Last weekend we travelled into London as we had tickets to see Les Miserables on the West End at the Sondheim Theatre (just a short walk from Piccadilly Circus). We decided to drive into Richmond from Bournemouth, park at the NCP and get the train into central from there which worked out quite well. I’d say we spent around £30 on fuel, £25 on the parking (this was for 24 hours, which we didn’t need but 5 would have been too little, also would have been cheaper if we had booked in advance). Train fares including the tube for the day then came to around £15 per person, whilst a train ticket can be around £100 per person return so still more economical, plus I hate trains haha.
I had not seen Les Mis on the stage previously but had seen the film several times and always cried at key parts so I knew I was in for an emotional ride. I didn’t pack the tissues (silly mistake) but I did grab some from the toilets before it started as I knew I would cry. It turned out that I cried a grand total of fifteen (yes, 15) times during the show. Seven times in the first act and eight in the second, which surprised me as in the film I am always sadder during the beginning as my favourite character in Fantine (her I Dreamed a Dream solo is one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard).
We were sat in the grand circle, way up high, like only around 5 rows from the very back and I was not a huge fan due to the fact that it was scarily high up and very far from the stage and all the action. They do cater for this in the performance with most of the acting being done in the centre of the stage with actors projecting their voices up and looking up and out to the audience throughout but there were parts which we struggled to see. The main issue was that those in front of us would crane their necks forward/lean forward in their seats when the acting happened closer to the front of the stage, which then impacted our view. I refused to do it so as to stop the domino effect for those behind us, but it did mean I missed a couple of key scenes, most regrettably the scene directly following Gavroche’s death, where his body was placed right at the front of the stage. For this reason I would suggest either the stalls, or preferably the middle section rather than up so high. If (let’s face it, more when) I go back to see it again, I will bear this in mind.
I won’t write a bunch of spoilers here because either you have seen the film/show and know the story, or you don’t want to have it ruined for you anyway, but obviously the storyline is incredibly sad (the name kind of gives that way), but the powerful performances from all of the cast meant that from the very first act I was bawling like a baby (although fortunately for those sat in the vicinity, I did manage to keep my crying a lot quieter than a baby). I cried in parts that never affected me when watching the film. It was a hugely emotional rollercoaster.
The score is simply phenomenal, just a few notes and you can bring the audience to the edge of their seats (unfortunately for us, quite literally) or have them holding back the tears. The pace was brilliant. I was shocked just how much was fitted into the first act, wondering if perhaps there was no interval at one point as so much happens before the curtain comes down to One Day More, which was absolutely incredible.
Be prepared for expensive drinks and a long wait for the toilet (fairly normal for the West End, but there was a unisex toilet near our seats which made things worse as it was both men and women queuing rather than just us females who are used to it). Also know that if you are late to the show you will be asked to wait to enter until after the first scene, which happened to those sitting next to us. Also try not to be late because it was still very disruptive for those around them when they came in.
The second act was just as good as the first and by the final scenes I was a flood of emotion. The acting and singing was pretty faultless. The only things I would have changed to make it perfect would have been for Fantine’s solo to be performed after she has her hair ‘shaved’ off, when she is at rock bottom, as it would have made it even more powerful (as they chose to do in the film). I also would have liked to have seen Cosette in the background at the hospital, again as the film portrays. That’s just nit picking though as the show is incredible, definitely up there as one of the best shows I have ever seen. I think the only one close for me is Phantom of the Opera, which I saw last April and was also amazing and had me in tears.
If you are looking for a show to see on the West End and aren’t sure which one to go for, please do see Les Mis. I just wouldn’t recommend to anybody on date with somebody they haven’t been with long as mascara running down your face isn’t a good look..
