#he's a good actor just not at ALL marius-y

[vampire-dove]

I'm so conflicted about Queen Of The Damned's casting because on one hand, Armand was cast so fucking well. I love that cherubic little freak. On the other hand, I don't know who that man is, but that is NOT Marius.

[neverregretthyfall]

AcTUM's Les Misérables

A few days I made a post about our local university adapting Les Mis for stage. Yesterday I went to watch the premiere and I really enjoyed it! It was super good and very engaging, the actors were fantastic and you could feel that they definitely read the brick as well. Unfortunately the pacing moved very fast and I think those not familiar with Les Mis might have gotten a little bit lost on occasion. All in all, I can definitely recommend going to the other two performances (June 17th and 18th) if you want to experience it for yourself.

Check out their website or their Instagram for more information (all in German).

Below you will find extensive notes on the stage play, keep reading if you’re curious ….

Technicalities: Modern AU, unspecified locations (just capitol city, smalltown, etc.), duration 2.5h (incl. intermission). The main message of the play was acceptance, tolerance and to show kindness to others.

(I will not rehash every plot-related detail that remains unchanged from the book, because otherwise this would get thrice as long)

‘Montreuil-sur-Mer’ (the smalltown) arc

We opened on JVJ being the mayor. He is the boss of a soup kitchen and to ease us into the story he talks to a new worker about his past. Unfortunately I cannot remember now if he really opened up about his own experiences or if he claims this happened to ‘a friend’.

Fantine is a recovering drug and alcohol addict and now works at JVJ’s soup kitchen. Due to her addiction she was forced by the court to give up Cosette into foster care (to the Thénardiers).

A letter sent to her by the court reveals her past to the colleagues and forewoman and Fantine is subsequently fired.

As she is now out of a job she turns to do illegal sex-work; they used some real cool shadow-play to show that, really enjoyed that part!

During this time she gets sick and is then caught by Javert, who wants to send her to jail for illegal prostitution. Fantine really panics then because she fears with a prison-sentence the court will never allow her to see Cosette ever again (!!)

The Arras plot is condensed to JVJ monologuing at the hospital with Javert overhearing him. While trying to arrest him, Fantine grabs a vase and knocks Javert unconscious (heck yeah, go Fantine!!). She then passes away from a combination of exhaustion and illness (one of the occasions that probably left non-fans super confused lol)

JVJ takes Fantine’s scarf as a memento and disappears …

Transition of dead Fantine rising and singing a song (aria) to Cosette (it was beautiful and very touching, I was super close to crying)

After getting Cosette from the Thénardiers, JVJ gives her Fantine’s scarf <3

‘Paris’ (the capitol city) arc

In true Marie (aka our Marius) and Cosette fashion they just stared at each other in the park, to shy to talk but really wanting to. Cosette then got called away by JVJ and accidentally left the scarf on the bench. Marie took it and vowed to find her again.

Marie studies law (as expected) and is an orphan (which she revealed super late).

Éponine is crushing hard on Marie, even reading a law book to impress her <3

Gavroche was super cool, he sang, made jokes, got the best one-liners and dabbed lol.

They included all of Thénardier’s aliases and he discovered the advantages of doing the ‘grandparent scam’ lmao.

Amis are introduced by running through the auditorium protesting, whistling, etc.

They are primarily fighting for queer rights (!!!)

Amis Count: 6/9

Named: Enjolras, Grantaire, Courfeyrac, Joly

Unnamed: one of the actresses said something very Combeferre-vibe-y, so I just decided that’s her then, lol; the other one I have absolutely no clue, Marie said to her at the barricade that she still owed her some money, which would make me think it’s Courfeyrac but he was played by somebody else, so alas, it shall remain a mystery ….

We got the ‘You don’t believe in anything / I believe in you exchange’.

Grantaire’s red waist coat was replaced by a huge-ass Enjolras-inspired tattoo on his chest, which was absolutely fantastic.

Making Marisette queer really improved the story, and especially Marie’s arc. Now Marie had a concrete reason for joining the Amis at the barricade (fighting for her rights).

We got super close to Cosette actually joining the fight, but in the end she didn’t unfortunately …

Lamarque’s funeral got replaced by a demonstration for queer rights, as expected the demo turns violent due to police brutality.

The Amis sang both a protest song and later – during the barricade fight – a drinking song (very DYHTPS and Drink with Me vibes)

Joly got very bad stomach ache when the fighting started but obviously he would never abandon his friends :')

When Javert got revealed as a spy, Enjolras threatened to shoot him and you could see how badly her hands shook (possibly an easter egg to ‘He could be your brother / He is’ ?)

Amis fought back bravely against heavy armoured police but alas, they did not make it this time either, rip …

permets-tu was fully included, long live the republic and handholding inclusive (!!)

Javert died via gun to the head.

The ending was super hopeful, during the four months Marie recovered in the hospital, queer rights improved and the biggest surprise of it all: JVJ survived!!

End Quote (paraphrased because I cannot remember the exact wording and I also have to translate it to English): “Freedom is a right but it's also a privilege that was bought with the courage of others!”

Various notes on appearances:

Thénardier looked straight outta the 70s (sans hair), fantastic outfit, 10/10

Enjolras wore a lime-green pantsuit and she looked absolutely excellent

The Amis had different coloured fabrics across their wrists, which I am pretty sure combined to the rainbow flag

Joly wore make-up and nail polish

unknown person at the demo: incredible hippie-look, also 10/10

Éponine had her hair up in some super cute buns decorated with violet ribbons <3

Gavroche gave hipster child vibes

Marie wore chic pants and top (she looked both elegant and laissez-faire)

Cosette wore a black pencil skirt, combined with a violet top and the pink scarf

Javert wore a very nice long black coat and a fedora

JVJ blending in with the rest and wearing a simple sweater/shirt combination

Courfeyrac wore simple slacks and a patterend shirt-top

Grantaire had a very revealing thin shirt/blouse thing going on combined with an orange/red scarf

Well, that's it! Thank you for reading up until this point. If you get the chance, please go watch this stageplay or check out their other works <3

[apolloandr]

An Exhaustive Review of BBC Les Mis (Part 2)

Part 1

I was warned online that the show gets much worse, and…yeah. There is some absolutely horrendous content in this series, and the bad does end up outweighing the good, whether it’s a teeny weeny continuity error or a gross misunderstanding of the source material. So here are all of the things I didn’t like:

The typography selection was bad. There, I said the thing, can we please shut up and move on instead of boiling the entire quality of a 6-hour miniseries down to what font it chose to use.

Having the show open on Waterloo and the drama with Marius’ family was a misinformed decision. None of it pertains to Valjean at all and Marius doesn’t come into the plot until halfway through, so just felt confused. Waterloo ends up being pretty inconsequential to Les Mis as a whole, and the only good point that can be made from it doesn’t get addressed here (at least not with any substance,) so it was just a strange adaptational choice that didn’t land. 

I didn’t think Fantine was very good, but in general I’m not fond of Lily Collins as an actor so that wasn’t much of a surprise.

The score is so bland it sounds like stock music, the color grading is poorly done, and the editing is VERY bad, there are so many dissonant scenes and odd cuts. Especially in the beginning, the first episode’s editing is horrendous.

Thénardier really did not do it for me. I was excited for a more malicious Thénardier, especially since Davies had talked about them being villains in interviews, but this interpretation was neither funny enough nor frightening enough, and he was never given enough time to properly unpack his past or the reasoning behind his wickedness. I couldn’t take him seriously at all.

Poor David Oyelowo. He seems like a great actor and he is given NOTHING to work with. Javert is terrible in this adaptation. His obsession with Valjean doesn’t come out of any kind of personal stake, it comes from the need to prove himself right about his own world view. Valjean challenges Javert’s psyche, which leads him to perceive Valjean as a threat. That is what drives their conflict, that is the thematic point of the whole book. Instead they made him a eugenicist (which what the FUCK, did ANYONE on set stop and go “hey it’s kinda weird that this Black man has an interest in phrenology, you know, that thing which was used to justify white supremacy? Nobody thought that was off?)

On that note, anyone else think it was weird that so many villain characters just happened to be played by BIPOC actors? It probably was not an articulated move, but implications were made.

The production design is INSANELY similar to the 2012 movie to the point that it becomes hypocritical. You could seriously be forgiven for thinking they’re the same thing, which is really rich coming from Davies after all the comments he made about how much he hated the movie. 

I loved the interactions Fantine experienced at the low point in her life, but her losing her hair and teeth at a carnival was bizarre and tonally kind of gross. Putting what happens to Fantine in a ghoulish circus-y setting doesn’t heighten the horror of it in any way—the opposite, in fact. What happens to Fantine is so tragic and frightening because it’s so mundane. People selling their hair and teeth to random people on the street was NORMAL. Davies turns it into a spooky scary anomaly for the audience to gawk at, rather than simply exposing the horror of the commodification of a human body as an average and inevitable part of life.

We never get to see Valjean escaping prison after his second arrest, which ends up being a wasted opportunity to depict an awesome scene in the book AND a massive continuity error. We have no idea how he escaped prison, how he ended up in Cosette’s town, or how he got so much money, instead Valjean just conveniently appears in the woods and leaves the audience in the dust. If you’re going to include the part of the story where Valjean returns to prison after his confession, you also have to include the part where he gets out.

Problems with the costumes: I do like a lot of what they did with the costumes, as outlined in Part 1, but for some reason the main characters’ hair was often a nightmare. Fantine wore her hair down all the time, which is something no woman would have done past the age of 13, and she wears it in very modern styles that have no basis in the period. Cosette also wears her hair down too late into her age, but at the VERY least she does wear it up towards the end. ALSO also, Marius’ side burns were atrocious. They weren’t set high enough to look like anything but prosthetics and they were a totally different color than his hair.

Full disclosure: back when I was a baby fan, I used to hate Cosette. Éponine was my “I’m not like other girls” icon and Cosette was stupid because she wore pretty dresses and fell in love at first sight. Thankfully I’ve grown out of that internalized misogyny and come to appreciate Cosette, but Davies doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo, because here she’s characterized in a very waifish, shallow way. Instead of allowing Cosette to be empowered by her femininity or appreciated for being so pure of heart, her goodness is interpreted as weakness. This isn’t Cosette. This is the kind of vague approximation of Cosette you get from a stranger off the street who saw the musical one time a few years back.

Éponine was…fine. I think Erin Kellyman did her best with the material she was given, but the show did the same thing to Éponine that it did with Cosette and Thénardier: it adapted the oversimplified, sort-of-but-not-really version of her character that exists in the collective consciousness, but not in the source material. And that really sucks, because I was especially excited to see that gritty, dubious side of Éponine that gets scrubbed from her so often.

Marius dream sequence. Need I say more.

I want to try to be understanding about this next point, because Marius and Cosette’s relationship is notoriously hard to adapt in a manner that is to be taken seriously. That said, they STILL managed to make it suck. Love at first sight doesn’t really hold up to a modern audience anymore, but it can work for Les Mis if you emphasize the romantic nature of the text and properly establish Cosette and Marius as good, kind people with similar hearts who feel seen in one another but uh…nah. Cosette faints the first time she and Marius are alone together? Seriously?? Also the dream sequence does NOTHING to endear us to this couple, if anything it makes Marius’ feelings for Cosette come off as just shallow lust

The Patron-Minette are glossed over, which makes perfect sense considering that they’re even more minor than the Amis, but my problem is that they’re not intimidating at all. They appear, but they’re not really presented as a legitimate threat, and that sucks the tension out of any scene in which they’re present. I feel like it wouldn’t have been hard to include some small indication that these people are not to be trifled with, but they’re just a couple of guys here. Just guys bein’ dudes.

I am one of the few who has no problems with Enjolras’ characterization (people thought he was too much of a dick and too eager to get his hands dirty, which…read the book), and I don’t think that a minor character having the wrong hair color is a dealbreaker unlike the rest of the fandom but yes, short brown hair Justin Timberlake-lookin-ass Enjolras is indeed a Thing I Don’t Like. What I really hated is that he doesn’t wear his vest. That vest is one of the most important costume choices in Les Mis. It’s Enjolras taking the imagery of the opposing side and re-appropriating it as a symbol of his cause. It’s a statement of rebellion in and of itself. And we NEVER see it!

Javert really out here with his It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia conspiracy board connecting EVERYTHING to Jean Valjean. Like…who was responsible for engineering this ridiculous notion that Javert infiltrated the rebellion in order to find Valjean? That’s NEVER been the reason in ANY version of the story, they easily just could have followed the canon “these men are challenging authority, which makes them criminals, which means I have to bring them to justice” thing but they ended up just making Javert look stupid! He’s like a cryptid hunter at this point.

I didn’t like Gavroche. The actor is ADORABLE, but he was set up so briefly that his death didn’t end up meaning anything, and I didn’t like how trivially he treated the rebellion. The way he was happily dancing around the gunfire fucked with the tone of the moment and didn’t resonate with the circumstances or what he would have been feeling. Like his sister has been killed, there are bodies littering the streets, Enjolras has told everyone in explicit terms that they WILL be dying today, I think he’s past the point of considering this “sport.”

Marius refers to Enjolras as “Enjorlas” several times. Nobody caught that in the editing room? No one on set was like “Hey, Nick Jonas Lite, it’s pronounced ‘Enjolras,’ we’ve said his name several times in the script already”?

