Today I saw the stage production of Les Miserables, and I have to say it was fantastic! Unfortunately every now and then I would compare certain aspects to the movie, as that has been my only other encounter with the story. But overall, seeing Les Miserables live was a wonderful experience, which I got to share with my amazing friend, who I went to see the movie with last year.
When the movie came out at the cinema, my friend and I decided to see it together, and it was a day in which both of us remember so distinctly. It involved us planning to meet at the train station together, but I ended up being a minute late and missing the train, and her just arriving on time and quickly hopping on the train thinking that I was already on it, then realising that I wasn't when she arrived at the cinema by herself and me waiting at the train station for her, and both having the horrible realisation that we didn't even have each other's phone numbers. It was a mini drama, but finally we managed to meet up and enjoy the movie together (after immediately exchanging numbers for future), where we were both deeply moved and me crying the entire time because, as you can probably guess from the title... it's a really sad story!
Today was a bit more successful in terms of meeting up- well, at least it was better than last year's confusion. I was getting on the train a few stops before her, and then we were going to meet on the second carriage. However, when it was her station, she didn't get on the train because she missed it, so she had to try to catch the train from another station, which she got at the end, but a different carriage, so when we were both were on the train, the next stop we both got off our separate carriages (me near the front of the train, her near the back of the train) and ran towards each other and met in the middle carriage. If that sounds confusing, I'd just like to point out that the rest of the day, our organisational skills greatly improved, having lunch and then not getting too lost on our way to the theatre.
Back to Les Miserables though: the cast was so talented, their voices were truly incredible, filled with such emotion and able to take my breath away with how powerful it was. If you aren't familiar with the story of Les Miserables, it is based on the novel by Victor Hugo published in 1862, a historical fiction that covers the period of the French Revolution and is written in five different volumes, beginning in 1815 until the 1832 June Rebellion. My grandma actually read the novel and said it is an epic, and one day I aim to read it, however, she refuses to see the stage production or even acknowledge the movie because she can't imagine it being turned into a musical- but believe me, it works so well as a musical. Her idea of a musical involves happy songs, and Les Miserables does not have that many happy songs, however, there are some lighter songs, but with dark undertones. My absolutely favourite song would be the famous "Do you hear the people sing" which I think is so stirring and motivational.
I do have other favourite songs, which include "On my own," and "I dreamed a dream," both of the lyrics are so sad and so poetic; the imagery is beautiful and the music is just as beautiful. I also absolutely love "The ABC Cafe/ Red and Black" which is another stirring and motivational song- I think it would be great for when I'm studying actually. I also really love the song "Empty chairs and empty tables" which is the song that prompts the tears every single time, as it speaks of the friends that Marius (one of the main characters) have lost in the barricade.
My favourite character is undoubtably Gavroche, who is the little boy who is part of the revolutionaries group. He reminds me a bit of the character Dodger who is in the musical Oliver (based on the novel 'Oliver Twist' by Charles Dickens), as he is street smart, mischievous and playfully charismatic. He is a vital character in the plot, although his part is small, he stands out the most for me and I'm sure for many others too.
The set for the stage allowed for you to completely absorb into the story being told, the costumes, lighting and visual affects were also well done. It sounds horrible saying this, but the most affective effects were the death scenes, of the battle at the barricade, where the lights were dimmed and just before a character was shot, the spotlight would light that person up and then you would hear the gunshot and you would see them react and fall. It was a really powerful and moving technique they used there, another time was during the song 'Empty chair and empty tables' when the dead characters came out and held candles that represented their life, which they all blew out at the same time, while Marius was singing about the loss. It was so sad... it was "miserable."
I am so glad I saw 'Les Miserables' live, as it is a completely different experience to watching it in movie form and I do recommend going to see it if you get the chance.
When the movie came out at the cinema, my friend and I decided to see it together, and it was a day in which both of us remember so distinctly. It involved us planning to meet at the train station together, but I ended up being a minute late and missing the train, and her just arriving on time and quickly hopping on the train thinking that I was already on it, then realising that I wasn't when she arrived at the cinema by herself and me waiting at the train station for her, and both having the horrible realisation that we didn't even have each other's phone numbers. It was a mini drama, but finally we managed to meet up and enjoy the movie together (after immediately exchanging numbers for future), where we were both deeply moved and me crying the entire time because, as you can probably guess from the title... it's a really sad story!
Today was a bit more successful in terms of meeting up- well, at least it was better than last year's confusion. I was getting on the train a few stops before her, and then we were going to meet on the second carriage. However, when it was her station, she didn't get on the train because she missed it, so she had to try to catch the train from another station, which she got at the end, but a different carriage, so when we were both were on the train, the next stop we both got off our separate carriages (me near the front of the train, her near the back of the train) and ran towards each other and met in the middle carriage. If that sounds confusing, I'd just like to point out that the rest of the day, our organisational skills greatly improved, having lunch and then not getting too lost on our way to the theatre.
Back to Les Miserables though: the cast was so talented, their voices were truly incredible, filled with such emotion and able to take my breath away with how powerful it was. If you aren't familiar with the story of Les Miserables, it is based on the novel by Victor Hugo published in 1862, a historical fiction that covers the period of the French Revolution and is written in five different volumes, beginning in 1815 until the 1832 June Rebellion. My grandma actually read the novel and said it is an epic, and one day I aim to read it, however, she refuses to see the stage production or even acknowledge the movie because she can't imagine it being turned into a musical- but believe me, it works so well as a musical. Her idea of a musical involves happy songs, and Les Miserables does not have that many happy songs, however, there are some lighter songs, but with dark undertones. My absolutely favourite song would be the famous "Do you hear the people sing" which I think is so stirring and motivational.
I do have other favourite songs, which include "On my own," and "I dreamed a dream," both of the lyrics are so sad and so poetic; the imagery is beautiful and the music is just as beautiful. I also absolutely love "The ABC Cafe/ Red and Black" which is another stirring and motivational song- I think it would be great for when I'm studying actually. I also really love the song "Empty chairs and empty tables" which is the song that prompts the tears every single time, as it speaks of the friends that Marius (one of the main characters) have lost in the barricade.
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| Gavroche from movie |
The set for the stage allowed for you to completely absorb into the story being told, the costumes, lighting and visual affects were also well done. It sounds horrible saying this, but the most affective effects were the death scenes, of the battle at the barricade, where the lights were dimmed and just before a character was shot, the spotlight would light that person up and then you would hear the gunshot and you would see them react and fall. It was a really powerful and moving technique they used there, another time was during the song 'Empty chair and empty tables' when the dead characters came out and held candles that represented their life, which they all blew out at the same time, while Marius was singing about the loss. It was so sad... it was "miserable."
I am so glad I saw 'Les Miserables' live, as it is a completely different experience to watching it in movie form and I do recommend going to see it if you get the chance.
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