I saw the Les Mis Arena Concert yesterday and here are some of my thoughts!
Seeing Samantha Barks as Fantine felt like a religious experience!!! I was crying every time she sang, she was absolutely perfect!!! I havenāt seen the 2012 movie but I would only watch it to see her as Eponine!!!
Killian Donnelly as Valjean was such a cutie, he looked so sad, which is perfect. And his singing voice was angelic!!! Especially during Bring Him Home!!!! He was so emotional I loved him!!!!
One thing I do find interesting is that Valjean in the musical actually likes (?) Marius. In the book, he wanted that boy deaddddd!!!!!
Bradley Jaden as Javert has changed my life. His Stars was the only solo song that got a standing ovation. I also really liked that he did some sassy little movements and hand gestures while he was singing, specifically during The Confrontation. He also made Javert get up all into Thenardiers face during the robbery and also into Valjeanās face right after Valjean sets him free.
AND THE SUICIDE??!! At first, I wasnāt sure if Iād like it because he screamed the first lyric and I havenāt heard anyone else ever scream it, but honestly I loved it. He looked every bit the wet pathetic sniveling dog that Javert is!!!! The way his Javert just,,,, completely deteriorates as he keeps singing was amazing to watch!!! He was spitting everywhere and crying and I was mesmerized!!! It was so emotional I couldnāt breathe!!!
I have seen Les Mis two times and both times, during Javertās suicide, I was reaching my hand out like Agnes from Hamnet when she was reaching out her hand to comfort the actor playing Hamlet. Anyway, safe to say that thats my favorite song.
I do love that right after Stars, Gavroche shows up and practically boos Javert
Christian Mark Gibbs (Enjolras) had the strongest voice out of everyone, in my opinion. He was amazing as Enjolras!!!! Enjolrasās verse in One Day More is my favorite part of the song.
Unpopular opinion, but Enjolras and Marius have so much more chemistry than Enjolras and Grantaire (at least in the two versions of Les Mis that Iāve seen)
Thenardier in this one has had sex with men and stated that he is bi-curious. To which Madame Thenardier responded with āā¦what?ā Excellent stuff.
I really wish Eponine and Cosetteās characters didnāt revolve around Marius (or Marius and Valjean in Cosettes case)
The three songs I sobbed at were I Dreamed a Dream, Come to me (i think thatās the name of Fantineās other song??), and Empty Chairs, which are also the same songs I sobbed at the first time I saw Les Mis.
The orchestra is insaneee Iām so jealous of anyone who can play a musical instrument
Last thing is that I really want to wear that big coat that Javert wears.