VALJEAN DOESN’T TELL COSETTE FANTINE’S NAME BEFORE HE DIES??? That’s literally the only loose end he has left to tie up with her, it’s his final catharsis, and he doesn’t do it???? Valjean’s character arc ends when his life ends; once he finally tells Cosette the truth about her mother, he’s finally able to leave life secure in the knowledge that he’s a truly good man. And he just…dies before that can happen. This was the one time throughout the whole series where I thought that Jean Valjean was done a disservice. And it was a HUGE one.

The ending with the kids on the street begging for change and being passed by was extremely misplaced. I don’t know how many times I have to scream this from the rooftops: LES MIS IS NOT A DEPRESSING STORY. It deals in tragedy, but is ultimately a very hopeful tale about human goodness and the importance of personal rebellion. The whole point of it is to illustrate that every human being, ALL OF US, are capable of changing and being good no matter who we are or where we come from, and in fact you OWE it to yourself and everyone else around you to do those things. Rise up. Fight for what’s right. Be kind. Touch all those you can touch. It’s the 19th century version of The Good Place: “what matters isn’t if people are good or bad. What matters is if they’re trying to be better today than they were yesterday.” This ending proves that BBC Les Mis has no kind of moral to impart, and even if it did it would have gotten lost in the somberness of it all.

So that’s all the stuff I didn’t like! Join me next time for a definitive statement on the show’s quality as a whole and a reflection of how the fandom perceived it/whether or not the reaction was deserved.

[imagines-to-quench-thirst]

Imagine explaining to your man Kdramas:

This is a small drabble like a story for each man on my main roster. I love Korean dramas and I wanted to pair some dramas with one of the guys.

Enjoy and if you like some of the dramas mentioned here they are all on Netflix where I watch them.

Enjoy ❤️

Victor Creed:

This man lived some time in Korea and lived along with the Korean Empire in great secrecy but seeing you so immersed in your drama he is ready to roll up his sleeve and talk about his tales of Korea.

'And that's how my friend at that time Jeon helped me escape the death penalty.'

'But you don't have friends. You said that.'

'...'*modem ringing*

'Sorry.'

'You know what? You don't get to hear my other story that includes stealing a golden elephant with a secret clan of widows.'

'What?!'

'Noooooo.'

His favorite pick is: Nokdu

Loki Laufeyson:

Loki is frazzled to say at least when he saw you cocooned in your blanket with your coffee as you glued your eyes to the TV screen. It took a few good episodes to pass and an empty cup of coffee for you to notice a presence on the couch. Loki was a little mad since you absolutely 100% rooted for the good muscular actor as he played his part and you did yours which may or may not include some drooling and whistling. He waited for you to finish to hear the explaining he wanted to know so much.

'There is a special girl who is a Samjang and she meets a locked up God when she was a kid and then... They fall in love.'

'Can-can you repeat my love?'

'Oh, and one of the gods sells ice cream!'

'Once again darling... Repeat but slowly.'

His favorite pick is: : A Korean Odyssey

Thor Odinson :

You already know that this man is already on the drama-wave and he is nothing but a bigger fan than you. He lives to talk about the whole drama when you two finish it.

'This Drama! Was the peak of entrainment. The suspense, intrige, and oh soo more.'

'Oh and don't forget the secret brother twist.'

'Of course, when Tae-ho's ex-girlfriend boyfriend is his enemies secret younger brother that he sent to America to be super smart and zo come back so they can avenge their father.'

His favorite pick is: Last

Bucky Barnes:

Bucky is hella confused at the start but later he is on it and not letting go. His Netflix list is as long as his hair. And most of all he loves to draw parrel when you do a brief summary of the drama you two will watch.

'So you are telling me a rich girl paraglides into North Korean and falls in love with a stoic soldier.'

'Yes, but not by choice, a tornado swooped her out of South Korea.'

'So, like us.'

'Yes, minus the parachute.'

His favorite pick is: Crash Landing on You

Steve Rogers:

For Steve, it's a little hard to get adjusted to with you being all over the TV as you root for the main underdog girl that tries to win over her boss's heart who can recognize people's faces. Especially when he saw the main charted hovering over his on-screen ladylove. So he tries to copy-paste it.

'Y/n...'

'Yes, Steve?'

'Jagiya~~~'

'...HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH No.'

'Okay, sorry.'

Bless his heart.

His favorite pick is: The Secret Life of Secretary Kim

Jagiya is a Korean word for honey. I think so don't kill me if I'm wrong.

Bruce Wayne :

Y'all know my boy is ready to leap if you say you find an actor or location great in a drama he is ready to pick up his phone and call a few people to arrange a fan meet or travel to the location.

'I saw that the actor who played Park Hun in your favorite drama is landing here for a contract meeting.'

'How do you know that? I don't think that's public information.'

'... I-i just know.'

His favorite pick is: Doctor Stranger

Clark Kent:

This cinnamon roll is the best one to cry with more like on him. He is a great boy that will hear your cries over the deaths of the characters. He just radiates comfort.

'It's okay, Y/n. He avenged his brother's death and got a chance to reincarnate.'

'But-but his mother... I just want to hug her and make her tea.'

'I know sweetie.'

His favorite pick is: Along with the Gods

Not a series but a damn good movie I always ball my eyes on it. Highly recommend.

Arthur Curry :

Arthur is very much in the middle of it. Very well knows that being on your good side means appeasing your needs and wishes. But hooking this Fishman on your drama was easy as sinking the same hook.

'I like this one. When will the next episode come out?'

'Next Tuesday.'

*GASP*'Shut up.'

'I'm serious Arty.'

'Damn you scheduling system. Damn you!'

His favorite pick is: W

Orm Marius:

The ex-King himself finds weird comfort in the unsung heroes of Imperial Korea with the misunderstood King. And he is ready to sneak into the bathroom to gasp in secrecy at the episodes.

'Orm, come on lets go!'

'Just- 32 minutes until it ends, my world. I need to know if Prince Lee Hyeok will win the hear of the commoner Sunny. Like us.'

'What?!'

'Sorry, my darling I'm coming.'

His favorite pick is: The Last Empress

Joker(Suicide Squad):

This clown is frazzled by your state when you start your dramas but know very well not to touch the tiger when watching point of interest. But him being the needy person he will mostly sneak under your arm and as you to pay attention to him with no avail as your eyes still gaze at the action scene. His mild distaste is only that you pay much more attention to them rather than him.

'Y/n, why do you watch this police drama. It's not even that good.'

'You take that back my woman Ha Na and my boy Hyuk gave their all to capture the killer that killed her father and his wife with a kettlebell in the first episode.'

'Kettle ball you say? Maybe it's not that boring.'

His favorite pick is: Voice

Duncan Vizla:

This agent of absolute peace and carnage loves to watch them with you it reminded him if the times he was in Korea undercover killing a corrupt minister. He loves the thrill of the police dramas with the time travel twist as his top one drama and as well as yours.

'This actor Choi Jin Hyuk really knows how to act with the time travel twist.'

'True that's hard to act through. That's not everyday stuff. Do you think that time travel is real?'

'Of course, it's. I know it first hand.'

'How?'

'Well I got to be with you and I think the only plausible explanation is time travel.'

'Awww, Donut!'

His favorite pick is: Tunnel

Kdramas are a big part of my life and each of the dramas and movie listed I have watched and much more. Not to blabble long enough I hoped you liked it.

[jeogiyall]

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞; 𝒎.𝒕𝒍

✪︎︎ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 𝟷𝟶.𝟺𝟺𝚔 (𝚜𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚕)

✪ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: 𝖿𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿, 𝗌𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝗀𝗌𝗍, 𝗆𝗎𝗌𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗋𝖾! 𝖺𝗎; 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘅 𝗺𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗲𝗶𝗹 <3

✪︎︎ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs: 𝗌𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖼𝗎𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝖺 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗍, 𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝗆𝗂𝗌𝖾𝗋𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗋𝗌 (𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍)

✪︎︎ᴀᴅᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ: 𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝗆𝗂𝗌! 𝖺𝗎, 𝗌𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝖻𝗎𝗋𝗇 𝗋𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾, 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌! 𝗁𝖺𝖾𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇 + 𝗃𝖺𝖾𝗁𝗒𝗎𝗇, 𝖿𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗅𝗎𝖼𝖺𝗌, 𝗐𝗂𝗇𝗐𝗂𝗇, 𝗑𝗂𝖺𝗈𝗃𝗎𝗇, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗋𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝖽𝗌.

✪︎︎ᴀ/ɴ: 𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗋𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝖽 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗂𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗍, 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝗈 𝗌𝗈 𝖿𝗎𝗇 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾!! 𝗂'𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝖼𝗅𝗎𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝖺 𝗌𝗆𝖺𝗅𝗅 "𝗀𝗅𝗈𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗋𝗒" 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝗎𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝖺𝗋𝖾𝗇'𝗍 𝖿𝖺𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗂𝖺𝗋 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾. 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗅𝗈𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝖺 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗌𝗒𝗇𝗈𝗉𝗌𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗂𝗍 here, 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝗂𝗍 𝗂𝗌𝗇'𝗍 𝗇𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗋𝗒. 𝗂 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒!! -𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐝

Theatre Glossary

Callbacks: Second step of the audition process, almost like a second audition but you focus on a certain character

Blocking: Movement and positioning of actors on stage during a performance

Dance Captain: An actor in the show (typically ensemble) that helps with anything dance related. Can help choreograph some numbers, usually runs dance rehearsals

Stage Manager: A crew member who is in charge of crew as well as everything backstage during a show. Whatever they say is a direct extension of the director

Stage Door: A door where the actors, crew, and staff can enter and exit the theatre

Tech Week: The week leading up to opening where the cast and crew do the full show each day in full costumes and makeup. It is extremely physically and mentally challenging and you can often end up at the theatre for 6+ hours

“Thank You Five”: Whenever the stage manager gives a direction back stage, actors should reply with “Thank you (direction given.)” This is to let the stage manager know that you heard their direction

Mic Check: Before the show each actor that uses a microphone will get the levels and placement on them checked

Notes: After a performance or rehearsal the director will give commentary (critiques or praises) to the actors

—

Ever since you were a little girl, bouncing in the velvet seats of your city’s theater while watching Les Miserables, it was your dream to play Cosette. From the lilting notes of ‘In My Life’ to her character that leapt from the countless pages of the book, the character (and show) took over your brain. It was a genuine miracle that your parents hadn’t hidden your copy of the cast recording, or that your best friend (Lee Donghyuck) didn’t duct tape your mouth when you’d go to his house after voice lessons and force him to listen to you sing ‘Castle on A Cloud’ with countless different interpretations. 

After years of being obsessed with the show, you felt that it was a sign when your youth theatre announced the summer musical. An email with Les Miserables in huge red, white, and blue letters. It was challenging to not get your hopes up, even throughout callbacks. Even as the director tested different boys and kept you on to read for Cosette, you forced yourself to swallow the thoughts of ‘It’s me!’. When the cast list was finally posted you had to force your hands to quit shaking... Then made Haechan open it because your will didn’t work.

”Why are you even nervous, you know you got the part.” He grumbled, fishing through his pants pocket and trying not to throw up.

“The same reason you’re nervous, now open the damn list” 

“I’m going as fast as I can!” If it weren’t for his panic, you’re sure he would’ve slapped you, “Okay, I have it.”

“Give it to me straight, Doc.” He rolled his eyes and scrolled, undoubtedly skipping past a lengthy message from your director.

“You are such a dork,” It was easy to tell how nervous he was, so you bit the side of your cheek and allowed him to read, “okay. Xiaojun is Valjean, Jaehyun is Javert..” You nod with your jaw clenched, twiddling your hands where they sit in your lap.

“That’s good, they’ll be good in that.” He nodded in agreement, swallowing hard.

“Yea, they will. Lucas is Thenardier, that’ll be funny.” It was becoming increasingly harder to speak, so you hummed an answer and hoped that he understood what you’re trying to say, “Oh no!” he groaned, causing your heartbeat to falter in it’s place.

“What?!”

“The girl who got Cosette! She’s so annoying, but also really talented. As well as hardworking, and she’s wanted to play this role for forever, and-” Realization slowly sunk into the lines of your face as you slapped your best friends arm.

“Shut up!” He started laughing, something huge and sparkly forming in the space between your bodies.

“She’s also my best friend, so...” It was impossible to not hug someone in that moment, so you threw your arms around Hyuck’s shoulders and hoped that he didn’t notice the shake of your shoulders, “Are you crying?” 

“No...” You had sobbed into his shoulder while fat tears were fall onto his cotton t-shirt, “A little bit.” He laughed, a sound that’s familiar and comforting and wraps you up like a blanket.

“I’m proud of you.” Hyuck breathed, squeezing your body tightly.

“Thank you, me too.” The smile when you pulled away was beaming, soaring as high as your full heart.

*

Playing Cosette was everything you’d ever dreamed, except for two tiny things. For starters, there was the wig. Of course you knew that you’d have to wear a wig, almost everyone who plays Cosette has to wear a wig. You just weren’t expecting yours to be so... Ugly. 

It was a nearly five pound mop of thick blonde curls, that would spend every single rehearsal tickling the back of your neck. It didn’t help that you were still a little confused on how to put it on, which caused the terrifying object to slip and slide around constantly. Pretty much at any chance it could get. The first time Xiaojun saw it happen he laughed so hard that he cried.

(”Xaiojun!” You had whined, trying desperately to straighten the blonde rat tail on your head.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry I was just trying t-to sing at you a-and your wig-” 

Needless to say, the most that came out of that rehearsal were some cursed images of your wig mishaps and one scene being blocked.)

