"LES MISERABLES"
Earlier Opinions from Theatremonkey Contributors

Back to Show Information for the current Queen's Theatre production.

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__________________________________________________________________   FROM THE PALACE THEATRE PRODUCTION: "Les Miserables" is fantastic. I loved it, and it comes joint second with "My Fair Lady" in my "favourites" list.  My seat was dreadful though - row C in the Balcony - very high! I give les Misérables 8/10!!! E .Bernstone ___________ We had to write a report on Les Miserables for my theatre school and ever since I wrote the report I've wanted to go and see it. The review here is exactly what happens in the show! Edward Barber ___________ Well, my dear theatre monkey, I have to say the ultimate of theatre experiences for me is Les Misérables. I had the fortune to be taken for the first time on my 30th birthday, and I haven't looked back since. I love it with a passion, it makes you laugh cry, sing and want to start your own revolt!!! I have been loads of times. I didnt enjoy it as much the last time I went, as my favourite policeman (the scrummy Javert) was played by am imposter!!!!!!!!!!!! Shock horror and double gasp!!!! But i am informed the REAL Javert is back on the 2.12.02, phew thank goodness. So if you see a young lady dribbling on the side lines thats me, I would be there all the time if I could, but I think I would start to scare the cast. (And i hear there is a stalking law now :-) ) Angie. ____________ I've seen "Les Mis" twice at the Palace and it is superb! Even better, my favourite actor ever was starring as Javert the two times i saw it!...i think Jerome Pradon is absolutely brilliant! He gives so much power and emotion to his performances...so did every single actor on that stage! It's amazing how much volume and great sound they can project from the stage!...and I counted only around 25 members of the chorus!.. Absolutely brilliant!...it's sad/emotional/funny/and so energetic! 10/10!!!  go and see it!!!  Carys Boulton  -x-  __________________ I recently went to see Les Mis at the Palace Theatre at an 'off peak'  Thursday matinee (no longer running). (well done to Cameron Mackintosh for this brilliant  pricing idea- without it I fear "Les Mis" and "Phantom" may have gone the way of "Cats" as the pressure for available playhouses grew- ("The Producers", "La  Boheme", "Anything Goes", "Mary Poppins", "Sound of Music" et al) When I turned up at the theatre, having booked through Lastminute.com, I was disappointed to find that the seats were in row A of the stalls. At a reduced offer price of £20 these offered barely adequate value for money compared to the balcony and Upper Circles. For admiring the strength of the performances, these seats were ideal- and the performances I saw were strong indeed. Michael McCarthy has an ideal stature and voice for my favourite role- Javert and Hans Peter Jansen is more than able in the role of Valjean- (a transfer to "Phantom" for these outstanding vocalists would be amazing????) The Thernardiers were also brilliant up close. Even from the Dress Circle you miss most of their hysterical interaction, and its worth sitting in the stalls for this alone.  For me the star of the show was the young boy who played Gavroche. I normally see the use of children in musicals (with the obvious exception of "Bugsy Malone") as risky as often they do not have the vocal strength or discipline which this exacting art form requires. On this occasion, however, I was very glad to be proven wrong. Young Gavroche provided one of the strongest voices on the stage and his acting was superb. His dying scene was a bit hammy, but the problem there lies in the libretto rather than the performance. The current Marius is however, fairly weak and I doubt that Jon of S Club fame will be bucking this trend. However, row A was by no means perfect; the grandeur and spectacle of this magnificent show was lost as a result being tucked up against the orchestra pit and staring up at the extended stage. On many occasions, the front of the stage seems crowded and oddments of furniture blocked the view of the players. Any action which occurred on the rear portion of the stage was lost as no more than head and shoulders of the actors were visible. The Barricade scene was the only one I could watch comfortably. The infamous turntable proves equally irksome from this angle, despite its invisibility, as its incessant, irrelevant motion detracts from (and perhaps, my inner cynic suggests, negates the need for) actual acting. Sound quality is good in this row, although, sitting on the left hand side of the theatre the horns were slightly unbalanced, often overmastering the strings. But now I'm being VERY picky. These seats offer fair value at Off Peak performances, particularly if your interested in the show on a musical rather than Theatrical level. I would not however, reccommend these seats to first time viewers as the view they offer is unlikely to get you hooked. William Cooper _________________ Wow! Having wanted to see the show for seven years, I made it, and "wow" just about sums it up! The staging is beyond compare, and I think this is one of the few shows where the theatregoer benefits from a higher position, in the Dress or Upper circles. The way the barricades come together is truly awe-inspiring. As for the show itself, my companions, not being such avid fans as I am, had some difficulty following the story. I strongly recommend a read of the programme to fill in any gaps.  The emotions in me were running high, I can tell you. I left the theatre in tears, and was halfway to Buckingham Palace before I stopped (much to the amusement of my mum!). It's something you have to see to feel its true strength, and it is a tribute to Hugo that the characters he writes are brought to life through the astonishing music and direction of this musical so truly. Kyrsty Mewett __________________ We took the monkeys advice and went to see Les Mis. WOW!!! Amazing. We sat in the Palace Theatre stalls Row M seats 20 and 21. Perfect view and sound. John Lee has made a great transition from Pop to Musical. A must See.   Andrew Robinson __________________ The show was amazing, and the seats (Palace Theatre stalls F26 and 27) were perfect!!! you could see everything really well, the only bit I couldn't see was one minuscule bit in "Red and Black" where Enjolras was blocking Marius a bit, but that was it. __________________ I'd heard that "Les Miserables" was going to be the best musical I would see. I was more skeptical, however I chose to see it over "We Will Rock You" and what a good choice it was. I thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic staging, musical score and costumes. The emotional punch that this production embodies is found nowhere else and in no other production, although "Miss Saigon" does come close. The sheer volume of storyline is certainly not something to fear when thinking about going to see "Les Mis" - it is something to look forward to! The sad yet sometimes uplifting storyline still provides a breath of fresh air from the now increasingly popular musicals made about famous Rock or Pop stars. I give Les Miserables five stars and recommend anyone over the age of 13 to see it now!  