In my entire varied theater-going career, I have somehow always missed Les Miserables. It hasn't been by design, it's just worked out that way. But last night, that wrong was finally righted.I'm told the new touring company benefits from more modern staging and a fresh new cast (many of whom weren't even born when the play debuted 25 years ago). The vitality is infectious and the student uprising really resonates, especially with everything we see going on in today's Egypt.
I was particularly drawn to Éponine, the biological daughter of the ethically challenged couple Fantine leaves Cosette with. Spoiled and selfish as a little girl, she grows up to be selfless and brave. The grown up Cosette, on the other hand, kinda annoys me. At a time when so many were suffering, I didn't see her circumstances or personality as particularly compelling. But I guess that's the strength of Les Miz: it's so timeless that you can feel like you have to be Team Éponine or Team Cosette, just as you had to choose between Jen and Angelina. Oh! And poor little Gavroche!
Obviously, I had a good time.
I felt the same way when I saw it the first time 20(!) years ago. (I saw it a couple times more soon after that.) I was always more of an Eponine fan. The whole unrequited love theme - how could you not root for her? And her last song, A Little Fall of Rain - I still bawl when I hear it.
ReplyDelete(May have to pull the awesome "Complete Symphonic Recording" up on my iPod tomorrow. Yes, I'm a dork, and I used to have more spending money when I was in college.)
Les Miz was the first professional musical I've ever seen! It was remarkable.
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