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>> Since opening in 1985, "Les
Miserables" has become something
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of an institution
here in the West End.
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Not only is it the world's
longest running musical it's
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been seen by more than 60
million people in 42 countries
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and in 21 different languages.
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>> If somebody had told
you that way back when,
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would you have believed it?
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>> I'd have laughed.
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Absolutely no way.
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>> You say you knew
you were working
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on something good though.
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>> Yes. I absolutely -- I
loved it but there was no way
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that anyone can imagine
something running this long.
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It's crazy isn't it?
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It's probably going to long --
it will probably outlive me.
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>> I think it's one of the
great stories of the triumph
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for the human spirit
and it's got --
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because it's got
so many characters,
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it's got so many ways in.
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You know, you've got
the story of Valjean,
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which advances the discovery
of virtue and the discovery
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of faith, the discovery
of love for a child
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and what it's like
to be a parent.
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What it's like to let a
child go out into the world.
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Then you've got the kind of more
teenage love triangle story.
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The story of unrequited
love with Eponine, kids who,
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you know, enjoyed Gavroche
and little Cosette's stories.
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And any obsessive
policemen can enjoy Javert.
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>> Jean Valjean's crime was
stealing a loaf of bread.
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>> Help me please.
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>> It was the beginning of
a lifelong confrontation.
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>> "Les Mis" miraculously is
the longest running musical
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in the world and it's -- I mean,
I'm as surprised as anybody.
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You know, I mean, I, you know,
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I always thought it was
a very terrific musical
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but I never had any
thought that a show
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of such serious note
would actually run as long
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but it seems to touch
every generation everywhere
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in the world.
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I mean Victor Hugo's
story, you know,
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is about contemporary
people, even though it's set
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in another period setting.
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And every country in the
world seems to react to it.
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And of course Alain Boublil
and Claude-Michel's music,
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Claude-Michel Schonberg's music.
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I just -- is -- the songs
are absolutely fantastic
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and they're timeless
and it speaks
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to an audience of any age.
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>> Let's not forget though
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that Victor Hugo was already
an international celebrity
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by the time he got to age 30.
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He was known as the
prince of poets
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and was shall we say massive
within the Romantic Movement.
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More importantly, of course,
he was what you would;
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I suppose assume today, just
a huge celebrity end of.
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Who would have thought though
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that so many years later his
name would still be synonymous
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really with the world
of musical theater.
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Not just really in his
home country or even indeed
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in Britain but worldwide.
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>> Take him up.
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>> A dual of wills with the
fanatic police inspector Javert.
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>> Continue.
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>> The hope of escape was
his only reason for living.
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>> Halt or I'll shoot.
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>> It is the decision
of the military tribunal
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that five years be
added to your sentence.
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>> You must have been asked
many times but can you
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in any way put your
finger on what it is
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that has made it the
longest running show ever?
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>> Well I personally
think it's the story.
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>> Victor Hugo's
masterpiece "Les Miserables."
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>> You mustn't cry.
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You must be very brave.
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>> With all the power
and spectacle
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of those turbulent years leading
to the French Revolution,
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it is a story of incredible
courage and relentless pursuit.
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>> Join us.
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>> An exciting panorama
that captures the spirit
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of a rebellious generation.
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>> It's the most
interesting universal story
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and it touches everybody.
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I remember watching some
of the scenes that I wasn't
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in way back before it went on,
you know, during rehearsals
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and I was sobbing my heart
out and then I had --
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I thought, oh my God, it's my
scene coming up next and I had
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to pull myself together.
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I mean this show -- well, it
makes men cry, put it that way.
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>> It's a beautiful story.
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I mean whether you're
into musicals or not,
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it's one of the greatest
stories ever told.
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>> The crowning point really
for Victor Hugo's masterpiece
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"Les Miserables" really
started way back in June 1832.
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He was sat in a park, relaxing,
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heard a rather strange
noise at first.
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Found out that it was
gunfire, which then led him
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in to the June revolution, which
of course then formed the basis
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of possibly his best
and most famous idea.
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>> You join us today.
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Together we will lay our hand on
the sword held of God and shout,
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down with the war bonds,
down with the Monarchy.
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>> It was the first
lesson I learned is
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that it doesn't matter
how good the songs are.
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If the book isn't really
strong and the songs don't grow
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out of the book, you
don't have a good musical.
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>> Victor's first full length
novel was one that we know
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by a better title now, but when
it first came out, it was known
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as "Notre-Dame de Paris",
which then in turn became,
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of course more famous
as "The Hunchback
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of Notre Dame" being remade
so many times, most famously
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of course by Hollywood in the
late '30s with Charles Laughton.
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But that really did open
many doors for Victor
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and he became even
more celebrated
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if that were possible.
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Now just to put this in sort
of a bracket if you like,
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Paris and France in particular
were already in the grip
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of something rather
dramatic themselves.
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There had been a massive
outbreak of cholera
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where over 19,000
Parisians died.
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Now some people thought
that this was really set
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up by the government as
one of those mad theories,
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you know because they were
trying to poison off for want
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of a better word some of the
lesser desirable residents
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of Parisian Society,
the underdogs.
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And this of course then
fascinated Hugo himself giving
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him even more spark to an
already dramatic story.
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Now not many people will
know that Victor Hugo wrote
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"Les Miserables" in
his long years of exile
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in the Channel Islands and
to get inspiration for this,
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he would write naked
at his desk every day.
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Shocking some people who would
actually turn up to take tea
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with him and things like that.
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I think what is interesting
to note
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as well he really didn't rush
this particular masterpiece.
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He went through many,
many different rewrites
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and for a while it sat around.
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By himself, you know,
he changed plot.
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Decided to pick it up,
go back to it again.
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He was known as a perfectionist
and I think of course
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like anybody who'd enjoy
huge success it would be
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like today releasing
a Bond movie.
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You know, everybody's
going to criticize.
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Everybody's going to say whether
they like it or not and he was
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under immense pressure
to make sure what he came
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up with next was of course
an international smash
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and of course when it first came
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out that wasn't necessarily
the case.
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Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables"
really was the most anticipated
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publication in years.
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And New York society
was a gag waiting
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to know how it would be done.
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And to give you just an
insight really as to how
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that even back then
they were very clever.
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They decided to mount
this massive PR campaign.
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And so they would drop in little
teasers rather like what they do
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with say like the "Harry
Potter" movie in today's decade.
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So they just drop a
little bit in and they came
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up with the first sort of take,
the second take and by the time
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of course that the final volume
was released it was a momentum.
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Everybody wanted a copy.
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Everybody needed to be seen
with a copy of their book.
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It was the coffee
table equivalent
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of gold dust if you like.
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And once again, of course, he
was looking at a mega smash hit.
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>> Cameron Mackintosh was
sent a demo tape based
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on Victor Hugo's novel
"Les Miserables."
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The two French composers
Claude-Michel Schonberg
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and Alain Boublil worked closely
with him developing the score.
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>> We never go ahead with
anything unless all three
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of us absolutely agree
on every step of the way.
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>> I think that whole
da, da, da --
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>> I can't do without
the first part.
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>> Because you can't do
da, da, da, da, da, de, de.
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>> It's like a safety
break that if two --
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if two like something
and the other doesn't,
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it means that actually we
haven't got the right solution
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and we then carry on until
we find a third solution.
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>> When Victor Hugo
passed away in May 1885,
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he was considered
a national hero.
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Over 2 million people
mourned at his funeral,
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but this is the interesting
thing.
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The theme of course throughout
"Les Miserables" is all
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about social injustice
and he'd requested
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that he wanted a
pauper's funeral.
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Suddenly though for him,
that wish was not carried out
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and he became, if possible, an
even bigger cultural literally
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and of course celebrity icon.
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>> When I first heard it
was called "Les Miserables",
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I thought hum, I
thought, I don't know
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if that name's going to work.
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And so we called it "The Glums."
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And now,
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you know, "Les Miserables"
is the name
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that everybody knows
worldwide and even
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00:10:05,739 --> 00:10:07,675
if you don't speak
French you know the name.
