Last week, I went into London with some friends to see the musical Les Miserables. I was so excited to see it! It has been my favorite musical for a long time and was at the top of my list of things to do in London so I couldn't wait. It was kind of a last minute decision to go, but I went knowing that I might not have another opportunity to see it.
After talking the train in to King's Cross station, we wandered around town for a bit, got a bite to eat, headed to the Queen's Theatre and the show began.
I wish I could gush about it. I wish I could tell you how wonderful it was. I wish I could tell you it was an emotinally riviting experience that profoundly impacted me. But I can't. It wouldn't be truthful. I would be lying. To be honest, it fell short of my expectations. Perhaps they were too high, I don't know, it just wasn't the night I imagined.
I think it was my seats. We were on the top section of the theatre a few rows from the front of the balcony. We didn't get the super cheap seats in the very back, but opted for the middle-price range seats which I thought would be ok. My friend sitting next to me could see fairly well, but I'm so short that throughout the entire show I was either leaning forward or craning my neck trying to find a gap between heads. It was really frustrating, especially when I couldn't see Eponine's death scene or Val Jean's confrontation. I was so preoccupied by not being able to see that couldn't relax and enjoy the show or lose myself in the story.
When one of the big songs came on, I couldn't help buy wonder what the actors were thinking about. As Eponine prepared for her ballad 'On My Own' was she thinking "Ok, here goes. Everyone loves this song, I better not screw it up." Was Val Jean thinking the same thing before singing 'Bring Him Home'? And they do this every night. Does it get old? Do they get bored of it? Is this just another show for them? These questions probably come from doing a bit of theater in high school and knowing what does in to putting on a show. I wish I could have blocked that out and stopped thinking about the actors and their off stage selves.
Despite it being a disappointing experience, the music was still wonderful. They all had amazing voices. Especially Jean Val Jean. He an Marius were casted perfectly in my opinion. Javert and Eponine were nearly perfect as well. I wasn't as satisfied with Cosette. She had a very shrill voice, and as usual, the audience tended to side with Eponine over her. In my opinion, the musical just doesn't provide enough connection to the grown-up Cosette for you to care about her.
I was also very dissatisfied wth Enjolras. He and Javert are my favorite characters and the man who played the leader of the rebels in this production, just didn't cut it. He was tall, but he was too skinny and had the persona of your typical drama boy. He was constantly shaking his long wavy hair and marching overdramatically. He wasn't the strong, passionate, fearless rebel I thought it would be. It was a disappointment.
I've listened to the music many times, but what hit me when watching it was how sad the story truly is. Each of the characters lives such unhappy lives filled with terrible trials. And in the second act, they all die. All of the student/soldiers with their lofty ambitious and idealistic goals are killed without seeming to make any difference. Its rather depressing. Gavroche's death was gut wrenching too. They didn't even let him finish his song before he was shot. After watching all of that, Marius' song Empty Chairs and Empty Tables, was very powerful.
What amazes me about the story is how passionate everyone is. They each have their different causes they they would give their lives for. Fantine dies for Cosette, Eponine dies for Marius. Valjean spends his whole life chasing after freedom and peace and Javert spends his whole life hunting him down in search for justice and the law. Javert is such an interesting character. He is so bound by duty, justice and following God that he forgets the power of change, repentance, forgiveness and redemption. He claims to be living as God would want him to, yet Valjean is a more christlike character. Its such a fascinating paradox. I think he's one of my favorite characters for that reason.
After seeing the musical and being to Paris, I really want to read the book. The unabridged version this time. I think I would understand it and appreciate it much more than when I attempted to read it in 7th grade, ha ha. I shall have to add it to my already very long list of books to read.
I guess the moral of the story is that I'm glad I enjoyed the music and story, but next time I will be more than willing to pay a bit more money for better seats and a better experience.
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