Review: 'Les Miserables' The 25th Anniversary Concert in Cinemas

Alfie Boe as Valjean*

A theatrical event of extraordinary proportions, the concert to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the London premiere of the musical ‘Les Miserables’ was presented in movie theaters across the USA last night. Anyone not able to witness the presentation missed one of the most exciting stage (or in this case, cinema) events of the year.

Alfie Boe showed awesome control of his operatic tenor in the role of Valjean and delivered a full-throttle vocal intensity only when absolutely necessary. His inspirational rendition of “Bring Him Home” stopped the show. It appeared Boe was sincerely touched by the enthusiastic standing ovation of the over 18,000 in attendance at London’s O2 arena. No doubt this performance will bring Boe a whole new audience and further respect from the long-time admirers of his work.

Norm Lewis as Javert*

Norm Lewis has always deserved a visible star-vehicle. After many years of trotting the boards in supporting roles on Broadway, he has finally achieved it as Javert in this concert version. Many will now have witnessed his astonishing voice. Lea Salonga, no longer the petite ingénue of ‘Miss Saigon’, is showing maturity in her performance style. Probably cast for her popularity among musical theater fans, I have a slight preference for Madalena Alberto’s performance of the role at the Barbican Theatre among the three Fantines in performances in London at the time.

Matt Lucas, the character actor from British television and film was a revelation as Thenardier. Many may not know he filled the dual roles of Tweedledee and Tweedledum in the 2010 Tim Burton directed version of Alice in Wonderland. He, along with Jenny Galloway as Madame Thenardier, did not pander excessively to the audience.  There is a challenge in retaining the characters’ villainous origins from the Victor Hugo novel in spite of their purpose of delivering comic relief in the musical. These Thenardiers were unique and, as usual, audience favorites.

Samantha Barks as Eponine*

I’m gonna say it now since I rarely hear it argued. Eponine is not supposed to be so beautiful. Despite the character’s longing for Marius, there are specific reasons why he chooses Cosette instead. Samantha Barks is indeed a stunning looker. But at least she showed her acting chops to deliver a theatrical version of “On My Own”. Too often other actresses deliver a whiny or stiff performance.

Free from make-up in the role of the Phantom in ‘Love Never Dies’, Ramin Karimloo was a handsome and strong-voiced Enjolras. Nick Jonas may not be equal in voice to his co-performers but he with Katie Hall made for a romantic and youthful Marius & Cosette.

Katie Hall as Cosette, Nick Jonas as Marius, Lea Salonga as Fantine*

The concert directors deserve credit. Knowing the entire cast would be subject to massive close-ups on the three huge video screens and then in wide-screen cinemas, they were sure all the actors carefully performed with restrained facial expressions. The slightest overacting would have distracted from the event.

Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras*

A few may render some performances lackluster due to the format. But such is the constraints of a concert production. One could visibly notice that the ensemble were on the verge of acting out the roles in full theatricality if not for the reminder of the microphone in front of them.

To add the feeling of a theatre performance, actors were costumed in either designs from the original production or the 25th Anniversary UK tour. The production design was enhanced with a multi-level set to accommodate the 500-member cast, orchestra and choir. Actors only appeared on stage when required. In lieu of the building of the barricade, the massive lighting tracks descended and tilted complemented by spectacular lighting effects.

Video projections from the stage version added further drama to replace scenes that could not be conveyed in a concert environment. Among these were Valjean saving a man pinned under a runaway cart and his trek through the Paris sewers.

Mia Jenkins as Little Cosette with Boe*

Overall only minor cuts were made from the full theatrical version. For example, the death of Gavroche was excised completely. But none of the cuts hurt the final product.

The most thrilling pleasure of the evening were the finales. First on stage were not one, two or three but four Jean Valjeans comprised of Colm Wilkinson (the original), Simon Bowman (Queen’s Theatre cast), John Owen-Jones (Barbican Theatre cast) and Alfie Boe. Their quartet of “Bring Him Home” is a version that needs to be preserved. It was utterly beautiful, moving and the highlight of the evening.

left to right: Banks, Boe and Salonga

With four Valjena’s come four assembled ‘Les Mis’ casts on the same stage: the Queen’s Theatre Company (West End), Barbican Theatre Company (UK Tour), the O2 concert cast and then to everyone’s astonishment members of the original London cast of twenty-five years ago. Further excitement brewed from the audience once the 1985 cast began performing “One Day More”.