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>> Since the publication of "Les
Miserables" there's been no less
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than 48 operatic versions, but
the version really that we know
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00:10:16,016 --> 00:10:20,654
and love today actually
started out way back in 1980
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as just a simple concept album.
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00:10:23,724 --> 00:10:25,659
>> Can you not actually get
that with a different --
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slightly different rhythm
because that's got --
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that's got the menace
that we're talking about.
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>> I think a producer
shouldn't write for writers.
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00:10:33,466 --> 00:10:35,703
I don't think directors
should do that.
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>> The writers and lyricists
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of the wonderful concept
album were allegedly inspired
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by another British phenomenon
that of Lionel Bart's "Oliver",
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00:10:46,279 --> 00:10:48,348
the record breaking musical.
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Apparently they were sat
down watching it in a theater
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and particularly taking
interest in the artful dodger
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00:10:54,888 --> 00:10:58,058
and as they were watching
Oliver unfold on stage,
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they decided how
they could almost see
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00:11:00,728 --> 00:11:02,830
"Les Miserables" taking shape
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00:11:02,863 --> 00:11:06,233
in their own musical
opera themselves simply
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00:11:06,266 --> 00:11:07,901
by just watching "Oliver."
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00:11:07,935 --> 00:11:10,704
Now who would have thought
that a simple project
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00:11:10,738 --> 00:11:12,339
like Lionel Bart's "Oliver"
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00:11:12,372 --> 00:11:14,441
which also had its
own problems just like
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00:11:14,474 --> 00:11:18,411
"Les Miserables" would explode
from just an afternoon matinee.
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00:11:18,445 --> 00:11:22,716
>> We are there to compliment
the writer's imagination
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00:11:22,750 --> 00:11:27,788
and to bring -- bring that
writing to its best fruition.
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00:11:27,821 --> 00:11:31,458
What I'm very good at is
saying this bit's dull.
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00:11:31,491 --> 00:11:36,764
This song does not sort
of come to a proper climax
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and I'm just fascinated about
how -- how the writing develops
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00:11:44,504 --> 00:11:48,375
and how that you take
a basically good story
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00:11:48,408 --> 00:11:51,144
and you make sure that the graph
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00:11:51,178 --> 00:11:54,882
of the motion throughout the
evening is hit exactly right.
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>> Three months after the
concert album had topped the
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00:11:57,384 --> 00:11:59,953
charts in France,
someone decided
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to take the rather risky venture
of taking it to the stage.
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00:12:05,258 --> 00:12:08,028
Once again the critics
were less than nice
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00:12:08,061 --> 00:12:11,765
about this particular
new musical but word
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00:12:11,799 --> 00:12:15,803
of mouth took off once again
making the three-month run
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00:12:15,836 --> 00:12:17,004
a sellout.
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00:12:17,037 --> 00:12:19,907
Of course by this point, other
people were taking notice,
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00:12:19,940 --> 00:12:23,043
not just in France,
but around the world.
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00:12:23,076 --> 00:12:24,812
>> That's the thing
that I always aim
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for for my productions.
241
00:12:26,046 --> 00:12:29,116
Once the audience settles down,
the first thing you've got
242
00:12:29,149 --> 00:12:31,051
to do is in the first
five minutes is
243
00:12:31,084 --> 00:12:33,787
to tell them the
language of the evening
244
00:12:33,821 --> 00:12:35,322
that you're going to use.
245
00:12:35,355 --> 00:12:39,960
>> Way back in 1980, the
first original concept album
246
00:12:39,993 --> 00:12:42,362
of "Les Mis" was released.
247
00:12:42,395 --> 00:12:45,498
It topped the charts without
really much promotion.
248
00:12:45,532 --> 00:12:47,935
And three months
later they decided
249
00:12:47,968 --> 00:12:52,005
to stage the very first
musical version based
250
00:12:52,039 --> 00:12:53,874
on the concept album.
251
00:12:53,907 --> 00:12:56,409
This just broke box
office records
252
00:12:56,443 --> 00:12:59,813
with over a million plus people
wanting to see the production.
253
00:12:59,847 --> 00:13:02,449
Then, of course, this was
brought to the attention
254
00:13:02,482 --> 00:13:05,285
of who we know now to
be the super producer,
255
00:13:05,318 --> 00:13:08,956
none other than our very
own Cameron Mackintosh
256
00:13:08,989 --> 00:13:12,993
but it would take him quite some
time before he could turn it
257
00:13:13,026 --> 00:13:15,963
into the British phenomenon
that we know and love
258
00:13:15,996 --> 00:13:17,865
and take it around the world.
259
00:13:17,898 --> 00:13:20,233
But when he first heard
the concept album,
260
00:13:20,267 --> 00:13:22,602
he thought there could
be something in it.
261
00:13:22,635 --> 00:13:24,604
Of course he had no idea just
262
00:13:24,637 --> 00:13:28,208
that something would make
him very, very rich indeed.
263
00:13:28,241 --> 00:13:32,012
>> Okay. One, two, three, whoa.
264
00:13:32,045 --> 00:13:34,447
>> I knew from the beginning I
wanted to do the singing live
265
00:13:34,481 --> 00:13:37,184
and I was so passionate
about it I wasn't willing
266
00:13:37,217 --> 00:13:41,021
to make the film unless I could
do the singing live and this is
267
00:13:41,054 --> 00:13:44,357
because I always find
singing to play back,
268
00:13:44,391 --> 00:13:47,527
to lip sync to prerecorded
however it is done
269
00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:48,395
to be an artifice.
270
00:13:48,428 --> 00:13:50,130
At its worse, it
makes you embarrassed.
271
00:13:50,163 --> 00:13:53,366
The best just forgive
it and in the light
272
00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,636
of a comedic film it's
easier to forgive.
273
00:13:56,669 --> 00:14:00,941
I wanted there to be no
barrier between the audience
274
00:14:00,974 --> 00:14:02,442
and the experience
and those emotions.
275
00:14:09,049 --> 00:14:12,585
In terms of how it was made it
was a truly British production.
276
00:14:12,619 --> 00:14:16,156
Internationalism was, you
know, really in the cards
277
00:14:16,189 --> 00:14:17,657
because I wanted some
of the best people
278
00:14:17,690 --> 00:14:18,858
in the world to do this.
279
00:14:18,892 --> 00:14:22,996
That doesn't mean the British
are the best singers but,
280
00:14:23,030 --> 00:14:24,097
you know,
281
00:14:24,131 --> 00:14:26,066
>> I think what's personally
interesting to take note
282
00:14:26,099 --> 00:14:30,971
of is the fact that when the
show launched in October 1985,
283
00:14:31,004 --> 00:14:33,040
nobody really could have
foreseen just how big it was
284
00:14:33,073 --> 00:14:34,007
going to be.
285
00:14:34,041 --> 00:14:36,977
And you know the critics
as I say loathed it.
286
00:14:37,010 --> 00:14:38,045
Rather cruel in fact.
287
00:14:38,078 --> 00:14:41,614
Not really just about the
length of the musical,
288
00:14:41,648 --> 00:14:43,483
you know the fact that
we're getting a free ticket
289
00:14:43,516 --> 00:14:45,919
and the fact that they
had to sit and endure it
290
00:14:45,953 --> 00:14:48,321
but they didn't really
understand even when it started
291
00:14:48,355 --> 00:14:51,524
to take off and become a
huge box office phenomena.
292
00:14:51,558 --> 00:14:53,961
They couldn't understand
why the public liked it.
293
00:14:53,994 --> 00:14:59,166
>> The posh papers said
that we had trivialized one
294
00:14:59,199 --> 00:15:02,302
of the greatest works
of western literature.
295
00:15:02,335 --> 00:15:05,973
The tabloids agreed
between themselves
296
00:15:06,006 --> 00:15:12,445
that we had perpetrated a
gloomy, dull, endless evening,
297
00:15:12,479 --> 00:15:14,481
which wasn't what
musicals were about at all.
298
00:15:14,514 --> 00:15:18,018
Musicals should be light and
frothy and frivolous evenings
299
00:15:18,051 --> 00:15:21,121
and sent everybody away
happy and humming the tunes.
