Who's seen Les Miserables?

[merryone]

I got a phone call on Friday from a workmate asking me whether I was busy on Saturday and if not did I fancy a trip up to London to see Les Miserables for free? Her brother and SIL had bought tickets for themselves and my workmate to go and see the show, but they'd come down with the winter lurgy and were unable to go. They said they'd mail her over the tickets so she could take a couple of friends along with her instead. I was really flattered to be asked, but if I'm honest I didn't really fancy it. It's not really something I've hankered after seeing and all I knew about it really is that my ex husband telling me he'd been dragged along to see it once and he's never been so bored in his life and that it dragged on for hours and was based upon some guy stealing a loaf of bread! I also was a bit concerned that a full day up in London wouldn't be compatible with my denture problem/eating etc. I said yes to her offer out of politeness, so I made sure I had a large breakfast before I set off, and took a flask of meal replacement shake to sip throughout the day.
When we got to the station in London which was just before midday, the friend and another workmate she'd invited decided to go into Wetherspoons for a drink and something to eat as we had a couple of hours to kill, thankfully I wasn't hungry at that stage but still I would've liked to have participated in having something to eat. When the food came I went and sat on the terrace with my drink and vape. We mooched around a few shops then made our way to the theatre stopping for another drink en route - so far so good!
The show, I dunno, I wasn't as bored as I expected I'd be, but I wasn't enthralled either, I knew nothing about the characters and to be honest I couldn't really work out what was going on, I felt myself nodding off...thankfully I jolted back into life before anybody noticed. All I can say is that the songs were great and well sung, even though I couldn't work out who was who, or what was supposed to be going on. The two friends were bowled over by it and were saying it was the most amazing thing they'd ever seen, so I joined in the pretence as not to hurt my friend's feelings but I think I did pretty well for someone with the attention span of a gnat for whom entertainment needs to be simple, or slapstick . Don't get me wrong I like a thriller or a serious documentary but when I've gone out and have to sit in a theatre for hours I need enjoyment. Anyway I survived a full day up in London with the teeth, not being able to join them for the food was a bit of a bummer but it is what it is! We were lucky that both trains we caught were fast ones and I was home in time to watch the Wheel on telly lol!

 

[donna255]

Les Misérables is not a barrel of laughs. Victor Hugo did not write comedies, I always thought of him as the French Charles Dickens, damn boring and no happy endings.

Pity you could not join your friends for the meal.

 

[merryone]

Les Misérables is not a barrel of laughs. Victor Hugo did not write comedies, I always thought of him as the French Charles Dickens, damn boring and no happy endings.

Pity you could not join your friends for the meal.

The clue's in the title lol! I don't regret going as if anything it's proven that I can sustain a day up in London and it's something I can say I've seen. If I get invited to another production though I shall definitely be concocting an excuse. I didn't hate it, the songs saved it for me though. Oh, and that air fryer was on as soon as I got through the door, nice big sausage roll followed by a doughnut!

 

[stratobuddy]

I was at a loose end in London when the show had just opened, so I knew nothing about it. In those days, you could just walk into the box office and get tickets for today's shows.

I was deciding whether to see Chess or Les Mis. I thoughr it was about a bloke called Les who was miserable, so I decided on Chess, starring Elaine Paige.

I only discovered after I'd bought my ticket that it was EP's night off, so there was a stand-in instead.

It can't have been very memorable as I can't remember anything about it, unlike other shows I've seen.

PS I also saw The Mousetrap but I was sworn to secrecy never to reveal the ending lol. In fact, it is an understanding that you never will, I think someone came on stage to tell the audience.

 

[Muttley]

I was at a loose end in London when the show had just opened, so I knew nothing about it. In those days, you could just walk into the box office and get tickets for today's shows.

I was deciding whether to see Chess or Les Mis. I thoughr it was about a bloke called Les who was miserable, so I decided on Chess, starring Elaine Paige.

I only discovered after I'd bought my ticket that it was EP's night off, so there was a stand-in instead.

It can't have been very memorable as I can't remember anything about it, unlike other shows I've seen.

PS I also saw The Mousetrap but I was sworn to secrecy never to reveal the ending lol. In fact, it is an understanding that you never will, I think someone came on stage to tell the audience.

I love Agatha Christie and have seen The Mousetrap more than once. Even when you know the ending its still enjoyable. They do ask that you don't say who the murderer is to keep the mystique of it. You can find out online but I hope people don't look.

 

[Muttley]

I've seen Les Mis about 4 times. The first time I didn't have a clue what was going on but loved the music. Saw it again as my previous job had a social club that often had cheap group price theatre tickets at £20, good seats in the stalls, so I saw it twice again.

Then saw I again more recently as I saw a very cheap offer.

It's not a barrel of laughs but the music is amazing and I found it quite moving. But it is very heavy going and SPOILER ALERT virtually everyone dies at the end.

It's not one I plan to see again and I understand people not liking it.

