That Cameron Bonaparte....

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:50pm

Maybe Alessandrini wasn't too far off.... London is now using virtual orchestras thanks to Mr. Mackintosh.

Those who bought a ticket for Les Mis after the 20 minutes of cuts were instituted (because someone didn't want to pay the musicians overtime....) ought to band together and file suit. You paid the same amount of money pre-cuts and got less of a show.

Why do musicians always get the shaft?

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:55pm

Wait a minute! They actually instituted a virtual orchestra at Les Miz?

[Craig]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:58pm

Only commenting on Les Miz and cuts..

While it's unfortunate that 20 minutes were cut (or not for those who aren't fans) - the musicians (and someone can correct me if I am wrong) weren't "shafted" on that - unless you consider not getting overtime being "shafted".

Theater is still a business and their decision to cut those 20 minutes was exactly that - a business decision. And one that just about any business owner would do to keep the product viable.

Before I get flamed - I am ONLY commenting on the musicians not getting overtime every show because of the cuts...

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 1:51am

"Wait a minute! They actually instituted a virtual orchestra at Les Miz? "

Not yet.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2436388

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 4:27am

There are a coupel of other theads about this - makes me so angry especially when poeple here seem to say "so what" !!!!!!

Posted: 1/22/04 at 7:41am

I don't think the musicians were getting the primary "shaft" when it came to the 20 minute cuts, I think those most jilted were the audience. They deserved to get the same full product that audiences who saw the show five years before they did. And unlike most cuts which are instituted to better the show, it was benefitting the budget.

As a musician it irritates me that we seem so disposable to Sir Cameron, but what gets my goat even more is that as an audience member, affinity for the show notwithstanding, I'm missing a fraction of the product.... One that won't appear as a deleted scene on the special features of the DVD. Updated On: 1/22/04 at 07:41 AM