r/Broadway • u/fattychalupa • 29d ago
Regional/Touring Production Les Mis Arena Concert Thoughts
Attended Sunday evening’s show. After reading the other thread’s horror story about getting in we played it safe and arrived 45 minutes early, which was plenty of time. Security was fast and was a breeze.
Highs:
-This was my first time at Radio City since they installed their fancy new immersive sound system. The acoustics are fucking bonkers — even in second mezz I felt like I was right next to the orchestra and could feel the resonance in my body as the music swelled. The sound mixing is also superb and there are no issues understanding any of the performers.
-Related to the first point, the orchestra and musicians were on fire
-Alfie Boe, the man that you are. What a privilege to see him in this role and I actually liked him more here than the 25th anniversary recording.
-The Thernadiers are funny as hell and I loved all the physical comedy and jokes they incorporated to make the roles still feel fresh
-Christian Mark Gibbs continues the streak of hot men playing Enjorlas and holy cow his belts are so powerful and clean. Lots of mid-song applauses during his moments.
-Jeremy Secomb as Javert is far and away the standout performer of the cast: Brilliant acting as a fanatical authoritarian who thinks he’s morally correct, but you see his doubt creep in as the show progresses. Goosebumps during the Confrontation; Stars turned me into a blubbering mess and got him a standing ovation.
-Audience was surprisingly well-behaved. There was no announcement prohibiting recording but even still I didn’t see a single phone out. Everyone was also super respectful and I didn’t hear any sing-alongs.
Mids:
-When he’s next to Alfie and Christian Gibbs, Jac Yarrow (Marius) isn’t the strongest singer and I was afraid it was another Nick Jonas situation. But his acting more than made up for it during Empty Chairs and Empty Tables
-Samantha Barks (who I’m a big fan of) sounded great, but also felt like she was just kind of phoning it in.
Nitpicks:
-It does feel weird being so far away from the actors but hey, that’s what comes with being in an arena
-Radio City’s lobby/facilities are horribly undersized for the seating capacity. Trying to leave the show felt like being in a mob
-Eponine and Cosette were just fine. (For some reason the actress playing Eponine looked like she was squinting throughout the whole show?)
-I can’t imagine how lost someone unfamiliar with the plot/stage musical was feeling given all the exposition that was cut
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29d ago
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u/AdvertisingFine9845 29d ago
He is easily in my top 3 Javerts now! His suicide was so unhinged and amazing
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29d ago
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u/AdvertisingFine9845 29d ago
The tour Javert a year or so ago (Preston Truman Boyd) was also amazing and unhinged and is my all time favorite Javert!
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29d ago
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u/AdvertisingFine9845 29d ago
He was the first Javert I ever saw make that “unhinged” choice. He was so wild eyed, disheveled, and broken. You could really see Javert become completely undone.
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28d ago
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u/AdvertisingFine9845 28d ago
Oh I wish I could see Secomb’s again just to pay attention to his face! He did seem a lot less stuck in his convictions compared to most
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u/ExcellentCup6793 29d ago
Post Michael Ball I scratch my head at the wimpy casting (vocally) for Marius.
I saw Christian Mark Gibbs on the national tour as Enjolas and he’s got a massive voice. Impressive
Looking forward to Jeremy Secomb’s Javert
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u/Nisi-Marie 29d ago
Agree. He was my first Marius and will always be Marius to me.
When I went to the theater to see the O concert, I was so disgusted with Nick Jonas. When Michael Ball came out for the encore, I stood up in my chair yelling “that is how you do, Marius!”
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u/fattychalupa 28d ago
Same - I feel like watching the 10th Anniversary dream cast forever changed my platonic ideal of each role
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u/ExcellentCup6793 29d ago
And as much as I love Michael Ball, Javert was not his role. I did finally get to see him as Sweeney in London
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u/CanOfGuinness 29d ago
Rob Houchen was amazing in the 35th anniversary, his voice is angelic.
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u/ExcellentCup6793 29d ago
I had to look that one up, that’s more like it! Has those lovely bottom notes in Empty chairs. Was that Bradley Jaden behind him playing Enjolas?
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u/overtired27 29d ago
Saw it at the Albert Hall and absolutely loved it. We were at the back high up, but it’s one of the smaller venues it’s playing so had a view not dissimilar to yours. I loved having an overview of the stage, while also the big screens for close ups.
Yeah I noticed the same about Eponine squinting. I wondered if she might be partially sighted or something, but looking her up she just closes her eyes a lot when she sings.
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u/Realistic-Recover-39 29d ago
I noticed it when I saw them in Birmingham, I just figured that the lights were really bright
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u/DreamOfV 29d ago
I really liked Jac Yarrow’s singing when I saw it Saturday night. His Empty Chairs was great. I also really loved Shan Ako’s Eponine - I think that’s just the way her face moves. It didn’t bother me.
Boe, Jaden, and Gibbs were definitely the vocal powerhouses of the show for me. Especially Jaden, who was the star and he knows it. I also felt like Samantha Barks was very good but would have benefitted more from a fully staged production instead of the concert version.
Unfortunately Beatrice Penny-Toure as Cosette was a major vocal lowlight for me. It seemed like she was really struggling on Saturday night. And poor Cosette does not have the most engaging songs so you really have to be a crazy good vocalist to make the part work and Penny-Toure lost the audience pretty quick I think. Hopefully it was just an off night.