But I love the comedy song Master of the house

 

[merryone]

I've seen Les Mis about 4 times. The first time I didn't have a clue what was going on but loved the music. Saw it again as my previous job had a social club that often had cheap group price theatre tickets at £20, good seats in the stalls, so I saw it twice again.

Then saw I again more recently as I saw a very cheap offer.

It's not a barrel of laughs but the music is amazing and I found it quite moving. But it is very heavy going and SPOILER ALERT virtually everyone dies at the end.

It's not one I plan to see again and I understand people not liking it.

But I love the comedy song Master of the house

I think it probably is something you'd need to see more than once in order to get it - and I certainly don't intend to. Maybe if you've read the book or know the story already then the show would be something you'd enjoy more. I think if I hadn't had the snippet from my ex husband regarding the loaf of bread and hadn't had any kind of awareness about the songs then I'd have been confused AF and I wouldn't have been able to fight my desire to nod off the way I did!
I saw the Mousetrap a few years ago and we had a meal at the Ivy beforehand..brilliant night all round! One thing I do intend to see is War of the Worlds!

 

[Peppermint Patti]

I've seen Les Mis about 4 times. The first time I didn't have a clue what was going on but loved the music. Saw it again as my previous job had a social club that often had cheap group price theatre tickets at £20, good seats in the stalls, so I saw it twice again.

Then saw I again more recently as I saw a very cheap offer.

It's not a barrel of laughs but the music is amazing and I found it quite moving. But it is very heavy going and SPOILER ALERT virtually everyone dies at the end.

It's not one I plan to see again and I understand people not liking it.

But I love the comedy song Master of the house

I've seen the 25th Anniversary of Sky Arts twice and Matt Lucas was brilliant as Master of the House, much better than Sacha Baron Cohen in the film.
I enjoyed the show more than the film.

 

[historymystery]

I got a phone call on Friday from a workmate asking me whether I was busy on Saturday and if not did I fancy a trip up to London to see Les Miserables for free? Her brother and SIL had bought tickets for themselves and my workmate to go and see the show, but they'd come down with the winter lurgy and were unable to go. They said they'd mail her over the tickets so she could take a couple of friends along with her instead. I was really flattered to be asked, but if I'm honest I didn't really fancy it. It's not really something I've hankered after seeing and all I knew about it really is that my ex husband telling me he'd been dragged along to see it once and he's never been so bored in his life and that it dragged on for hours and was based upon some guy stealing a loaf of bread! I also was a bit concerned that a full day up in London wouldn't be compatible with my denture problem/eating etc. I said yes to her offer out of politeness, so I made sure I had a large breakfast before I set off, and took a flask of meal replacement shake to sip throughout the day.
When we got to the station in London which was just before midday, the friend and another workmate she'd invited decided to go into Wetherspoons for a drink and something to eat as we had a couple of hours to kill, thankfully I wasn't hungry at that stage but still I would've liked to have participated in having something to eat. When the food came I went and sat on the terrace with my drink and vape. We mooched around a few shops then made our way to the theatre stopping for another drink en route - so far so good!
The show, I dunno, I wasn't as bored as I expected I'd be, but I wasn't enthralled either, I knew nothing about the characters and to be honest I couldn't really work out what was going on, I felt myself nodding off...thankfully I jolted back into life before anybody noticed. All I can say is that the songs were great and well sung, even though I couldn't work out who was who, or what was supposed to be going on. The two friends were bowled over by it and were saying it was the most amazing thing they'd ever seen, so I joined in the pretence as not to hurt my friend's feelings but I think I did pretty well for someone with the attention span of a gnat for whom entertainment needs to be simple, or slapstick . Don't get me wrong I like a thriller or a serious documentary but when I've gone out and have to sit in a theatre for hours I need enjoyment. Anyway I survived a full day up in London with the teeth, not being able to join them for the food was a bit of a bummer but it is what it is! We were lucky that both trains we caught were fast ones and I was home in time to watch the Wheel on telly lol!

I loved Les Mis (seen it on stage twice now) and especially the music, but definitely not to everyone's taste. Good job you'd prepared for the day beforehand, and I'm glad you got through it so well. Onwards and upwards now, merryone!

 

[Muttley]

One thing about the plot is that it's not so much about Valjean stealing a loaf of bread and long term of imprisonment but more about redemption. The loaf of bread is just the catalyst. He's imprisoned for years but when released can't find work. He then steals a clergyman's silver but the clergyman tells the authorities that he gave it to Valjean. The clergyman tells him to take it and use it for good and be honest.

Years pass and Valjean changes his name and is a respected man. But he's recognised and pursued. You've also got an uprising by students as things are just as bad as before the French revolution. That's a very basic synopsis, the subplots are quite complicated.

On a lighter note, I don't know if any of you watched the Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock on TV. There's an episode where Sherlock's brother Mycroft has taken their parents to see Les Mis at the theatre. However he is suffering so much just watching it that he rings Sherlock to take over in the second half. You can hear Do You Hear The People Sing in the background. Sherlock refuses and takes great pleasure in Mycroft's suffering

 

[historymystery]

I was at a loose end in London when the show had just opened, so I knew nothing about it. In those days, you could just walk into the box office and get tickets for today's shows.

