Val4Gareth

Went to Queens today with lots of reservations. After enjoying the tour so much and reading such negative posts about some of the cast I wasn't expecting to enjoy it. And after half an hour I'd made my mind up that I wouldn't be going again, Gareth or no Gareth. However I soon changed my mind. The first scene wasn't on a boat, but showed the convicts digging. I can't really see the point of the revolve and didn't think it improved the show at all. I'm sure it probable makes some of the cast feel a bit sick too as it moves quite quickly. The scenes with the students I thought was must better probably because of the positioning on stage. I also thought Gareth seemed to sing more lines. Either that or you could hear him better. I loved his black costume, It seemed to make him look not so slim and suited his colouring. He also looked amazingly handsome in it. There was an understudy on for Cosette but I can't remember what her name was. She had a lovely voice, very similar to Katie's, but her hair was brown rather than blonde. A Heart Full Of Love was beautiful. Now for Simon Bowman as Valjean. I must say I was very surprised at all the criticism I'd read about him. I actually thought he was very good, especially his acting, The voice may not have been quite as good as JOJ, but it certainly wasn't bad. There seemed to be a lot more interaction between Gareth and Eponine which led to them appearing to have a much friendlier relationship. That I thought explained the emotion portrayed for Eponine's death. The Barricade was huge just as Gareth had said it was. I really liked that it turned around and you could see the scene where Gavroche died. It was much more real somehow. You also could see Enjolras lying dead on top of the red flag on the back of the barricade. The bit where Valjean carried Marius into the sewers was done through a trap in the floor of the stage, which I thought looked much more realistic, However I didn't think the sewers scene or Javert's suicide scene came across anywhere near as well without the effects they used on the tour. There were a few other things I didn't think worked as well, but some parts I actually thought were better. Gareth was fantastic and you'd never have known that he'd not been in the cast as long as the rest of them. He's converted to all the differences without any problems it seems to me, The setting for Empty Chairs was done with Gareth sat at a table in the cafe. It must have been very different for Gareth, but you'd never have known it. We didn't have a lot of time after the show as I had to get back for my train, but we decided to wait a little while to see if Gareth came out. We saw virtually every other member of the cast and even John Owen Jones who must have been to watch the show. Just as we were about to give up Gareth appeared, dressed in his leather jacket and a pair of sprayed on jeans, looked drop dead gorgeous as usual. He signed our programs and had pictures taken with several other people who were there waiting for him. Doris took some pictures of him which I expect she'll post up later. I told him I enjoyed the show and asked him how he was. He said Missy was getting quite big and indicated with his hand up to his knees and also said she was chattering away all the time. He still had some of the make up in his hair but still looked fantastic. He then went tearing off down the road and we went to get our trains. Can't remember anything else at the moment. I didn't expect to enjoy the show as much as I did, with the exception of Gareth of course, but I think I enjoyed it just as much as the tour production.

Couple of tweets from Jeff Nicholson And a post on WOS

Thanks Snowdrop. That's a nice picture. I'm going to Queens on Wednesday with a few others. Looking forward to seeing how different the WE production is.

And he hasn't even started yet

Gareth has uploaded a fantastic new pic on his Twitter page. Its going in the Les Mis Programme.

Can't wait to see this show

And someone asked who the understudy Marius was at Queens

Only minor changes. Gareth now stands in the centre of the stage to sing and the `ghosts walk on and stand all the way around him rather than just to his left (our right). He then looks at them both ways rather than just one. I thought the scene focused on him better this way. Also when Marius and Cosette meet in the garden before the first kiss, they move around and are standing the other way around when they kiss.

Great show again yesterday. Several slight changes. Some for the better but some we couldn't quite see the point of. They've changed the staging for Empty Chairs which was one which I felt was better. Leigh Rhiannon Porter was good as Cosette but wasn't quite as good as Katie I didn't think. Didn't make any difference to Gareth's interaction with her, but she just didn't seem to be as good.

L ooks like you could be right Eternal. I'd seen that event advertised before and thought to myself why couldn't it have been the touring cast. Quite glad Gareth is starting his run before going into the Panto.

Better keep a watch out on the news tonight And he's still got a 3 hour show to do yet:wacko:

So it looks pretty definite Gareth will still be doing the McGuire course, even though he's so busy. He really does take on such a lot of work.

Does this man ever stop!

Gareth has just confirmed that he will be playing Marius in the West End. Here is his Tweet

He's really getting up to scratch now. Finally realized how to use Twitter to promote himself

Another nice review which picks Gareth out as one of the most successful http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/features/view/item112322/Les-Mis%25E9rables/

Thanks Floz. Some nice pics there.

Just came to post that. What a lovely picture and how happy Gareth & Suzanne look.

Wonder what this means. Someone re-tweeted it, but it appears to have gone from Luke's page

Leighrhiannon has just tweeted the same about singing for Steve so there is probably nothing to read into it and it was rehearsal for the O2..

Steve Brooker is currently supervising the London Les Mis production among other things. I wonder if there is any significance to Gareth singing for him, or if its just something to do with the O2 concert.

Don't think they're going to get much rest for the next two weeks. I've been told all this extra rehearsal is for the O2 concert, so I presume that will continue up to the day. Loving Gareth's new #diat