The thing I find interesting about comparing/contrasting Javert and Valjean is the interference in Valjean's life by the Bishop of Digne. It is at that point that Valjean's life changes; otherwise, he might have been as rigid in his views as Javert was in his. It's also interesting to view Javert as the embodiment of Old Testament God (live by the law) and Valjean as the New Testament God (ability to forgive and be forgiven).
I love 'Ponine *g*. Cosette is just...there for me (although I do like when Judy Kuhn sings her). Marius depends on who's singing it. Michael Ball is someone I sometimes love and sometimes irritates the crap out of me with the way he sings since it comes across as overly dramatic ("Look at me! I'm in love!"). And...Colm Wilkinson. Oh Lordy, Colm Wilkinson *happy sigh*
I think the thing I appreciate most about Boublil and company is their lyrics show that they paid very careful attention to the book. "Stars" very much echoes Javert's characterization down to the point when (towards his suicide) in the book, he is described as having his cravat slightly out of place (to the left, IIRC) and the intimation of how disordered his world is by using that sign is just so cool. Eponine's line in "On My Own" about the pavement shining like silver is from the book, and Marius is exactly that goofy and lovestruck during the scene in the ABC Cafe. In the book, though, Enjolras goes on and on and *on* about how Marius is concentrating on the wrong things. I love Enjolras, but in that book scene I was *begging* him to STFU.
(BTW, I have various cast versions - Spanish, etc - if you'd ever like to hear them).
Miss Saigon...was a very interesting idea, but it was like watching the Marius/Cosette/Eponine love triangle play out in the 1960s. I think the main problem for me is with Chris. I think Kim does represent to him exactly what he sings to Ellen, but I just can't buy his going off and marrying Ellen within three short years. Not with the amount of emotion we're supposed to buy into during his scenes with Kim in Act I and then again during "The Fall of Saigon". There isn't enough motivation beyond the "shock" moment in "I Still Believe" where we find out he *is* married to Ellen to make it believable to me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Thu, May. 6th, 2004 03:19 am (UTC)I love 'Ponine *g*. Cosette is just...there for me (although I do like when Judy Kuhn sings her). Marius depends on who's singing it. Michael Ball is someone I sometimes love and sometimes irritates the crap out of me with the way he sings since it comes across as overly dramatic ("Look at me! I'm in love!"). And...Colm Wilkinson. Oh Lordy, Colm Wilkinson *happy sigh*
I think the thing I appreciate most about Boublil and company is their lyrics show that they paid very careful attention to the book. "Stars" very much echoes Javert's characterization down to the point when (towards his suicide) in the book, he is described as having his cravat slightly out of place (to the left, IIRC) and the intimation of how disordered his world is by using that sign is just so cool. Eponine's line in "On My Own" about the pavement shining like silver is from the book, and Marius is exactly that goofy and lovestruck during the scene in the ABC Cafe. In the book, though, Enjolras goes on and on and *on* about how Marius is concentrating on the wrong things. I love Enjolras, but in that book scene I was *begging* him to STFU.
(BTW, I have various cast versions - Spanish, etc - if you'd ever like to hear them).
Miss Saigon...was a very interesting idea, but it was like watching the Marius/Cosette/Eponine love triangle play out in the 1960s. I think the main problem for me is with Chris. I think Kim does represent to him exactly what he sings to Ellen, but I just can't buy his going off and marrying Ellen within three short years. Not with the amount of emotion we're supposed to buy into during his scenes with Kim in Act I and then again during "The Fall of Saigon". There isn't enough motivation beyond the "shock" moment in "I Still Believe" where we find out he *is* married to Ellen to make it believable to me.