The second, and much more pressing, issue was your love interest. Moon Taeil was a newcomer to your theatre company, but no one was shocked when he got Marius. His voice is technically perfect, you and Xiaojun had analyzed every note of his audition while waiting for the cast list. There was not a single flaw, then when you factored in his emotion... Any director would be lucky to have him in a show.

Based just on his callback, you figured working with him would be a dream. It was for the most part; he came in already memorized every single rehearsal and his voice was just immaculate. His chemistry was stunning... With every one else.

Maybe it’s because you’re spoiled with your lists of love interests, which consists entirely of your closest friends, but you just could not get used to Taeil. It was clear he felt the same way, causing all of your blocked scenes to be stiff as a board. 

(”He’s not like that with Donghyuck! Why is Marius more in love with Enjorlas than Cosette?!” You lamented during an after rehearsal Sheetz run. Donghyuck had rolled his eyes while snatching Sichengs milkshake out of his hands.

“Hyuck, I have literally never hated a person more-” 

“Stop whining, we’re talking about (y/n)!” He quipped, passing the drink back to your peeved dance captain, “It’s probably because he doesn’t have to kiss me, which is a real shame for him.” 

“But he also kisses Emily, and they seem fine.” Jaehyun commented while taking his seat next to you. His addition caused you to groan, head sinking into your hands.

“Why can’t I act with my Marius! It’s so awkward and I can’t even get to know him! He just shows up, does the work, and leaves. Which is fine, whatever, but really? That’s it? No Sheetz afterwards? No McDonald’s? Not even a bag of chips from the vending machine outside the auditorium?! How am I supposed to get to know him when he’s just in and out like a ghost, are we even sure that he’s real?!” You’re breathing has turned heavy while your hands are gripping your wig cap braids almost violently, “Also my wig is so ugly and I don’t know how to put it on!”

“What’s wrong with (y/n)?” Lucas whispered, popping a chip into his mouth and chewing slowly while waiting for someone to answer his question.

“She’s having a mental breakdown for no reason.” Sicheng answered, snatching his milkshake back from Jaehyun. You were so busy ranting that you didn��t even notice the theft.

“It’s not for no reason!” You snapped, chin catching on the straw of your drink.

“(Y/n)?” Donghyuck began, eyes wide and sincere, “Shut up and drink your slushie.”) 

The scenes were so flat, in fact, that you and Taeil were called for a characterization meeting. Alone. If you thought you and Taeil were awkward on stage, sitting on the leather couches of the green room while waiting to talk about how awful you were together was much worse. Plastering on a smile when your director entered was physically challenging. 

“Okay!” She started, dropping files onto the cofee table in front of you, “For the record, you are both doing great. I mean really, love love love the effort. Taeil, you and Donghyuck are just hilarious, and (y/n) and Xiaojun almost made me cry the other day!” 

“Thank you!” You both answer simultaneously, Taeil nodding his head while twiddling his thumbs.

“Of course, that being said there are some issues regarding chemistry.” A shiver runs up your perfectly straightened spine, “I just remember at call backs you two were mind blowing together, like seriously. Those voices were made to sing with each other, and your characters were just what I wanted. A true directors dream, so what happened to that?” Your eyes flick to Taeil, internally begging him to speak first. It almost looks like he’s going to, but the words die on his lips, “I know it’s awkward to talk about, but we need to be open if we’re going to make this work.” You look at your Marius one more time, willing him to speak.

“Personally, I think it’s challenging for me because all of the boys who have previously played my love interests were really close friends. Like Jaehyun, I’ve known him since we were in diapers so it wasn’t... Weird, for either of us.” You turn to Taeil, who’s shifting uncomfortably in his seat, “It’s not that I don’t like you or anything, I do! You’re very talented; I just don’t know you, y’know?” From a force of habit, your eyes flick to your director. She’s nodding, ink pen tapping the tip of her nose. 

“Okay, Taeil?” She prods after a silence that takes forever. The boy fidgets, one hand coming up to scratch the nape of his neck. For one brief moment you notice how beautiful he is, with his sharp jawline cutting perfectly against his soft cheeks and high cheekbones. His eyes glisten while he thinks, then they flick to you. It makes everything feel red.

“Um, I agree... You’re really sweet, and funny, I just don’t know you. Or anyone, really.” The warmth on your skin dissipates and is replaced with a heavy swirling in your gut. Is it always going to be this hard to make him talk to you?

“Okay,” Your director starts, dropping her pen to the table, “so it sounds like for (y/n) to be more comfortable you have to get to know each other, and for Taeil to be more comfortable you need to get used to the environment; nod if I’m right.” Taeil looks at you with the same expression of a deer in headlights, but you’re used to this form of communication. He watches as you nod, then follows timidly, “Alright, I have an assignment. I want you two to go on a date.” 

Let’s just say, if you thought your ego wasn’t damaged by having to do this meeting it was definitely damaged by Taeil’s incredulous sputtering.

“Excuse me?” He asked, cheeks flushing beet red. You bit off the hangnail on your thumb, stomach churning again.  

“I don’t think she means a real date.” You muttered, embarrassment threatening your cheeks. 

“You’re right, (y/n), I don’t. I just mean that I need you two to go out somewhere, sit down, and get to know each other. Not as Marius and Cosette, but as Taeil and (y/n), okay?” You nod eagerly despite the redness flushing your face, because you’re a directors pet first. Taeil is a little (read: a lot) more reserved.

“Okay, we can go after next weeks act one vocal run through?” You suggest. He smiles, it’s the same one he uses while acting. 

“Yea, I’ll drive.” You want to tell him that he doesn’t have to look so scared about it. It’s not like you bite.

“Perfect!” Your director sighs, clapping her hands while popping up from her chair, “It’s a date.”

You wish her words sounded less like a threat.

*

There were few things worse than choreography rehearsals. One thing was choreography rehearsals lead by Dong Sicheng. Especially when they happened on Haechan’s (more commonly known as your ride) sick day. Even worse? Having to wear a blonde rat tail on your head.

“I’m really sorry (y/n), I just can’t even-” His words were cut off by the sound of him retching, you prayed that it was into a toilet, “Yea. That.” You chewed anxiously on your thumb nail, eyes tracking to the slowly dwindling parking lot.

“Don’t even worry about it, I’ll bring by some soup tonight.” You could hear his mom ushering him back into his bed, “Okay?” 

“Sounds good.” He groans out, making an ‘oomf’ sound as he drops into his bed, “I gotta go before I get something gross on my phone. Love you.” 

“Love you too, bye bye!” As you dropped your phone back into the rehearsal bag slung across your shoulder rain started to drizzle outside. It wasn’t a long walk from the theater to your house, and if you ran there was a small chance of actually getting wet (you had learned this with Donghyuck and Jaehyun back in middle school, after many unfortunate weather days.) You could always wait until the stage crew is done and see if one of your friends was on today, but the rain was already turning from drizzle to downpour. Besides, it felt wrong to talk to someone just because you needed a ride; running would be perfectly fine. 

“Who were you talking to?” A voice asked. You yelped, whipping around to see black hair and soft cheeks.

“Oh, Taeil!” Your voice comes out so fake that it makes you cringe, “It was just Donghyuck, he’s sick so I’m here. Why are you still here?” He shoves his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants, eyeing the rain where it falls behind you.

“I was talking with Henderey. He’s stage manager, do you know him?” Slight irritation itches the back of your neck. 

“Of course.” He swallows roughly, hands briefly coming out of his pockets to brush through his hair.

“Oh, well our dads are friends. So...” Silence settles awkwardly in the room, so thick that you could spread it on toast, “So if Donghyck’s not here how are you getting home? Doesn’t he usually take you?” A sigh escapes your lip as you turn around again, noticing the rain that’s beginning to come down in sheets. 

“He does, I think I’m just gonna... Walk?” Taeil’s face twisted, jaw going slack while his eyebrows furrowed. 

“Y-you know I can’t let you do that, right?” A small laugh bubbles in your throat as you suddenly understand why he’s the perfect fit for Marius. The only word that can be used to describe Taeil in this moment (other than awkward) would be pretty. His lips are puffy and twisted with concern, soft cheeks pulling downwards with a frown. He’s pure lover boy material, which makes you even more frustrated that you can’t act with him.

“It’s fine, you clearly don’t want to be around me. Or go out with me, and if I run-”

“Hold on,” he interrupts, taking a step closer to you, “who said that?” a blush rises all the up to your ears, you almost move to cover them.

“Well, you didn’t say it but-”

“ME?!” His eyebrows are raised, they’re so perfect that you wonder if he’s ever had them done.

“Yes! Last week, you all but spat on yourself at the idea of going out with me. I mean you don’t have to get married to me or anything, but seriously? Is it that revolting?” His cheeks are the color of the daylilies that bloom in your front yard. Running in the rain doesn’t sound too bad at this point.

“I didn’t mean- it wasn’t like th- I just don’t know you!” For some reason those five words are what make the pot in your brain boil over.

“I don’t know you either! You aren’t the only uncomfortable one!” His expression is softening, it makes you want to scream... Or cry, “I don’t know you, anything about you! I try to joke around backstage, ask about your favorite shows, I even gave you permission to make fun of my wig! I won’t even let Donghyuck do that! You literally just won’t talk to me, so it’s safe to assume you don’t like me very much. Which is whatever, that’s all up to you, but you have to work with me! Which means you have to not, oh I don’t know, spit on yourself when the director says we have to do something together!” The expression of concern on Taeil’s face had twisted into one of sadness. It was unbelievable to you that he was sad, you were the offended one! With a frustrated sigh, you turn to the glass doors and brace yourself for the rain.

“Wait!” He calls out. You turn back around to see that he’s taken a step closer to you, one arm outreached as if he wants to touch you. Something flips in your stomach, “I’m really sorry. And I promise it’s not like that, I do like you.”

“Sure have a funny way of showing it.” You mumble, arms folding across your chest. He froze for a moment, lips forming a straight line on his face.

“I know, I’m sorry. Let me drive you home and make it up to you?” You’re about to say no when thunder booms outside, “I’ll even pull up and get you.”

“Does your car have seat warmers?” A smile starts cracking at the corner of his lips, you can’t tell if it’s endearing or infuriating.

“Yes.” 

“Okay, fine. I’m still upset though!” The smile finally spreads, it looks like sun rolling over hills. He nods and moves past you.

“Noted.”

* 

The moment you decided that Taeil was okay (probably more than that) was when you were sitting in his mom van underneath the cover of a Kangaroo gas station while listening to your musical theatre playlist. He was eating sour patch kids and sipping on a mountain dew while laughing at your answers to ‘twenty’ questions (twenty in quotations because in reality the two of you had far surpassed that number. It had been almost an hour of asking questions back and forth while chewing on gummy candy.)

“Okay... What’s the best role you’ve had?” You ask, stomach fluttering at the way his face lights up.

“Other than Marius,” He playfully sticks his tongue out at you, causing a giggle to bubble in your throat, “Tulsa in Gypsy. That was super fun.” 

“You can tap?” You ask, shooting up out of your seat. He chuckles, stealing a gummy worm from the bag in your lap.

“Is that your question or...” 

“No! Don’t count that; and stop taking my worms!” He laughs again as you protectively cradle the colorful bag.

“What’s your best role? And yes, I can tap.” You mull it over for a second, sucking on the red and blue candy in your mouth.

“Probably Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, that was really fun. I got to do it with Jaehyun, too, so that was nice. My turn?” He nods while taking a long sip from his green can, “Okay, what’s your favorite musical?” 

“Oklahoma.” He answers definitely. It makes you want to gag.

“Why?!” He answers with a ‘tsk’ sound, wagging an index finger towards you.

“It’s not your turn anymore.” He shoves a clump of blue sour patch kids into his mouth before continuing, “What do you think is the best movie musical?” 

“Easy, Mama Mia. And swallow before you talk.” He smiles, poking one blue blob in between his teeth, “Why Oklahoma?” He sighs, plopping back into the drivers seat. 

“It was my moms favorite.” His voice has taken on a softer tone, it makes you want to turn down the music.

“Permission to pry?” He looks towards you with glassy eyes, then nods, “Was?” 

“Yea.” He breathes out, head tilting backwards. The motion exposes the elegant lines of his throat (it takes everything in you to not stare,) “Was, she passed when I was nine. Stomach cancer. I started theatre pretty soon after that.” Your heart softens at his words.

“I’m sorry, I had no idea.” He locks eyes with you and grins.

“Don’t you dare go and forgive me because I have a dead mom!” The strict words make you bust out in laughter,doubling over so quickly that you almost push his drink out of the cup holder. He chuckles too, pushing playfully at your shoulder, “Come on, sit up.”

“That isn’t why I’m forgiving you.” You answer through laughter, placing a hand on his arm, “I’m forgiving you because you’re actually really funny, and kind, and... You’re like a pomegranate person. They seem so ‘meh’ on the outside, then you have to work really really hard to open it up, but once you do it’s worth all of it.” 

“Thank you, I think?” He chuckles, putting his free hand on top of yours, “Did you just call me ugly?” The laugh that comes out of you is so aggressive that it could be classified as a snort. It makes your gut clench.

“No!” You gasp, running one hand across your face, “I was saying that... I’m glad you forced me to let you take me home.” He gives you a soft smile, your ears turn pink.

“Yea, I am too.”

*

Being part of a theatre company in a small town resulted in two things; a lack of crew and strange traditions. The lack of crew was a direct cause of the lack of people auditioning, but after ten years that was proving to be less of a problem. However, the traditions (thankfully) had still yet to die out. There were countless examples, but amongst your favorite was the pajama sing through. 

