#im not even wearing a bright red vest and im standing NEXT TO MY CART and this white lady walks up

[seasaltbaptism]

the amount of casual racism i get in this town.

[grandrsachilles]

Here is my Les Mis experience

(its really long but what the hell)

I was sat on the 2nd row so I was so close to the stage and at times the cast were no more than 5ft away and it was crazy

As soon as the first note to ‘Look Down’ played I was crying 

Valjean and Javert screaming their names at each other

The way they had the stage rotate as Valjean was walking round finding work was so awesome

The Bishop and Valjean ?? Is this a ship?? There was definitely something going on there, the way they looked at each other whilst the Bishop had his hands on Valjean’s chest (Valjean had his hands over the Bishop’s) and when the Bishop went to leave the stage they still held hands until they couldn’t anymore

‘Valjean’s Soliloquy’ was amazing, the first time we really got to experience Valjean’s vocals and Dean Chisnall’s voice is AMAZING and I teared up

I loved how in the factory Fantine had one friend who stuck with her and held her hands and tried to reassure her when she had been thrown out until she was dragged away off stage by the other women 

Also the factory workers were a mixture of men and women though it was only the women that were horrible to Fantine

‘I Dreamed A Dream’ was pretty emotional, Carley Stenson’s voice was so powerful

‘Lovely Ladies’ was done really well I liked how the prostitutes were all in the centre stage and there was smoke and it was really cool with all the effects and how they had Fantine coming back with short hair

AND BAMATABOIS I cannot stand that man he was so horrible to Fantine and how the women rallied against her trying to comfort her after she attacked him and he threw her onto the floor

The cart scene was incredible, how everyone was running around the stage and then when the cart had fallen some of the cast were practically right next to me like rolling and tumbling 

How they did ‘Who Am I?’ was pretty cool, how he was alone but then he was standing before the court showing his 24601 brand on his chest

Fantine’s death scene was really sad, how she got out of bed and collapsed and Valjean carried her back to bed and she died in his arms and that bright white light that shone on her once she had died got me real good

THE CONFRONTATION I loved this part and how they chased each other around Fantine’s bed?? And Valjean picking up a chair and smashing it on the floor and then threatening Javert with a chair leg what a man

Little Cosette was so adorable, her voice was incredible for someone so young 

The Thenardier’s were so funny throughout the entire thing, just small comments and actions

‘Master Of The House’ was really good and there were multiple laughs during the performance 

‘The Bargain’ was also pretty funny, the things the Thenardiers did when Valjean wasn’t looking like the faces they made at each other and afterwards when they had the money and Mdm Thenardier was rubbing it on herself and Thenardier grabbed her and they ran off stage

THE DANCE SCENE VALJEAN AND LITTLE COSETTE HAD AFTERWARDS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL and how she changed super fast into a nice dress and Catherine

‘Look Down’ was really good again and when Enjolras and Marius appeared !! And some of the ensemble were right next to me again which was awesome

Marius and Cosette meeting each other was really cute and he tried to help her during the robbery scene

Montparnasse like grabbed Eponine during the robbery and she attacked him and pushed him away but then he helped her with the robbery and his outfit was just so Montparnasse?? Like top hat and a better tailcoat than all the others??

When Javert appeared during this and Valjean had gone, Patron-Minette and the Thenardiers were all on the floor next to Javert and Thenardier crawled towards Javert’s feet as he sung ‘in the absence of a victim dear inspector may I go..’ And Javert just glared at him and he shuffled back towards the others really quickly and whispered guess not to the others

‘STARS’ WAS AMAZING once again the vocals were incredible, the Javert was an understudy played by Lee Van Geleen and he was an amazing Javert

‘Red and Black/ ABC Cafe’ was soo good, Samuel’s voice he’s such an awesome Enjolras like his voice was just perfect for this role and THE HAIR he was amazing but when Enjolras said ‘dont let the wine go to your brains’ he stared at Grantaire who stared back in disbelief and pointed to the guy behind him 

Grantaire then continued to lovingly stare at Enjolras throughout the song (minus the parts when he was annoying Enjolras with his lines)

GRANTAIRE PUT THE BOTTLE DOWN 

Grantaire literally sulked and sat down and read a newspaper for the rest of the song whilst everyone else was gathered together listening to Enjolras

