london

Avenue Victor Hugo in Paris , France – this was taken during our trip in the City of Lights & Love last 2011

Les Miserables is close to my heart. I know why but I can’t explain why. I have not even read the novel written by Victor Hugo. I would often hear that in every movie or theatrical production that is based on a novel, always read the book first. Why? Because the book is complete. It would be impossible for the director to contain every detail as described in the book into a 2- hour or 2.5- hour movie just like in the case of Les Miserables. I watched it last weekend and I already cried from the very beginning of the movie! Imagine!!! I’ve seen also the other movie (not the musical type) on HBO. Liam Neeson (my crush) played Jean Valjean while Uma Thurman was Fantine. There was no singing, just acting. I also cried.

Tony Award winning stage actress/ singer Lea Salonga

Rolex who is also a fanatic of musicals downloaded the 15th and 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables (well, he just happened to have a crush on Lea Salonga) who portrayed Iponine and Fantine in the two anniversary concerts respectively. We loved it so much that when we went to London, we really watched Les Miserables, the musical at the Queens Theater in the West End.

Outside the Queens Theater in London.

Minutes before the show…

It was beautiful. Alfie Bowie who portrayed Jean Valjean is absolutely great. The whole cast have perfect voices that I thought, could they just be lip syncing? haha! I should also give praises to Alain Boubil and Jean Marc Natel who wrote the original French lyrics and Claude Michel Schonberg another genius who made the music.

As expected, I got too excited when I found out that the movie based on the  the musical is set for release in December. Besides the fact that I am already in love with the content, Anne Hathaway one of my favorite actresses in her generation (have you watched The Devil Wears Prada a gazzillion times? I did) is playing Fantine, the woman who sold herself to pay for the welfare of her daughter.

Anne Hathaway’s best performance, she deserves an Oscar.

In the cinema, I was seated next to a lady who just like me she cried non-stop, haha! (oh yes I am not alone). I have seen the movie, the musical, the movie based on the musical and I realized that they have different approaches in expressing their emotions through these mediums. They were all great in their own ways.

The World’s Longest Running Musical

Now I ask myself, should I read the book?

Cheers!