Les Misérables performance at the 1985 Laurence Olivier Awards
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- A medley of "I Dreamed a Dream", "Bring Him Home" and "One Day More" performed at the Laurence Olivier Awards - December 1985.
Cast in order of appearance: Patti LuPone, Colm Wilkinson, Frances Ruffelle, Michael Ball, Rebecca Caine, David Burt, Alun Armstrong, Susan Jane Tanner, Roger Allam
No copyright infringement intended
I was there at the awards! I was only 17 and the performance completely blew me away. Now 40 years later, I'll be taking my 17 year old daughter to see the Les Mis International arena tour.
It's like there's some kind of conspiracy against Roger Allam as Javert being properly appreciated. He never gets any love in the specials and has only barely ever been filmed. It's infuriating because, judging from the bootlegs of the whole show, he is far and away my favourite and letter perfect for the character. Never mind that he created the role!
I don't think there is a conspiracy, but he is surely underrated. VERY underrated.
Kate Llama It's almost always like this with the majority of Javerts, and I don't understand why. Nearly every single trailer, special and / or feature focuses on Fantine (who dies 35 minutes in), little Cosette (who has 15 minutes of stage time), students (who will forever remain nameless for the majority of the viewers) or Valjean (the only sensible one to focus on). Javert is NEVER shown / filmed / discussed / advertised. Nowadays, they DO try to give him some attention, but earlier on, it was as if he's not even IN the show. Man, I have even seen some videos where they deliberately CUT HIS SCENES OUT for no reason, like "A guy who's pursuing the main character throughout the entire show, is the main antagonist, and whose life story is crucial for plot understanding? NAH, NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL, CUT HIM OUT AND DON'T YOU DARE FILM HIS FACE. Let's focus on that prostitute who sings one big song and dies minutes later instead!" (no disrespect to Fantine, btw, just seems illogical story-wise).
Although, this might be the point. Fantine's song is, perhaps, THE most well-known out of all in the show, which, I think, is... weird, but that's why they keep using her: 'cause that's what people associate Les Mis with nowadays. Javert's songs are not so well-known and recognized, and housewives / lonely girls can't really associate themselves with him.
Kate Llama At least he appeared, unlike David Burt, on 25th anniversary concert :D
+Kate Llama He is my fave as well. I fell in love with Les Mis listening to his Javert.
He was offered the opportunity to carry over I think but found a smaller but more challenging production at the same time that interested him more.
Damn I feel like the older Colm got the stronger his voice became....Legend
Oh my goodness, Colm Wilkinson gave me chills singing "Bring Him Home" just now. It reminds me of a story I read once, about the first time the cast heard him sing that song in rehearsal. Everyone was hushed after hearing it, and the director said, "I told you this would be a very spiritual show.," and someone in the cast said, "Yes, but you didn't tell us you had got Him to sing it."
The 1985 recording was the first I'd ever heard, and Michael Ball was my first unseen "voice crush."
I find it weird how everyone forgets/doesnt acknowledge that Patti originated the role of Fantine on the west end. Hardly anyone talks about her. I understand people have their favourites and whatnot but its so weird to me since shes such a big broadway actress. She will always be my favourite Fantine though
And she’s the first American to win an Olivier award. She is my favorite Fantine and the one I base all others on. She is also one of the few, in the beginning, who didn’t perform Fantine as a weepy, oh poor me character. She played her as a character that had crap happened to and needed to be strong to carry on and do what she did for her child.
Daniel Nault completely agree
The One and Only true Original Cast!!!! Say what you will, THIS cast IS and will be forever LES MISÉRABLES.
Coln Wilkinson wins after 45+ years!!
hear hear
Only we would know ;-)
This video is so RARE, and a treasure! I was in high school when Les Misérables came to the Broadway stage in NY. My life then and now was music and my chorus teacher loved the show so much he saw it 5 times! He then hand written alto, tenor and bass, parts for our tiny chorus, based on the music, using the lead melody for the sopranos , and we sang, I Dreamed A Dream, and On My Own. I haven't thought about that for YEARS! I was only 15? So, yeah, it's been really a long time! I graduated in 1989... but it took until May 27, 1993, to finally see Les Misérables at the Wintergarden Theatre, on Broadway! I live in NY, on Long Island. I tried desperately to see Les Misérables once more before it closed. I never got the chance to see it again, even when it was brought back to Broadway for a revival.
