“The what line?”
“You know that line that starts in the heart of Time Square and winds around the corner and half way to MSG?”
“MSG?”
What is it with New Yorkers and acronyms?
“Madison Square Gardens.”
I knew that.
“So, you’re telling me, if just get in line, wait a few hours till I make it to the front, I can save lots of money and get a chance to enjoy the theater!?” Made perfectly good sense to me.
So this is how hubby and I usually go the city to see a show. One of us, usually him, scouts the streets up and down for free parking while I stand in line and make friends with strangers until I make my way to the booth, hoping with each step nearer they don’t cross out the show I’m hoping to see. Team work that works for us!
Well, we’ve seen quite a few in our past decade as New Yorkers. Lion King. Phantom. Aida. The Color Purple. Memphis. Producers. And Wicked to name some. I think we average about one a year, usually for a special occasion, because, well, Broadway is special. Spectacular too. And if you lived in the theater day in and day out, something tells me you wouldn’t perform that swinging arms, gusto-filled encore on the subway ride home. Broadway has a way of lighting the star-wannabe in all of us. Even if just a little.
Out of every story I’ve ever seen performed, I’ve only seen one twice. That show would be Victor Hugo’s classic tale of Les Miserables. Or as most of us affectionately refer to it—Les Mis.
The first time was actually in Detroit, and I went with my sister during a high school field trip. We dressed up and that was the day I fell in love. With the stories of redemption and grace as seen in the lives of Jean Valjean, Eponine, and even the heartbreaking journey of Javert.
When hubs and I saw Les Mis on broadway a few years back, I remembered why I loved the story so much. I laughed. I cried. I held off peeing till intermission, because I didn’t want to miss even a second.So when they announced they were going to make Les Mis into a movie, I was beyond skeptical. How could they not mess it up? I mean, there are some things you just don’t mess with.
Then the rolls began to get cast. And I was being drawn in. I am a huge Hugh Jackman fan. And Ann Hathaway, yes, I admit to having a girl-crush on her. And well, Russell Crowe, after Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind, I look forward to pretty much everything he comes out with.
Speaking of, a friend of mine gave me the inside scoop about him and his upcoming moving called, “Noah.” Unless they change the title. It was filmed largely around the corner from my house at the Planting Fields. My friend played an extra. I will definitely be sharing those fun details on some behind the scene fun facts when the movie comes out. I slept out in the park for a week in hopes to catch a glimpse of Russ. But no luck. Just a creak in my back and grass in my socks was about all I got out of it. And that’s why we go to the movies. So we can get close to the stars. In comfortable seats with popcorn in our laps.
So, back to the cast of Les Mis. I loved this fun little review I read on FaceBook. Made me laugh, but I can understand how it’s hard at times to separate past rolls when we see our favorites on the big screen. I don’t know about you, but when the movie first opened, I half expected Jean Valjean to raise his hands and razor-sharp Wolverine fingernails to bud out to greet Javert’s request to retrieve the flag. That’s what fan-fiction is for, I suppose. Have you seen Sam Richardson’s review of Les Mis that’s been circulating FB?
“Went to the movie with the wife. We saw this obscure movie I had never heard of—some French foreign film. They must have been giving away tickets because the lines were out the door. Anyway, the movie starts and Wolverine is singing his guts out. Then Catwoman starts crying and singing, and it’s all very moving. The only problem was the girl next to me, who had apparently read the book or something, starts singing along. It was very distracting. So Wolverine is on the run from the Gladiator because Catwoman had a baby at Borat’s house, but now she wants Wolverine to care for her. Time skip. A bunch of kids get shot, and in the end everyone dies. Four stars.”
So glad I wasn’t sitting next to a girl who had to sing. That girl would have been me, but I behaved. In the end, all I have to say, because I’ve already said too much, is that I think they nailed it. The movie version of Les Mis, that is. I loved it. Every second. Every roll cast. Every song sung. Every location shot. The lighting. Every last detail.
And the fun part was I took my twelve-year old and introduced her to the theater with cheaper tickets and much better seats. The IMAX-sized screen made the story come to life like I had never imagined. And every seat was taken. Well, maybe not the first three rows. But I loved that this particular audience faced the screen with the reverence of a Broadway play. Besides the occasional rustle of a popcorn bag, the room was silent. And I had to hold myself back from rising and clapping after my favorite songs.
When the closing credits began to roll, the audience burst into applause. I sighed as I clapped. Then two seconds to post my Facebook review:
“Eyes wet. Heart Full. Don’t know how many stories move me like Les Mis. ♡ Loved every second!!” Yes. Some things call for two exclamation points. Yes, they do.
**
And you? Have you seen it? Liked? Loved? Continuous song too much for you? Or did you already purchase your tix to see it again?