300
00:15:21,154 --> 00:15:24,091
>> It took two years for
Cameron Mackintosh and his team
301
00:15:24,124 --> 00:15:27,094
to make the English language
version of what we know
302
00:15:27,127 --> 00:15:28,996
as "Les Miserables" today.
303
00:15:29,029 --> 00:15:32,966
But in October 1985,
it opened at the less
304
00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:38,471
than glamorous location off
West End in the Barbican.
305
00:15:39,606 --> 00:15:41,208
>> Although his father
is Scottish,
306
00:15:41,241 --> 00:15:44,111
Mackintosh himself was brought
up in the Home Counties.
307
00:15:44,144 --> 00:15:46,613
His mother is Maltese
and his parents met
308
00:15:46,646 --> 00:15:48,615
in ANSA during the war.
309
00:15:48,648 --> 00:15:54,621
>> When he was young, he was
always standing on chairs,
310
00:15:54,654 --> 00:15:56,389
with a stick in his hand
311
00:15:56,423 --> 00:15:59,659
as if he had a great
orchestra in front.
312
00:15:59,692 --> 00:16:05,032
And I thought he was going to be
sort of a bandmaster, bandleader
313
00:16:05,065 --> 00:16:06,399
or something like that.
314
00:16:06,433 --> 00:16:09,736
Then he started with
a puppet show.
315
00:16:09,769 --> 00:16:15,042
>> I know a lot of
people do puppet shows
316
00:16:15,075 --> 00:16:19,079
but they don't normally drive
the family entirely batty
317
00:16:19,112 --> 00:16:19,979
all year.
318
00:16:20,013 --> 00:16:23,750
>> The first thing
he used to tell us,
319
00:16:23,783 --> 00:16:26,486
"If you're late,
you won't come in."
320
00:16:26,519 --> 00:16:29,622
So we used to say,
"Well, we don't come
321
00:16:29,656 --> 00:16:30,690
in you'll have no audience."
322
00:16:30,723 --> 00:16:31,791
He'd said, "Never mind.
323
00:16:31,824 --> 00:16:34,061
Every show you must be on time."
324
00:16:34,094 --> 00:16:38,031
>> I just finished
playing a performance,
325
00:16:38,065 --> 00:16:41,334
imaginary performance
of sadder days
326
00:16:41,368 --> 00:16:47,374
and the stage door keeper came
to my dressing room and said,
327
00:16:47,407 --> 00:16:52,145
"Excuse me sir, I'm sorry to
bother you, but there's a lady
328
00:16:52,179 --> 00:16:56,449
at the stage door with a
little boy and she says
329
00:16:56,483 --> 00:17:00,187
that he absolutely
insists upon seeing you.
330
00:17:00,220 --> 00:17:05,692
So in you came, Cameron,
and was it your aunt
331
00:17:05,725 --> 00:17:07,160
that was with you, I think?
332
00:17:07,194 --> 00:17:09,529
>> It was my aunt, my
mother and my kilt.
333
00:17:09,562 --> 00:17:10,730
>> Yes.
334
00:17:10,763 --> 00:17:13,300
I remember your kilt very well.
335
00:17:13,333 --> 00:17:16,203
>> And Julian instead of sort
of patting me on the head
336
00:17:16,236 --> 00:17:18,771
and giving me some candy floss
actually took me terribly
337
00:17:18,805 --> 00:17:23,576
seriously and showed me
backstage of how the --
338
00:17:23,610 --> 00:17:26,513
he mimed with mini the
magic piano from the pit
339
00:17:26,546 --> 00:17:28,181
and how the flying
saucer worked.
340
00:17:28,215 --> 00:17:30,150
It was attached to wires.
341
00:17:30,183 --> 00:17:32,085
And I just remember sitting
on the stage or standing
342
00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:33,686
on the stage looking
around and thinking yes,
343
00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:35,222
I'd like to do this
when I grow up.
344
00:17:35,255 --> 00:17:38,125
My nickname at school
was Darryl F. Mackintosh.
345
00:17:38,158 --> 00:17:41,428
After Darryl F. Zanuck
who was having lots
346
00:17:41,461 --> 00:17:43,096
of successful films then.
347
00:17:43,130 --> 00:17:46,266
And again, I used to
start the first day
348
00:17:46,299 --> 00:17:49,369
of the autumn term preparing
for the Christmas review.
349
00:17:49,402 --> 00:17:52,205
If people booked in advance
they could get the tickets
350
00:17:52,239 --> 00:17:53,373
for a shilling.
351
00:17:53,406 --> 00:17:55,142
And if they got
nearer the date,
352
00:17:55,175 --> 00:17:57,544
they had to pay two shillings.
353
00:17:57,577 --> 00:17:58,578
I was like a Hoover.
354
00:17:58,611 --> 00:18:03,183
I sucked up any information
about the theater.
355
00:18:03,216 --> 00:18:04,751
I got magazines from America.
356
00:18:04,784 --> 00:18:08,388
From every newspaper
article I could
357
00:18:08,421 --> 00:18:09,656
about anything about
the theater.
358
00:18:09,689 --> 00:18:13,360
I was a walking encyclopedia at
school and drove everybody mad
359
00:18:13,393 --> 00:18:16,229
who was much more interested
the football results.
360
00:18:16,263 --> 00:18:18,265
>> When he left school
Cameron Mackintosh decided
361
00:18:18,298 --> 00:18:19,899
to try the stage
management course
362
00:18:19,932 --> 00:18:22,902
at the Central School
of Speech and Drama.
363
00:18:22,935 --> 00:18:26,306
But he left after only a year to
get proper backstage experience
364
00:18:26,339 --> 00:18:28,575
at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
365
00:18:28,608 --> 00:18:32,812
In the mornings he also cleaned
the theatre to earn extra money.
366
00:18:32,845 --> 00:18:35,282
>> I took great pride
cleaning that theatre.
367
00:18:35,315 --> 00:18:37,417
The dresser at the
bar was my domain
368
00:18:37,450 --> 00:18:40,620
and I'd very carefully
polish all the brass
369
00:18:40,653 --> 00:18:42,189
and wash the glass.
370
00:18:42,222 --> 00:18:43,823
>> So it must be rather
nice for you to be back
371
00:18:43,856 --> 00:18:45,425
at Drury Lane in "Miss Saigon."
372
00:18:45,458 --> 00:18:48,295
>> It's -- oh it's
like coming home.
373
00:18:48,328 --> 00:18:50,930
I've always had -- that's
the one dream I've had is
374
00:18:50,963 --> 00:18:53,266
to have a show on at Drury Lane.
375
00:18:53,300 --> 00:18:56,203
>> He did have a variety of
jobs backstage including a spell
376
00:18:56,236 --> 00:18:59,339
up in the flies hauling
scenery up and down.
377
00:18:59,372 --> 00:19:04,244
>> As I undid the ropes,
they caught around my hand
378
00:19:04,277 --> 00:19:07,847
and I was flown the
weight of this huge piece
379
00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:10,350
of scenery took me
right up to the grid
380
00:19:10,383 --> 00:19:13,853
and it stopped literally
six inches from the grid.
381
00:19:13,886 --> 00:19:16,756
I would have -- only because it
was a very tall piece of scenery
382
00:19:16,789 --> 00:19:20,260
that had landed on the stage
and they had to cut me down.
383
00:19:21,228 --> 00:19:23,196
>> You know people
think it's pretty easy
384
00:19:23,230 --> 00:19:23,730
to be an .
385
00:19:23,763 --> 00:19:26,766
Believe me it ain't.
386
00:19:26,799 --> 00:19:27,767
It ain't easy at all.
387
00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,670
>> Choreographers and
directors always argue.
388
00:19:30,703 --> 00:19:34,341
The book writer tends to argue
with the composer and lyricist
389
00:19:34,374 --> 00:19:36,943
and it's very important to have
a strong producer at the top
390
00:19:36,976 --> 00:19:39,379
because in a sense
he is the one who has
391
00:19:39,412 --> 00:19:43,383
to balance all the elements
and control all the elements.