Speeches by producer Cameron Mackintosh and authors Claude-Michel Schonberg (composer), Alain Boublil (original French lyrics) and Herbert Kretzmer (lyrics) capped the evening before hundreds of students from the ‘schools’ version of ‘Les Mis’ paraded through the venue pefroming “Do You Hear the People Sing”. A bit of soap opera happened behind the scenes with a dispute between original director Trevor Nunn and Mackintosh that he and co-director John Caird did not appear.

Full cast* (All photos with asterisk by Bing Shimizu)

In the Regal Cinemas in Honolulu, Hawaii it almost felt like attending a live performance. Among the hundreds in the theater, many joined in applause with the onscreen audience. The event deserved to be shared in a movie theater. A presentation on television would have watered down the presentation.

If the end credits hold true, we can finally expect a big screen adaptation of ‘Les Mis’ coming soon. As of this writing a U.S. release or NTSC version of the concert on DVD still has not been scheduled. The Region 2 version for the U.K. is to be released at the end of November.

This is the kind of event remembered for days to come and talked about to relive the memories. Few theatrical events touch the heart like this one. The joyous feeling this one delivered will be unmatched for a long time to come.

Jan 2011 Update: U.S. / American / NTSC DVD & Blu-ray Release of Les Miserables 25th Anniversary in Concert Available.

Left to right: Boe, Colm Wilkinson (original Valjean), Karimloo and Jonas.

Links to related 'Les Miserables' posts

Reviews of the two versions of 'Les Miserables' in peformance in London in the same weekend as the O2 concert:
'Les Miserables' at the Barbican Theatre (25th Anniversary TOURING cast)
'Les Miserables' at the Queen's Theatre (West End cast)


Other Links:
CD Release of "Bring Him Home" by The Valjean Quartet from The O2 Concert
Video of the O2 Concert
25th Anniversary Concert To Be Broadcast in USA Theaters
25th Anniversary Concert Trailer
More Photos of the O2 Concert
25th Anniversary Touring (UK) Production Trailer
Dress Circle Shop event featuring the Cast of the 25th Anniversary Touring Production
The Queen's Theatre Venue
The Barbican Theatre Venue
Stage Door Meeting with Alfie Boe

All photos used only for illustration purposes.

15-Story Hotel Built by Chinese Workers in 6 Days

Here is an awesome video of a hotel constructed in six days. Called the Ark Hotel, most materials were prefabricated off-site and assembled on-site. Despite its quick construction time, the structure is designed to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake. Nearby residents who have been gone for a week would probably be the most surprised. Somehow in the end knowing a hotel was built in six days does not make the hotel any more attractive for a stay.

Top 10: Top Visitor Attractions in the USA

Forbes.com has released an updated list of the Top 10 visitor attractions in America. Forbes defines these as sites of historical or cultural interest; natural phenomena and landmarks; and officially designated entertainment and recreation centers. How many have you visited?

Times Square

1) Times Square, New York, New York (37.6 million visitors)
2) Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada (29.1 million)
3) National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, DC (25 million)
4) Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, Massachusetts (19 million)
5) Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida (17.1 million)

Golden Gate Recreation Area

6) Golden Gate Recreation Area, San Francisco, California (17 million)
7) Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California (14.7 million)
8) Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California (10 million) tie
8) Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, California (10 million) tie
10) Great Smoky Mountain National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee (9.5 million)

Click here for the Forbes.com Top 50 Most Visited Attractions in the World.

Smoky Mountain National Park.
All photos used for illustration purposes only.

Do-It-Your-Self-Travel Continues: Self-Tagging

USA Today reports that American Airlines, Delta Airlines and Air Canada are in talks with the Transportation Security Administration for a test program to let travelers tag their own checked bags. American and Air Canada plan a trial run in Boston later this year.