So, I relive my experience here on TH-cam! In so many forms! I'm so thrilled to have found this video from 1985!
Thank you for sharing and letting me share this with you, too!
Fetus Colm! haha I love him, he is and will be my favorite valjean !!!
I know at the time, Patti Lupone's performance in Les Miz was heralded as the vocal highlight of the show while Colm Wilkinson was praised for his conviction even though critics felt he lacked the physical presence to play the powerful JVJ who in the book is a big man capable of tremendous feats of strength. I don't think audiences would go for Lupone's airy almost detached sounding version now preferring more immediacy to a singer's tone. The role of JVJ has evolved because of the vocal
Oddly enough, Valjean is described as medium height in the book. Javert is bigger.
Thats the only video footage Ive seen of Roger Allam in the old cast thanks!
Maybe, because he left the show early to pursue other plays? I only discovered Les Mis after seeing Roger in La Cage aux Folles with Philip Quast, for which was no recording.
@@mariemann278 I can't altogether regret Roger's decision because I loved his work with the RSC over those years seeing most of the productions several times but it's a great shame we couldn't have both.
Frances Ruffelle! God I LOVE that voice! And I know some people are gonna hate on me for liking her but she reminds more of the Eponine in the original novel.
to those people that say that those performances weren't "true" enough. we are talking about a show that was badly criticized by critics at it's opening, and it hadn't won a single olivier award. and this was 1985, all of them sooo young! i mean, i was really blown away, i had no idea this video existed!
+Charlie Kaine they didn't win a olivier award no but they got nominated 3 times: for Best New Musical, Nominated Best Actor in a Musical Colm Wilkinson +
Nominated Alun Armstrong ,
Nominated Best Actress in a MusicalPatti LuPoneWhich is brilliant anyway
+mikey p Actually Patti won the Olivier for best actress in a musical for Les Mis/The Cradle Will Rock in 1985. Sadly neither Colm, nor Alun won for best actor and the show lost out on the Best New Musical award to Me and My Girl
I actually saw THIS VERY PRODUCTION at the Barbican. Twice. BRILLIANCE.
What a treat to see this when it was totally fresh!
This staging was only used for the awards ceremony. I agree about Colm and Patti, but I love Michael Ball as Marius(there's never been a better Marius in my opinion), Rebecca Caine as Cosette and Frances Ruffelle as Eponine too.
I was living in London at the time when Les Mis opened. Saw it twice at The Barbican. Watched this very performance air. I was FLOORED that it didn’t win!! ME AND MY GIRL won. Glad this is available though!!
I was brought to les miz by way of this cast recording at 12 years old and it will always be THE ONE AND ONLY cast for me. When I hum the songs in my head or sing them out loud its these awesome people and what they have to he world they gave to the world that is in my head.
Couldn't agree more about Michael Ball.
Wow! Susan Jane Tanner! I really just love her so much
Colm Wilkerson IS ValJean just as Michael Ball is Marius, Alun Armstrong is Thenaridier, and Frances Ruffelle is Eponine. Broadway cannot compete. The only singer who eclipses the original is Philip Quast as Javert. He is amazing.
TaraNator yes xx
YES. I've been watching him play Inspector Thursday in Endeavour (and do a wonderful job), and wanted to see him as Javert...
Partial to the London cast myself. I've always really liked David Burt as Enjolras. His voice has such a unique character to it.
My left ear really enjoyed this
OMG Allun Armstrong 😍😍😍
I thought he was a wonderfully dangerous and tragic Sweeney Todd but the run was so short with him in the role.
This is amazing, thank you so much! The video needs more Roger though :D
Another fan! At last! I saw the original cast and she stole the show! Love her to bits.
I love that Mme Thenardier is Jellylorum!!! Susan Jane Tanner
Roger Allam
The tempo's slow the marching's awkward too. Everybody looks like they're swaying to the beat.
I saw this original cast and they were magnificent. Thanks so much for posting, the tape may be old but it just brings it all back. Wonderful :O)
Great video, so nice to see people still loving the old times.
In my opinion, the 10th anniversary (in 1995) was the best version. Strong voices, awesome feelings. But that's just my opinion, not trying to shove it down in anyone's mind.
Mine too, saw it when I was nineteen. They'll stay forever in my heart!
Wow. Thanks for sharing this gem
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been a fan of Les Mis since late 1986 and had never seen this.