392
00:19:43,416 --> 00:19:48,755
>> I knew the moment I started
to talk to Cameron in detail
393
00:19:48,788 --> 00:19:51,291
that there was a man
after my own heart.
394
00:19:51,324 --> 00:19:52,959
He had just the same enthusiasm.
395
00:19:52,992 --> 00:19:56,696
Just the same care that
he must be glamorous
396
00:19:56,729 --> 00:19:57,664
and beautifully done.
397
00:19:57,697 --> 00:20:00,400
That you don't save
pennies on the costume
398
00:20:00,433 --> 00:20:03,403
or save pennies on the
scenery or something.
399
00:20:03,436 --> 00:20:04,471
You do it properly.
400
00:20:04,504 --> 00:20:07,374
You don't try and scrape
into a smaller orchestra.
401
00:20:07,407 --> 00:20:09,676
>> I'm not a great
musician though I can tell
402
00:20:09,709 --> 00:20:12,279
when the music's right or wrong.
403
00:20:12,312 --> 00:20:17,417
I can overlap into his area
by sort of prodding him here
404
00:20:17,450 --> 00:20:20,387
and there and thinking don't we
need something like that or is
405
00:20:20,420 --> 00:20:24,257
that mood right or
whatever in his scoring.
406
00:20:24,291 --> 00:20:27,594
>> Cameron is really much more
than old-fashioned producer
407
00:20:27,627 --> 00:20:30,763
in the sense that he does
have strong creative views
408
00:20:30,797 --> 00:20:32,865
and sometimes
the team he works
409
00:20:32,899 --> 00:20:36,035
with don't share them but
he has a very strong opinion
410
00:20:36,068 --> 00:20:37,304
practically about everything.
411
00:20:37,337 --> 00:20:40,039
In fact one of his qualities is
that you could be two minutes
412
00:20:40,072 --> 00:20:43,510
into a song and he'll come up
and say, "I don't like that.
413
00:20:43,543 --> 00:20:44,544
It doesn't work."
414
00:20:44,577 --> 00:20:46,546
And then you go, "Cameron
just wait a minute.
415
00:20:46,579 --> 00:20:49,382
Let's just get through to the
end and we'll work it out."
416
00:20:49,416 --> 00:20:50,717
>> Well I can't help myself.
417
00:20:50,750 --> 00:20:52,285
I mean, I'm one of these people
418
00:20:52,319 --> 00:20:56,022
that just says what I feel
even if it isn't right.
419
00:20:56,055 --> 00:20:58,925
I just have to get it out of my
system but I've got a sort of --
420
00:20:58,958 --> 00:21:04,697
I sort of like sort of truffle
hound sort of smelling spots
421
00:21:04,731 --> 00:21:07,367
in the show which aren't --
that I don't think are right
422
00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,437
and I just keep on and on and
on until they just to shut me
423
00:21:10,470 --> 00:21:12,672
up they'll go away or
at least think about it.
424
00:21:12,705 --> 00:21:16,909
>> He had one complete
set of orchestrations made
425
00:21:16,943 --> 00:21:19,379
and then he decided that
he didn't like them.
426
00:21:19,412 --> 00:21:20,947
It wasn't right for the show.
427
00:21:20,980 --> 00:21:24,751
He got rid of that orchestrator
and hired another orchestrator
428
00:21:24,784 --> 00:21:28,321
who then did two more dummy
runs of orchestrations.
429
00:21:28,355 --> 00:21:31,658
>> I had to scrap an
entire concept album,
430
00:21:31,691 --> 00:21:37,697
which cost over 300,000-pounds,
which went down the Suwannee
431
00:21:37,730 --> 00:21:40,633
but it was worth it in the end.
432
00:21:40,667 --> 00:21:44,771
>> Have you ever seen a zebra
or giraffe in the jungle?
433
00:21:44,804 --> 00:21:45,738
I mean they --
434
00:21:45,772 --> 00:21:49,676
But I have last year
and I can tell you --
435
00:21:49,709 --> 00:21:51,611
>> To a certain extent
now we live
436
00:21:51,644 --> 00:21:53,446
in a world that's
divided into two.
437
00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,616
Stephen Sondheim gets all the
critical acclaim and the shows
438
00:21:56,649 --> 00:21:57,850
that Cameron Mackintosh
439
00:21:57,884 --> 00:22:00,953
and Andrew Lloyd Webber do are
derived as tourist schlock.
440
00:22:00,987 --> 00:22:05,558
Producers reign as kings of the
theatre coincide for the amount
441
00:22:05,592 --> 00:22:07,760
of time that the public's taste.
442
00:22:07,794 --> 00:22:10,563
Also happens to be the
producer's tastes and when
443
00:22:10,597 --> 00:22:13,400
that changes then no matter
how successful you are,
444
00:22:13,433 --> 00:22:15,502
you go out the window.
445
00:22:15,535 --> 00:22:17,069
This has happened
to David Merrick.
446
00:22:17,103 --> 00:22:18,805
This has happened
to Harold Fielding,
447
00:22:18,838 --> 00:22:22,475
which one day will happen
to Cameron Mackintosh too.
448
00:22:22,509 --> 00:22:25,545
>> One thing when I started
off I was given a book
449
00:22:25,578 --> 00:22:27,914
about Cochran called
Shaman Looks On.
450
00:22:27,947 --> 00:22:28,848
It's an autobiography.
451
00:22:28,881 --> 00:22:31,518
And one thing stuck
early on in my life.
452
00:22:31,551 --> 00:22:34,387
It was his advice to
aspiring young producers.
453
00:22:34,421 --> 00:22:36,456
He said never put a show
on for the audiences.
454
00:22:36,489 --> 00:22:39,058
Always put it on for yourself
and do it as best that you can
455
00:22:39,091 --> 00:22:42,429
and then maybe an audience
will come and see it.
456
00:22:42,462 --> 00:22:45,064
And I think that's
pretty good advice.
457
00:22:45,097 --> 00:22:48,034
>> It's not just a West End
phenomenon that continues
458
00:22:48,067 --> 00:22:51,003
to be a box office
hit around the globe;
459
00:22:51,037 --> 00:22:55,408
a staggering 56 million people
have now seen "Les Mis".
460
00:22:55,442 --> 00:22:57,777
That's almost the equivalent
of every man, woman,
461
00:22:57,810 --> 00:23:01,714
and child living
in this country.
462
00:23:01,748 --> 00:23:04,851
>> Michael Ball sings with Lea
Salonga, but this is not a scene
463
00:23:04,884 --> 00:23:07,954
from the hit show's "Phantom
of the Opera" or "Miss Saigon."
464
00:23:07,987 --> 00:23:11,558
It's another hit both have shown
in separately "Les Miserables."
465
00:23:11,591 --> 00:23:13,893
But everyone here's being
very jolly because it's
466
00:23:13,926 --> 00:23:15,595
"Les Mis'" 10th birthday.
467
00:23:15,628 --> 00:23:17,964
And hundreds of the cast
from its productions
468
00:23:17,997 --> 00:23:21,100
around the world are giving
a gala concert on Sunday
469
00:23:21,133 --> 00:23:22,635
but without props or costumes
470
00:23:22,669 --> 00:23:25,705
and new cast members it
can get confusing which way
471
00:23:25,738 --> 00:23:29,909
to go off stage but everything
should be smoothed out by Sunday
472
00:23:29,942 --> 00:23:32,912
when thousands of adoring fans
descend on the Albert Hall.
473
00:23:32,945 --> 00:23:36,583
>> The seal of making this
successful was the fact
474
00:23:36,616 --> 00:23:42,021
that it won best musical at the
Lawrence Olivier Awards in 1985.
475
00:23:42,054 --> 00:23:45,625
For them that suddenly
really had a bit of a clout
476
00:23:45,658 --> 00:23:48,595
and suddenly people
decided to take notice.
477
00:23:48,628 --> 00:23:52,799
They shot out of the Barbican
and into the West End,
478
00:23:52,832 --> 00:23:56,603
where it has basically
remained for the last 25 years.
