Top 5: Shows I've Seen

We've reached number one! Although I'm pretty sure this will come as no surprise to anyone...

Les Miserables

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This was the first musical I ever saw, it started this whole thing off! I was 13 years old, on a school trip where everyone fell asleep during the show except for my musical friend and I. We sobbed when Gavroche died, I desperately wanted to be Eponine. (I couldn't hit Cosette's notes so she seemed more realistic) and I fell head over heels in love with Enjolras and Marius, the latter being played by none other than Mr. Hadley Fraser himself! How strange that ten years later I would see him again as Javert and then in the movie! 

If I'm honest that's all I remember, along with an overwhelming happiness and the ultimate desire that I wanted to be on that stage. Now that will never happen as it's moved from the Palace to the Queen's but I could still be in the show!

I have been very lucky when it comes to this musical, I was at the 25th Anniversary at which I sobbed... a lot! When the original cast came out and I saw Michael Ball my legs actually gave way! It wasn't pretty! My view count is just into double figures now and I'm still not bored. Every single time I see One Day More I get goosebumps and cry, and by the time the Epilogue rolls around I am a sobbing mess. There is just something about this musical that has hooked me, and is yet to let go a decade later.

The good bits:

Really? Okay... everything! The simplicity of the stage, the story. Alright, pause. The story... Victor Hugo wrote and incredible novel with such compelling characters, the moment you add music to their journeys you know it's going to be a hit. And go, the music. Pause. God have you ever heard such rousing songs? Do You Hear the People Sing was actually being considered as the French National anthem at one point and who can blame them? It makes me want to run and build a barricade every time! Go. The actors that have enhabited these characters are some of the best in the world, Lea Salonga, Aaron Tveit, Anne Hathaway, Ramin Karimloo, David Thaxton, Alfie Boe, Wolverine! I mean come on!!

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Favourite song:

One Day More. So 1. I love a song that grows and ends with an incredible note that everyone belts out. 2. I adore it even more when lots of people sing different things at the same time. 3. I LOVE THIS SONG. Okay so I maybe should have put a warning at the beginning of this blog, and you've probably already clocked onto this but today will basically be me 'fangirling' about Les Miserables. Apologies.

With all the characters singing about their stories, marching in time and singing such a rousing song I am always left with goosebumps and teary eyes. Not only is it my favourite song in the musical this is my favourite song of all time.

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Favourite character:

Enjolras. (You were expecting Eponine weren't you!?) He is just fascinating, and dies so tragically. I have always fallen in love with whoever has played him and since reading the book I am falling more and more in love with the character. I think even Victor Hugo himself had a crush on Enjolras! He's so inspiring and strong and brilliant!

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Dream Cast:

Jean Valjean: Ramin Karimloo

Javert: Norm Lewis

Fantine: Ruthie Henshall

Marius: Craig Mather

Cosette: Judy Kuhn

Eponine: Lea Salonga

Enjolras: Aaron Tveit (Surprise, surprise!)

Thenardier: Alun Armstrong

Mme. Thenardier: Katy Seacombe

Someone please make that happen!

Wish me luck, the same to you.

Annabelle

xoxo

Top 5: Shows I've Seen

The Phantom of the Opera

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Fun fact: I saw Love Never Dies on stage before I saw Phantom. Of course I knew the story. I grew up listening to Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman belt out these beautiful songs thanks to my parents obsession with the musical. I watched the movie (didn't particularly like it,) and even sang songs from it in performances. It wasn't until my 21st birthday when I received a theatre token and money to fund my poor student lifestyle that I finally got around to seeing it on stage. One part of me couldn't believe it had taken me this long to see it, the other knew that it would probably be a once in a lifetime thing thanks to the ticket prices. Usually I would complain about this, but in some weird way I like that fact. It makes the whole thing so much more special. Call me weird but the whole experience of seeing the show was magical and something I will never forget.

