ValR

Amazing - thank you so much!

Thank you so much June and Snowdrop for making it possible for us to hear the wonderful show - it must have been amazing to be there! Can't believe it's over is one of my all time favourites so I'm really pleased you were able to record it. Thanks again.

Thanks June and Snowdrop - really looking forward to hearing the songs from Maidstone.

Thanks so much for the report, photos and videos, Gareth looked to be having a really good time and got an excellent reception - I especially loved him singing Valerie!

Hope you have a wonderful day Val - looking forward to your report back.

Thanks for all the links and the interview- so pleased that Gareth was able to speak so well and give so much information about what he's been doing.

Thanks Chris and Doris for your reports, I think you've pretty much covered everything there. I hope you find your camera Doris, the close up photo of Gareth is so good! For the first time I even felt emotional at the interval, I think just knowing it would be the last time seeing Gareth as Marius got to me, and the applause and standing ovation at the end was just amazing. You could see some of the cast looking up and taking it all in, I expect for some it will be the best audiences of their career, not too may shows (if any) still having totally full theatres after 25 years! Thanks to the friends that I've enjoyed the last Les Mis 18 months with, we've had a wonderful time haven't we?

Really pleased for Gareth that he had the chance to sing with Alfie though I also love John Owen Jones as Valjean. I would love to see Alfie try to carry Gareth - think they might have had to use the arm round the shoulder technique instead!

Blimey - going to the Dentist on holiday - not my idea of fun!

Wow - Ronnie Scotts - now that is a place I would do anything to see him perform at!

You're right Val, Simon Shorten did the evening show. Jonathan Williams played Valjean for our show and I actually like him as he plays the role as a very sympathetic rather than an angry man. However, I think maybe he wasn't well on Wednesday as his voice wasn't as strong as when I saw him last week, and last week he carried Gareth in various ways through the sewers whereas on Wednesday he just half carried him with Gareth arms round his shoulder and walking the whole scene. I too noticed the applause after 'Little Fall of Rain' and didn't actually like it as I think it interrupted the whole atmosphere of grief from Marius and the students! Also I was really annoyed (though none of the others heard it) that the 3 people behind me thought they had come to a comedy!! Ok to laugh at the Thenardiers but they laughed at so many inappropriate things, oohed and aahed at every fight and sign of violence and even said 'oh no' when Gavroche was shot! One of them was french and seemed to need a lot of explaining to as to what was happening! I spoke to the lady sitting next to me, at the interval, I think she was Japanese, and she was as annoyed by them as I was and said what can we do about them. - 'we should turn round and tell them in England we don't talk in the theatre'! In the end we just turned round and shushed them but it made no difference! I didn't think the understudy for Cossette had a strong enough voice, but neither has Lucie Jones and the lady next to me said she thought they should reverse the actors and have Sam Barks playing Cossette and the one playing Cosette as Eponine, I think she's right as Sam Barks is far too pretty for Eponine and has a lovely voice - wonder why the casting people didn't think the same? Still I will always enjoy the show just because I love the music so much! Thanks for the photos Doris, Gareth looked as lovely as always and seemed to be very happy. Love Val xxx

I'm amazed he needs the gym - 8 shows a week and all the running around that it entails - he should be exhausted not doing more training!

There was an advert for this in my local free Manchester newspaper. Unfortunately they gave all the details for Birmingham and none for Manchester!!!

Thanks to Val for finding and to Doris for booking it - really looking forward to seeing this, brilliant song list!

Brilliant present - love that he and Claire Sweeney are having 'a cheeky port' - good to know he's not drinking on his own!

That's true Heather and I think he did incredibly well with his speech as he had to keep stopping to listen to her! Nice for a different audience to seel him as a lot of people are off work and watching at the moment - hopefully not falling back asleep like Chris!

You're so clever Val - thanks for finding this out for us!

Thanks for the link Val - I love these unexpected little snippets of interviews, I already had that film down as one to go and see even before I knew of Gareth's involvement!

She certainly is - what a lovely photo of them both!

Oh dear - poor Gareth, bet Suzanne was impressed!!

:That is so funny - his poor little face!

Killian Donnelly is doing the les mis official tweeting this week - he plays Enjolras so they must be going on stage for their first scene in Paris. Gareth running late, surely not!!!

Thanks for the link - Gareth looking very smart as usual, can't wait to watch this!

Awww bless him - he obviously has no problem making fun of himself!

Wow - handsome or what! Looking forward to buying yet another Les Mis programme!