It started in the very first show, ‘The Little Mermaid’ (you were participating at a ripe eight years old, in the groundbreaking role of ‘Clown fish’.) The girl playing Ariel decided that a pajama party would be fun, someone even brought a waffle maker. You remembered sitting next to Donghyuck in matching onesies and sharing a waffle with whipped cream and strawberries, and so the tradition was born.

(He had laughed his butt off when you got into the car that morning.

“You look ridiculous, it’s perfect!” You wanted to slap him, but in a caring way. On one hand, he made you wear a Mike Wazowski onesie. On the other, you wouldn’t want anyone else to be your Sully.

“Shut up and drive! Also, are you feeling better?” He chuckled again, punching your shoulder the way an older brother would.

“Much, it was just food poisoning. Let’s go!”)

Everyone cheered when you and Hyuck entered the green room with a rusty waffle maker and fresh strawberries. It was a heartwarming sight, thirty kids all sitting on the floor of a shabby room with neon green walls dressed in over the top fuzzy pajamas.

“Where’s the waffles?” Jaehyun called out from across the room. He wore a black cotton shirt with fuzzy plaid pants, an outfit that fondly reminded you of your middle school sleepovers.

“Will you get your bag off the counter please?” He stuck his tongue out at you, slinging the leather satchel over his shoulder. You smiled sweetly at him then immediately got to work setting the machine up, “Sicheng should be here soon with the batter.” 

“Um, why are we all in pajamas?” A voice asked from the door, one that you quickly recognized to be Taeil. He was in a white t-shirt tucked into a well fitted pair of jean shorts. all tied together with a brown leather belt.

“Did no one tell him?” Jaehyun whispers, the room falling quiet. Everyone’s staring at him, it almost makes you embarrassed.

“Um, we always wear pajamas to sing through’s. I guess no one told you, but don’t worry! I brought extras!” You walk towards the door, grabbing his arm as you pass by, “Did Hendery really not tell you?” 

“Guess not, it’s weird to have everyone stare at you for not going out in pajamas.” His face when he makes a joke is so pure, particularly the way he softly laughs to himself. You make a point to laugh as well. 

“Yea, it’s a tradition that we started at the first sing through. It’s always fun, kind of like a movie night. We’re parked this way.” You pull him towards the stage door.

“Aren’t we supposed to not use this door?” You scoff and push it open.

“No one follows that rule, also the pj’s are Hyuck’s. They should fit fine, if anything just a little long-”

“Okay you can call me annoying, or rude, or say that I have the personality of a door knob. But if you start calling me short I won’t hesitate to dropkick you.” A laugh escapes your mouth, coming out bubbly and kind. Like something you’d share with a friend.

“Relax! I wasn’t calling you... The s-word. I was just saying, Hyuck is a little bit tall-” He slaps your shoulder as you move towards your friends silver car.

“Not another word!” He punctuates each word with a short slap to your bicep, it makes you giggle.

“Okay, okay! I call mercy!” You laugh out while retrieving the fuzzy pajamas from Hyuck’s car, “Here you are, one pair of pj’s!” When you turn around to hand them off he’s standing just a little bit closer than before, you can almost feel his breath.

“Thank you,” He sighs, taking the fuzzy green pants and white hoodie into his hands, “I guess we’re not going to a restaurant after this?” You laugh again, softly pushing his shoulder.

“Are you trying to say my Mike Wazowski onesie isn’t good enough for the public?” He gasps and clenches his chest, perfect eyebrows furrowing.

“(Y/n)! I would nev-” He’s interrupted by the stage door swinging open, Donghyuck poking his head out ever so slightly.

“(Y/n)!  Waffles!” You smile widely, like a little kid on Christmas morning. You slam the car door behind you shut and begin moving towards the door.

“Coming!” You sing in response, turning back to motion at Taeil, “Come on, there’s waffles!” You see him smile, something about it looks reserved.

(What you don’t see is the longing glances he cast to you throughout rehearsal, the clench in his gut as you feed Donghyuck the piece of strawberry that had fallen onto his Sully onesie. You don’t see his eyes cast downwards as you nestle into Donghyuck’s side and stay there for the rest of the sing through.)

*

It turns out Taeil’s plans consisted of eating Taco Bell in the trunk of his mom van while listening to the Mamma Mia cast album. You passed around questions and laughs while stuffing your faces with burritos and chips that were too greasy. 

“You really don’t think I would play Harry?” He asks through a mouthful of burrito. 

“No, you’re definitely a Sky. Also, swallow before you speak!” He laughs, threatening to fling a piece of lettuce at you, “Don’t you dare!”

“I won’t. You’d probably be Sophie.” You flash him a bright smile, doing an over exaggerated hair flip.

“I think so too.” He rolls his eyes, the sunlight spilling from his car windows highlight a honey colored undertone in his pupils. A part of you wishes you could bottle up this moment and keep it forever, “Permission to pry?”

“Is it about my mom?” He asks knowingly. You nod meekly as he smiles a gentle smile, “Go ahead.”

“Yesterday, when you said that you started theatre soon after your mom passing, was... I don’t know, was there a reason for that?” The words coming out of our mouth feel heavy, threatening to shatter the bubble. You had never worried about shattering a bubble before, but something about the memory of Taeil’s glassy eyes from yesterday makes your stomach clench.

“She was an actress. A really good one too, there’s tons of pictures and stuff. We actually have one cast recording from when she was off Broadway, but I can’t listen to it anymore.” He takes a deep breath, tilting his head back again. You’re starting to think that’s a habit when he talks about his mom, “I did Suessical right after she passed because I wanted to... I don’t know, feel closer to her? I stayed because of the whole family thing, since my family had actually fallen apart. Like, unraveled. Then I found out I was kind of good at it, so here we are.” It’s tempting to reach out and grab his hand, so you do. Your eyes lock as you offer up a gentle smile.

“That’s sweet, I’m sure she’s really proud of you.” He smiles back and breathes out. One strand of black hair swoops over his eyes, you think that he looks like a love story.

“She was a lot like you, actually.” You cock an eyebrow, eliciting a breathy laugh from the sweet boy, “I’m serious! She was so sweet, and funny, and like... Stubborn, but in a quiet kind of way.” Warmth blossoms in your chest.

“I’m glad you think of me that way, does that have anything to with why you wouldn’t talk to me?” He laughs again, unwinding his hand from yours. The answer is hesitant, you choose to believe it’s because he was laughing.

“Sure.” 

You stay in the back of his car until the sun sets, wrapped up in the feeling of being with Taeil like it’s a warm bathrobe and you just stepped out of the shower.

*

“Where to this week?” You ask while bouncing over to the mom van. Taeil smiles, unlocking the door so you can climb in.

“I’m feeling ice cream, so Dairy Queen?” You smile and nod enthusiastically.

“Dairy Queen, absolutely!” He flashes you a smile while settling into the drivers seat, immediately connecting his phone to the aux and flipping through countless cast recordings.

“What are we feeling today? Maybe some Phantom?” When he looks over he’s greeted with a hazy smile, one that’s exclusively reserved for post rehearsal sappiness, “What?” (You pretend to not notice the goofy grin catching on the plane of his face.)

“I’m just really glad that we’re doing this weekly now. It’s almost like we’re friends.” He laughs, punching your shoulder. You think that it feels different than when Hyuck does it.

“We are friends, now text me your order.”

*

“Where are we headed, Miss?” Taeil questions, mustering up a rancid British accent. You would’ve laughed less if his hair wasn’t stuck to his forehead with sweat. The entire cast had been hoping Sicheng would lighten up on choreography rehearsals as you got closer to show week, but sadly you were all dead wrong.

“How about Dunkin’? I need the caffeine after that torture session.” He smiles widely, you pretend to not notice the bead of sweat that drips down his nose.

“Sounds great, text me-” 

“My order, already on it!” He pinches your cheek before putting the car in reverse; you try to ignore how it makes your skin burn for the rest of the day.

*

“I can’t believe we’re one week away from tech.” You lament while Taeil sinks his teeth into a Five Guys burger. The idea of inhaling fast food while sitting in the back of this boys car would’ve once been so foreign to you, but now it’s a routine, “It feels like just yesterday we were stuttering our way through every scene together while Hyuck roasted me in our group chat.”

“Would he really?” A laughs spills from your mouth, along with a single shred of lettuce from the bite of cheese burger you had just consumed. Taeil immediately points at the spot where it landed on your thigh, laughing along with you, “Swallow! Swallow before you speak! Laugh? Either!” He’s shaking a finger at you, it reminds you of something your father would do.

“Stop! It’s your fault for making me laugh!” You whine, reaching up to grab his still waggling finger, “I swear we’re gonna have to fight!” His laughter has permeated the air, it makes something flutter in your stomach.

“I can’t believe your manners are so bad! Get it together, (y/n)!” He brings his other hand up, but doesn’t get very far before your hands are wrapped around both of his index fingers.

“Keep this up and Marius is going on with eight fingers.” You manage through a laugh, trying not to notice the pink spreading across his high cheek bones. (The same way you tried to not notice the freckle on the shell of his ear, or how his skin looked like honey against his black sweatshirt,) “I’m not kidding!” 

“Forgive me for finding a girl who was wearing a blonde pom pom on her head an hour ago less than threatening.” He teases. You pretend that your heart doesn’t clench at his mischievous smirk.

“You’re so lucky that I like you too much to hurt you.”

*

When Jung Jaehyun moved in down the street you were six years old. It immediately resulted in countless days of riding your bikes up and down the street and stuffing your face with traditional Korean food at his house. Over the years the activities have changed, but the accessibility was always the same.

Which is how you ended up knocking on his front door at midnight exactly eight hours before tech rehearsals were set to begin. He opened the door wearing an expression of concern, as well as a bright green face mask.

“(Y/n)? It’s kinda late, isn’t-”

“I think I’m in love with Taeil.” You blurt out. His jaw drops open, light cracks forming in the green goop on his face, “I don’t really know how it happened, but we have those weekly dates or whatever, and he makes me laugh, a-and I don’t know! He’s just so kind and gentle, so so gentle, and our stage kiss! That, that used to be something just like... Whatever, you know? Like how I’ve kissed you and Hyuck. Just a stage kiss, but with Taeil it leaves chills all over my body! I literally forget my lines, which I’ve never done before! At least not because of a kiss!” Your eyes are wild (though, the fact that you’re donning fuzzy plaid pajama pants and bed head definitely adds to that.)

“Um... I’m not really in a position to talk right now, why don’t you come inside?” You nod, chewing nervously on your lower lip. He ushers you into the house, immediately seating you on the couch with a warm cup of honey tea, “I’m gonna go wash this off, but I promise I will be right back. We can talk then, yea?” You nod shyly, sipping the hot tea as he exits the living room.

The thoughts of Taeil had been dwelling in your head for weeks, causing your romance scenes to flourish. Receiving adamant praise from your director was nice, but you always left the stage with a hole in your chest. A gaping hole that only closes up in the solace of Taeil’s mom van with his eyes trained on you and everything feeling warm.

Jaehyun reenters the room with a clean face, immediately plopping next to you on the couch. His hair is pulled back from his forehead with an elastic headband, causing it to poke out in every direction. You think he looks like an octopus  

“The tea’s good.” You breathe, face taking on a tired expression. You think Jaehyun doesn’t notice until he places his ring finger on the space between your eyebrows.

“Relax, we don’t need tech week wrinkles before tech has even started.�� You roll your eyes dramatically, running a hand across your face.

“I’ll never forgive Hyuck for teaching you about skin care.” You groan as he playfully punches your shoulder.

“Whereas I am forever grateful. So, Taeil?” You whine like a peeved child at his comment, head falling onto his shoulder. He let’s out a squeaky laugh while pushing you to sit up, “Come on, tell me everything!”

So you do, mouth letting out words faster than you thought was possible. You tell him about the first day he drove you home, how he ate sour patch kids and sang along to Mean Girls. You tell him about taco bell, about how your weekly outings have become almost sacred. Most importantly, you tell Jaehyun about the moment you started to fall. Sitting in the back of Moon Taeil’s car with a mouthful of burrito; ‘She was a lot like you, actually’. It was so certain, so meaningful.

“I don’t know. He just make me feel so calmed, like... Like when we’re together there’s a pink bubble around us, and nothing can penetrate it.” A soft smile has taken on home on your friends face, one of his hands holding his heart as he pouts. It’s maddening how a moment like this with Jaehyun (or with any of your friends) makes you feels so different compared to a moment like this with Taeil. He’s just a boy like the others, but his hand on your thigh would make your head explode.

“That’s really sweet, (y/n). And it seems like he really likes you too.” You groan again, eliciting a warm laugh from your friend, “What? Why’s that bad?” You drag your hands down your face, pulling dramatically on your cheeks.

“Because! I’ve never liked anyone this much before, let alone someone like Taeil! He’s so hardworking, and sweet to everyone. I just don’t know if...” He leans into you, raising one eyebrow.

“You don’t know what?” A lump forms in your throat, you want to vomit.

“I don’t know if I’m good enough.” The words are breathy due to you uselessly fighting back tears. One slides down your cheek, Jaehyun passes you a tissue, “A-and it’s scary because I’m not used to not knowing that, I’m always good enough! But for him, f-for him? He deserves the entire world, and I can’t give him that! I can’t even drive!” Jaehyun laughs softly, pulling you into a comforting hug while patting your back softly.