Self-tagging (or letting travelers print and affix destination tags on bags) is common at foreign airports. Only airline agents can currently do this in the U.S. Airlines indicate this process is designed to help speed passengers through check-in. Passengers will still have to see an agent who will check the ID, scan the tag to validate it and place the bags on the conveyor belt.

Worldwide, 32 airlines allow self-tagging at airports in such cities as Amsterdam and Stockholm where passengers can place tags and drop their luggage at designated spots without seeing an agent.

I noticed on my last two overseas trips on American that more and more services are being optioned through self check-in. For example the kiosks to check-in and print boarding passes are also used for upgrades, one-day memberships to the airline lounge and for promotions such as miles maximizing which for a fee based on distance a passenger is able to increase the number of miles earned for the ticketed travel.

Bottom line this process may or may not speed the check-in process but it reduces the cost for airlines as the labor of and need for airline agents declines.

'Les Miserables' 25th Anniversary Concert at The O2: London Comes To A Cinema Near You

Alfie Boe & the cast.

Even though the 'Les Miserables' 25th Anniversary Concert occurred on October 3, 2010 after my London visit, thanks to modern technology the concert will be broadcast in U.S. cinemas on November 17, 2010 for one performance and one night only. Click here for info about the broadcast or visit fathomevents.com. Tickets for this movie theater experience are on sale now and scaled at US$15 each. Not bad considering the best seats at the concert held at the The O2 was well over a hundred dollars.

I have come to learn that stage productions broadcasted on television do not have the same impact, even if viewed on a DVD. But after seeing some of the The Met's live opera broadcasts in cinema, the experience is more impressive.

Performing in 'Les Miserables' especially in a 25th Anniversary Concert event is such a high-profile vehicle, the big question is how did Alfie Boe, a tenor from the opera world, fare in the role of Jean Valjean. Below are press photos from the concert and an article from the Daily Mail for one result.

The concert is scheduled for DVD (Region 2) release in the UK on November 29, 2010. DVD release in the U.S. has not been announced.

I will be publishing a review and photos of the cinema presentation. In the meantime, click on these links for reviews of the other two versions of 'Les Miserables' in peformance in London during the same weekend as the O2 concert:
'Les Miserables' at the Barbican Theatre (25th Anniversary TOURING cast)
'Les Miserables' at the Queen's Theatre (West End cast)

Update: Review of cinema presentation reviewed on 11/18/10, click here to read the post with additional photos from the evening.

Jan 2011 Update: U.S. / American / NTSC DVD & Blu-ray release of Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert Available.



Related Links:
25th Anniversary Concert Trailer
25th Anniversary Touring (UK) Production Trailer
Dress Circle Shop event featuring the Cast of the 25th Anniversary Touring Production
The Queen's Theatre Venue
The Barbican Theatre Venue
Stage Door Meeting with Alfie Boe



Alfie Boe & Matt Lucas

From left: Producer Cameron Mackintosh, Nick Jonas (Marius), Samantha Barks (Eponine), Matt Lucas (Thenardier), Alfie Boe (Valjean).

Article and photos used for illustration purposes.

The World's Smallest Airplane Seat

Photo by Avioninteriors.

Avioninteriors, an Italian aircraft seat design firm, unveiled last month the smallest airplane seat that reduces the average 30 to 32 inch seat spacing to 23 inches, a reduction of 25%. Compared to riding in a horse saddle, the new seats called the Skyrider could appeal to low cost airlines and be an entirely new class of service.

The firm indicates the seats will likely be used on flights of three hours or less. Airlines who have toyed with the idea of having passengers stand on their flights (most government authorities nixes this suggestion) would likely find these seats attractive such as Ryanair, an Irish low-cost airline, and Spring Airlines, a low-cost carrier in China.

We shouldn't worry anytime soon about being a prisoner of such an airline seat. A carrier still has yet to commit to the seats and would have to meet all applicable Federal Aviation Administration requirements.

