Happy Birthday Les Miserables!

I just attended the best musical I could ever attend, probably in my whole life even, at the O2 Arena last night. It was the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert.

I first saw the ad in the Evening Standard back in July, and my heart literally skipped a beat because Les Miserables is my most most most favourite (cannot stress enough) musical of all time. When I checked the ticket prices, they were in the range of £60-£80 and I thought they were pretty pricey. So I decided I'd do a wait and see, not knowing better that people outside were snapping them up like anything. After a week, I was shocked to find out that most tickets were sold out, and the cheapest I could find was on this Discounted London theatre website, for a hefty £125. I had to kick myself. And I knew it's now or never because they ARE gonna be sold out. So I persuaded myself to give myself a special birthday treat ("Use your GST credits lah", was how my aunt gave her nod of approval haha). And boy was it special; it was worth every penny. In fact, I was blown away many times over.

Arriving at the O2 Arena

Queueing up to go in

Because of the popular demand, they added an extra matinee, and still not enough, they screened it live in cinemas not only in the UK but across the globe reaching as far as Japan! To watch the musical in Queens Theatre is one thing, but to be part of the Les Mis enthusiasts in a 20,000 strong crowd is another ball game altogether. The intense level of anticipation was electrifying.

Samantha Barks as Eponine

This kid was good playing Gavroche

Nick Jonas (of the Jonas Brothers) playing Marius

This was a concert, so in terms of props, they were kept to a minimal. It was enhanced using lights and videography on the huge screen above the stage.

The drowning scene of Javert

Scene of the French Revolution where Marius' friends died

Sitting there looking all around me, I can still remember the first time I watched Les Mis. It was more than 10 years ago, when my aunt's colleague (we call him Uncle Ho) asked her to bring me to watch it at the defunct Kallang Theatre. There I fell in love with the musical.. I fell in love with the songs.. and I think I listened to the CD which Uncle Ho lent us for n times. And fast forward many years later, I am actually here in person, part of the crowd celebrating its 25th birthday in the O2 arena. I was overcome with such a great sense of overwhelming gratitude. The actors sang and it was beautiful. So so beautiful, and so so amazing. The applause was thunderous, especially for the main character Jean Valjean. After he sang Bring Him Home in the middle of the show, people gave him a standing ovation and clapped non stop until he didn't know how to react because the show hasn't ended!

Fantine with Jean Valjean and Javert

In case you haven't noticed, my seat was amazing, smacked right in the centre! :)

The electrifying finale

When it ended, everyone in the whole O2 arena gave a standing ovation and then the original 1985 cast came on stage and the original singers sang 3 songs. Okay I have to admit that part was when they kind of lost me, because I love the songs and the story but I had no idea who were part of the original cast. (I was only 3 years old then!) Then they invited the director and the writers of the musical on stage to say a few words. It ended with bursts of fireworks and confetti in the air. Everyone was on a Les Mis high. Beautiful. It was divine. My once in a lifetime experience. Now the songs keeps ringing in my ears...

On a Les Mis high

Do you hear the people sing
Singing the song of angry man
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

When Tomorrow Comes...!!

Happy Birthday Les Mis and Happy Birthday to me! :)

Now I am contemplating to read the novel by Victor Hugo.