What is Les Mis (sp) about?

[KarenB]

Our DSs played a variety of songs from Les Mis in their recent band concert. Then this morning, DH and I watched a part of it on TV. It looked as though there were no sets but the cast was sitting on chairs on the stage and simply walked up to the microphones to sing or say their parts. Is this how it was on Broadway?

 

[Dan Murphy]

It is a wonderful musical. I think that may be in the second act, when they are all by the barricades during the revolution.

This might help a bit...........

http://www.lesmis.com/pages/about/story_6.htm

 

[Cplofdisneynutz]

No not at all, what you saw was the "all-star cast" concert. The show is based on the Victor Hugo novel by the same title. Here is a website for Les Miserables
It gives the synopsis of each scene to give the basic story framework.

If you enjoy this musical I recommend Miss Saigon as well, written by the same composers. hope that helps

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

It sounds like you caught part of what is called "Les Miserables In Concert" where yes, they walk up, do their song and go back to where they were. It is NOT NOT NOT that way on Broadway/on tour. It's more like a normal play where there are sets, etc.

Les Miserables is based on the book by the same name by Victor Hugo (who also wrote The Hunchback of Notre' Dame). It's not one story, but several stories intermingled which take place around the time of the French Revolution.

The main story, however, involves a young woman who has a small child (named Cosette) and earns a living by being a dockside *****. HOWEVER, Cosette's mom dies and gives Cosette over to a friend (ValJean..he is possibly Cosette's father..I never understood it). But then ValJean is taken into prison for stealing bread to feed Cosette.

Cosette ends up living with a bawdy innkeeper and his wife until ValJean escapes from Prison. He is then pursued until his death by a policeman by the name of Javert.

Now how the story of Eponine and her lover fits into this, I never have quite figured out. But it all has to do with the French revolution.

Hope that helps somewhat.

TOV

 

[mbw12]

What you saw was the all-star cast celebrating one of the anniversaires of Les Mis, I think. We have the video...and they air it on PBS alot. The show is not like that at all.


The show is incredible

 

[Cplofdisneynutz]

It is a wonderful musical. I think that may be in the second act, when they are all by the barricades during the revolution.

This might help a bit...........

http://www.lesmis.com/pages/about/story_6.htm

WOW Dan!! great minds think alike? we posted the same link/same time , you must have a quicker click

good to see ya again though

 

[Sandy51]

Les Mis was an incredible experience on Broadway. In a span of 4 nights, we saw Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, Miss Saigon, and Swing. This was in the spring of 2000. Les Mis was our favorite. Beautiful story and music.


Sandy

 

[DLBDS]

Are you talking about Les Miserables? The only movie I know of is the one with Liam Neeson (Jean Valjean), Geoffrey Rush (Javert). It also starred Uma Thurman and Claire Danes. The thing you saw seems a bit boring. Watch the movie....

"Les Miserables is Victor Hugo's epic tale of love, honour and obsession.

Set during the French Revolution, the film tells the story of Jean Valjean, whose theft of a loaf of bread condemns him to an unjust prison sentence and subsequent life on the run. But an act of forgiveness on the part of a Roman Catholic Bishop changes the course of his life forever.

Valjean becomes the mayor of a small town and falls in love with the beautiful, poverty-stricken Fantine. He devotes himself to caring for her and for the inhabitants of the poor town, which he transforms into a thriving community.

Fantine's untimely death signals a new chapter in Valjean's life, during which he raises Fantine's daughter, Cosette, who he desperately attempts to shield from the world and all its dangers. As she matures, she falls passionately in love with Marius, a charismatic young Parisian revolutionary.

All the while, Valjean is hunted by Javert, a policeman whose lifelong search for Valjean has become an obsession. The film culminates in a final, fated confrontation between Valjean and Javert on the banks of the Seine at the explosive height of the July Revolution in 1832."

 

[DLBDS]

Wow. It looks like everyone was typing/posting at the same time.

 

[KarenB]

Thanks all! I have certainly heard of this musical but never really knew much about it. Then I became curious since DSs played music from it Friday THEN watching some of it this morning. DH put the movie on the Netflix list but I understand that is a movie, not musical.
Karen

 

[Robinrs]

I just wanted to add that the play is more than a play, it's an experience. I remember feeling it more than just enjoying it.