479
00:23:56,636 --> 00:24:00,507
And when you think about it,
you know, it just goes to show
480
00:24:00,540 --> 00:24:02,542
that even though, you know,
people would say oh no,
481
00:24:02,575 --> 00:24:04,477
you know, the theme
is not really good
482
00:24:04,511 --> 00:24:06,579
and it's not a warm
sort of topic.
483
00:24:06,613 --> 00:24:07,714
Of course it's not.
484
00:24:07,747 --> 00:24:10,617
Victor Hugo wanted to get
social injustice out there
485
00:24:10,650 --> 00:24:11,984
and that's what he did.
486
00:24:12,018 --> 00:24:15,087
But the songs are so memorable
and have been recorded
487
00:24:15,121 --> 00:24:19,492
from everyone from the likes
of Dame Shirley Bassey right
488
00:24:19,526 --> 00:24:22,495
through to some of our
most celebrated opera stars
489
00:24:22,529 --> 00:24:25,632
including, of course
Luciano Pavarotti,
490
00:24:25,665 --> 00:24:28,601
but I think what really
cemented it in the end was
491
00:24:28,635 --> 00:24:31,137
that the public pushed
this through.
492
00:24:31,170 --> 00:24:33,806
And as someone who attends
many sorts of opening nights
493
00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,676
in the theaters, "Les
Mis" fans are nothing
494
00:24:36,709 --> 00:24:38,645
like I've ever met before.
495
00:24:38,678 --> 00:24:39,846
They're very loyal.
496
00:24:39,879 --> 00:24:43,583
Some people, in fact, actually
book the same seats every
497
00:24:43,616 --> 00:24:47,119
matinee and turn up week
after week after week.
498
00:24:47,153 --> 00:24:48,688
They know the show backwards.
499
00:24:48,721 --> 00:24:50,623
They know everything
about you know
500
00:24:50,657 --> 00:24:53,092
when the lights should
come on, the scene changes,
501
00:24:53,125 --> 00:24:54,861
if somebody's feeling
ill in the cast.
502
00:24:54,894 --> 00:24:57,530
They become like friends and
one of the connecting factors
503
00:24:57,564 --> 00:25:00,900
that I think Victor Hugo
would really love is the fact
504
00:25:00,933 --> 00:25:04,170
that of course the cast then
connects with their fans,
505
00:25:04,203 --> 00:25:06,773
their audience and then
actually brings some sort
506
00:25:06,806 --> 00:25:08,140
of social connection.
507
00:25:08,174 --> 00:25:11,077
I'd like to think it's something
he really would admire.
508
00:25:11,110 --> 00:25:13,680
>> Well it started at the
Royal Shakespeare Company
509
00:25:13,713 --> 00:25:17,850
and the first performance was
five hours long and so they had
510
00:25:17,884 --> 00:25:21,187
to condense this amazing
story into three hours
511
00:25:21,220 --> 00:25:24,657
and in fact they cut out
a lot of fantastic things.
512
00:25:24,691 --> 00:25:28,728
There should be another
show, "Les Mis" the out cuts
513
00:25:28,761 --> 00:25:30,597
or whatever you call
it
514
00:25:30,630 --> 00:25:34,100
So Royal Shakespeare Company,
we did it there for eight weeks
515
00:25:34,133 --> 00:25:37,570
and we had no idea it was going
to transfer to the West End.
516
00:25:37,604 --> 00:25:39,972
>> It's back to its
roots; the Barbican Theatre
517
00:25:40,006 --> 00:25:44,711
where it started two and a half
decades ago to some bad reviews
518
00:25:44,744 --> 00:25:47,246
and was just about to
go to the West End.
519
00:25:47,279 --> 00:25:50,282
>> Of course we were all a
bit depressed having seen
520
00:25:50,316 --> 00:25:53,352
such a fantastic
reception the night before
521
00:25:53,385 --> 00:25:56,723
and so I thought I'll get rid
of all the bad news at once
522
00:25:56,756 --> 00:25:59,291
and ring through the box office
and it took me several goes
523
00:25:59,325 --> 00:26:01,193
and that was where
the story came from.
524
00:26:01,227 --> 00:26:03,596
When they said how did you
get through, we've taken --
525
00:26:03,630 --> 00:26:07,033
we've had 5000 calls it's
a record at the Barbican.
526
00:26:07,066 --> 00:26:08,735
>> I knew it was going
to be a big hit years ago
527
00:26:08,768 --> 00:26:11,738
but I didn't know it was
going to last 21 years.
528
00:26:11,771 --> 00:26:12,639
It's fantastic.
529
00:26:12,672 --> 00:26:13,906
>> It's overwhelming.
530
00:26:13,940 --> 00:26:16,876
Absolutely overwhelming and I
don't necessary know that any
531
00:26:16,909 --> 00:26:20,613
of us truly understand
the significance of it
532
00:26:20,647 --> 00:26:23,750
and ultimately and
hopefully the impact.
533
00:26:23,783 --> 00:26:27,053
>> It's actually
quite fantastic though
534
00:26:27,086 --> 00:26:30,857
because the piece is really
about age and youth and to think
535
00:26:30,890 --> 00:26:34,894
that I did it 21 years ago
when I was the youngest adult
536
00:26:34,927 --> 00:26:37,797
and now people are
playing my role
537
00:26:37,830 --> 00:26:39,632
that weren't even
born back then.
538
00:26:39,666 --> 00:26:42,635
>> But it is really
interesting because of Nick --
539
00:26:42,669 --> 00:26:43,435
>> Yeah.
540
00:26:43,469 --> 00:26:45,705
>> -- to see so many
young people
541
00:26:45,738 --> 00:26:48,407
who probably have never
a musical ever, you know,
542
00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:49,508
coming in tonight being
completely enthralled.
543
00:26:49,541 --> 00:26:54,113
I mean, you could hear a
pin drop through the story.
544
00:26:54,146 --> 00:26:57,684
You know? And they just
reacted to the show and the fact
545
00:26:57,717 --> 00:27:00,419
that he was incredibly good
in it as was Camilla you know
546
00:27:00,452 --> 00:27:04,757
in their baptism fire tonight
but I was really very happy.
547
00:27:04,791 --> 00:27:06,292
>> It is nice being
back on stage.
548
00:27:06,325 --> 00:27:09,796
I was Gavroche when I was
in it last back in 2003
549
00:27:09,829 --> 00:27:12,098
and about seven years later
I came back to play Marius.
550
00:27:12,131 --> 00:27:14,333
It's been a dream of
mine for a long time
551
00:27:14,366 --> 00:27:16,335
and to see it coming
true is an amazing thing.
552
00:27:16,368 --> 00:27:19,806
>> Nick's done a couple of shows
on Broadway, I think he was
553
00:27:19,839 --> 00:27:23,976
in "Beauty and the Beast" but
the first time I met Nick was
554
00:27:24,010 --> 00:27:28,080
when he was the last Gavroche
which is the little kid
555
00:27:28,114 --> 00:27:30,382
in "Les Miserables" on Broadway
556
00:27:30,416 --> 00:27:33,285
when I closed the show the
first time after 18 years
557
00:27:33,319 --> 00:27:37,790
and he did the last nine months
of the run and I was reminded
558
00:27:37,824 --> 00:27:40,693
by his father at the
after show party.
559
00:27:40,727 --> 00:27:43,095
I'd gone up to him and I'd
obviously had a few drinks
560
00:27:43,129 --> 00:27:46,899
because I didn't remember
saying, you know, to Nick,
561
00:27:46,933 --> 00:27:48,801
you know, you are really
terrific and I hope
562
00:27:48,835 --> 00:27:51,437
when you're older you'll come
back to see us for Marius.
563
00:27:51,470 --> 00:27:55,875
Well even though I didn't
remember it, he did and I'm
564
00:27:55,908 --> 00:27:59,011
out of the blue, I mean I'd
heard that he was interested
565
00:27:59,045 --> 00:28:00,847
in going to the theatre
566
00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:02,782
so through another way I
actually approached him
567
00:28:02,815 --> 00:28:05,885
and then I spoke to his
father and he said no,
568
00:28:05,918 --> 00:28:06,853
this is something
they would really
569
00:28:06,886 --> 00:28:07,820
like to try and make happen.