Ben Wooldridge  ___________________ What a spectacle. Unmissable (particularly before it moves, ruining the west end by getting rid of greatest musicians in the world). Story is true, deep, complex (although not hard work) and songs are genuine and stand by themselves, not like many Webber works. Actors are incredible, and voices are exceptional. I came out not knowing which song to start humming, and with 2 completely converted friends. Pips "Miss Saigon" with the raw emotion, another classic. In a beautiful theatre (PALACE), one of the best few evenings out in the West End! Alf ___________________ Another, longer review is available at reader Trud's page: http://catnip.o-f.com/lesmiserablesreview.htm ___________________ I have seen Les Miserables in January 2003and it was very hard for me to not notice the cuts . it is not "the bits that restored a year a go", it is lots of things from the original musical. I hope the performance will still be good in the Queen's theatre as it was at the Palace Theatre. Shai Helfman Jerusalem Israel ___________________ I've seen many a West End musical but "Les Mis" remains my all time favourite. I love the complexity of the plot, the drama, the characters, the music and the fact that it never ceases to make me cry! I urge you to go see it and take a box of tissues. I've seen it nine times so far at the Palace and I've enjoyed it from every angle - front stalls, back stalls, boxes, circles. I have not seen it at The Queens yet but am planning on a trip this summer just to recharge my batteries. Debbie,  Greenford ___________________ FROM THE QUEEN'S THEATRE PRODUCTION After seeing Les Miserables for the first time last night, I just wanted to share my thoughts of it. I've been wanting to see this show for years, but only got the opportunity last night. The show itself didn't disappoint, all the cast were perfect and I was particularly impressed with Jon Lee in the role of Marius. I was sat in row Q in the stalls, and even though I had a perfect view and adequate leg room, I couldn't help but think how I would've liked to have been closer to the stage. I felt slightly out of the action so to speak. The overhang does block a little of the top half of the set, but nothing to ruin the experience. All in all, I had a enjoyable night out and it's definitely one show that all theatregoers must see at some point. It is incredibly powerful, moving and breathtaking. It left me feeling exhilarated and wanting to experience it all again, so much so that I went out and bought the DVD at the end. Miss M. Billham Southend, Essex __________________ I booked tickets to see "les Misérables" a couple of months ago, without really knowing that it had moved to Queens Theatre.  After it was booked, I heard from all different people that it was changing theatres. People were saying that the move had totally changed the production and that it wasn't going to be the same any more, however, they were all misinformed. I'd seen "Les Miz" at the Palace Theatre before, and it was definitely just as good as that, if not better.  I just wanted to let people know that, although the orchestra has slightly changed, the musical was still just as fantastic as it had been beforehand! __________________ Absolutely fantastic. I first saw it about 18 years ago (half a life-time!) and this time I took my 9 year old daughter who was mesmerised (particularly enjoyed Jon Lee who was really talented). The cast got a well deserved standing ovation at the end. __________________ I've seen the show five times (4 at Palace Theatre) and on Saturday (24th July 2004) went to Queens. I was sat in row C of the stalls and found it to be AMAZING !!!  Admittedly, I could not see the projections on the stage floor - e.g. the river/whirlpool - but I could see the characters' faces and all of the action, better than ever before (usually sit in Dress Circle). I would advise to see the film before the musical...just to get an understanding of the storyline. Its hard to follow first time round but as Monkey says "you either love it or hate it"...I LOVE IT!!!! The scenery is fantastic and the slightly different type of music makes a change without spoiling the quality. Well done I say!!!  Happy theatre going.  Liza and Stuart   __________________ Last week saw my second trip to see "Les Mis" having been obsessed with it for years before seeing it, and I was amazed. The show has been rejuvenated; while the music has remained the same, little touches to the action have changed the meanings of some of the lines, making many scenes much more poignant. I for one think that the move has done the show good - things have had to change, but the changes are definitely for the better. The actors - Joanna Ampil makes a fantastic Fantine, and, though I don't know which of the young actors it was, the Gavroche at the performance I saw was endearing. The cast all seemed so relaxed in their roles and that helped the story to flow believably from heartache to heartache. We occupied the last two seats of row M in the stalls, and our view was uninhibited - even of the set on each of the boxes. There was plenty of legroom, and, unlike seats closer to the stage, we could also see all the effects on the floor of the stage (such as the 'river' during "Javert's Soliloquy"). The only complaint I have is that the theatre should provide tissues with each programme purchased! Kyrsty Mewett Bognor  _______________ I saw my first West End production of 'Les Mis' last night (17th November 2004), and have to say that I came away vaguely disappointed. The music is fine- yes, there are synthesizers used, but except for a couple of points where the music cut off, rather than dying away they did not detract from the music. The singing was good throughout particularly from Tim Godwin, as Jean Valjean (the understudy). He has an amazing voice. However, there didn't seem to be much life in the show... technically great performances... but without the feeling. The exception to this being Stephen Tate and Katy Secombe as the Thenardiers, who threw everything they had into the roles. 'Master of the House' has always been one of my favourite songs in this musical, and the performance was something I'll remember for a long time! If you're only going to see one musical this year, I cannot recommend this one. Get the CD instead... There are better shows out there at the moment. If you've already seen a number of shows though, it's well worth going... just make use of the Monkey's 'Special Offers' section  to avoid disappointment. Nathan ________________________ My partner and I were actually trying to get tickets for "The Woman In White", but had no joy, so managed to get tickets for "Les Mis" at very short notice. Overall, I think the show was very good, everyone gave it their all, which was great considering it was a Tuesday night (1st February 2005). I agree with the monkey that the story is a tad difficult to follow, it seemed to take ages to get going, so do read the synopsis prior to taking your seats. The revolving stage is a clever idea, but I started to feel a bit giddy by the end! Character-wise, we loved the Thernardiers, who were hysterical, total Chavs!!!! The story all comes together in the end and you leave feeling uplifted. We sat in the stalls, row S, seats 24 and 25, pretty near the back, but had a great view of all the action. This is not a big theatre