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Reports from Birmingham Les Miserables


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Just got back from Birmingham. Another great show. Gareth was fantastic as usual.

A couple of nice remarks. The man sitting next to Chris had been to the show 10 times both in the WE and the Tour. I'll leave Chris to tell you all that he said, but he thought Gareth was good. He didn't think he'd quite got there with the acting yet, but his words were he's not been acting since he was a child like most of the cast `but he wil get therel' When we were waiting outside two police officers came along (one man and one woman) The woman said, `Ah Gareth Gates, I saw the show when it first came to Birmingham and wasn't expecting him to be that good, but he was'.

There were the two understudies last night Chris Jacobsen for Valjean and David Lawrence for Javert. I personally thought David was betteer than Earl Carpenter and while Chris was OK, IMO he was nowhere near as good as JOJ and for those of you going next week to Edinburgh, I hope John makes it back from his holidays. There was just something missing in the performance.

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Thanks Val. I think it's doubtful that JOJ will be back in time for Tuesday's Edinburgh opening. He was due to fly back today, so even if there are flights tomorrow, he'll need to join the scrum, and presumably he'll be going back to London with his family before he can head up to Edinburgh.

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I'll leave Chris to tell you all that he said,

I'm finally back but nothing much to add really. The guy sat next to me (his misfortune) was saying how he loved musical theatre and how he had seen the show many times (as well as many other shows too). When I braved it and asked what he thought of Gareth (after throwing in a few of the other performers) he said how he thought he was very good. He said he didn't think he had YET got a stage presence but "as he was with a cast, most of whom had probably been on stage since the age of five, he thought it would come". Although he said this about the stage pressence yet, he was most encouraging and positive of Gareth's future. :hyper: (I think Yvonne and Val were dreading asking what the man had said but it was all really positive and honest from such a regular theatregoer).

Gareth gave a great performance and for me his best yet. His voice was really very powerful. With John Owen Jones not appearing Gareth stole the show.

I really didn't think the understudy Chris Jacobsen was a patch on JOJ for JeanValJean. He was OK but that was about it, just OK. (the guy next to me agreed, just ok) I now feel priveleged to have seen JOJ (just hope he gets back for any press nights at Edinburgh because, in my opinion, he really makes a difference to the show).

Now the understudy for Javert (not sure of his name) was fantastic. So much better than Earl Carpenter. He was so much clearer and I could understand what he was singing, where I have struggled with EC. (the guy next to me thought so too).

Kinda sad now Les Mis has left Brum but so glad I was lucky enough to see both the first and last show :thumbsup: .

Managed to see Gareth outside the stage door dashing to quite obviouslybe picked up (I am thinking Suzanne) to head off for Bradford and eventually Edinburgh.

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Lovely report Chris, many thanks for that.

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The clip is also on
.

I loved watching this clip. Was Gareth's dressing room 5A?

Perhaps someone needs to tell youtube that Gareth is playing the part of Marius and not Mario!!

The guy that introduces the interview sounds like Mark Frith, ex-editor of Heat Magazine. He has quite a distinctive voice.

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