I was deciding whether to see Chess or Les Mis. I thoughr it was about a bloke called Les who was miserable, so I decided on Chess, starring Elaine Paige.

I only discovered after I'd bought my ticket that it was EP's night off, so there was a stand-in instead.

It can't have been very memorable as I can't remember anything about it, unlike other shows I've seen.

PS I also saw The Mousetrap but I was sworn to secrecy never to reveal the ending lol. In fact, it is an understanding that you never will, I think someone came on stage to tell the audience.

I remember when you could just decide on the spur of the moment for most shows! Those were the days!

Talking about The Mousetrap takes me back a few years to when we saw it - we must have looked a particularly untrustworthy audience, as the most grim-faced individual they could find came on to tell us never to reveal the ending (didn't actually add 'or we'll send the boys round', but that was the impression you got)!

 

[Toril]

I’ve seen Les Mis in London and loved it. I’ve also got a DVD and CD of the music so can watch or listen to the music whenever I want to.

We also went to see Martin Guerre which was by the same composer and the music was very similar and was just as enjoyable a production to watch.

 

[Ant7t]

I got a phone call on Friday from a workmate asking me whether I was busy on Saturday and if not did I fancy a trip up to London to see Les Miserables for free? Her brother and SIL had bought tickets for themselves and my workmate to go and see the show, but they'd come down with the winter lurgy and were unable to go. They said they'd mail her over the tickets so she could take a couple of friends along with her instead. I was really flattered to be asked, but if I'm honest I didn't really fancy it. It's not really something I've hankered after seeing and all I knew about it really is that my ex husband telling me he'd been dragged along to see it once and he's never been so bored in his life and that it dragged on for hours and was based upon some guy stealing a loaf of bread! I also was a bit concerned that a full day up in London wouldn't be compatible with my denture problem/eating etc. I said yes to her offer out of politeness, so I made sure I had a large breakfast before I set off, and took a flask of meal replacement shake to sip throughout the day.
When we got to the station in London which was just before midday, the friend and another workmate she'd invited decided to go into Wetherspoons for a drink and something to eat as we had a couple of hours to kill, thankfully I wasn't hungry at that stage but still I would've liked to have participated in having something to eat. When the food came I went and sat on the terrace with my drink and vape. We mooched around a few shops then made our way to the theatre stopping for another drink en route - so far so good!
The show, I dunno, I wasn't as bored as I expected I'd be, but I wasn't enthralled either, I knew nothing about the characters and to be honest I couldn't really work out what was going on, I felt myself nodding off...thankfully I jolted back into life before anybody noticed. All I can say is that the songs were great and well sung, even though I couldn't work out who was who, or what was supposed to be going on. The two friends were bowled over by it and were saying it was the most amazing thing they'd ever seen, so I joined in the pretence as not to hurt my friend's feelings but I think I did pretty well for someone with the attention span of a gnat for whom entertainment needs to be simple, or slapstick . Don't get me wrong I like a thriller or a serious documentary but when I've gone out and have to sit in a theatre for hours I need enjoyment. Anyway I survived a full day up in London with the teeth, not being able to join them for the food was a bit of a bummer but it is what it is! We were lucky that both trains we caught were fast ones and I was home in time to watch the Wheel on telly lol!

I haven't seen the musical, but I've heard the soundtrack and seen the film, and even attempted to read the book (it was in two parts: I managed the first book). Have to say, I prefer the musical to the book. He took virtually a 'whole page' describing Fantine. When, anyone could have just said 'she was beautiful'.

 

[donna255]

I remember talking to my big brother via Skype, he lives in Canada. My SIL insisted on going to see the film, and he had to go with her. He hated, I said well it is called The Miserable there is a hint there.

 

[MrMarple]

Confession time, the only song I know from Les Mis is ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ and that’s only because I watched Susan Boyle singing it on Britain’s Got Talent

 

[stratobuddy]

Confession time, the only song I know from Les Mis is ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ and that’s only because I watched Susan Boyle singing it on Britain’s Got Talent

I was going to say that, it brought fame to that song, as well as to Susan.

 

[Muttley]

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables is a poignant song, Marius sings it and it indicates the friends he has lost during these turbulent times. Also Do You Hear The People Sing, Bring him Home, At The End Of The Day, Castle on a Cloud, all good songs. Plus the comedy song Master of the House which helps lighten the mood!

 

[historymystery]

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables is a poignant song, Marius sings it and it indicates the friends he has lost during these turbulent times. Also Do You Hear The People Sing, Bring him Home, At The End Of The Day, Castle on a Cloud, all good songs. Plus the comedy song Master of the House which helps lighten the mood!

I love the music. Bring Him Home and Empty Chairs always make me feel emotional.

 

[donna255]

They had the 2019 theatre performance on Sky Showcase today.

 

[ClaireKelly]

Wasn’t Bring him home played at George Best’s funeral?
The soundtrack is beautiful…