by any stretch of the imagination, and even right at the back we could see well. There is quite a big overhang, but it doesn't seem to matter as there was no action at higher points of the stage anyway. I've read on the theatremonkey site (readers' comments) that the lack of orchestra and magnitude of synthesizers is a flaw, but it sounded great, and the conductor was dancing round like a madman!!!... ...though how much of the score required conducting rather than pressing "play" remains a mystery! Bravo, good night out! Jamie Coniam,  London ___________________________ Saw the show on the evening of 16th February 2005. With it being half-term week I didn't want to run the risk of not being able to get tickets, so opted to pay full price (£37) tickets in row D (17/18) of the Upper Circle. Slightly disappointed by the view. Even though I could see everything (despite the best efforts of those in row A to obstruct the view by leaning over the balcony) it wasn't the best angle to watch the show from. The performances were excellent though. Every song sung with passion. As the poster says "every night is a first night". Despite the 3hr running time, it never dragged. My only disappointment was that it was not longer. I really did not want it to end. This was my first time seeing the show, but it certainly won't be my last. Tim Holloway Norfolk _________________________ I decided to see this show on a bit of a whim (after loving "Chicago" and "The Lion King"), as wasn't sure it would be my "cup-of-tea". Chose our seats with the help of Theatremonkey (E 18 and 19 of the Dress Circle). The view was perfect and the show totally blew me away - all the main stars were outstanding (particularly the actors playing Valjean & Javert), the story was really interesting, the set was so inventive/evocative, & the music was hugely moving. I blubbed like a fool through most of the 2nd act. "Bring Him Home" completely slayed me.  I've since become a huge fan (a bit late!!) and have bought the 10th anniversary DVD and the symphonic album, and was desperate to see it live again. Will be back for the matinee on 16th July 2005, in Dress Circle G 9 and 10 (again thanks to Theatremonkey's reccs) and can't wait.......  .......Just got back from my second trip to Les Mis (16th July 2005 matinee). Was not disappointed - that was the quickest 3 hours of my life !! Perfect seats - Dress Circle G 9 and 10 (thanks, once again, Theatremonkey). John Owen-Jones was STUNNING as Valjean - that has to be the most moving "Bring Him Home" I've encountered to date (either live or recorded), and yes, I did cry like an idiot again - as did most of the ladies AND some of the chaps around me! Special mentions too, to Kerry Ellis - a beautiful Fantine, Barry James and Claire Moore as the Thenardiers (Barry was particularly good - as he brought out the character's more menacing side, as well as the obvious comic one). Only downsides - Julia Moller (Cosette)'s voice was occasionally weak, and she was swamped in places in the ensemble pieces, plus I'm afraid Cornell John was not convincing at all as Javert - not enough passion / a very clipped style of singing. However, everyone /everything else was SO good, and there was an almost-total standing ovation at the end. Want to go and see it again NOW !!! Cathy from Worthing ________________________ Well this was my first venture into the Queens Theatre to see "Les Miserables" and I can safely say that this is one of the best shows in the West End for a long time. I went on the 14th June 2005 and was sitting in the stalls in seat G3, theatremonkey advises against this seat, though as a student I managed to secure it for the bargain price of £20 (editor's note, monkey ratings are based on paying full price, as this reader acknowledges). For what I paid it was an excellent seat. Good leg room and an excellent view of the stage. The performance by the actors was worth of first night acclaim, notably Sean Kingsley as Jean Valjean and Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras. Though a point which maybe worth noting is that the cast changes on the 27th June 2005. Though i am sure that the quality of performance will be maintained. James T ____________________ We went to see the show (for the 5th time) on 27th June 2005, specifically to see John Owen-Jones perform, although I was interested to see how the other cast changes worked. The show was fantastic - J O-J was incredible - he almost got a standing ovation at the end of 'Bring him home'! Special mention too for Kerry Ellis (Fantine) whose range was amazing.  The whole cast gave it their all - very refreshing - as I felt the last time I saw it (towards the end of last year ) the cast were getting a bit bored. A few lines have changed, but nothing that detracts from the story. To an earlier reviewer, Nathan (see "reviews" page) - go and see it again - you won't be disappointed ! We had seats K11 to 13 in the stalls. Good view of the stage, couldn't see the whirlpool clearly, but I'm not too bothered about that. The legroom was surprisingly good.  Ali  __________________ Sat stalls row E seats 19 and 20, amazing show, we sat slightly too far forward for my liking, the stage is quite high for this show and the view would have been more comfortable from further back. However as these tickets were booked at £25 (expired offer - ed) each rather than nearly £50 (thanks theatremonkey!) I can't complain! Tamara __________________ I went again last night (11th July 2005) to see "Les Mis" (my 5th time!!!) and it just gets better every time! I love the way that each time you go, the casting completely changes but no matter what they do - it seems to work! Kerry Ellis absolutely blew me away last night, I was in floods already in the first half and it was downhill from there! Had to go and get a stiff drink afterwards. John Owen Jones was also incredible, the best Jean Valjean I've seen in the show. I was concerned at first as he was quite young in comparison to previous actors but he left them in the shadows. Just incredible...you'd think after 5 times I'd be getting bored - my mum thinks I'm crazy and still won't see it for the first time! - but I think it improves each time and this one was a cracker. Amazing cast, amazing show. Only criticism was for Cosette, in comparison she was very weak and I found her punctuation of words very off putting. Otherwise though, nothing bad to say and as they could see from the standing ovation at the end...I think everyone else agreed! Shame about the smaller theatre but it still works...long may it continue!! Emma ___________________ I saw this show some time back so the cast has probably changed. It was very clever and very professionally done however for me it was too heavy going. You will need to enjoy a bit of opera type music to enjoy this one. It is not everyone's cup of tea. It would be unfair for me to say I didn't enjoy it because how can one say which is best - a cup of tea or a cup of coffee? It depends on what you like personally. I wouldn't go again but that is because of the opera type singing  - I prefer something more light hearted - but for professionalism and getting it across it can't be faulted. Ms Christina Brooks ___________________ (This review contains no 'spoliers') I saw this production at Queens Theatre, London. pThis play will have you