Les Miserables Review 11/4

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 1:16pm

First off I would like to say that this show is great, with a few exceptions.
It was my first time seeing it, and i was totally lost but after getting some explanations i really appreciated it and liked it alot.

Cast:
Daphne Rubin- Vega- HORRIBLE. I don't know why they still have her in the show. She ruined one of the best songs in the play: I dreamed a dream. She is honestly a disgrace and i think they should honestly consider replacing her.j

Alexander Gemignani- AMAZING. Great Jean- Valjeain and really "wowed" me with his voice and great acting skills. He stole the show!

Norm Lewis- Ehh he was an okay Javert. Nothing spectacular, just regular.

Gary Beach- GREAT AS THEANDIER! Histerical but serious at times and im so happy he is in it!

Jenny Galloway- Histerical Ms. Theandier! Had the audience laughing the whole time.

Celia Keenan- Bolger- Good Eponine. I am still partial to Diana Kaarina, but Celia was okay.

Adam Jacobs- Good Marius, you could see that he gave it his all and enjoyed what he was doing.

Best Songs:

A Heart Full of Love, Bring Him Home, One Day More, On My Own.

I would have said that I dreamed a dream but Daphne ruined it and i ****ing hate her!

All in all, great show good cast- daphne. SEE IT! =]

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 1:21pm

"i ****ing hate her!"

wow, that's a little harsh.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 1:24pm

she is HORRIBLE!!!!!

she practically ruined the part of fantine

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 1:34pm

So you hate her as a person?

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 1:35pm

no. as an actress.

[AudreyTwoTwo]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 1:38pm

I totally disagree with Norm Lewis--- I REALLY liked him. I loved his voice. He made me dislike the character (cause I hate when there's police trying to catch people) which I guess he really is supposed to do.

I loved Celia too! I mean, it was my first time seeing it! I understand you might have seen it with different people but these guys could take a whole different perspective on it.

I thought Daphne was ok.


But I agree about everyone else with you.

[KQuill]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 1:41pm

I was there last night too. This my second time seeing it, and honest to god I don't understand why everyone hates Daphne so much. I think she sounds good in I Dreamed a Dream. I think I need to stop caring what other people think and enjoy the show for what I think it is...

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:01pm

you think she sounds good?
ha. what a joke.

it was like nails on a chalkboard- i rather hear little kids screaming than hear her!

[IveGottaBeME]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:03pm

for those who don't like daphne...
you're basing it solely on her voice. Belting beautifully DOES NOT equal GOOD ACTING. How about reading Daphne's interview... she did much research on the character of Fantine. Fantine gave up everything for her child and went through so much. She shouldn't be sounding beautiful at all. She freakin dies. She's a broken soul.

Read the interview. Daphne sings with emotion. something that I wish all MT performers would do...

http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/102700.html

[IveGottaBeME]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:05pm

Oh my God. In the novel the degeneration of her character, let's say, going from the seamstress who sells the locket of her loved one to pay for her child and then she sells her hair and then she sells her body. Between the hair and the body came the teeth. She sells her teeth. . . . I fell back on my chair [when I read that]. Just the tragedy of her physical state. She's poor, always been poor — she came from unknown origins. No one knew who her parents were, but she had this integrity and this beauty. It says she was rich, except that the gold was in her hair, and the pearls were in her teeth. And so to see the visual, to digest that she sells her hair and her teeth and there's still a modicum of beauty in her, but that gets killed. It all gets killed.


Daphne is deep. She does her research. She does what a real actress would do. she's bringing us a completely different take on Fantine, in one of the most genuine ways possible.

[BluCat500]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:05pm

you think she sounds good?
ha. what a joke.

I enjoyed Daphne as well. I'm sorry you didn't, but let people have their opinions.

[IveGottaBeME]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:10pm

um i'd rather witness an emotional riveting performance rather than a bland singer just belting her ass off worrying about how she soundsss and not what the hell she's saying

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:24pm

IveGotaBeMe- I AGREE!

[mijofly19]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:38pm

If it's your first time seeing Les Mis, how are you partial to Diana Kaarina?

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:41pm

i saw her youtube videos

[KQuill]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:46pm

Hey Zeitoujo - louder doesn't make your opinion any more valid.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 2:58pm

how do you guys like her? she is a raspy, wananbe fantine that cant sing or act. she ruined the role of fantine for me as she did for many others. just look around in other threads about her- not many people do like her. the best part was when she died then i didnt have to listen to her attemtping to sing.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:06pm

How about reading Daphne's interview... she did much research on the character of Fantine.

Yeah, great, she did research. She cares! That's great! But if it doesn't translate to the stage, then it's for naught. An audience member shouldn't HAVE TO KNOW what an actor put into the role before they stepped on stage to appreciate it -- if it's not immediately evident then obviously it wasn't enough.

By the way, Zeitoujo , those names are spelled "Thénardier" and "Valjean."

Updated On: 11/5/06 at 03:06 PM

[TomMonster]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:16pm

Why do I get the feeling this review was written in crayon?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:19pm

FOR THE WIN

[jakebloke]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:24pm

I was disappointed in Daphne. In "I Dreamed a Dream", she was moving her arms like she had some sort of uncontrollable tick, which I didn't find appropriate. I also didn't like her in the finale, she comes out with a look on her face like she's going to haunt or kill Jean Valjean, which is soooo not accurate. There was just something not right. The rest of the cast I thought was great. I've seen several Eponines, and I felt Celia's acting in "A Little Fall of Rain" was the best I've seen. Norm Lewis could sing the phone book and I'd listen.

[TomMonster]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:30pm

I still don't understand why Eponine joins Jean Valjean at the end as a ghost. He didn't even know her... It's always seemed odd to me.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:30pm

Frances Ruffelle said the same thing in THE BARRICADE. She thinks it was just to make her part bigger.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:31pm

He knows her a little.

But she joins after Fantine. Right before the dead come back.

But they always had that mini connection. If not for Eponine, Valjean wouldn't have gone to the barricade.

[ICEcreamAssassin]

Posted: 11/5/06 at 3:36pm

Have we been spoiled over the years with great versions of 'Fantine'? Is a possibility that Daphne is really trying to give her more 'meat' so to speak? Listening to Ruthie Henshall at Anniv concert..she sounded like she was in pain but sang it so well,it really captivated the audience. I've seen the show on tour and the Fantine I saw was an Asian woman with a sweet voice..I dreamed a dream was still great but the she added this ethereal quality that didnt make me care so much about her plite. I would love to hear Daphne rasp her way through this number. Its supposed to be desperation, hope lost, the end is near kinda of a thing. We have made it up to be this power ballad. Why would they cast her if they thought she was terrible? I just dont understand? Granted I dont understand why they hired Julia Murney to be elphaba but thats another post!