With Les Misérables opening in just two days, there’s a flurry of activity and excitement going on at the Manning Entertainment Centre. If you haven’t booked yet you should hop to it, as I predict that this show will sell out, and once word of mouth hits the streets, available tickets will be like hen’s teeth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Meanwhile, here’s some lesser known fun facts about the production to ready you for the run:
1. The original French version of the show - by lyricist Alain Boublil and composer Claude-Michel Schonberg - ran for 107 performances in 1980 at the Palais des Sports in Paris.
2. The English version of the show at London’s Barbican Theatre initially received poor reviews from the critics, but won over the public who flocked to see it. Producer Cameron Mackintosh said at the time: “The public just voted with it’s feet…for me it was a great lesson in the real power of word of mouth.”
3. There are approximately 101 cast and crew directly involved in each professional performance.
4. There have been over 40 cast recordings of Les Miserables.
5. The show has been performed in 42 countries including Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, Bermuda, Philippines, Mauritius, China, Mexico, the Channel Islands and the Dominican Republic.
6. Les Misérables has been translated into 21 different languages: English, Japanese, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, German, Polish, Swedish, Dutch, Danish, French, Czech, Castillian, Mauritian Creole, Flemish, Finnish, Argentinian, Portuguese, Estonian and Mexican Spanish.
7. Contrary to popular opinion, the musical is not set during the French Revolution of 1789. The action begins in 1815, and follows events over the next twenty years including the Paris Uprising of 1832.
8. Each professional performance requires 392 costumes - and 31 wigs. (Poor dressers!)
9. Les Misérables celebrated its 10th anniversary with a gala concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London. The concert starred the original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson and the finale featured 17 different Jean Valjeans from around the world singing in different languages.
So obviously there’s a lot of love in the world for this famous musical! If you’ve never seen it, it’s one not to miss, and if you have seen it, get yourself along to the Manning Entertainment Centre between this Friday and Sunday, November 18 and find out why this production by Taree Arts Council is so special. Book: theMEC.com.au Ph: 6592 5466 or Stockland Forster