Why haven't Frances Ruffelle performed as Fantine EVER? I think she'd be GREAT!
I know right?
I think I've read most of the reviews of the OLC and the people who got the most praise was by far Colm Wilkinson, Roger Allam and Frances Ruffelle. All three juvenile leads have declined over the years - there's never really been a strong Marius since the first few casts (btw: Marius is supposed to be 22-23 - not 19) and Eponine and Cosette used to be played by very different types of actresses - these days many play both roles at some point.
Beautiful!
It's so interesting seeing how the music might have been played in the original London Production with the way it's evolved and become different over the years. I don't know whether it's the recording, but the music seems a lot slower and less 'clean cut' from the videos I've watched and I really like it. Take me back to 1985 :P
Look, the Thenardiers are my favourite characters and all, but why the fuck do they skip Javert here?
Love the songs
The original and best.
My favorite Jean Valjean, after Colm Wilkinson, is Craig Schulman, who played him in the original US National tour. He is also opera-trained. I agree about Michael Ball. He doesn't look like Marius to me, he is by far the best Marius as far as his singing is concerned.
Agree about Roger. Also rare video footage of David Burt as Enjolras.
with a singer/actor who can pass both physically and vocally for a 19-year-old.
why did they cut out Javert's solo?!
it would've made sense if they skipped over the second half or had javert sing the part where he joins the schoolboys but no, no solo
That's the way to do it !!
I always thought LuPone's voice was too perfect for Fantine.
demands of navigating the passagio in "Bring Him Home," the B-flats in the prologue, and the top b-natural in "Who Am I" so that now you have more operatic performers like Alfie Boe and Geronimo Rauch excelling in the role. Eponine too has evolved from the fragile feminine interpretation of Frances Ruffelle to the bit more rough-edged tomboy portrayals by Samantha Barks and others. To me, Michael Ball has always been the most vocally refined Marius, but it's entirely appropriate to cast the role
Lol,i will certainly say what i will here. While both cast do have their own particular flair,my fave cast is and may forever be the new one,lol. But i definitely wont hate on this one. They did the musical proud in their own way.
Colm wilkinson is jean valjean.
Forever in our hearts.
If you're going based on this video, I'm pretty certain this is not the actual staging they used outside of this Awards performance.
A video of Rebecca Caine as Cosette! This video is gold
She was Christine in a production of the Phantom of the Opera.
@@Martin-es8mb I know, and she's pretty much very known for this more. Rebecca Caine is more loved by Phantom of the Opera fans, it's so rare to see some vids of her as Cosette, and even rare to see Les Mis fans love her as much as they do Michael Ball.
@@Girl-rj3qe… I love Rebecca Caine!! She’s my favorite Cosette who was the standard I held all other Cosette’s too. My next favorite is Melissa Errico, who was my first Cosette I saw in Boston 1989! And then next, of course, is Judy Kuhn.
@@bookemdano7567 I’ve never heard of the others you mentioned, but I presume they are good. Katie Hall is my favorite Cosette, but Rebecca is also one of my favorites as Cosette. I do think she’s quite underrated in the Les Mis fandom, whenever I search for her almost always, results from Phantom of the Opera come up.
@@Martin-es8mb Yes, I know but there are way more videos of that, seeing a video of her as Cosette in the 80s is rarer.
Took me back to 1985 when I was in it!
All the 80's-Hairstyles are a kind of .... scary today .... xD
I’d urge everyone to read the unabridged novel. It’s just shy of 1500 pages but for good reason. The detail Hugo provides immerses you into early 19th century France. You’ll all have a new appreciation for the musical.
I’ve heard things here like Fantine dies soon after she appears but if you read the text you’ll see why and how she is so central to the story and you’ll get to know her story in detail and also get to know her intimately; far more than the musical itself or the playbill can give you. Repeat statement for all the other characters.
Warning though, it flips back and forth from personal stories and the plot to broad illustrations of the early 19th century French zeitgeist and the general happenings of the time. It is kind of tough to keep up and engaged during those parts but it’s also necessary to understand Les Misérables completely.
Oh, so the chacha lol step is indeed present in the original production. XD
love interests in Phantom :)
What happened to Roger?
Prior to Endeavour Roger Allam did not like to stay on for long with any show.
several stints with the National, brilliant Falstaff and Prospero at the Globe, six years with the RSC And loads of shorter runs.