570
00:28:07,854 --> 00:28:11,257
And then it's a great
credit to the family
571
00:28:11,290 --> 00:28:14,493
that they have moved heaven
and earth to allow him to come
572
00:28:14,526 --> 00:28:16,295
and be here and he's
having a great time.
573
00:28:16,328 --> 00:28:18,230
>> You know, I actually
wasn't as nervous
574
00:28:18,264 --> 00:28:20,099
as I thought I would be.
575
00:28:20,132 --> 00:28:21,300
I don't think I was
nervous at all.
576
00:28:21,333 --> 00:28:25,905
I think that I was really
comfortable and just happy to be
577
00:28:25,938 --> 00:28:29,341
on that stage and really
trying to become the character.
578
00:28:29,375 --> 00:28:30,877
>> Well what's interesting is
579
00:28:30,910 --> 00:28:33,913
that he's actually got
a very mature voice
580
00:28:33,946 --> 00:28:35,514
for somebody who's still 17.
581
00:28:35,547 --> 00:28:38,117
And he's not quite 18 yet and
582
00:28:38,150 --> 00:28:41,520
yet the voice sounds much
older than you'd expect.
583
00:28:41,553 --> 00:28:46,525
And he's also got, I mean, a
tremendous focus all the way
584
00:28:46,558 --> 00:28:48,895
through rehearsals and
when I first met him.
585
00:28:48,928 --> 00:28:53,132
I mean he really, really
knows what to go after
586
00:28:53,165 --> 00:28:56,502
and he just does it with
no problem, great ease
587
00:28:56,535 --> 00:28:57,837
and the whole cast adore him.
588
00:28:57,870 --> 00:29:01,340
>> The crowd was great tonight.
589
00:29:01,373 --> 00:29:03,910
So incredible to be back
on the "Les Mis" stage.
590
00:29:03,943 --> 00:29:07,146
Obviously a bit of a different
role this time but still
591
00:29:07,179 --> 00:29:09,448
that same energy and
the same excitement.
592
00:29:09,481 --> 00:29:12,251
>> Tickets for the concert sold
out in two and a half hours.
593
00:29:12,284 --> 00:29:13,986
They'll have 17 different
versions
594
00:29:14,020 --> 00:29:17,423
of the main character Valjean to
choose from and the comic relief
595
00:29:17,456 --> 00:29:19,425
of Alan Armstrong
and Jenny Galloway.
596
00:29:19,458 --> 00:29:20,893
>> How many thousands of people?
597
00:29:20,927 --> 00:29:21,928
>> About 5.
598
00:29:21,961 --> 00:29:23,462
>> About 5000 people.
599
00:29:23,495 --> 00:29:24,263
And --
600
00:29:24,296 --> 00:29:25,798
>> Are you nervous?
601
00:29:25,832 --> 00:29:26,198
>> No.
602
00:29:26,232 --> 00:29:26,933
>> No. No.
603
00:29:26,966 --> 00:29:29,035
Not at all.
604
00:29:29,068 --> 00:29:30,970
>> I think once you see
all the people and know
605
00:29:31,003 --> 00:29:33,873
that everybody's
rooting for you and know
606
00:29:33,906 --> 00:29:38,510
that there is not a hostile
soul in the stalls or in --
607
00:29:38,544 --> 00:29:40,880
anywhere it's just
going to be fun.
608
00:29:40,913 --> 00:29:43,049
>> You know, here and there
I'm picking up the accent.
609
00:29:43,082 --> 00:29:45,051
I sing with one now in the
show, which is kind of funny,
610
00:29:45,084 --> 00:29:50,556
but it's very interesting
to be here and pick
611
00:29:50,589 --> 00:29:52,992
up the lingo along the way
and make some new friends
612
00:29:53,025 --> 00:29:54,493
as well, which has been great.
613
00:29:54,526 --> 00:29:55,494
I'm really enjoying my stay.
614
00:29:55,527 --> 00:29:57,930
>> They can come and see
the show here
615
00:29:57,964 --> 00:29:59,465
in the morning at 10:00.
616
00:29:59,498 --> 00:30:00,732
They can go
617
00:30:00,766 --> 00:30:03,970
to the matinee at the Queen's
and then the following day turn
618
00:30:04,003 --> 00:30:07,874
up with the other thousands
and tens of thousands of people
619
00:30:07,907 --> 00:30:10,843
at the O2 for that
extraordinary concert
620
00:30:10,877 --> 00:30:13,312
that now has a cast of over 500.
621
00:30:13,345 --> 00:30:17,950
>> Recently they've started
doing celebrity casting
622
00:30:17,984 --> 00:30:21,353
in "Les Mis" in London and
we've been lucky enough
623
00:30:21,387 --> 00:30:24,423
to see possibly some
of our better greats
624
00:30:24,456 --> 00:30:26,993
that what I call the greats
that are going to come forward
625
00:30:27,026 --> 00:30:28,928
in the next ten years.
626
00:30:28,961 --> 00:30:33,032
The Lancashire tenor Alfie Boe
has undertaken, not just one
627
00:30:33,065 --> 00:30:34,967
but three stints in "Les Mis"
628
00:30:35,001 --> 00:30:36,969
and claims it's his
very favorite role.
629
00:30:37,003 --> 00:30:38,037
>> I've done the "Les Mis" role.
630
00:30:38,070 --> 00:30:41,440
I'm going to go back into
"Les Miserables" next --
631
00:30:41,473 --> 00:30:46,412
this year in June to
do a six-month run.
632
00:30:46,445 --> 00:30:51,417
But I'm wanting to really
break the genres a little bit,
633
00:30:51,450 --> 00:30:54,353
you know, people
call it crossover.
634
00:30:54,386 --> 00:30:56,923
People call it all
sorts of things,
635
00:30:56,956 --> 00:30:59,158
but I want to just break
the genre and cross
636
00:30:59,191 --> 00:31:02,461
over to a new audience
not the repertoire so much
637
00:31:02,494 --> 00:31:06,598
or sing different repertoire
but make sure it's legitimate
638
00:31:06,632 --> 00:31:10,269
for my voice, you know,
that I'm legitimate enough
639
00:31:10,302 --> 00:31:11,537
to sing it, you know.
640
00:31:11,570 --> 00:31:15,141
And still sing it in the same
quality and the same standard
641
00:31:15,174 --> 00:31:17,409
that I would an operatic
aria in a way.
642
00:31:17,443 --> 00:31:21,280
>> The comedian, Matt Luke as is
possibly better known for shows
643
00:31:21,313 --> 00:31:24,116
like "Little Britain"
and "Come Fly with Me"
644
00:31:24,150 --> 00:31:27,686
and he's actually begged the
producers Cameron Mackintosh's
645
00:31:27,719 --> 00:31:29,956
company for a part
in the musical,
646
00:31:29,989 --> 00:31:32,591
which of course did nothing
to dent the box office.
647
00:31:32,624 --> 00:31:36,062
It shot it through the roof
and it was like a new injection
648
00:31:36,095 --> 00:31:39,531
if you like of vitality
and once again, of course,
649
00:31:39,565 --> 00:31:44,070
make it one of the biggest
take musicals of all time.
650
00:31:44,103 --> 00:31:46,973
Cameron himself said
that well he's had many,
651
00:31:47,006 --> 00:31:51,077
many hits he never thought that
he would be known as the man
652
00:31:51,110 --> 00:31:54,580
who brought "Les Mis" to the
British and Broadway public
653
00:31:54,613 --> 00:31:58,150
but how lucky we are
that he took that chance.
654
00:31:58,184 --> 00:32:01,053
>> I mean I was very lucky
because they took me to Broadway
655
00:32:01,087 --> 00:32:04,556
as well and every musical
performer wants to go
656
00:32:04,590 --> 00:32:06,959
to Broadway so my
dream came true
657
00:32:06,993 --> 00:32:10,729
when I was 21, which
was amazing.
658
00:32:10,762 --> 00:32:15,667
And also my daughter Eliza also
played Cosette at some point
659
00:32:15,701 --> 00:32:16,668
and I went back into the show
660
00:32:16,702 --> 00:32:20,006
and I played the same
role Eponine with her.