“Well the driving thing isn’t your fault, or relevant,” A whimper escapes your lips as you cuddle into your friends chest, “And if you two are meant to be then you will be enough. No matter what you have to give physically, if you two really love each other you will always be enough. Now let’s get you home, can’t have Cosette showing up cranky on the first day of tech.” You laugh; it’s a depressing, watery noise. Sitting up, you wipe the tear tracks from your cheeks and inhale snottily.

“No, I guess we can’t. Would be a shame to have a sleepy Javert, too.” He laughs while standing in one swift motion, offering you a hand.

“Yes it would... (Y/n?)” You stand up, stealing one last hug from your kind friend.

“Yes?” You ask while nestled in his arms.

“I love you so much. You’re like my little sister, and I’m really really proud of you.” A sigh leaves your chest, your whole body feeling like a weight’s been lifted.

“Thank you, big bro.” He smiles brightly, “You’re gonna tell everyone about this, aren’t you?” He laughs again, head tilting back. You think of the way Taeil does that, and then you think of the way his laugh sounds (soft and high, almost like how a fairy would laugh.)

“Sweetie, we already knew. We were just waiting for you to admit it.”

*

1:27 am

Incoming text from; xiaojun <3

‘(Y/N) AND TAEIL SITTIN IN A TREE’

‘K-I-S-S-I-N-G’

*

1:49 am

Incoming text from; seecheeng

‘thank u for confessing jae owes me $30′

*

1:52 am

Incoming text from; luke ass

‘AYEEEEEEEEEE’

*

6:05 am

Incoming text from; donkey yuck <33

‘if u don’t make a move by the end of tech i’ll eat your toes :)’

*

There were four dressing rooms in your theater, usually divided between principle and ensemble due to the amount of costumes. While the boys and girls were separated, you would freely go between your dressing room and wherever all of your boys were. You were all so familiar that you could come in wearing nothing but a sweatshirt and your spanx. Which is exactly what you did, business as usual.

“Happy t-” Your voice leaves as soon as you see Taeil sitting in front of a mirror with an eyebrow pencil in his hand. He looks at you, and it’s almost comical how quickly his cheeks turn pink, “I’m gonna go put my pants back on.” 

(You can hear Hyuck laughing through the walls.)

“Welcome back!” Lucas calls out as you reenter the dressing room, “Happy to see your pants this time.” You shoot him a sleepy glare and plop into the seat next to Donghyuck. 

“Will you do my falsies for me?” You ask the boy, already knowing that he’ll agree.

“Yes, but I’m not tying your corset.” A laugh falls from your lips as you pump primer onto the back of your hand. It’s going pretty well until you notice Taeil watching you, eyes trained on your every move. It makes you blush.

“What?” You ask, remnants of laughter settling in your chest. The room is bustling, people arguing over where to put costume pieces, music blaring from Xiaojun’s speaker, Lucas screaming over... Something; but nonetheless you can feel a bubble form around you and Taeil. 

“Oh! Nothing, just... Your makeup looks so good. Mine always looks gross.” His eyes are sparkling, along with the teeth that poke from his small smile. You laugh lightly, pushing a stray piece of hair behind your ear.

“Do you want me to do your makeup?” His eyes immediately go wide, the small smile now spreading cheek to cheek. The way he nods like an energetic kid makes your heart clench, “Okay, just let me finish this really quick.” You pack powder onto your forehead, then slide up onto the counter in front of where he’s sitting, “Where’s your foundation?” He reaches behind you to grab the small glass bottle, hand lightly brushing your hip bone in the process. It would be a joke to say the two of you don’t develop blushes redder than a fire engine.

“Um, here!” He shoves the bottle into your hands, driving a wedge between your bodies. 

“Thanks.” You sigh, spreading the liquid goop onto the back of your hand, “How are you feeling about your first tech day so far?” The boy smirks, a giggle playing on his lips.

“It’s fun. My favorite part was when you came in without pants.” From across the room Hyuck cackles, causing both you and Taeil to turn and stare.

“Sorry, I agree!” You roll your eyes and return to the former position. The first thing you notice is how smooth Taeil’s skin is, then the solemn expression that it wears. Your eyebrows crinkle while spreading blending foundation into his cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” You ask while moving onto the boys forehead. He shakes his head dismissively, causing you to promptly slap him, “Don’t move your head... Or lie to me.”

“I’m fine!” The boys sighs, a smile finally verging on the edges of his lips, “And I wouldn’t lie to you.” Something clenches inside of your chest, something that let’s you know he’s still not okay. You’re about to push even harder when Xiaojun calls your name from across the room, shouting that it’s your turn to pick the song.

“Anything from Waitress!” You reply while lightly dabbing blush onto Taeil’s cheeks. The bubble is officially popped, but the weight of Taeil’s face in your hands is too comforting for it to matter.

*

“Five to places!” Hendery calls into the girls dressing room. You (and three ensemble girls) are currently trying to shove your gut into a corset while not damaging the curly blonde wig on top of your head. Yet still, you drone ‘Thank you five’ in response, as if you’re all actually going to be ready by then.

“I got it!” One girl shouts as she fastens the eye and hook on your back, “Okay, breathe in really hard.” You barely have a chance to breathe period before she fastens the ribbons so tight that you see stars. 

“Thank you.” You wheeze as she backs away, moving quickly to put on your first dress. It’s a gorgeous thing, with sleeves that puff like clouds and a huge violet silk skirt. The first time you pulled it over your head it felt like you were the same little girl who bounced and cheered in the seats of the Les Mis national tour, like thousands of wishes on stars had come true. You felt the same way now as you gazed into the mirror.

“Where’s your bonnet?” The girl playing Eponine asked, eliciting a curse from your perfectly painted lips.

“I left it in the boys room.” You drop your hands from where they’re adjusting the gown and head for the door. Rushing into the boys dressing room while wearing a dress shaped like a cupcake and character shoes is probably a sight for sore eyes. You actually know that it is, if Xiaojuns aching laughter is anything to judge by.

“Has anyone seen my bon-” The sight of Taeil standing alone in the center of the room with your bonnet twirling on his fingers makes your voice stop. You smile and walk towards him, reveling in the stars in his eyes, “Thank you, I was looking for that.” You say as you take it off the boys fingers. The room is a heavy kind of silent, one that waits for someone to say something, “So are you-”

“We have to stop this.” He states, turning to face you head on. Something clenches in your chest, causing confusion to rise up on your face.

“Stop what, I’m just getting my bonnet-” 

“Please don’t do that,” He groans as sadness settles into the lines of his face, “don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. It’ll just drag this out.” He moves to turn away, but you grab him by the shoulder and flip him back to you. There’s no way that he’s getting of this that easily.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, so tell me!” You’re begging, but there’s something snapping in your heart telling you to not care. He sighs deeply, running one hand over his face. It’s infuriating how hard his action makes your stomach flutter.

“This! Th-the feelings! The way that we talk a-and touch, it has to stop.” You feel a lump harden in your throat, but you swallow it down and grip him tighter.

“Why?” He groans, trying again to move away, “No, tell me why? If it’s because you don’t feel how I do then I at least deserve to know!” His eyes go sad, a single tear rolling down his cheek. You want to tell him that it’ll ruin his makeup if he cries now. You want to wipe it away.

“It’s not that, I-I do feel the same. But I can’t, and I shouldn’t, so we have to stop this.” Tears are flowing down his cheeks, you want to cry too. It’s actually becoming hard not to.

“Yes, but why?” Your voice sounds like a sob.

“Because! Because I don’t want to hurt anyone, least of all you, so we have to stop this.” Well, that wasn’t any less confusing than this outburst. You’re about to say something when the door swings open.

“Places!” Hendery calls into the room. Your stomach goes cold at the realization that you still have to do the show.

“Thank you places.” Taeil calls back as you drop his shoulder. He wipes the tears from his cheeks, you want to tell him that he’s going to get foundation on his sleeve. Before he leaves he casts you one last glance with watery eyes, it almost looks like he’s going to apologize. He doesn’t, leaving you standing alone in the middle of the room. 

The silence settles heavy again, enveloping you entirely. There’s no sound as you sob, no sound as the overhead microphone turns on, no sound as Hyuck and Lucas enter the room to envelope you in a bone crushing. No sound except for the boiling anger that turns your ears red and the erratic thumping of your heart that leaps into your throat.

*

You do your makeup and put on your wig in the boys dressing room everyday, yet still manage to avoid talking to Taeil until final dress. It was challenging to say the least, but Hyuck’s terrible jokes and watching Lucas try to do his stage makeup was the perfect distraction from the brick that Taeil left in your gut. Unfortunately, neither of them were here now. Just Xiaojun (who was sitting in the cushy chair by the door with earbuds in,) Taeil (who was buttoning the collar of his ruffled shirt,) and you (who’s shoving all of the hair on your head into a wig cap.)

“You were really good yesterday.” He says, mocha brown eyes moving to where you sit. It’s frustrating how quickly you blush, “Not that you’re not always really good, you are! It’s just-” 

“Why are you doing this?” You ask, hands dropping from your head and onto the makeup counter, “First you say that you won’t... Whatever for god knows why, and that’s fine! I’m trying to let that be fine, even though I have to kiss you but it’s not like I’m actually kissing you. It’s fine, it’s fine! Until you start trying to make small talk, that’s just cruel.” You can only imagine how non-threatening you look with all of your hair shoved into a lump on your head, yet he still looks like he’s been scolded.

“Oh, um... I’m sorry.” You turn back to the mirror and pull the wig onto your head, securing it with a huge clump of bobby pins.

“I have to go and get my costume on, I’ll see on stage.” You exit quickly, with something angry, sad, and ugly forming in your stomach.

*

The feeling of opening night is one that eludes a description. It’s like there’s a pit in your stomach, but the pit is lined with glitter and fireworks. Wonderful and happy and relived, but still anxious. 

“Happy opening!” You sing while waltzing into the boys room, wearing a pair of sweatpants over your already fastened corset.

“Happy opening!” They chorus in response. The room is already in perfect chaos, with Hyuck and Lucas doing full fledged reenactments of whatever song comes on shuffle while Jaehyun stands between them and struggles to brush on mascara. You laugh at the scene while settling into a makeup chair.

“How are you feeling?” Xiaojun asks from his seat next to yours. A smile spreads on your face at the question, causing your hands to hiccup while they unpack your makeup bag.

“Excited... Nervous. Happy, but also a little bit sad. Everything, I guess.” He laughs in a way that let’s you know he feels the same, and that he also has no idea how to describe an opening night.

“Everything about sums it up.” He responds with a short laugh, turning in his chair to face the mirror, “I’m really proud of us, you know? Like... You make me cry every night, (y/n), we used to not even be able to get through the death scene without cracking up.” The memory of your wig sliding away from your scalp like a fried egg makes you giggle while you cast a soft smile towards your onstage father. The bright feeling in your stomach turns sour as you see Taeil’s reflection, but you swallow it whole.

“I’m proud of us too, dad.” Your friend visibly cringes, a hearty laugh escaping his smiling lips.

“Nope, nope absolutely hated that!” He whines, pushing you back towards the mirror.

“Aw come on-” You stop talking when Hendery pokes his head into the dressing room, already knowing the exact words he’s about to say.

“Mic check in five!” He calls, the words feeling different than they did the day before.

“Thank you five!” Everyone answers.

*

It had never been a problem that Taeil’s mic check was done right before yours. Sure, you both had to go back to the dressing room at almost the same time, but it usually never mattered. Xiaojun, Lucas, and Jaehyun were always done far before you and you could find them in the dressing room finishing up their makeup and starting to get in costume. It had never been a problem, until today that is.

You enter the dressing room hoping to immediately jump into a Lucas led dance party. Instead the room is empty except for Taeil, who’s quietly singing while patting blush onto his smooth cheeks. His back goes pin straight when he hears you pick up your makeup bag, moving towards you quickly. His hand comes to rest on your shoulder, it’s frustrating how right it feels.

“(y/n), please just-” 

“Taeil, I already told you. I can’t do this.” The expression on his face is one of soft determination, small creases forming next to his pretty eyes.

“I know, I know. I just want you to know that... I love you, (y/n), and I have to tell you why. Can I tell you why?” You can feel him looking at you with a gaze that weighs a thousand pounds, so you nod, “I love you because every time I pass a Taco Bell now I think of your sweet laugh in the back of my car. I love you because whenever I drop you off at your house my car still smells like your perfume for hours. I love you because when you blush it goes up to your ears. I love you because every time that we sing together I think of New Years Eve with my mom, when we’d sing around the piano after dinner. And I know, I shouldn’t do this because you have a boyfriend and that’s just... Wrong, but if I didn’t say this-” Your eyebrows furrow hard at his comment, a boyfriend?

“Who’s my boyfriend?” You ask, causing confusion to rise on the boys face, “Taeil, who’s my boyfriend?” 

“I-I thought- Donghyuck?” A hodgepodge of emotions bubbles in your chest. It’s like an elation and confusion sundae, topped with disgust sauce and a cherry.

“Taeil, you beautiful, beautiful idiot! Donghyuck’s not my boyfriend, he’s just my friend!” You exclaim as the boys eyes go wide. You grab his face by the cheeks, then remember that he’s wearing a full face and settle for his shoulders.

“He is?!” You nod excitedly as his confused expression is replaced with realization.

“I’d rather eat my own toes than date Hyuck, he’s an asshole!” 

“Yea see you’d say stuff like that and I’d get really confused-”

“Taeil, we’re going to kiss now. Okay?” He nods, bringing his hands to curve around your neck.

