I had this revelation over the weekend. Apparently, people don't just automatically want to read what I write here. You have to earn your audience. And, in fact, you might just lose your audience. I might have done that. Because my post last Friday concerning Les Miserables had an open invitation to share your thoughts. You know how many of you actually responded? No, no...I'm not gonna say it. Check for yourself. If I say it, it is like I'm admitting I'm a loser. I'm not. Really, I'm not.
Still, in case anyone was wondering, the performance was fabulous. Quite possibly the best performance I have ever seen. Okay, I'll admit the boy playing Gavroche wasn't terrific, and I've seen better Eponine's in the past. But as a whole, it was tremendous. And, interestingly, I noticed a few things that I never noticed before. Perhaps that's because in the past I sat too far away to really notice the small details. But did you ever notice that Jean Valjean never actually sells the candlesticks that the Bishop gave him?
The final scene, Jean Valjean lights candles on those very candlesticks. Such a small detail, but very powerful, if you think about it.
And then there is the scene in the sewers where Thenardier is prying the ring from Marius' finger. He sings these words: "And God in his heaven, he don't interfere. 'Cause he's dead, as the stiffs at me feet..."
This is a line that certainly tells of Thenardier's beliefs...but the irony is that the "stiffs at his feet" aren't dead at all. They are very much alive, only he doesn't know it.
I love finding things like this...something that brings new depth and understanding to something you thought you knew backward and forward.
Finally, we have the relationship between Enjolras and Grantaire. If you don't recall, Enjolras is the leader of the students at the barricade. Grantaire is the one who says, "...give me brandy on my breath and I'll breathe them all to death." He is a cynic, and recognizes that this battle is futile, and they'll all end up dead. Yet, he is there.
There is tension between Enjolras and Grantaire. But what was cool...at least in this production...is that when Enjolras is waving the flag, and is finally shot and falls, the first one to run up to see if he was still okay...the first one to join him at his side...was Grantaire.
Anyhow, go ahead and share your favorite moments from Les Miz if you want. Because maybe...just maybe...I'm not a loser after all.
