Les Miserables

On Wednesday I fulfilled one of my life long wishes of going to see Les Miserables the musical on the West End! I am still buzzing from it, I've been a huge huge huge fan of Les Mis ever since the film came out (I'm a newbie fan) and it all sort of snowballed and culminated in great front row circle seats to watch probably the greatest story (musical or otherwise) as a lovely birthday treat!

My Les Mis fascination started in January when I was at a loose end on a week off from work, I was walked back to my bus stop through The Brewery in Cheltenham and on a whim decided to check out the film times and saw that there was a showing of Les Mis about to start. I'd been curious because of the rave reviews Anne Hathaway was getting (I'm a total nut for Hathaway) and though I had never even read up the story of Les Mis I bought my ticket and watched it solo! I don't know if the fact that I was alone and surrounded by literally weeping grannies had anything to do with it but the film completely knocked me for six. I went and saw it three more times at the cinema before it finished its run, I listened to the soundtrack and the original West End recording constantly, I bought the book (and promtly gave up on reading the book, which fans affectionaly call 'The Brick' due to it being the size of an actual brick)!

Though my obsession quietened down after a few months, its never really left me. I knew all I wanted for my birthday was to see it in the flesh and I could not have been more happy with what we got. I love both the film and the stage show for completely different reasons but my GOD the stage show is fantastic, I wouldn't want to spoil anything but jesus those performers are so talented and the way they set up backdrops and scenes is mind-boggling. So much creativity, you can easily see why its the longest running show in history.

If you think you don't like musicals I urge you to give it a go. Go with someone who does and let their passion spread to you, I think I've been turned on to musicals now, I really want to see Wicked and Matilda!