The good bits:
Where do I even start? Everything! Andrew Lloyd Webber is a genius composer so the score is perfection, the actors were just incredible. I saw John Owen Jones and after seeing Ramin I was worried this Phantom wouldn't live up... oh boy did he! My goodness what an actor. The set, the costumes, the everything. It may only be at number three but I would say this is as close to a perfect musical as you can come.

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Favourite song:
On every musical I question myself for adding this because it's so hard to pick! Especially in a musical where every song is as beautiful as the last. The Phantom of the Opera blows you away with that last note, The Point of no Return is just tension in a song and I love it but in the end I think Wishing you were somehow here again wins. Not only does it have one of my all time favourite transitions ever, with the single violin at the beginning swelling into a full orchestra. I get goosebumps every time. It also has so much emotion in it and if you get the right Christine it can literally stop the show.

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Favourite character:
Phantom. I love Christine as much as the next 'phan' but I love a misunderstood genius. He's so flawed, and so interesting. There are so many different ways to play him too which just adds to the character because every time you see it there could be something new you discover about him. Oh and it helps that he has the most beautiful voice.

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Dream Cast:
25th Anniversary. Done. They were perfection for me. God I'm so boring! I will repeat last week and just throw out people I want to see in the show.

Phantom: Aaron Tveit.
(When he's older, can you imagine? He'd be perfect.)
Christine: Laura Osnes.
(She has the innocence and the beauty.)
Raoul: Jonathan Groff.
(I feel like I don't need to explain much here, he's wonderful at everything!)

Wish me luck, the same to you.
Annabelle
xoxo

Top 5: Shows I've Seen

This is going to be a two part series of top fives that I may carry on with if I think of other categories! For now it will be the top five musicals that I have seen, starting today, and after that the top five musicals that I want to see.

 So without further ado, counting down to my favourite at number five is:

 Love Never Dies

It got a lot of bad reviews while it was running but I disagree! After seeing Ramin Karimloo in the 25th Anniversary of Les Miserables I was blown away and wanted to know what else he was in. When I found out he was The Phantom in a sequel to Phantom I wondered how it had taken me so long to see it.

So in December 2010 I hopped on over to the Adelphi Theatre, got cheap day tickets and sat right up at the back of the balcony where I proceeded to sob hysterically. I was a state! The friend that I had dragged along was actually worried I was in such a mess, so of course I proceeded to see it another three times.

The good bits:

The score, Lloyd- Webber does not disappoint, it's so romantic and gave me goosebumps every time I listened to it. I remember hearing Ramin sing ''Til I Hear You Sing' the first time and being so involved I was holding my breath in awe. The same happened when Sierra sang 'Love Never Dies', it was stunning, she was stunning. Even the annoying song 'Bathing Beauty' wins you over when it becomes sinister at the end, a part of the score I am completely obsessed with!

 As for the plot, I love it. It's romantic, tragic and sweeping. Everything a story revolving around Phantom should be. I know people have picked it apart but who cares!? I certainly don't, and the way all the characters had developed kept me more than interested throughout. In fact that was one of my favourite things, the way the characters had grown and changed, it was so interesting.

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Favourite song:

This is a hard category, why did I include it? 'Beneath a Moonless Sky' leaves me speechless, as does 'Love Never Dies' but I think I'm going to have to go with ''Til I Hear You Sing' because it's perfect, it gives me goosebumps every single time and the way Ramin sings it is just incredible.

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Favourite character:

Meg. I love Christine, I love the Phantom but I love what where they took Meg in this show. She goes from just a chorus girl, that is slightly annoying, to a complicated woman with so much depth and I really feel for her, more than I did for Christine at some points. She just wants to be noticed, to be loved and works so hard to achieve it. I think everyone can relate to that in some way.

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Dream Cast:

Christine: Sierra Boggess

Phantom: Ramin Karimloo

Raoul: Joseph Millson

Meg: Summer Strallen

I literally wouldn't change a thing. They were perfect, how boring! The only person I might switch up is Raoul because I adored Hadley Fraser in the 25th Anniversary.

Wish me luck, the same to you.

Annabelle

xoxo