sucked in as soon as the orchestra strike up their instruments at the opening of the show, until they take their final bows at the end! I sat on the second row (row B) in the stalls. The view was fantastic and you really felt like you were in there with all the action. The set and effects of the show are simply fantastic and the whole set and stage literally revolves - with no scene change hindering the performance. One minute we are sat in front of a barricade, the next minute we are in a wedding hall. The lead Jean Valjean was played by my favourite actor - John Owen Jones - who was the longest running West End Phantom (in "Phantom Of The Opera") with over 1400 shows. He is the youngest person to play Valjean but by no means the worst! Javert was also played with immense characterisation which, when the two collided, produced an incredible atmosphere. This production is definately worth seeing and is very good for if you are studying GCSEs or A Levels (British examinations). The only real problem I found was you eventually get cramp from sitting throughout the 1.5 hour halves, but this should not stop anyone! Best scene: Probably just before the interval - very powerful Worth seeing: YES! (row B is worth the money) Stuart Spendlow ____________________ I attended the performance last night, (4th January 2006) ... Have you ever wondered what would happen if the revolving stage breaks down ...well, last night it did, only for the second time apparently. This occurred quite early on in the show. The staff tried valiantly to make a repair, but then the manager said the show could not continue with the staging - they did, however, put in on in 'concert' form (for those who stayed). I must say I was very impressed !! All the performers adapted superbly ! I assume they occasionally rehearse this, but it still must be unsettling. It also makes the plot harder to follow for those that have not seen it before, but for us, it was quite a nice change ! Gavroche was played by one of the female cast members, presumably due to children's working hours ! John Owen-Jones was excellent as usual. The last time I saw the show, at the last cast change in July 2005, I felt that Cornell John, playing Javert, seemed very uncomfortable, possibly as he was having to sing in a different way to how he was used to . I must say that he has grown in to the role beautifully .... his voice, especially in 'Stars', was very smooth and sure - vocal honey ! Nice to see the supporting cast closer to the front. They sometime get a bit lost in the scenery! Special mention for Jenna Boyd, playing various roles - great voice, and some lovely facial expressions ! Seats - stalls K 6 to 9 ... we often seem to get row K - good view of the stage and performers, and any visibility problems were, on this occasion, negated by the concert format ! The theatre have also invited the audience back to see (hopefully) a full performance (on dates to be arranged) at equivalent rates - quite thoughtful, I feel. Ali (it was a very unusual performance - so many changes .. glad we didn't leave, unlike quite a few !!) ____________________ I'm a complete Les Misérables addict who has long ago fallen in love with the story, the music, the lyrics and the staging. I can't get enough of Les Mis. My wife and I come across the pond a few times a year for a London theater run and we always make it a point to see Les Mis at least once every year. That said, I must admit that since the move from the Palace Theater to Queens, Les Mis has fallen on hard times. The smaller stage creates lots of tight moments when the full ensemble cast is on stage; some scene transitions are often noisy and distracting; and I swear that the sound system drops some of the voices - at least from where we sit in stalls. But MOST noticeable has been the heavy reliance upon a synthesized musical score which does not do justice to the breadth and pulse of the music. When we last visit in March 2005 for a Saturday night performance, all of these problems are painfully evident and even the audience response is restrained. We leave feeling unfulfilled and fearful that Les Mis is slowly sinking towards oblivion -- this despite very strong performances by the leads. So imagine our joy and delight during a January 2006 visit to discover that others must also have been hearing and seeing the same things that we observe. The changes are subtle, but by performance's end, it is clear that Les Mis is back to it's former glory and driving power. Staging has been reworked to reduce the clutter and allow the actors to move a bit more freely on a still tight stage. A few introductory lyrics have been added here and there to create smoother segues between certain scenes, AND they've revitalized the musical score, bringing back the orchestral feel. The result is a Les Mis that pulsates and embraces the audience with the feel and seething, bubbling emotion that Les Mis is so well known for. The cast has turned over a bit since we've last seen Les Mis, but the main characters give mostly strong, stirring performances which touch the audience deeply ( Valjean, Fantine, Eponine, and Enjolras are all especially strong while the new Javert is still feeling his way into the part but he should do just fine with time) . The audience responds with applause and excitement throughout the entire Friday night performance. We leave feeling fulfilled and reassured in knowing that Les Mis is on the mend and should keep going strong for many more years. We hope that lots of folks take advantage Barry and Carol Liimakka USA ___________________ Went for my return visit on 31st January 2006 - this time in Row G 10 to 13 of the Dress Circle - seats had a good view, obstructed only by the very tall man in front! I see from a previous comment that one reader feel the sound quality was poor in that area, but we didn't find this the case. There were several empty seats, and some people had been upgraded to the Dress Circle, presumably from the Upper Circle. I am a little concerned that the show may go the way of Cats, Joseph, and many others when the audience numbers start to fall. The show itself - fantastic as usual (and the revolve worked !) Does John Owen Jones ever have a bad day ? Jeff Nicholson was understudying Javert - great performance. You never feel with this show that the understudies are a 'second best' - they are well worth seeing in their own right. I missed Jenna Boyd in the ensemble, though ,,, I believe there is a cast change planned for June - hopefully I will be able to get back before them for another Les Mis 'fix' Ali _____________________ Last Saturday (18th of June 2006) my girlfriend and myself went to see "Les Mis" at the Queens Theatre. Unfortunately as it was a last minute ticket buying and being impoverished students I broke with tradition and had to settle for the upper circle seating. The view wasn't that bad really, the only bit of action that was missing was the balcony in the Cafe, or at least that's all I think we missed. The chairs in the Upper Circle could do with a bit of oil as people were squeaking though all of the solos which is very irritating and I'd wish they'd install rollercoaster style bars in front of the chairs to stop people leaning forward and spoiling everyone's view as well as to stop people walking out without a simple excuse