It is so cool to hear how One Day More changed during time... and did Fanzine joined at the end or am i imagining?
WOW!!! where did you find it?
I never saw this clip before!
Thank you for uploading it!
Cosette - Katie Hall
Bishop - Earl Carpenter
I Wonder how old was Colm by that time and what was the real colour of his hair by then ???
I have nothing against the original Broadway cast(with the possible exception of David Bryant - sorry but he wasn't any good as Marius IMO) but this will always be "my" cast.
Omg give me ian tucker as gavroche :(
Colm is always old
My dream cast would be sort of a combination of the two.
Valjean - Alfie Boe's vocal technique with Colm Wilkinson's inflection.
Javert - Phillip Quast
Fantine - Ruthie Henschall (I would have cast Madallena Albero for the 2010 Concert over Lea Salonga who just seemed tired and pushed to me.)
Thenardier's - 1985 Cast
Eponine - Lea Salonga (Just edging out Sam who I love too.)
Marius - Michael Ball (I would have cast Gareth Gates or Craig Mather over the vocally strained Nick Jonas in 2010.)
Interesting how Colm and Rebecca move from a father/ daughter relationship to lover
Fantine looks bored
I prefer some newer casts. Samantha Barks plays Eponine with a different feeling that I prefer to Frances Ruffelle and Ruthie Henshall is the best Fantine, in my opinion. I just love the little grin that Enjolras gives before he does his solo; it really shows his enthusiasm for the musical. It's probably impossible not to smile while singing that part.
Samantha Barks she was in the UK production and was part of the cast in the film version of the musical.
it was " You said the show was about god, you didn't tell us he'd be in it"
XD. Yes your right.
I love Colm, but Patti Lupone doesn''t do anything for me.
Same with Frances Ruffele (Eponine).
Agreed…in fact, the only person Patti does anything for is Patti.
wtf is with the orchestration? sorry is it suppose to be like that or is it the video?
looks like a high school production
My dream cast: Valjean: John Owen Jones, Javert: Philip Quast, Fantine: Ruthie Henshall,Young Cosette: Hannah Chick(10th anniversary), Gavroche: Robert Madge(25th anniversary) or N.Jonas, Marius : Gareth Gates or Jon Robyns, Enjorlas: Jon Robyns, Ramin Karimloo, Cosette: Katie Hall, Annalene Beechey or Rebecca Caine, Eponine; Frances Ruffelle or Nancy Sullivan. Thenardiers: J.Gallowey and A. Armstrong
Enjorlas
the choreography for this performance is strange yes, but you don't get voices (or actors) like these in high school productions
Ruthie Henshall is Fantine.
IMHO
I still think Ruthie Henshall was the best Fantine.
My dream cast:
Valjean: John Owen Jones
Javert: Michael McCarthy
Fantine: Ruthie Henshall
Marius: Michael Ball or Jerome Pradon (Paris cast 1991)
Cosette: Rebecca Caine
Eponine: Stephanie Martin (Paris Cast 1991 my favorite Eponine by far over all)
Enjolras: Anthony Warlow
Thénardiers: Alun Armstrong & J Galloway
is Fantine - Lu Pone?
It is difficult to confuse her with someone else)
As always Colm is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! And I love Patti to death, I don't think Fantine is her best role. Don't really care for the rest of this cast except for maybe Javert. And the staging was awfull.
the best Javert
Who is the Fantine here??
+Bob Bautista It's all in the video description - it's Patti LuPone
Sweeney541 Thank you! :-)
Patti LupOne sounds bored here.. which is a pity as she sounds much better on the soundtrack...
I disagree. Her expression and disposition captures the character completely. This is a once wide eyed naive teenager who’s been beaten down by the worst life has to offer. She’s exasperated and indifferent, she’s given up, her heart has turned cold, that’s her complete constitution at this moment and her portrayal reflects that; it’s not boredom.
@@patrickhofer6752… Well said! People think she’s bored because they are use to the over acted and over sung show Les Mis, unfortunately, has become.
Why is beth tweddle madame thenardier??
Oh sorry...... and Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras who I felt has not been matched in the role.
you just called patti lupone and frances rufelle pathetic? get out.
I thought that was LuPone. She's a little too operatic for this role, IMO.
Patti LuPone...the original Fantine. Light years better than Randy Graff.