I LOVED how this transitioned into ‘Do You Hear The People Sing?’ how they moved from the cafe into the streets to rally people, and Enjolras in the cart omg 

‘In My Life/ Heart Full Of Love’ was so cute and how Marius just climbed the gate and held Cosette, it was also really cool how the gate rotated to fit where the scene was more focused AND Toby’s Marius was so well played like his Marius was so awkward and adorable

‘ONE DAY MORE’ OMG I’m still not over this, how Enjolras came onto the stage wearing the red vest and went between Cosette and Marius and then when they were all doing THAT walk across the stage and the last couple lines got to me SO BAD 

Also Valjean handing Catherine to Cosette and packing her into her bag to leave for England omg

‘On My Own’ was pretty good and again emotional 

And at the barricade when Javert had been found out and Gavroche the little savage has no chill 

And Grantaire whilst singing ‘bravo little Gavroche you’re the top of the class’ picked him up and put him on his shoulders

When Eponine came back to the barricade and was shot it was SO sad like a ‘Little Fall Of Rain’, the blood and Marius’ sobs as he hugged her body and after she was carried away during ‘Night Of Anguish’

During the first attack Grantaire tried to protect Gavroche and everyone screamed get down and everyone did except Grantaire who stayed stood on top of a box with his arms wide and he said bring it on and Feuilly and Courf I think kept shouting at him to get down and he eventually did when they dragged him down

Them gunshots though every time I would full on jump they were SO loud and sharp 

And ‘DRINK WITH ME’ afterwards holy hell, during Grantaire’s part Courf pointed him out to Enjolras who then ran down the barricade and grabbed his shoulder before standing in front of him and they stared at each other for a while before Grantaire literally THREW himself into Enjolras’ arms and they hugged for a few seconds and I cried

Grantaire and Marius also hugged multiple times

‘Bring Him Home’ has always been my least favourite song but Dean’s performance was just INCREDIBLE and I LOVED it and how Marius went to sleep hugging Eponine’s hat just broke my heart

Gavroche’s death omg, just before when Marius and Enjolras were talking Grantaire made sure Gavroche was okay and safe and two seconds later he had run around the barricade and then he was killed once he had thrown the ammunition over the barricade and it was really sad

Marius was then shot and Grantaire was crying over him trying to wake him up

And then he and Enjolras shook hands and Enjolras smiled (which I guess in a way was do you permit it?) 

Enjolras then ran to the top of the barricade and tried to take the flag but was shot and the epic death fall??

BUT then Grantaire ran up to the top after Enjolras was shot and threw his wine bottle at the National Guard and was then shot and killed

How that bright white light shone on each one as they died, was that really necessary???

When the barricade rotated and Enjolras was fallen backwards over the barricade it was so sad but looked SO awesome

The sewer scene was also really good, like how a light would shine on Valjean and Marius and each time Valjean was carrying Marius in a different way it looked awesome

JAVERT’S SUICIDE WAS DONE AMAZINGLY

First off the vocals again, and secondly how it was performed?? There was a bridge on the stage and he climbed over the railings and as he stepped from the bridge to the stage the bridge went up and Javert ‘fell’ and it just looked so amazing?? 

‘Turning’ was so sad and ‘Empty Chairs At Empty Tables’ when they all came and stood behind Marius omg my heart

The wedding scene was so beautiful, some of the barricade guys came back to dance and the dancing was really pretty 

When Thenardier sang ‘this ones a queer but what can you do’ the guy who was Grantaire (Raymond Walsh) stopped dancing, let go of his partner and once again stared in disbelief at Thenardier and the audience

The ending will forever get to me

When Fantine appeared and I started to tear up and then once he had gone and Marius was holding Cosette as she cried and Eponine appeared behind them

THEN everyone reappeared and I SOBBED badly it was so sad yet beautiful 

Don’t even get me started on the bows at the end

I started crying even more I was so sad it was over but soo happy with the cast and the entire thing 

The entire theatre gave a standing ovation and Id never experienced that with a show and it was incredible and that made me cry even more

AND during the final bows the cast were SO close and they all looked so happy and thankful and I cant 

Im SO glad I got to see the new cast in one of their first weeks they were seriously incredible and I recommend it so much

I also got to meet some of the cast afterwards and they were all SO nice 

BEST NIGHT EVER