me... After becoming addicted to the recording of the "20th Anniversary Special" at the Royal Albert Hall we weren't expecting the singing to be of quite the same quality, however we were pleasantly surprised. The cast was excellent especially with Phill Cavin as Jean Valjean; even the orchestra was acceptable, with its new electronic players, pulling you in with the first chords. Shaun Escoffery as Enjolras also demonstrated high quality singing, even though his voice was lost occasionally. However I was deeply deeply disappointed with the Javert, Cornell John. His performance was dire, the only time I've never clapped for a performer, and thanks to him the rest of the cast lost their deserved standing ovation. Looking and listening around the auditorium a lot of people agreed. He didn't seem to appreciate the role and interact with the other characters, singing only it seemed to the audience, singing in the same flat tone no matter what his mood and when it came to the soliloquy I've never wanted a Javert to die sooner, he displayed very little of his soul and mind being torn apart. It may sound a little stupid but a recording I did of a friend singing "Stars" three years ago was is in my opinion better than the pathetic Cornell did it, even though my friend has had no proper singing training - and I can also reassure you that my friend is a lot better now. You could question that Cornell John was having a 'off night' (well afternoon) but that's no way for a professional to treat a paying audience. Overall it was enjoyable but I cant wait to go and see it again from a better vantage point and with a different cast, or a different Javert at least, as the rest were excellent. Glad I've gotten that off my chest and apologies to the complete strangers I've bored with my rantings. Laurence __________________ Having seen this show in 2002 after spending several years waiting to see it, I became a bit of a "Les Miz" addict. Having seen it twice at The Palace, where the toilets left lots to be desired and the leg room was cramped, even for me at 5ft 8" I was pleased when I heard it was leaving to go to Queens. My daughter and I took my parents along to Queens, as my dad had loved the musical score for years. We sat in the rear stalls and were very disappointed because we could not see the projections properly, it cut off the top of the barricade and the sound quality did not seem to match the wow factor it had had at the Palace. I won't mention the 'sing a long' Americans we had behind us, who I had to speak to an usher about in the interval! Determined to give my fave musical another chance, I promised myself tickets in the front stalls. I was delighted when I saw the recent TFL offer (until September 2006) for £25 tickets and booked my daughter and I into seats C4 and 5 of the Stalls on the 23rd August 2006 - matinee. Although they were end of row we still felt like we were in the action and took in the full impact of what was going on on stage and the power of the music. In the interval I got talking to a woman who was seated at the rear of the circle and she had brought her son along. She had seen it years ago when it was at the Barbican and then again at the Palace and told me she didn't feel the acoustics and impact was fantastic as it had previously been. Simon Bailey playing Enjolras was great and John Owen-Jones as Jean Valjean blew our minds. To sum up, Les Miz still is one of the most amazing musicals I have ever seen. The cast were fantastic and we were so absorbed in it all I found a tear trickling down my cheek during 'Little Fall of Rain' and the finale 'death scene'-as I like to call it! Les Miz has something in it for everyone. If it is your first time, make sure you get great seats - front stalls are the way to go, no closer than C though as the stage is high. Read the programme if you are unsure of the storyline, it will help you untangle the events. Let yourself get carried away in a story that will capture your heart and your imagination. Remember the Kleenex too, I wasn't the only one shedding a tear-6ft rugby looking guy in front was obviously touched as well. Jessica and Niamh (27 and 10 London) ____________________ My wife and I having been to the show before, thought we would take two of our children (12 and 14) to see Les Mis. We had seats K10 to K13 in stalls (Oyster card promotion). Seats were ideal, great view, good leg room. Kids thought it was fantastic, we all ended up in tears, a truly wonderful show, and the seats positions come recommended. P.S. If you treat yourself to an ice cream at the interval, watch out for the stubborn strawberries in the tub, mine didn’t want to come out easily with the stubby spoon, a little extra effort made it fly out and stick to the woman next to me. I’ll be honest, I couldn’t tell her for laughing. Andy, Claire and family. _____________________ “After my recent disappointment with ‘Wicked’ and the less than ecstatic reception I gave to ‘Daddy Cool’ I am pleased to report that the performance of ‘Les Misérables’ I attended at the Queen’s Theatre last night (Tuesday 26 September 2006) was about as good as musical theatre ever gets. It was my third viewing (once at the Palace well into the run, and once at the Queen’s Theatre soon after it transferred) and I certainly got a lot more out of it this time. I was gripped from the start (maybe because I was familiar with the story from the previous viewings) and it wasn’t long before I could feel the tears beginning to spring. At the Palace, despite sitting close in the stalls, I found the sound muddy and unpleasant, but last night, in C row of the stalls, the amplification was exemplary, being loud enough to be exciting but still remaining natural and perfectly balanced between the extremely clear voices and the orchestra. John Owen-Jones as Valjean was simply sensational, and Jeff Nicholson as Javert, covering for Hans Peter Janssens, was splendid. All the other performers were magnificent, and after a run of almost 21 years, the show is in tip-top condition. Three cheers for Cameron Mackintosh, and of course all the rest of the production team, the writers and composer, and I suppose we had better thank Victor Hugo as well!” _____________________ 30th October 2006... Hadn't seen this since the last cast change - I was very much looking forward to seeing Hans Peter Janssen as Javert. I think there may have been some changes in orchestration, nothing much, but it just sounded a bit different (couldn't say how it was different, not having a clue about music)... there also seemed to be some new interaction between cast members in the ensemble pieces. The cast were excellent - John Own Jones was, as always, outstanding. HPJ was fantastic as Javert - his interpretation appears to have emphasis on Javert's relentlessness, which makes his ultimate downfall even more of a contrast. Bayla Whitten was on as Fantine - very very good, although I felt she missed some of the low notes in 'I dreamed a dream' ...Sabrina Aloueche was perfect as Eponine, looking exactly how I see the character - possibly the best Eponine I have seen so far. Gina Beck as Cosette was exactly how I see a sheltered young lady would act, and she has a lovely voice Strong performance from Jon Lee as Marius - whilst singing 'Empty Chairs....' he gave the impression that he was about to