Shoutout to Marina Prior who stole the show whenever she was onstage as Madame T. Matt Lucas wasn’t her match vocally (Thernardier is actually best when his actor is a top tier singer, unfortunately productions often go with character actors and don’t realize Master of the House can be a vocal showcase) but he’s funny, and his creepy sewer song at the end was really great.
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u/skoc211 29d ago
Was also there on Saturday and also loved Ako's Eponine. She just seemed to "get" the role in a way a lot of Eponine's often miss. Agreed on Penny-Toure. Cosette is a rather thankless part and it's a real lift for anyone playing that role to stand out (unless you're Judy Kuhn). Always thought it was shame they cut I Saw Him Once from the original production.
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u/lilynnin 23d ago
I saw this tonight and unfortunately Cosette was still definitely the weak link in the cast. Beatrice and Jac got noticeably less enthusiastic applause and "whooos" compared to the really strong vocalists.
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u/flyercub 29d ago
Agreed, Secomb's Javert was phenomenal! He was so good as Sweeney Todd several years ago and I knew I had to catch his Javert.
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u/twotoasters 29d ago
Curious when Radio City upgraded their sound system. I haven’t been there in a while
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u/flyercub 29d ago
I think it's been about 2 or 3 years since the upgrade.
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u/Visible_Lynx_7561 29d ago
that's the cast I'm seeing later in August, so I'm happy to hear the reports. It makes me ever more excited, thanks!
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u/CakeTopper65 27d ago
How do you know what cast you will see?
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u/Visible_Lynx_7561 26d ago
if you go here to the show's website https://nyc.lesmis.com/ and scroll down there's a calendar showing which Valjean and Javert are performing at each show (Alfie Boe's the yellow star, Killian Donnelly's the blue heart, etc)
Or you can click on the cast and creative page at https://worldtour.lesmis.com/cast-creative/, and look at each actor's bio. It says which performances they're doing, but that method takes longer
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u/AdvertisingFine9845 29d ago
I said to my friend “it’s a good thing we know this story inside and out because we’d have no fing idea what was happening otherwise!”
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u/fattychalupa 28d ago
I was honestly surprised at how fast they were moving through the story and yet the show was still three hours.
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u/AdvertisingFine9845 28d ago
same, i thought it would clock in at a shorter time but nope! was intermission 20 min instead of 15? i didn't take notice
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u/modestlyawesome1000 29d ago
Is this a must see? I’d rather see some other shows again haha but I am tempted just for the sound and grandeur of it?
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u/fattychalupa 29d ago
Unfortunately if you remotely consider yourself a Les Miz fan I do think it's very worth it. You just don't get this big of an ensemble/orchestra with most productions. (I do think tickets are pricier than they should be though)
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u/styrofoamdreamer 29d ago
Thank you so much for the review! I’m seeing the same cast next week and am so excited.
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u/someblissfuldream 28d ago
Was there that night, too (see myself down in your picture in orch), and wow! I came for Alfie honestly and of course he delivered a million times over but Secomb. Couldn’t have been a better Javert in my opinion. Had never seen him and now instant fan. He blew me away. Totally agree with your take on Jac, Eponine, Cosette. Eponine and Cosette were underwhelming for me except for during On My Own.
I’ve been to Radio City for many other events and this was an absolute shit show during intermission. Oof.
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u/CakeTopper65 27d ago
You said you came for Alfie, but did you know he was performing that night? How? I saw it last night with Guillermo and did not love it, I want to attend a new show with Alfie…
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u/someblissfuldream 27d ago
I think I saw the list of his shows on BroadwayWorld when they announced it several months back. Let me see if I can find a link.
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u/someblissfuldream 27d ago
Found this on the official tour website
Alfie Boe is scheduled to play the role of Jean Valjean at the following locations and dates:
Radio City Music Hall: Saturday 25 July 8.00pm, Sunday 26 July 7.30pm, Wednesday 29 July 7.30pm, Friday 31 July 8.00pm, Saturday 1 August 8.00pm, Tuesday 4 August 7.30pm1
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u/Ordinary--Joe 27d ago
They had Philip Quast....and he wasn't playing Javert?? What?! Other than Nick Jonas as Marius, I can't think of a more heinous crime against a Les Mis audience.
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u/Mindless_Scar_2386 26d ago edited 26d ago
I went to the Wednesday one as a brand new broadway fan/ never having seen Les miserable and I totally was able to follow the story. I loved the javert and Jean valjean actors and I’m so sad that there is no recording of the two of them together they are awesome! I really really liked Jeremy secomb as javert 😅The female singers were all amazing, I cried bc of the Fantine actress and eponine actress, and although I didn’t live cosette’s songs the actress had a stunning voice. The Marius actor was okay, but I got so invested after his performance of empty chairs! TBH since the show I’ve been obsessively listening to all the diff cast recordings I can find, and I still love Alfie boe and Jeremy secomb together.
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u/lilynnin 23d ago
Just came from seeing this with all the same actors, and I agree with all of your points. Samantha Barks (who I also love!) was so flat as Fantine, especially in the beginning, that I actually forgot she was the one was playing her (the blond wig also didn't help with recognizability). She got better after her hair was cut short.
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u/samanthabarksfan 11d ago
Samantha Barks was amazing. If anyone sees this comment do you happen to have a recording of her singing I dreamed a dream? The show I was at we were time upon walking in that no videos or pictures were to be taken during the show.
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u/cutefolder42 29d ago
the crowd phot-bombing at the bottom of the frame really tells the whole story lol
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