For Halloween: "The Shining" Stanley Hotel

For Halloween, Sherman's Travel has reported this hotel to be one of the haunted hotels in the United States. This hotel is the stuff of nightmares for anyone who has seen the Jack Nicholson thriller "The Shining". Once you've seen it, the word 'redrum' will always send chills up your spine.

Photo by: Flickr/mssmith 1965

mThe property is the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado made famous by Stephen King's 1977 novel that was adapted into the 1980 feature film. The report reveals:

The spectacular Rocky Mountain peaks surrounding this famous Colorado hotel steal the spotlight by day, but after dark the place crawls with the spirits and ghouls that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. The haunted hotel hosts mostly happy spirits, as the mountain retreat was once a vacation destination for many of these lingering souls, but that doesn’t detract from the estate’s creepiness. A room on the paranormally buzzing fourth floor practically guarantees a frightful getaway. A little boy in room 418 playfully switches water faucets on and off. Bitter Lord Dunraven, the estate’s original owner (who was forced out of proprietorship, making way for new owner F.O. Stanley who opened the hotel in 1909), holds court in room 401, the estate’s most haunted (and second-most requested) room, but by far the most chill-inducing suite is room 217, the very place where King penned The Shining. Ghost-busting visitors can enlist the help of the on-site paranormal expert, who will outfit them with spirit-hunting equipment and provide access to hotel grounds only open to guests. If spending a night thwarting ghoulish shenanigans sounds too frightful, opt for one of the hotel’s daily ghost tours ($15 per person; available from 10am–5pm, reservations are required), which explore the property’s most notoriously spooky spots. Room rates from $119/night.


Visit stanleyhotel.com and shermanstravel.com for more information. Click on the images above for the novel or DVD.

London Futures at the Museum of London

After recently visiting London, I thought these photos would be interesting to post. They propose some possibilities of the city's future based on various climate changes.

The photos are part of an exhibition called London Futures at the Museum of London on display from October 1, 2010 to March 6, 2011. For more info visit london-futures.com or museumoflondon.org.uk. Here are samples from the exhibition:

Flooding of the Thames River.

Shanty town stretches across London and around Buckingham Palace.

Climate refugees settle in Trafalgar Square.

London adapts to rising waters with rice paddies at the Houses of Parliament.

Gulf Stream slows and Thames River freezes around Tower Bridge.

The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace becomes a wind farm.

National Theatre Live Around the World

If you cannot visit London, then London shall come to you. For the second year, live broadcasts of some of the best plays in London will be presented in a movie theater near you. Best part there's no airfare or hotel costs involved. The first four broadcasts this season are:

The season continues with Frankenstein (March 2011) and The Cherry Orchard (June 2011). Click here to find a cinema near you participating in the broadcasts. Broadcasts in each city may vary from the dates listed above. More info at nationaltheatre.org.uk.  Special pricing applies. However with pricing at these production at £20-£30 (US$30-$45) live and in person, the US$20 admission to the broadcast is fairly reasonable. Below is the trailer announcing the season of live broadcasts.

Visit These Cities Before They Sink

U.S. News & World Report reveals "7 Cities About to Sink". Rising sea levels and unstable foundations threaten some of the world's most popular visitor destinations. The lost city of Atlantis will have some company. Here are the rankings:

1) Mexico City, Mexico
This city is sinking into the soft clay on which it sits at about eight inches per year.

2) Venice, Italy
Over the past 100 years, flooding has increased from roughly 10 to 60 days per year.

3) New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Already most of it below sea level, this city is steadily sinking.

4) Shanghai, China
Over the past century this city has sunk over eight feet due to mass groundwater extraction and flimsy foundation.

5) Houston, Texas, USA
Extensive oil drilling and groundwater extraction has disturbed the city's foundation to push it towards the Gulf of Mexico.

6) New York City, New York, USA
This city will soon experience hurricanes and high tides along with the rising Atlantic.

7)  Bangkok, Thailand
Due to rising sea levels experts say this city could be uninhabitable in as little as seven years.

Visit usnews.com for the latest breaking news.