“Oh, okay. More than okay-” 

The first thing you notice is that his breath tastes like cinnamon. He tastes like cinnamon and clover honey, and you think that you could get addicted to it. You think you are addicted to it. The way that his hands hold your face like it’s a diamond, the way that his soft lips engulf yours, the way that the taste of him has you subconsciously following him while he pulls away. You think that kissing Taeil is one of those things that only takes a taste to make someone addicted.

“I love you, so, so much,” He breathes, foreheads resting against one another. You’ve never felt more in a bubble than you do right now, “I don’t know what to say...” 

“So don’t.” You sigh while moving forward, securing his lips in a second kiss. His lips are moving with yours within seconds, his tongue briefly slipping into your mouth. It takes every ounce of your self control to not melt in his hands.

He’s moving his hands down to your waist when the door opens. You don’t even notice, too lost in the weight of Taeil’s mouth and the motion of his hands. You two are completely lost in each other, until Lucas let’s out a high pitched scream.

“Damn it! Hyuck, you won!” He shouts, causing you and Taeil to jump away from each other (and for Taeil to hit his tailbone on the makeup counter. You jokingly offered to ‘kiss it better.’)

“Finally!” Hyuck says, entering the dressing room with an arm slung around Xiaojun’s shoulder.

“It’s only been a week!” You cry defensively, settling into Taeil’s side. You take in his warmth and think to yourself, ‘I could get used to this.’

“We’ve been betting on this since the read through.” Jaehyun states blankly while grabbing his costume from the rack.

“Yea, we were starting to think Sicheng was gonna win with ‘after the show.’” Xiaojun jokes, holding his hand out to silently ask Jaehyun to pass him his first costume, “I’ve already lost, act one sing through.” You laugh brightly, slapping Taeil’s chest with one hand. He’s staring at you like you’re made out of a million dollars, for the first time you can notice it.

“I think after you explain this I might have to dig your grave.” He laughs, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. You decide that you like it when his kisses are gentle, too.

“Yea, probably. Now go get your wig on, cutie.” Your friends gag loudly as you give him a short peck and bounce away over to where your wig sits on the other side of the dressing room. You don’t want it to be any other way.

*

“You know, the wig actually looks kinda pretty with the whole costume.” Taeil says, pushing an artificial ringlet off of your face. You laugh while rolling your eyes and grabbing his hand.

“Just like how you don’t look stupid in that ruffle shirt?” He smiles in a way that makes his eyes crinkle, you add the sight to a list of things you never want to forget.

“Exactly!” You’re going to kiss him again, but sadly you’re interrupted by Hendery poking his head into the dressing room.

“Places in five!” You suddenly remember that it’s opening night, then you think of how easy it’ll be to portray Cosette’s story tonight.

“Thank you five!” You both respond, Taeil bringing a hand to cradle your jaw.

“I’ve never dreaded leaving a dressing room more.” You whine, giving your boyfriend a sad glance. He smiles in a way that makes your whole body feel warm. 

“Don’t worry,” Taeil whispers before pressing a quick kiss to your lips, “we’ll have plenty of time to do this after the show. Now go to your dressing room, I’ll see you onstage.” 

Later, during notes, your director says that the first glance between Marius and Cosette was the best one yet. You know it’s because the entire time while cooped up in your dressing room you thought of nothing other than Moon Taeil’s lips on yours.

*

When the cast list for Grease was posted you were checking out at Sheetz with Taeil. Jaehyun, Xiaojun, Lucas, Sicheng, Hendery, and Donghyuck  were quietly waiting for you two at a table, speaking anxiously amongst themselves. Well, until everyone’s phones went off at the same time. The only thing you could make out was someone yelling ‘cast list!’ and Xiaojun dropping his phone face first onto the tile. Along with people harassing Hendery for information.

(”Don’t act like you don’t know!” Lucas accused while offering a hand to Xiaojun who was assessing the damage on his phone. While on the floor.

“I’m telling you, I’m just the five guy!”)

“Here’s your receipt, have a great day!” The cashier chirped while handing  the receipt to your boyfriend. There was a knot forming in your stomach as you walked over to your friends table with three bagfuls of snacks, but it released as Taeil put a hand on your shoulder.

“Relax, Sandy.” He whispered into your ear. The words made you blush all the way up to your ears.

“We haven’t seen the list yet Danny!” You quip back, hoping desperately that he didn’t notice your red cheeks. (He noticed, your cheeks got a firm kiss along with a boyish giggle.) 

“(y/n)!” Haechan squeals while running over and grabbing you by the shoulders, “Look at the list!” A nervous giggle slips past your lips as you move to grab your phone. You stop when you notice that Taeil’s already on it, turning to face him while inhaling deeply.

“Give it to me straight, Doc.” You deadpan, causing him to let out a breathy laugh.

“Cute.” The way he says it makes you want to explode, “Okay, we’re looking.” 

As always, you bit your cheek and nodded along while he read out everyone’s roles. For the next three minutes, the only words that your brain could conjure were ‘mhm’, ‘oh, that’s great!’, and ‘that’ll be fun!’ Other words don’t exist until Taeil gasps dramatically.

“What is it? Is it good, is it bad. You know what? If it’s bad I want Jaehyun tell me, because-”

“It’s good!” He interjects, effectively cutting off your rabbit tail, “We are the cool couple at a made up high school in the fifties!”

“Oh,” You say, heart rate slowing, “that’s good. We’re good!”

“We were already good though, right?” 

“No, yes! I just meant like... Good at theatre!” The eclectic bubbling in your  chest is making it hard to talk, but the way that your sweet boyfriend is smiling makes it okay.

“Oh, yea. I guess we are.” He smiles a goofy smile, and your stomach does back flips. In that moment it doesn’t matter that you’re in a Sheetz dining room while surrounded by all of your screaming friends, you want to kiss Taeil more than you want to breathe. So you do, effectively forming a perfect and pink bubble around you two. You’re about to pull away for air when Hyuck screams.

(“Get a room!” )

You were all now sitting at the table, everyone talking excitedly about the show and their parts. It was a happy conversation, filled with laughter and remembering Les Mis.

“Remember that terrible wig you had?” Donghyuck starts while shoving a potato chip into his mouth,  “You looked like a poodle.”

“I think she looked pretty.” Taeil comments quietly, wrapping an arm around you.

“Aww,” You coo, nestling into the boys side, “thank you honey.” You’re about to kiss his cheek, but then Donghyuck gags dramatically. 

“Hey, who do you think’s gonna fall in love this time around?” Sicheng teases while budding into the conversation.

You think that sitting there with everyone is the way that life was intended to be lived.

[ohgeezimtrying]

Music Meister Fluff Alphabet

GRRG THIS TOOK SO LONG UGH I started last night but whatever. So like I’ll do this for the others as well and also sorry for the amount of songs in this I just know I’m not gonna be able to think of anything for the others. (I have really specific music taste if I’m gonna be honest). Anyway enjoy even though this actually sucks, I put too much time into it.

A = Attractive (What do they find attractive about the other?)

This one is so damn obvious but your voice. He loves hearing you sing and talk and just any sounds you make in general, he loves it all. He also real loves your eyes. The way you look at him with nothing but love and adoration just makes his heart melt.

B = Baby (Do they want a family? Why/Why not?)

He would probably say yes but he’s not that good with kids. He doesn’t really have the patience to deal with them.

C = Cuddle (How do they cuddle?)

He loves when you rest your head on his chest and wrap your arms around him. He also likes when y’all are on the couch and you hold him and stroke his hair.

D = Dates (What are dates with them like?)

Spontaneous. He’ll randomly just be like “hEY LETS GO ROLLER SKATING” “kAROKE IN TWENTY MINUTES”. Oh but musical dates are planned! He’d take you to a nice restaurant before the show too. The two of you go see one at least every month.

E = Everything (You are my ____ (e.g. my life, my world…))

You are his goddess, his muse.

F = Feelings (When did they know they were in love?)

When he first heard your voice yeah he was very attracted to you but not in love. It had to be when he was showing off as usual and you were just amazed by his talents. When he saw the way you looked and smiled at him, he knew he was definitely in love.

G = Gentle (Are they gentle? If so, how?)

He always tries to be as gentle as possible. He wants you to see him as the perfect gentlemen.

H = Hands (How do they like to hold hands?)

He love holding your hands. It doesn’t matter where or what’s going on, if he wants to hold your hand, he’s gonna do it, which is pretty often.

I = Impression (What was their first impression?)

He thought you had a beautiful voice and the beauty to match. However, he did think that you had room to improve and wanted to help you get there.

J = Jealousy (Do they get jealous?)

MM gets jealous easily. He’s pretty possessive but he’s trying to work on that.

K = Kiss (How do they kiss? Who initiated the first kiss?)

Passionate but tender, and often. He jumped the gun and kissed you first. It was unexpected but definitely not unwanted.

L = Love (Who says ‘I love you’ first?)

Again he’s quick to jump the gun, you didn’t expect him to say it so early in the relationship but he’s a hopeless romantic.

M = Memory (What’s their favourite memory together?)

The first time you did a duet with him. That’s probably one of his favorite memories of the two of you, if not his favorite.

N = Nickel (Do they spoil? Do they buy the person they love everything?)

Yes, he spoils you rotten. He splurges on you a lot, almost as much as he does himself.

O = Orange (What colour reminds them of their other half?)

Some color that’s bold and bright probably

P = Pet names (What pet names do they use?)

He uses every single one he can think of but his most common one to use is darling.

Q = Questions (what are the questions they’re always asking?)

He’s always asking you to sing with him or for you to listen to him sing or play an instrument.

R = Rainy Day (What do they like to do on a rainy day?)

Rainy days consist of musical movies, cuddling on the couch, and a shit load of blankets. Again he loves it when you play with his hair.

S = Sad (How do they cheer themselves/others up?)

Cuddles and cookies/brownies/some kind of sweet. Other than that dancing because it makes me think of Shall We Dance? from An American in Paris.

T = Talking (What do they like to talk about?)

Musicals (behind the scene kind of stuff and broadway actors/actresses), himself and how amazing he is, new song/costume ideas, hIMSELF AGAIN, oh and how amazing you are as well.

U = Unencumbered (What helps them relax?)

Long ass showers, oh and the showers are burning hot. Also you think it’s pretty funny hearing him sing his lungs out in the shower.

V = Very ___ (they’re thoughts about each other (e.g she’s very smart, he’s very stubborn, they’re very annoying etc.))

He’s very self assured, stubborn at times, and arrogant.

W = Why (Reasons why they love each other)

He loves you because you’re always there for him and you deal with him being so smug all the damn time.

X = Xylophone (What’s their song?)

With So Little To Be Sure Of - (Anyone Can Whistle)

Tonight - (West Side Story)

Liza - (An American in Paris)

Suspended in Time - (Xanadu)

Y = You (The ___ to my ___ )

You’re the Maria to his Tony, the Cosette to his Marius, the Johanna to his Anthony (he prefers Johanna and Anthony to Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett because their love is pretty one sided), the list goes on and on and on.

Z = Zebra (If they wanted a pet, what would they get?)

Probably like a song bird or something

[thesunsethour]

Little Les Mis Things ~ 28 Dec 2018

* okay so this is becoming a series

* let’s get started my guys

* DUBLIN EDITON

* KILLIAN DONNELLY BACK AS MY MAIN MAN JEAN VALJEAN!! he was perfect absolutely incredibly prefect. i saw him a year ago in london and then booked again for this summer but he was gone so when i found out he was gonna be in dublin i like ran to get tickets (i explained this all to him at 482994 miles an hour at stage door he was lovely). Killian is the best Valjean i’ve ever seen he hits all the high notes his acting is superb he just embodies everything jean valjean and i will treasure his stint as JVJ for as long as i live

* Katie Hall as Fantine was amazing!!! you really got the sense that fantine wasn’t this ‘can-do-no-wrong angelic woman’ but literally a young girl forced into terrible circumstances which Katie played SO WELL holy fuck. her acting with javert and JVJ was just stellar

* Javert was Nic Greenfields and he. was. INCREDIBLE!!! stars honestly had me in tears what the fuck man it was beautiful and he was like slowly getting more haggard as the musical went on and khlgkfk I LOVED HIM

* Cosette was Bronwen Hanson and she was the smiliest Cosette i’ve ever seen it was so pure you could really see her as just the embodiment of light and hope and her scenes with Marius was A+++

* Speaking of Marius, Mr Henry Apps made his professional debut during this tour and WOW!! astounding. he was awkward but not annoying and love struck but not sickening

* Enjolras!! Will Richardson!!! he had the good ass blond curls for this role GOOD ASS BLOND CURLS!! he was so good and his singing was beautifulllllllllllLll

* Éponine my love was Tegan Bannister and this was a solid af éponine tegan really made this role her own while still being éponine if you get me it was gr88888

* Thénardier was Martin Ball and need i say any more than he stole the goddamn show

* Mme Thénardier was Sophie-Louise Dann and hoooooooly shit was she committed to her accent it was brilliant and she was hilarious

* OK GENERAL THINGS

* there was no revolve like there is in london and so the whole staging was different and it was freaking fantastic

* they included all these little book moments like when valjean steals some money from a kid twas good

* killian donnelly is a fantastic actor and when JVJ is getting rejected by everyone at the start i was nearly on my feet like “STOP BEING MEAN TO HIM!!!”

* jean valjean got beat up so much in this production. someone help him. let him sleep. stop punching my boy

* the foreman really was fuming today and you could really sense the fear he pity in everyone

* fantine also got beat up by the other factory girls leave my girl alone please!!!

