Rain was so depressing and sad. She went for that kiss. Like that girl know how to die right. And then she died. And the theater was in utter silence. And suddenly someone’s ringtone went off. And I just hear All About that Bass by Meghan Trainer. If you can just imagine that for a second- you still won’t understand that feeling I felt in that moment. Happened right in the middle of utter silence. Couldn’t have time it better myself. 

The Les Miserables tour is pretty dope.  It’s a mix of good acting, great score, beautiful scenery and shitty sound at crappy venues. I recommend it highly.