661
00:32:20,039 --> 00:32:22,608
So it's emotional for me.
662
00:32:22,641 --> 00:32:23,675
It's like it's my whole life.
663
00:32:23,709 --> 00:32:27,246
I mean, I think -- I have
to be honest, you know,
664
00:32:27,279 --> 00:32:31,483
it's the best role I've
ever played and it did --
665
00:32:31,517 --> 00:32:33,485
you know it gave
me an incredible --
666
00:32:33,519 --> 00:32:36,622
well people still
know me today from it
667
00:32:36,655 --> 00:32:40,426
and the album is still selling
that I made 21 years ago.
668
00:32:40,459 --> 00:32:44,196
So, you know, I -- for
me it's in the heart.
669
00:32:44,230 --> 00:32:46,632
It's really personal for me.
670
00:32:46,665 --> 00:32:48,734
>> Now amongst many
of the awards that
671
00:32:48,767 --> 00:32:51,137
"Les Miserables" has picked up,
672
00:32:51,170 --> 00:32:54,073
this to me would be
the biggest compliment.
673
00:32:54,106 --> 00:32:58,144
In 2004, her Majesty,
the Queen, asked the cast
674
00:32:58,177 --> 00:33:00,046
and everyone connected
to the show
675
00:33:00,079 --> 00:33:04,083
to stage a very special
version at Windsor Castle
676
00:33:04,116 --> 00:33:07,019
for then President --
President Jacques Chirac.
677
00:33:07,053 --> 00:33:09,388
Now can you imagine how nerve
racking that must be first
678
00:33:09,421 --> 00:33:12,324
of all, but apparently the Queen
thought this was a great idea.
679
00:33:12,358 --> 00:33:14,193
It was an official visit.
680
00:33:14,226 --> 00:33:17,129
Lots of people were going to
be invited and apparently,
681
00:33:17,163 --> 00:33:18,364
sadly there's no record.
682
00:33:18,397 --> 00:33:20,699
There's no recording of
this particular night.
683
00:33:20,732 --> 00:33:22,734
I think that this really
should have been recorded
684
00:33:22,768 --> 00:33:24,570
and taped because, you know,
685
00:33:24,603 --> 00:33:27,573
just to see our Queen
enjoying this musical
686
00:33:27,606 --> 00:33:31,177
and she's already been we
can tell you, unofficially,
687
00:33:31,210 --> 00:33:31,977
many times to see this.
688
00:33:32,010 --> 00:33:33,545
It's one of her personal
favorites.
689
00:33:33,579 --> 00:33:35,181
>> You don't expect to
win a Tony when you're
690
00:33:35,214 --> 00:33:37,716
that age you've seen
it on the TV
691
00:33:37,749 --> 00:33:39,418
and suddenly you're
told you're going to be
692
00:33:39,451 --> 00:33:41,220
up for one and then you win it.
693
00:33:41,253 --> 00:33:42,188
It's just bizarre.
694
00:33:42,221 --> 00:33:44,523
I mean, I just thought
this is ridiculous.
695
00:33:44,556 --> 00:33:47,559
I'm here with all these
stars that I've heard about.
696
00:33:47,593 --> 00:33:51,397
You know, it's just amazing.
697
00:33:51,430 --> 00:33:54,200
I used to sort of go oh no,
awards don't mean anything
698
00:33:54,233 --> 00:33:56,335
but now, I look at it
and I'm quite proud.
699
00:33:57,369 --> 00:34:00,739
>> Every year it picks
up more and more awards.
700
00:34:00,772 --> 00:34:03,509
There was a special
10th anniversary show
701
00:34:03,542 --> 00:34:07,846
at the Royal Albert Hall
and a recent BBC radio poll,
702
00:34:07,879 --> 00:34:12,284
it was picked out as the
best musical of all time
703
00:34:12,318 --> 00:34:15,587
and it's hard to imagine that,
you know, when he wrote it,
704
00:34:15,621 --> 00:34:17,489
whether he would have thought
705
00:34:17,523 --> 00:34:20,226
that his celebrity
would have carried on.
706
00:34:20,259 --> 00:34:23,329
I think Victor Hugo would have
thought he wouldn't be known
707
00:34:23,362 --> 00:34:28,267
in his time but his name is
now plastered across the world.
708
00:34:28,300 --> 00:34:31,137
It's been seen in
over 30 countries.
709
00:34:31,170 --> 00:34:34,173
It ran for over ten
years on Broadway.
710
00:34:34,206 --> 00:34:37,409
You know, when you think about
it in those terms, you know,
711
00:34:37,443 --> 00:34:39,211
it is something of a phenomenon.
712
00:34:39,245 --> 00:34:42,548
>> And I'm just about to start
on the film where, where --
713
00:34:42,581 --> 00:34:46,552
we're now working on -- somebody
is working on the screenplay
714
00:34:46,585 --> 00:34:49,221
and I'm doing it with Working
Title, which is, you know,
715
00:34:49,255 --> 00:34:52,424
the great British company that's
one of our best film company
716
00:34:52,458 --> 00:34:55,327
and I'm really looking
forward to finally getting
717
00:34:55,361 --> 00:34:57,263
"Les Miserables" out
on the big screen.
718
00:34:57,296 --> 00:35:00,832
>> "Les Miserables", of course
is now a new smash hit mega
719
00:35:00,866 --> 00:35:03,735
movie looking at all
sorts of gold dust,
720
00:35:03,769 --> 00:35:06,338
from Baftas to Globes to Oscars.
721
00:35:06,372 --> 00:35:07,706
But it's not the first time.
722
00:35:07,739 --> 00:35:10,376
There are already ten
silent versions made
723
00:35:10,409 --> 00:35:12,178
of this particular story.
724
00:35:12,211 --> 00:35:14,146
There's been a radio version.
725
00:35:14,180 --> 00:35:15,547
There's been a television
version
726
00:35:15,581 --> 00:35:17,683
with Anthony Perkins no less,
727
00:35:17,716 --> 00:35:19,451
which was kind of
warmly received.
728
00:35:54,953 --> 00:35:56,154
It's one of those
stories that time
729
00:35:56,188 --> 00:36:00,359
and time again people re-look
at and think they can retell
730
00:36:00,392 --> 00:36:03,562
but nobody really could
have even predicted
731
00:36:03,595 --> 00:36:07,333
or had the slightest hint that
the stage and Broadway version,
732
00:36:07,366 --> 00:36:10,369
the West End
Broadway version would be
733
00:36:10,402 --> 00:36:11,470
so phenomenal.
734
00:36:11,503 --> 00:36:14,240
And of course, you know when
people said first of all
735
00:36:14,273 --> 00:36:15,774
when it opened in London,
736
00:36:15,807 --> 00:36:18,944
how can you possibly think
you're going to have a smash hit
737
00:36:18,977 --> 00:36:22,248
with a title which is basically
all about being miserable,
738
00:36:22,281 --> 00:36:25,251
"Les Miserables",
how wrong they were.
739
00:36:25,284 --> 00:36:28,754
>> The film will actually use
the music, the wonderful music
740
00:36:28,787 --> 00:36:31,790
from the show but tell the
story in cinematic terms.
741
00:36:31,823 --> 00:36:36,295
I mean what we have here is a
wonderful theatrical version
742
00:36:36,328 --> 00:36:40,232
but you know, the cinema we
will reinvent it yet again
743
00:36:40,266 --> 00:36:41,233
to tell it for the cinema.
744
00:36:41,267 --> 00:36:44,403
>> What was fantastic
on this was the chance
745
00:36:44,436 --> 00:36:50,442
to reunite the original creative
team that created the musical.