* her hair was so beautiful and when they cut it it was so sad

* fantines transformation from ‘virtuous’ to ‘lovely lady’ was never more pronounced then in this and you could see the early stages of her sickness and anger and hooooo boy it was emotional

* you could also see some of the other ladies getting sick and it kinda made out that they also died soon after and that’s so sad oh god

* when that prick who accuses fantine started babbling to Javert fantine had like kill bill sirens going on

* fantine practically attacked JVJ and was like “kinda all your fault bruh” and jvj has his sad puppy dog brooding face of oh no my morality it was dramatic

* javert: jean valjean was captured this morning” JVJ AS MLM: *freeze frame* huh whaaaaa

* who am I? 2!4!6!0! ONEEEEEEEEEE (high note thanks k!!)

* fantines death was so tragic i died too

* whenever a character dies a really bright white light shines on them store that info it’ll become important later

* when jvj met cosette he booped her nose remember that too it’ll become important later on

* master of the house was fucking fantastic best sequence in the whole first act

* thénardier not knowing how to bless himself when his wife says “it’s no more than us christians should do”

* GAVROCHE!!! my little man!!!!! LEGAND our little narrator

* montparnasse didnt have his hat babet did and i was sad

* however, montparnasse was fabulous and his acting choices (by leo miles) were superb and really book accurate he was always real sneaky and sly with perfect posture

* when cosette and marius met cosette dissolved into giggles and it really served to humanise that meet moment

* G R A N T A I R E ( ruben van keer) was the best grantaire i’ve ever seen. he was constantly drunk and drinking and hanging off people and you could see he reallyyyyyy annoyed enjolras BUT R and gavroche had the sweetest relationship (remember that, it’ll be important later)

* gavroche, standing on table: “lemarque is dead”

* enjolras, lifting him down: “lemarque is dead. hmmm. that’s sa- LETS USE HIS FUNERAL FOR OUR POLITICAL MOTIVES”

* all the amis were like “seems kinda soon? idk” but E was just so inspiring that they were like “hell yeah” after two seconds

* cosette was on her balcony and marius was below it ala romeo and juliet and when cosette rushed back into her house to come downstairs marius flung himself against the wall “IM DOING EVERYTHING ALL WRONG” lol drama queen

* attack on rue plumet- CHECK

* during on my own the entire audience seemed to have caught a coughing bug and were hacking up their lungs like SHH

* after on my own éponine walked upstage and the barricade like filled in behind her it was class

* éponine screamed in pain during a little fall of rain and honestly? i died it was so sad

* grantaire hugged gavroche so tightly after éponine died and kissed his head it was so gentle wooeowoowow i stan older/younger brother dynamics

* OKAY SO AFTER GRANTAIRES VERSE IN DRINK WITH ENJOLRAS RAN DOWN FROM THE BARRICADE AND THEN DIDNT HUG HIM AND I WAS LIKE HMMMMMM OK WHAT BUT THEN AS R STUMBLED AWAY EVERYONE IGNORED HIM AND HE COLLAPSED IN A CORNER BUT GAVROCHE RAN OVER AND HUGGED HIM AND FELL ASLEEP ON HIS LEGS CURLED UP IM N O T O K A Y

* bring him home murdered me

* it was so beautiful

* everyone listen to killian donnelly sing bring him home

* he got a solid 2 minute long applause it seemed like the applause would never stop

* since they didn’t have a revolve stage when gavroche went round to pick the ammunition you could hear him singing but couldn’t see him and when the first shot rang out all the barricade boys like jumped but then he started singing and climbing again and made it all the way to the top of the barricade before being shot, bathed in white light and collapsing into enjolras’ arms

* it was SO SAD

* enjolras passed him to grantaire who SOBBED

* and so instead of enjolras and grantaire hugging in drink with me they made had like a solemn moment of understanding over gavroches body and they both looked to traumatised and fuck

* fuck

* then as all the amis died on various parts of the barricade white light was shining in every direction and grantaire was the last to die

* when JVJ was dragging marius into the sewer he was just muttering little reassurances to marius like “come on now good boy there we go not long left come on please” and boy did that shit hurt

* enjolras was upside down in a wagon cause there was no revolve and javert piled gavroches body on top of him

* when thénardier woke JVJ up thénardier nearly karate chopped him it was hilarious

* turning fucked me up they all brought candles on stage and there was this little child there and oh fuck it was so sad

* BUT THEN

* during empty chairs marius walked into a stage filled with candles and picked up éponines one and all the amis filed on and picked up their candle and walked off as he sang and at the very end marius blew out éponines candle and raised the jar it was in like a final toast to his friends what tje fuck that’s sad

* during the wedding the thénardiers were so funny and all the wedding guests copied their ridiculous dance moves

* WHEN JVJ WAS DYING I WAS DYING HE LOOKED SO FRAIL AND OLD AND HE BOOPED COSETTES NOSE AS HE WAS DYING LHLKHKKHKHKG

* fuck off bye i’m broken that was so goddamn good

[bbclesmis]

The Guardian: Les Misérables episode one recap – it's the big muscle, magnificent trouser show!

Magnificent trousers! A twirly-tached war hero saved on the battlefield! Pretty ladies drinking lots of wine! Revolutionary crowd scenes! A cute starving baby! Dominic West with a convict beard so large it has its own casting agent and dressing room!

You can see why the BBC thought it might be exciting to take on Les Misérables as reimagined by Andrew “Pride and Prejudice” Davies, master distiller of complex stories. It is a bold move calculated to take us into 2019 with a warm glow in our hearts and newfound respect for the BBC’s Netflix-embattled drama department.

Did they forget, though, what they were up against? You can imagine the production meeting. “In your face, world’s longest-running musical seen by 70 million people in 44 countries. Sod you, 2012 Hollywood adaptation starring Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe that cost $61m to make and won three Oscars. Cowed by one of the greatest (and longest) novels of the 19th century? Not I, monsieur. We’ve got the caretaker of Hogwarts, a boy who says “scoundrel” in a really sweet way, Derek Jacobi and women lifting up their dresses to wee in the woods. We’ve totally got this.”

Except so far they haven’t. Setting aside a few bravura performances, this was no War and Peace (Davies’ last BBC outing, with a similar rumoured budget of £10m). One of the biggest problems for anyone attempting to make entertainment out of Les Misérables is that it runs the risk of being, well, miserable. It’s about a load of French people with mostly raggedy clothes being collectively urinated upon from a great height, and not in a “quaint collective urination scene” kind of way. (Did I dream that?) And having some clearly British extras screaming “Allons-y!” in the background does not help, especially when the cast seems to have been briefed to adopt whatever accents they feel like, with a bizarre mix somewhere between My Fair Lady and Last of the Summer Wine.

This first outing was rescued, though, by West as a “noble Incredible Hulk” version of Jean Valjean and Jacobi as the weedy, unassuming bishop who is the soul of all that is good in the world. Jacobi’s “Don’t forget, don’t ever forget” was a heartbreaking delight. Davies has made some bold decisions to break with the narrative of the Hollywood version in order to encourage us to forget that we’re expecting Hugh Jackman to appear and burst into song at any moment. So we had a lot of foreshadowing (the battlefield encounter between twirly-tached Pontmercy – Marius’ father – and the soon-to-be-seen-as-innkeeper Thénardiers) and a lot of heavy-handed explanation of social theory. It sometimes seemed as if the ghost of Karl Marx was about to walk across the screen wearing a T-shirt bearing the words: “Inequality is bad.”

The Fantine setup felt very long. Did we really need to get to know the appalling Felix (played wonderfully by Johnny Flynn)? The time might have been better spent on more tension between Javert (David Oyelowo, who shows menacing promise) and Valjean. But, I suppose, that would have been too much like the Hollywood version. Overall I wanted fewer scenes that seemed to be saying: “We’re showing you this because they didn’t show it in the Russell Crowe one.”

The two main difficulties with this adaptation? So far it doesn’t feel very French. And it hasn’t yet achieved the emotional grandeur of the musical versions. As period dramas go, there’s none of the humour of Dickens or Austen and none of the glamour of Tolstoy. But it’s early days and we must give it time. I did, however, enjoy this line: “By the time you read this, three galloping horses will be carrying us home to the Mamas and the Papas.”

Least convincing romantic encounter

I worried about Fantine’s taste in men. A vulpine dandy who has modelled his look on a cross between Alvin Stardust and Boris Johnson is never good news. “I want to dedicate my life to you … You see, I’m a poet … You will be my muse.” It’s the Tinder profile from hell. Have alarm bells ever rung any louder?

“I don’t want you to be sad …” “Then …” Oh for goodness sake, Fantine! A man who murmurs “Then …” while he nods downwards towards his magnificent trousers is not a catch. (Also: the bluntness of “You have all the power” felt too #MeToo and anachronistic.) Lily Collins as Fantine is utterly arresting and, of course, we must believe that she was corrupted by a bounder. But she’s got an awful lot of work to do now to convince the audience that she’s a believable character and not just a starry-eyed idiot.

The Gwyneth Paltrow onion for tears on demand

In later episodes this award will belong to Fantine/Cosette, but here the tear-jerker extraordinaire was the bishop (Jacobi). No one does quietly resigned pruning better. Here’s an actor of charm, determination and genius with six decades of experience who is not going to be held back by playing a bit part with added gardening. Pitched against West’s brutish resentment, Jacobi stole these scenes, even trying valiantly to inject them with a touch of comedy and self-awareness.

Thank God they cast him, as to throw away this role would have been to doom this entire project: we must understand that the story hangs upon the priest’s intervention in Valjean’s soul. With this line, Jacobi telegraphed everything: “Even if the world has done you a great injustice, does it really serve you to have a heart full of bitterness and hatred?” Whatever the opposite of phoning it in is (turning yourself into a one-man FedEx?), Jacobi did it here. Full-on tears in our household with extra candlesticks.

‘Ecoutez et répétez!’: classic miserable lines

• “Your strongman act … What for?” Well, it is appreciated by this viewer, at least. I’m not sure Victor Hugo included Valjean’s Feats of Extraordinary Strength exclusively for my benefit, but I am grateful. I might have to trap someone under a large boulder in the hope that he’ll appear.

• “We could be down in the gutter and no one would care.” “But why should it always be like that?” Because this is a drama about social inequality and the audience must be made aware of this before they get too distracted by large beards, big muscles and gigantic emotional upheavals.

• “She will be happy to see you and your magnificent trousers.” This line should feature in every Andrew Davies drama. Or possibly every drama ever.

The Guardian, 30 Dec 2018

[sunshine-soprano]

Les Mis West End performance, October 2017

So I went to see Les Mis in London yesterday for the first time, and I’m writing down all the things I can remember from the performance. There are a l o t of them, so I’ll put them under a cut. I had only seen the film before (many times) so I didn’t really know what I was expecting. Overall, it was amazing, and I would definitely recommend seeing the current cast if you can.

- Look Down was awesome - All the men’s voices were so powerful by themselves - Throughout the whole musical Javert had this really menacing presence, you could just see his silhouette - Javert was played by an understudy tonight but he was still great; he has such a powerful voice - Valjean (played by Killian Donnelly) is amazing, his voice goes from powerful to soft so quickly - He sang a fantastic high note as he was running away from the monastery - His soliloquy was fantastic - And!! the transition from his “beGIIIIIIIIN” to the falling arpeggios as they move to Montreuil!!! - At the End of the Day was good but there were a few diction issues because it was so fast - Fantine was great. I Dreamed a Dream was fantastic. Her “can’t they see they’re making love to one already DEAD” was amazing. - When Fantine died, this bright white spotlight shone on her and you could just see Javert lurking at the side of the stage. - The Confrontation was great. The sharpness of Javert’s voice matched with the soft power of Valjean’s voice perfectly. Also the clunky harpsichord chords in The Confrontation and Look Down. - The stage would turn to reveal the next scene which was cool - Little Cosette was so cute!! And her voice was lovely - Master of the House was hilarious. At one point Thenadier spat out a bottle cork and another guy halfway across the stage caught it in his hat and just sat there for a moment in shock as if he didn’t think that would happen - The Thenadiers were just hilarious in general - As Valjean was taking Cosette to the inn, they sang a little duet of Castle on a Cloud together - Gavroche!!! He was adorable and so confident! - Stars was fantastic. From what I could see of the top of the stage, there were fairy lights that went on to look like stars and it was really pretty - Enjolras was played by an understudy tonight as well and you could tell bc he was really into it. He was great - Also Enjolras and Grantaire are gay and in love and you cannot tell me otherwise - Grantaire kISEED MARIUS’ CHEEK AT ONE POINT - Throughout most of Red and Black, Grantaire was standing off to the side making heart-eyes at his boyfriend - Again with all the men having really beautiful strong voices?? Aah - In Do you Hear the People Sing, Grantaire hung back at the back of the group, and then Enjolras turned around and they full-on eye-fucked each other across the stage for a good five seconds before they walked upstage with their arms around each other - The woman playing Eponine played her with quite a modern, pop style, which was a little odd alongside everyone else - One Day More!! It was so good - The Thenadiers appeared from a trapdoor in the middle of the stage! - The chord at the end was on point. So good - When the set thing came in at the start of Act II it turned on its side to make the barricade and it was so cool - I didn’t have particularly high expectations for On My Own, but it was actually pretty good. Eponine could really belt. - Little People was adorable. The kid playing Gavroche really knew how to take control of a stage - A Little Fall of Rain was good. Sad. At first it was just Eponine and Marius together with the others preoccupied with other things, then Grantaire noticed what was happening and gathered everyone else to watch - The bright white spotlight shone on Eponine when she died as well - More evidence that Grantaire is gay: during Drink with Me, the other students were singing about women around him, but he just laughed and ignored them - His solo was really well acted and emotional though, and Enjolras came down off the barricade and brought their faces so close together they were almost kissing before they hugged really tightly - They then went off and talked before one of the others came up and they acted annoyed as if they’d been cockblocked - Before going to sleep, Grantaire raised his bottle to Enjolras on the barricade - Bring Him Home was probably one of my favourite numbers. Valjean was such an amazing singer!! It started off soft and gentle, and then became loud and really powerful, then soft again. That was the point when my mum burst into tears - It took three gunshots for Gavroche to die. The first one was loud enough to make everyone (literally everyone!) jump in their seats - Gavroche literally collapsed on top of a dead soldier - Then the stage turned to reveal the other side of the barricade with everyone just standing there in shock. Grantaire was at the front, and you could very clearly see his grief. Marius came up to him and hugged him. - When the fighting started again, Enjolras climbed up to the top of the barricade and started waving the flag. Grantaire climbed up after him, and he might have survived if he hadn’t bc he hadn’t fought at the barricade before that - Enjolras did a flip off the barricade using one of the poles - When the fighting was over, the stage slowly turned around to reveal Enjolras upside down hanging off the barricade - Thenadier in the sewer was actually terrifying - When Valjean was dragging Marius through the sewers, the stage revolved and spotlights were on to show Valjean carrying him in different positions - (Strangely, none of these constituted being “carried like a babe”. Unless you give babies fireman’s lifts or drag them by their feet) - There was epic percussion when Valjean met Javert outside the sewer. And when Javert jumped off the bridge, a whirlpool effect in the lighting appeared, just as it had during Valjean’s soliloquy - Again, I didn’t have particularly high expectations for Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, but b o y was I proved wrong. The guy playing Marius was a fantastic actor - In the middle of it the barricade boys walked forwards from the back of the stage in a long line - The Thenadiers in the wedding scene!!! Hilarious again - When Marius threw the wedding bouquet, I’m sure it was the guy who played Enjolras who caught it - Can I just say again how fantastic Valjean’s singing was? - Fantine appeared in this beautiful long white dress - At the end, the chorus of Do You Hear the People Sing started off really quiet, then gradually everyone appeared from the mist upstage - The last note again!! Was fantastic!! - Overall a great show, 10/10 would recommend, and I would Die for a bootleg

