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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
188 of 194 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Miserable? No, sensationally good!!,
By Anonymous (London) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Les Miserables - 25th Anniversary [DVD] (DVD)
"In the rain, the pavement shines like silver . . ." Happy Silver Anniversary, Les Mis, bounding back more colour, incisive, and moving than ever. I attended both the historic O2 live concert and in the Barbican to see the too-short-lived 25th Anniversary Touring Production. [So perhaps I may commend the work of 3 people in the Barbican - John Owen Jones (Jean Valjean), James Earl Carpenter (Javert) and Gareth Gates (a fine Marius).]Many other reviewers have praised the O2 cast, which included the returning 1985 cast. So let me emphasise the other glories of this production. Matt Kinley's breathtaking design loses the revolving stage, and references the art of novelist Victor Hugo (didn't know he was painterly? Neither did I.). Strong echoes, also, of misty Turner and Delacroix - all moody revolutionary tableaux, dramatically spotlit (Paule Constable, lighting). Factories, churches, windows, marvellous back-projections. And a STUNNING "coup-de-theatre" for Javert's ending. Musically, the new orchestrations, by Chris Jahnke, Stephen Metcalfe & Stephen Brooker, add colour, depth, intensity and subtlety. They bring out the cleverness as well as lyricism of the score. And the new orchestrations fully support the lyrics, e.g., "With their voices soft as thunder" followed by an ominous, barely perceptible rolling drum (yup, thunder alright . . .) that chills you. The singing and acting at the O2 was top-notch. Alfie Boe's operatic voice goes effortlessly to the centre of all the "money" notes, perhaps therefore not as intense as the musical-theatre singers, but with undeniable warmth. And his "Bring Me Home" was perfect. The ageless Jenny Galloway rolled back the years as Madame T., ("or I'll forget to be nice!"); Matt Lucas was in superb acting and revelatory vocal form as Thenardier. Oh, it goes on. A life-changing, historic concert. Immediate addition to your Christmas list, everyone! (and apparently Cameron M is planning a film version. To be continued, then.) One last word. Whatever dark and depressing aspects this work may have, whatever self-indulgence, I personally feel its abiding success is because it is all about LOVE ("How can I live when we are parted?" "Still I say, there's a way for us", etc.). Au revoir, mes amis.
58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW!!!!!,
This review is from: Les Miserables - 25th Anniversary [DVD] (DVD)
15 years ago a friend showed me the 10th anniversary addition of this life changing show, from the first moment I heard 'I dreamed a dream', 'on my own' and of course 'bring him home' I completely fell in love with music and knew that it had to be apart of my life........my mum made me a promise that the next big event that les mis would do she would make sure we were there, and 15 years later she came up trumps with the one of the best seats in the house, watching at the O2 was absolutly fantastic!!!! a fantastic cast with outstanding performances!!! but the absolute icing on the cake was to listen to colm wilkinson performing 'bring him home' he truly has god's gift.......well done to all cast members for creating a magical show couldn't fault any of it...and matt lucus was just hilarious!! that man has talent!!.......it made me laugh, made me cry and made my mum act like a teenager when colm wilkinson walked onto stage.......best dvd you could buy in 2010 xx
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOW,
By
This review is from: Les Miserables - 25th Anniversary [Blu-ray][Region Free] (Blu-ray)
Like a number of other reviewers I have lost count of the number of times I have seen Les Miserables - I even went to see it when I was in Copenhagen (and I dont speak Danish!!) - with a show like Les Mis you really dont need to understand the language. I still remember going to see it for the first time when it first opened at the Palace (25 years - no way, I must have been about 2!!) - getting a standby ticket, sitting in the stalls and feeling that production just washing over me.I saw the recent production at the Barbican and loved it but missed out on the concert at the O2 - but not any more. Just got the Blu Ray and all I can say is WOW. The music is, as always, great. The finale with a quartet of jean Valjean's is unbelievable and brought tears to my eyes. I just want to watch it over and over again.
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