burst into tears! Simon Bailey was great as Enjolras - strong singing and some nice (new) interplay with Grantaire. The Thenardiers - well, a bit of a disappointment for me - Tracie Bennett started off a little weakly, but improved, but Chris Vincent was, IMO, a real let-down - he was very 'camp'... I have always felt that although the 'T's are there to provide some comic relief, he should have an underlying air of menace - he came over as menacing as a tulip! The ensemble are, yet again, more than excellent - in fact, I often watch them rathert than the principles, just to see the way the interact. Seats were D16 and 17 in the Dress Circle - excellent... and booked through a highlighted special offer £29.00 - thanks ! ! Ali ______________________ My first impression of The Queen's was how small it was, must be one of the smallest theatres in the West End to stage a musical. I managed to get a half price ticket for seat 13 row D, first time I have been so near to the stage, and to be honest wouldn't have wanted to be any further forward. Leg room was very good. The conductor was like a jack-in-the-box, also he was weaving around like a boxer. It must have been very off-putting being in the middle of the rows in front of me. Actually I was put off a bit by him, can't imagine what it must have been like for those in the front row. To be fair to him, his moving about shows that no matter how many times he has performed, he is still very much into the music and the occasion, though. I was looking forward to seeing John Owen-Jones but an announcement saying the part of Jean Valjean will be played by, but I didn't catch his name. Maybe John Owen-Jones wanted to watch Wales play Australian at rugby! Anyway the understudy playing Valjean was excellent, wish I knew who he was. (Jacob Chapman - editor, with thanks to the Queen's Theatre!). Hans Peter Janssens as Javert was captivating and even managed to make you feel sorry for him in his death scene. I first saw Les Miserables in 1999 but was in the gods, didn't think it was very good, but have since grown to love the music and was able to follow the story very well. Naturally there were the usual irritants in the audience, including one woman right behind me who five minutes before the interval got up and disturbed everyone. I bet she wanted to be first to the "ladies'", and on several occasions the man she was with was talking to her in an overly loud voice, at one stage I looked behind and went shhhh! Some people just don't know how to behave at a theatre. Being close to the stage I was, for the first time, able to see clearly the actors' faces and could make out a lot of the words as well, also being so near you can smell the gunpowder and really do feel as if you are in the battle. In some songs there were two or three actors singing different words at the same time. There's probably a technical name for this but in any case it came across very well. I'm not one who is able to analyse in great detail, but I know what I like and I loved Les Misérables. It has lots of memorable songs and it knocks the uninspired, totally forgettable "Wicked" into the witches hat ! 4th November 2006, afternoon performance. ____________________ Saw 'Les Mis' again on Monday 4th December 2006. Was in stalls row F seat 18, off centre so bobbing conductor not really a factor. John Owen Jones was excellent, his rendition of "Bring him Home" was particularly memorable and is one of the few places in the performance where an audience can show their appreciation, and there was a lot. I wasn't sure if there would be a full house on a Monday, but the stalls were packed, and a spontaneous standing ovation when John OJ made his bow. ____________________ This was the first stage musical my husband and I had been too, a joint present from our son, it was fantastic. We have seen the different programmes on the TV, but being in the theatre was so different. The singing, the story all came over so much better live. We are hooked, more live theatre shows as and when we can. Pauline ____________________ Went to 'Les Mis' at the Queens Theatre on14th March 2007. Got a ticket through "GILT" ("Get into London Theatre promotion - ended 17th March 2007) £25 - seat A25 Dress Circle. Good show with very neat use of turntable and set dressing for scenes. Excellent View - lack of leg room. I'm "broad" and width wise was O.K. and seat comfortable, but at 5'11 leg room was cramped as you have the wall in front so can't even get your feet under as you might with seats in the stalls. Ice Cream at £3 for a small approx 100ml tub!!! I did without. Jon North Yorkshire ____________________ Saw 'Les Mis' last night (16 May 2007) for the first time since its move from the Palace Theatre. We sat in the middle of Row R of the stalls after buying 'best available' tickets off Lastminute.com for £29.50 + £1 booking fee. Legroom was ample, view not the best - the dress circle overhang obscured some of the 'higher up' action, and we felt a bit distant from the stage. That said, good value for what we paid, would have been miffed if the tickets had been full price. I have to confess at being slightly nonplussed at the actual performance; I have very fond memories of the numerous times I saw it at the Palace theatre. John Owen Jones was a solid Valjean, although wavered occasionally with some of the difficult notes. Javert was played by an understudy whose name I did not catch (he was very tall) - and again a decent performance, but nothing spectacular. Joanna Ampil & Gina Beck put in good performances as Fantine and Cosette - and I thought Sabrina Aloueche put in the best performance as Eponine that I have seen since Lea Salonga played the role - fabulous voice. Simon Bailey as Enjolras was also one of the better players of the role I have seen - he had a strong voice and did justice to 'Do You Hear The People Sing'. John Lee is simply not right for the part of Marius - he sung his parts far too abruptly, and did not bring out the emotion expected from 'Empty Chairs'. The Thenardiers did not draw out the comic aspects as much I have seen in the past either (this may be because Mr Thenardier was understudied for that performance) Also the ensemble seem to have gone really downhill since the Palace theatre production - weak singing voices, lack of slickness as a group, and terrible use of the microphone for the leader of the French army - they really need to pull their socks up! In all it still remains a very enjoyable evening out, and no doubt will continue for many years to come (the auditorium was full, even on a Wednesday evening) ____________________ Saw 'Les Mis' last weekend (7th July 2007), with the new cast and loved it!! Haven't seen it for ten years, but its still as marvellous as ever. What a fabulous show, everyone was superb, didn't feel anyone let the side down - go and see it!!! Kathryn, Kidderminster. ___________________ Got the middle seats in Row R through the TKTS booth for £27.50 + £2.50 booking fee. As others have mentioned, this does suffer from the overhang but there is literally only 10 seconds in the entire production when an actor is obscured. You shouldn't panic when you can't see the '1815' projection which starts the show and is projected so high you can't see it! Whilst quite far back, the fact that Les Mis tends to use the entire stage (both horizontally and vertically) means that you can take in the full effect of the scenery even if the singers seen a little way off. No problem with legroom either. Interestingly, when I booked at TKTS I could see on the screen that they had better unsold seats but that these were held back for potential full price sale. Its not the case that TKTS can get you the best seat that remains. ___________________ Last night (9th August 2007) I took my girlfriend to see the show for the first time (I've now seen it over 10 times). Ticketmaster website offered Dress Circle F 5 and 6 but I wanted more central so called them up and got Dress Circle G12 and 13. These were probably the best seats I've ever had in either theatre for 'Les Mis.' As the website says, the top of the stage is obscured from row H backwards, and so the Upper Circle bordered the stage perfectly at the top. The safety bar mentioned as an obstruction for rows A to F was not a problem as it only encroached onto the front 2 yards of the stage. We were able to see absolutely everything without so much as moving or straining. Legroom was ample - I'm 6'1" and my girlfriend is 5'10" and neither of us were uncomfortable at all. The cast were very good - John Owen-Jones is the best Valjean I've seen in the West End, and the girl playing Eponine had an amazing voice. Enjolras was average, as were the Thenadiers and Marius's voice was not strong enough. However, I'm just nitpicking - it was magnificent; probably the best performance I've seen. This cast is better than the last one - I saw it at Christmas 2006 and was underwhelmed, but this one was awesome. A good time to go and see it if you were planning to! Ashley _____________________ I always have mixed emotions when I see a show for the second time. I’m torn between the excitement of returning to something I’ve loved and then worry that it won’t be as good as the time before, or that my previous perception won’t allow me to see it with fresh eyes. On Saturday 20th October 2007, I felt all of the above when I went to see the evening performance of 'Les Misérables' at the Queen’s theatre in Shaftsbury Avenue. It had been some 17 years since I had last seen the show. Walking past the Palace Theatre, currently adorned with banners for 'Spamalot,' with its impressive entrance on the junction with Charing Cross Road reminded me of the emotion I felt at the time. On arrival at the Queen’s Theatre we were unlucky enough to have side seats in the Upper Circle. With such a restricted view the show was off to a bad start before it had even begun. I was conscious of the fact my husband had never seen the show before and I didn’t want our inability to see half of the performance to spoil this. We were in luck. Half the people on our row didn’t arrive so within ten minutes of the show opening we could see the full stage. 'Les Misérables' is one of those shows that can never disappoint its audience. But this time it wasn’t without fault. Understudies Jennifer Hepburn and Peter Saul took on the Fantine and Valjean roles. They did the characters justice, although Saul’s performance of “Bring Him Home”, did not bring me close to tears or even a prickly neck like it usually does. My husband said he felt it lacked emotion too. Two of the actors could not be understood properly. Hans Peter Janssens as as Javert and Melanie LaBarrie as Madame Thenardier sounded muffled and, given the fact that everyone else sounded clear I cannot blame our position in the theatre. As the songs in 'Les Misérables' tell the story, some members of the audience around me were complaining they couldn’t understand what was going on and blamed the fact they couldn’t make out what Janssens and LeBarrie were saying. Other than that, apart from a few notes off-key from Claire Marie-Hal and the three or four times props could be heard dropping in the darkest parts of the stage, 'Les Misérables' was as impressive as I remember it. The red flag during “Do you hear the people sing”, Javert’s suicide and the barricade scenes still had the magic that had enthralled me at the Palace. However one actor’s performance stood out. We weren’t told which of the actors played the character of Gavroche on that evening but whoever it was got the best round of applause of the evening. He was cocky, clearly spoken, perfectly timed and tuneful. Everyone’s entitled to an off day so although this time' Les Misérables' didn’t enthral me as much as I had expected, it wouldn’t stop me wanting to see it again. Who knows, next time it might be the best yet! Melissa Roberts _____________________ Saw 'Les Mis' Friday night, 12th November 2007. Seats B21 and B22 in the Dress Circle- though didn't pay full price. Was just as previously described on this site. We were just 3 seats in from the end of the row which curves. Not a problem as only a tiny bit of stage front left is obscured. However in row A below they lost bottom half of stage due to the wall in front, and consequently leant forward on the wall which didn't help our view. Luckily my friend had an empty seat in front of her. Determined not to have my night out ruined I asked the guy in front to sit back in his seat and to give him credit he did manage to sit back for most of the show. For this reason I wouldn't recommend the last four seats at either end of row B and would avoid anything but the middle 16 seats of row A. No point paying top price for the rest of the row when you will get a better view from the stalls. Seats comfortable enough given the length of the show and plenty of legroom (I am 5' 8"). As for the show, to my mind it was every bit as good as when I last saw it at the Palace. All the cast were superb but, for me, there were two stand out performances. Cassandra Compton was born to play Eponine - a beautiful, powerful voice and great acting. Highlight of the show was Stephen John Davis understudying Javert. He was amazing - superb singing and dramatic acting which was moving without going over the top. The three hours flew past and we are already planning how soon we can return. Sharnie _____________________ Last night (12th November 2007) I took two Italian visitors and one young Turk to see 'Les Misérables', sitting in the Dress Circle in F4 to 7. The seats were perfect for sight lines and comfort, but alas on this my fourth visit, we all found most of the first act very heavy going. The sound was very loud were we were sitting (louder and shriller than it seemed from the front of the stalls about a year ago) and it felt as if the entire thing was going like a speeded up movie. I like to see energy and attack from the cast of a musical, but last night the revolving stage was relentlessly spinning, and every performer seemed intent on getting out their words as quickly as possible, with a result that my three non-English speakers were totally at a loss to understand what was going on, and even I was unable to catch many of the words. Of course it remains a magnificent show, and once things settled down a bit and the pace became less hectic we all enjoyed it a lot. A couple of the performances were less good than I have seen them before, and some were brilliant, but overall the whole cast was very strong - if only we could have got more out of the first half-hour or so! Surely it is not necessary for the opening scenes to be played at such breakneck speed and at such a high volume: all the women were particularly ear-splitting in the 'Lovely Ladies' scene, but nobody was without fault in this respect. The audience, particularly those seeing it for the first time, deserves to be able to appreciate exactly who the principal characters are, especially Jean Valjean, Fantine and Javert, and we need to understand and take in their words in the early scenes. ______________________ Just returned from my VIP 'Les Miz' experience (17th November 2007) and want to leave a review for the show. This was the first time I have seen the full show, I had seen the 10th anniversary concert and loved the music. I had so looked forward to the show. I was not disappointed, the whole event was wonderful. Our seats were close to the front (B15 and 16) and offered a wonderful view. I was worried that we would be too close and would end up with sore necks, but no. These seats were wonderful, we saw all the facial expressions clearly and saw all the action clearly. As for the show........ The cast seemed fresh and energetic, the leads, Val Jean and Javert were amazing and the supporting cast was magnificent. The stage and scenery were very good and the music was wonderful. I want to go back as soon as possible. The VIP package I had booked just enhanced the whole event, drinking champagne in the interval and carrying the remainder (in plastic cups) into the stalls was amazing. It did seem somewhat ironic that we were watching a show about poverty whilst sipping champers!!! we did giggle a bit when returning to our seats! In fact my sister said "let them eat cake!". We behaved during the show though!! It was too good to miss! _______________________ I last saw the West End production of 'Les Mis' in Oct 2006 (for the fourth time), and it was, altho' still great, seeming more than a little tired. Was fortunate enough to catch Miz again on Broadway in March 2007 and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The production was a little rough / amateurish in places, but the enthusiasm of the cast more than made up, plus the privilege of seeing Lea Salonga (playing Fantine) and Jenny Galloway (the definitive Mme Thenadier IMHO). Drew Sarich as Grantaire and Norm Lewis as Javert were also standouts and I could only hope all these actors would be persuaded to come over / back for the West End production. Arrived yesterday (12th January 2008) for the matinee (L13 in the stalls - absolutely perfect view, altho' sound a little muffled / distorted in places because of the overhang from the Royal Circle) to discover Drew Sarich was playing Jean Valjean. The whole West End production seems to have been given a very welcome shot-in-the-arm. Lots of previously-chopped bits added back in and the atmosphere of the staging beefed up. Drew was magnificent as Jean ValJean - his acting superb, singing amazing. His "Bring Him Home" was the best I have ever heard live. I sobbed! A bravura performance. Understudy Jennifer Hepburn as Fantine was a revelation - the first time "Come to Me" has actually brought a lump to my throat. Cassandra Compton as Eponine was perfect. Chris Vincent as Thenadier and Gary Watson as Marius also excelled, altho' Chris was let down by Melanie La Barrie as Mme T. She was very weak and seemed to have no enthusiasm for / totally underplayed the role, until the wedding scene. Also VERY disappointed with Hans Peter Janssens as Javert. He swallowed his words most of the time and the whole of the first half of both 'Stars' and 'Soliloquy' were lost. A work colleague I was with, who had never seen the show before, had to ask me in the interval (and again at the end) what he'd been going on about...... Please, Norm Lewis, come over (or, dear Philip Quast, come back) and show him how it's done! These little gripes aside, the refreshed production and the performances of the whole, very strong, ensemble (special mentions for little Cosette and Gavroche - with many "ah's" from the audience, bless ) led to a thrilling / highly emotional afternoon. I was still tearful on the walk back to the tube afterwards. I think it was actually the best overall performance of Miz I have had the pleasure of so far, but, of course, I will be back... Matinee 23rd February 2008: Seats R15 and 16 of the stalls offer a pretty good view with good leg room, although sound not great in places because of the extended circle overhang and no speakers under. The very top of the set was chopped off from view in the initial Paris scene but nothing missed after that. The cast were all a little slow to get going this time around and it took a few numbers for the production to really get into gear. Drew Sarich as Valjean was, once again, the stand-out performer, although even he was a little lack-lustre at the start. Joanna Ampil as Fantine was, sadly, not a patch on her understudy Jennifer Hepburn from my previous visit. Melanie La Barrie is still not right, IMHO, as Mme T. Think the problem is that previous actresses have played her as such a huge/almost pantomime-dame type character, and Melanie is trying to put her own, more subdued/sympathetic mark on the character - but to fight against 20-odd years of characterisation isn't working :-( We had the understudy for Thenadier (sorry - didn't catch his name), and he wasn't too bad at all. Hans Peter Janssens was markedly better as Javert, although still swallowed his words in places - but 'Soliloquy,' particularly, was very moving. Cassandra Compton as Eponine was, once again, a standout, plus HUGE praise this time around for Marius and, particularly, Enroljas. The company, as always, did a great job, and the still-obviously-renewed/vamped-up production is continuing to pay dividends. An almost-complete standing ovation by the end. Cathy from Worthing _________________ This is an astonishing performance. Our seats were fantastic, although we couldn't find three seats together - we were sat in the stalls seats F17, 18 and 23. We were very happy about them, although I think we were a bit too close because we couldn't see the river in ''Valjean's Soliloquy.'' I was very impressed about the leg room, and therefore excited because the monkey had given them a green rating; seat 23 was great as well, I don't see why the monkey gave it a red rating. Now, moving into the performance , we watched the 10th Anniversary DVD and it was great, therefore we had high expectations. We thought they needed a stronger voice, the rest was great. The theatre had a great combination on modern and gothic design which made it unique. So if you want my advice: don't watch the DVD. Cristopher H. _________________ I took my 9 year old daughter to see 'Les Misérables' on Thursday 24th April 2008. Regret to say we were quite disappointed. I thought that the lead Jean Valjean (don't know his name) was quite flat, and his voice lacked power, maybe he was having a bad day. Javert was brilliant, as were many of the other members of the cast. I think the lead should have the most powerful voice, and sadly, this was not the case. I had seen the show 10 years ago, when Stig Rossen played as Jean Valjean, and for me, that performance set the benchmark against which I compare all other musicals. We sat in the Dress Circle, seats E7 and E8, they were fine. __________________

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