 

[diznygirl]

Now how the story of Eponine and her lover fits into this, I never have quite figured out. But it all has to do with the French revolution.

Because it was the guy Eponine like that fell in love with Cosette.

It's all so terribly sad and I cried buckets during the play. But it really was worth seeing.

 

[Robindianne]

It's so wonderful! I saw it years ago and have tickets for May's production in Seattle. It is the poor rising up and fighting for a better life. The songs are haunting and wonderful and so are the characters.

 

[NCDisneyMom]

Les Miz is my absolute favorite musical of all time...I was fortunate enough to see it on Broadway a few years back. And, I agree 100% with the poster who mentioned Miss Saigon, also....it's my 2nd favorite.

 

[2angelsinheaven]

It's a wonderful play and one of my favs. =o)

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Are you talking about Les Miserables? The only movie I know of is the one with Liam Neeson (Jean Valjean), Geoffrey Rush (Javert). It also starred Uma Thurman and Claire Danes. The thing you saw seems a bit boring. Watch the movie....

No offense, but the concert is not boring at all.

The thing you are describing if definatly the dream cast in concert, which was originally shown starting in 1995, and how I was first introduced to Les Miserables, and for that matter Broadway.

It is based on the book by Victor Hugo, which I have read, along with the sequel Cosette, (not as good, but a good read compared to a lot of books out there.)

I've also seen the movie DLBDS was talking about, and own that, and the dream cast concert on DVD. I've seen several Les Miserables movies, and this one is my favorite movie adaption, though I like the Broadway show better. Also, the movie missed several of the main points of the story, and gets rid of some characters completely, like Eponine, who is my favorite, and the endings different. The play is a better reflection of the book.

The dream cast, has a lot of my favorite singers in it, including my all time favorite Lea Salonga, (who also did Jasmine's singing voice in Aladdin.)

I'd say, see the concert, (which is sadly now off Broadway,) since the music is great, my favorite songs are On My Own, I Dreamed a Dream, and One Day More. And also, if you like the story, read the book, though it is long at 1,500 pages, and see the movie, which isn't that old, I think it was made in the late 90's.

 

[AuntieM03]

I love Les Mis and Miss Saigon. I have the concert on DVD and just watched it again a couple of weeks ago. I loved Michael Ball in it!

 

[suzannen]

Les Mis is my favorite musical of all times. I saw it twice on Broadway (with the fabulous original cast including Colm Wilkinson) and once at the Kennedy Center. If it ever comes back to Broadway, you should definitely see it, because the staging was absolutely incredible (definitely NOT just a concert). It won 9 Tony Awards when it opened in 1987.

 

[cats mom]

I just wanted to add that the play is more than a play, it's an experience. I remember feeling it more than just enjoying it.

Exactly - even better, I watched my teenage DD feel it like that.

She's seen a lot of live theatre and often she'll say "I'd like to see that again." But Les Mis was the first show where she said "I have to see that again."

I have amazing seats for the touring production coming here in May.

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi

What you saw was the "10th Anniversary of Les Miserables - Recorded Live at the Royal Albert Hall in London" or some similar title Like someone else already mentioned, it was done back in 1995 or so, and It's a WONDERFUL re-creation of the stage show.

I HAVE seen this play on Broadway in NYC and TWICE on stage in Boston. I have to say, once you've seen the 10th Anniversary show, you've basically seen the entire thing Let me explain...

Les Mis is almost entirely SUNG.. there *may* be a handful of spoken words. The set is quite sparse. Very few set pieces; sometimes a couple of tables and chairs... sometimes the "barricade" which also twists and turns and transforms into another set piece. This is *not* a big, splashy, colorful Broadway type of musical. The colors, for the most part, are very subdued, drab. The play is about the poorest people, during the French Revolution. Basically the play IS the actors singing on stage, with very few set pieces around them.

I know the lyrics to every single song by heart (I have it on CD, and I have a video tape of the 10th Anniversary show), and when I see Les Mis performed live, there is not much more to it than what's on the recordings.

I agree with everyone who's said that this play/musical/story is much more than a simply Broadway show; it's quite touching. My DSs have been listening to the songs since they were very young. A lot of people thought it was odd when I told them we were taking DSs to see this play, but they'd been wanting to see it for about 10 years now. lol

We just saw Les Mis in Boston last month and sadly, it was supposedly the last time this show is on tour I hope they bring it back again sometime.