[more-tangent-than-normal]

Les Misérables en Concert (Paris)

I’ve been so pumped to see this for ages, and at long last I saw the 15:30 show on 04/03 at the Palais des Congres. So, thoughts on the French concert production:

Interesting Features

Victor Hugo is in it! He basically comes on stage at the beginning of each act and does a rather ramble-y narration of the events of that act, which I think was quite a good idea. He was a good actor. Also, he mentions that Gavroche is the Thenardier’s kid! 

At the end of The Confrontation, there’s no fight choreo bc it’s just a concert. Valjean and Javert sing “I will be there, I swear it to you” and then turn and just look at eachother really intensely before it cuts to black. A pretty Valvert-y moment.

The costuming was generally a lower quality than other productions (which is understandable as they’re only running a short time) but! Eponine got the fingerless gloves she deserves!

The conductor was a lady with v short spiky hair, wearing a purple coat with a popped collar. I loved her.

I thought I’d get used to the concert aspect, but it felt disconcerting to start Act 2 and not have Les Amis come running forward yelling.

There’s a Bahorel/R hug (and by Bahorel, I mean a well-dressed male cast member I assumed to be Bahorel)

I’m gonna put the more detailed stuff abt cast and music under the cut :)  But yeah, I recommend going if you have the chance! Definitely worth it.

Music

A lot (and I mean a lot) of ‘filler’ singing was cut out to fit the concert format. I’m talking like a bunch of the intro that wasn’t JVJ solo, The Runaway Cart was gone, all of Eponine’s part in Paris, ‘Every day you walk...’, ‘Death of Gavroche’. This meant that Eponine and Cosette didn’t actually appear on stage until In My Life.

The stuff that was included was done spectacularly. Seeing the orchestra on stage was awesome, and the conductor was brilliant (she had spiky hair and a purple coat with a popped collar, I mean.... just yes)

They lost a couple of the nice orchestral transitions (think JVJ’s soliloquy leading onto At The End of The Day) because they paused after almost every song for applause, which was a shame, but I’m always down for more applause.

Cast

Despite having a depressingly short amount of time on stage, this Cosette is one of the best I’ve seen. She really played the youthfully giddy happiness mixed with genuine love (for Marius and JVJ) amazingly well, I feel like this was a Cosette who thought to play beyond the stereotyped image and I’m sad I didn’t get to see more of her.

Fantine was probably the best main cast member, imo. Amazing voice and she made me cry three separate times, the sign of a good Fantine. One thing I found amusing is that there were no wigs, so for the haircutting another cast member literally just tied her hair back.

Enjolras. Okay, I know the pic of this guy circulated a while ago and yeah he’s kinda balding, but he looked way more youthful on stage? And his voice was great, I think he was a good Enjolras.

Grantaire was.... straight up old. I mean, he was good, he got the basic idea of the character (although he was a very happy Grantaire) and his voice was nice, but he looked waaay too old and that’s all I could see. He also played the Bishop, and he looked much more suited to that.

The guys playing Joly and Feuilly were great. I think Feuilly could’ve played Grantaire, tbh, he had a much better look for it.

Javert and Valjean both had great voices. Tbh, I don’t really have any other notes for them?  They sounded amazing, but not much else stood out to me about them.

I liked Eponine’s look, didn’t love her On My Own, but her Little Fall of Rain was on point.

Marius was good, acted well in Little Fall of Rain especially, but looked so much older than Cosette that I found it hard to like him? I dunno.

LOVED Madame Thenardier. But they cut a whole lot of her stuff.

Thenardier himself gave a very mixed performance. Good in Master of the House, absolutely fantastic in Dog Eats Dog (he gave me the creeps) and sort-of off in Attack on Rue Plumet? He was staring at the screen by his feet, which I assume was a feed showing the conductor or something? He barely took his eyes off it for the whole song.

The child actors were wonderful, one of the best little Cosettes I’ve seen (but, to be fair, she was also older than the Cosettes you usually get in London I think)

Factory Girl was actually great? Like, she really stood out as a good actress and singer, I liked her a lot.

[bbclesmis]

NY Times: A New Version of ‘Les Misérables’ Has Less Singing, More Misery

Vilvoorde, Belgium — Lily Collins, dressed in a mud-colored linen shift, tried to hide the small piece of jewelry she had crafted, as a hatchet-faced factory supervisor approached.

The camera moved in for a close-up of her pale, anxious face. “Sorry, Lily, just one more time,” said Tom Shankland, the director of the new adaptation of “Les Misérables,” a coproduction with BBC and PBS’s Masterpiece. “Listen, my deathbed scene was on Day 2,” said Ms. Collins, who was playing the ill-fated Fantine. “It’s all uphill at this point.”

There is not much that’s looking up for any character in Victor Hugo’s epic 1862 novel “Les Misérables,” which has provided the subject matter for dozens of theater, television and film adaptations, most famously the blockbuster musical that zillions of fans affectionately call “Les Miz.”

But this six-part television adaptation, which first aired in Britain from December to February and arrives on Masterpiece on Sunday, might come as a surprise to those who only know the musical. This version hews much more closely to Hugo’s book, a five-volume, 365-chapter novel that over the course of its complex plot explores history, law, politics, religion and ideas about justice, guilt and redemption. Set in a grimly realist France, its abundant starving poor and oppressed are entirely disconnected from the wealthy classes. (The aptly dreary set here, in a dilapidated, gloomy former prison, might as well have sported a sign saying “Likely to Perish Within.”)

Unsurprisingly, the musical, which got a lavish Hollywood adaptation in 2012, focuses mainly on the central characters and plot lines. “I thought the musical a very feeble representation of the book,” said Andrew Davies (“Bridget Jones’s Diary,” “War and Peace”), who wrote the screenplay for the new series. “It very much reinforced my idea that we needed a proper, old-fashioned long-form television adaptation.”

The story (skip ahead if you are one of the millions who have seen a previous incarnation) begins with Jean Valjean (played here by Dominic West), a peasant who has almost finished his sentence of 19 years hard labor for stealing a loaf of bread for his starving relatives. Brutalized by his jail time, he is transformed through an act of kindness, and becomes a wealthy and respected citizen, with a new identity. When he discovers that one of his former factory workers, Fantine, has become destitute after being fired, he adopts her daughter, Cosette, who is living with the evil Thenardiers (Olivia Colman and Adeel Akhtar in the series).

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Pursued over the years by his former jailer Javert (David Oyelowo), a police officer obsessed with bringing the former criminal to justice, Valjean raises Cosette (Ellie Bamber) who eventually falls in love with Marius (Josh O’Connor), a student taking part in the revolution against the monarchy in the June Rebellion of 1832.

Let’s just say that very few characters get a happy ending.

“I think we managed to include everything that was really important,” Davies said, adding that he had streamlined some of the narrative’s twists and turns, notably Valjean’s repeated returns to and escapes from prison, and Javert’s uncanny reappearances wherever Valjean is to be found. “I think this has made it feel less improbable and more believable in modern terms,” he said.

In a series of conversations, Davies, Shankland and a few of the principle actors talked about three important aspects of the mini-series that set it apart from the musical. Here are edited excerpts.

Valjean vs. Javert

DOMINIC WEST The first question is obviously, what is Javert’s problem? Why is he so obsessed with Valjean? You do wonder what’s going on there, and we sort of hinted at it in one glance where I am naked in front of him when [Valjean] is released from the prison hulks. It always helps to bring things down to love and sex, and I think there is a homoerotic thing going on, perhaps the love of the jailer for his prisoner. It’s a modern, reductionist view to bring it down to that, and we didn’t emphasize it. But it’s there.

That they are alter egos, in a way, was the biggest clue to why Valjean felt so guilty, so unworthy. I realized that anyone who is brutalized and treated like an animal eventually becomes that. Valjean’s belief that he doesn’t deserve anyone’s love in the real world is central to his sense of self, and that is an important political point. Javert believes criminals are born that way, and Valjean is evidence that criminals are products of their environments.

DAVID OYELOWO My first interaction with “Les Mis” was with the musical, and when I read Andrew Davies’s script, it seemed very apparent that I could bring real layering and complexity to this character, who in the musical is a much more one-dimensional villain. I suddenly understood this man, born to criminal parents in a prison and filled with loathing for that world. It became apparent to me that he had transposed a side of himself onto Jean Valjean, and needed to destroy that part of himself he saw there. You need six hours of television to explore that complex idea!

Oppression and Politics

TOM SHANKLAND I am one of the few people in the universe who wasn’t really aware of the musical and the story, beyond the posters. When I read the script and novel, I really got a sense that this was a story of revolution, of social injustice, about people who felt disenfranchised. I wanted to find a way to interpret the story in a way that felt respectful to Hugo, but also politically relevant. It has wonderfully big moral questions: What does it mean to be good in a cruel world? What is meaningful action?

Drawings from the period — etchings of that revolution and others, images of urban warfare — were important in creating visual imagery, but I also drew from my memory of the 2011 London riots, and from the gilet jaunes in Paris. I didn’t want it to be just big images of the barricades, and I didn’t want it to be stiff and costume drama-y. There is nothing romantic or picturesque about those experiences; they are frightening and chaotic.

OYELOWO Hugo shows the fragility of the class system so well. Fantine starts off just above the underclass and falls catastrophically. Javert is the reverse, rising to prison officer and policeman, forcing his way up through the social hierarchy, but always feeling precarious. This idea of the fragility of many people’s social and economic positions feels very relevant today. In our society, the gaps between the haves and the have-nots is widening and people’s lives can be stripped away, just as they are in this story.

The Dark Side

LILY COLLINS There are parts of each character’s story line in “Les Misérables” that doesn’t get into film versions or the musical, because there just isn’t time. A song lyric can try to tell the story in one line, but here we show Fantine’s early life, how she falls in love, is deceived and has a baby. That makes her fate all the harder because we have discovered that side of her life, her trusting and joyous personality.

We shot my death scene first. I did a lot of research about what France would have been like for women at that time. What were the diseases, the symptoms of the disease she might have died from, what that would look like for filming. It was pretty grim, especially the scene when her teeth are pulled out because she is selling them for money for her child. It really made me push myself and find out what I could withstand physically and emotionally.

WEST I hadn’t seen Valjean played as initially completely unredeemable in other versions of the novel. I wanted to really show that brutal, callous side that Hugo depicts, and we wanted to make his leap from that to romantic hero as big as possible. That really gets your pulse going as an actor. In a way, I went back to my childhood. I wasn’t a street urchin, but I was a fairly coarse Yorkshire kid, and I tapped into that. In the same way, the Thenardiers are usually treated in a more comic vein, but they are really evil. It’s interesting and remarkable that the novel hasn’t been treated in this kind of depth for a very long time.

DAVIES The series ends with an image of two little boys, who we have seen begging earlier, and who Gavroche, a street urchin, takes under his wing. Gavroche is killed, and the little boys are still begging at the end, as a reminder to the audience that although the story ends happily for some, the suffering and brutality goes on.

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