746
00:36:50,476 --> 00:36:55,314
So, you know, I wanted to
create a new song for the film
747
00:36:55,347 --> 00:36:57,283
that talked to -- that
was inspired by the novel
748
00:36:57,316 --> 00:37:01,387
which talks about the
extraordinary epiphany
749
00:37:01,420 --> 00:37:05,357
of what Jean Valjean has when
he feels this incredible love
750
00:37:05,391 --> 00:37:07,459
for this child that's
come into his life
751
00:37:07,493 --> 00:37:11,297
and so I asked Claude-Michel
Schonberg and Alain Boublil
752
00:37:11,330 --> 00:37:16,302
if they could come up with a
new song and I had Alain Boublil
753
00:37:16,335 --> 00:37:20,272
and Herby Kretzmer the lyricist,
you know, writing a new piece
754
00:37:20,306 --> 00:37:23,409
for me and that was incredibly
exciting to get to work
755
00:37:23,442 --> 00:37:26,512
with the original
composer on the music.
756
00:37:26,545 --> 00:37:29,415
>> I'm Poppie what a
pleasure to meet you.
757
00:37:29,448 --> 00:37:31,717
>> What's your name?
758
00:37:31,750 --> 00:37:32,150
>> Poppie.
759
00:37:32,183 --> 00:37:32,818
>> Hi Poppie.
760
00:37:32,851 --> 00:37:33,719
How are you?
761
00:37:33,752 --> 00:37:34,420
>> I mean the film
was truly beautiful.
762
00:37:34,453 --> 00:37:36,288
I cried all the way through it.
763
00:37:36,322 --> 00:37:38,390
I loved it very much.
764
00:37:38,424 --> 00:37:41,293
Now what was your first
experience of "Les Mis"?
765
00:37:41,327 --> 00:37:45,997
>> I saw it here in London but
I didn't see it until Cameron
766
00:37:46,031 --> 00:37:48,500
and Tom were already making
the movie and they talked to me
767
00:37:48,534 --> 00:37:52,471
about it and so I was on
my way to Italy actually
768
00:37:52,504 --> 00:37:53,171
for a friend's wedding.
769
00:37:53,204 --> 00:37:54,139
And so I stopped in to see it
770
00:37:54,172 --> 00:37:55,273
and we had a couple
of meetings about it.
771
00:37:55,307 --> 00:37:58,944
>> What was the biggest
challenge going into the parts?
772
00:37:58,977 --> 00:38:01,413
>> Well I think the
challenges actually unfolded
773
00:38:01,447 --> 00:38:03,081
as we went along, you know.
774
00:38:03,114 --> 00:38:06,785
It wasn't quite clear how
challenging it was going to be
775
00:38:06,818 --> 00:38:09,455
in the beginning because
it's very easy to say oh
776
00:38:09,488 --> 00:38:10,722
and by the way you're
going to sing every take.
777
00:38:10,756 --> 00:38:15,026
But then the actual reality of
doing that and the discipline
778
00:38:15,060 --> 00:38:16,261
that has to come into your life
779
00:38:16,294 --> 00:38:19,598
to keep yourself available every
day and your voice available
780
00:38:19,631 --> 00:38:23,435
and Tom as the director
is greedy.
781
00:38:23,469 --> 00:38:25,404
You know, he'll shoot and he'll
shoot and he'll shoot and,
782
00:38:25,437 --> 00:38:28,407
you know, and every take
we did was the full length
783
00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:32,344
of the song as well.
784
00:38:32,378 --> 00:38:34,380
So yeah, I mean, you
know, ultimately though,
785
00:38:34,413 --> 00:38:36,047
this was an incredibly
enjoyable experience.
786
00:38:36,081 --> 00:38:40,419
>> I grew up with the -- my
mom performing in the show
787
00:38:40,452 --> 00:38:41,387
in the first national tour.
788
00:38:41,420 --> 00:38:42,721
She understudied Fantine.
789
00:38:42,754 --> 00:38:44,456
It's actually one
of my first memories
790
00:38:44,490 --> 00:38:46,392
of seeing the show is seeing
my mother play the part
791
00:38:46,425 --> 00:38:47,659
that I play in the film.
792
00:38:47,693 --> 00:38:50,662
>> I saw it when I was beginning
to think about making the film
793
00:38:50,696 --> 00:38:52,798
and then I saw it
four or five times
794
00:38:52,831 --> 00:38:55,801
and what was extraordinary is
that after the second time,
795
00:38:55,834 --> 00:38:57,636
the melodies were just in
my head and that was it.
796
00:38:57,669 --> 00:39:01,106
I mean, for the last year and
a half it's been going around
797
00:39:01,139 --> 00:39:02,040
and around and around.
798
00:39:02,073 --> 00:39:03,642
I mean they were
extraordinarily addictive.
799
00:39:03,675 --> 00:39:07,045
>> Isabelle Alan.
800
00:39:08,213 --> 00:39:08,814
>> A year ago she was
performing on stage at school.
801
00:39:08,847 --> 00:39:11,450
>> She's just so gorgeous.
802
00:39:11,483 --> 00:39:12,350
It was her first movie.
803
00:39:12,384 --> 00:39:14,653
She has no idea how
brilliant she is.
804
00:39:14,686 --> 00:39:16,488
She's just so natural.
805
00:39:16,522 --> 00:39:18,757
>> It may be a lot for a
ten-year-old to take in,
806
00:39:18,790 --> 00:39:21,593
but Isabelle looks set to
walk many more red carpets
807
00:39:21,627 --> 00:39:22,394
in the future.
808
00:39:22,428 --> 00:39:24,095
>> We did everything
in one take.
809
00:39:24,129 --> 00:39:29,468
Tom, Tom left a few of
the songs the solos kind
810
00:39:29,501 --> 00:39:31,770
of in one long continuous take.
811
00:39:31,803 --> 00:39:33,772
Did very few cuts in it.
812
00:39:33,805 --> 00:39:36,508
What he did was he
filmed most everything
813
00:39:36,542 --> 00:39:39,144
from a multi-camera approach,
814
00:39:39,177 --> 00:39:41,647
which meant that you could
do a whole take knowing
815
00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:43,549
that the entire performance
was captured
816
00:39:43,582 --> 00:39:45,417
because it would have been
very hard, I think especially
817
00:39:45,451 --> 00:39:48,487
with the singing being live
to go from one take to another
818
00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,022
like an hour can change
your voice, you know?
819
00:39:51,056 --> 00:39:53,425
It's the time of
day, the barometer.
820
00:39:53,459 --> 00:39:54,593
There's so many factors.
821
00:39:54,626 --> 00:39:56,862
So Tom needed to be
able to capture all
822
00:39:56,895 --> 00:39:59,130
of the performances live
in order to edit in a way
823
00:39:59,164 --> 00:40:00,098
that wouldn't become
distracting.
824
00:40:00,131 --> 00:40:01,767
>> I didn't want
to make the film
825
00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:05,537
if I didn't have my Jean
Valjean and Hugh came in
826
00:40:05,571 --> 00:40:09,608
and made me realize that
I could make this film.
827
00:40:09,641 --> 00:40:12,077
I mean because I'm short
just this one person.
828
00:40:12,110 --> 00:40:14,980
I mean who else could
sing at that level act
829
00:40:15,013 --> 00:40:16,247
in such an extraordinary way.
830
00:40:16,281 --> 00:40:19,951
He's a bona fided film star in
the old sense can carry a film.
831
00:40:19,985 --> 00:40:22,988
Has a requisite strength to
play a famously strong man
832
00:40:23,021 --> 00:40:27,526
but also has the grace and kind
of the spiritual gentleness
833
00:40:27,559 --> 00:40:29,561
that the character needs.
834
00:40:29,595 --> 00:40:30,729
It's Hugh Jackman.
835
00:40:30,762 --> 00:40:33,632
>> Tom who at first day of
rehearsal said I need you --
836
00:40:33,665 --> 00:40:36,568
actually before then he said
I need you unrecognizable.
837
00:40:36,602 --> 00:40:39,871
He said if people recognize you,
I want them to think you're sick
838
00:40:39,905 --> 00:40:42,508
in real life so I did my best.
839
00:40:42,541 --> 00:40:46,111
>> He went on a really
hard-core journey to try
840
00:40:46,144 --> 00:40:47,979
to physically capture
what it'd be
841
00:40:48,013 --> 00:40:50,782
like to be a convict
of 20 years standing.
842
00:40:50,816 --> 00:40:55,521
He lost 30-pounds of weight
and we shaved his head.
843
00:40:55,554 --> 00:40:58,624
I mean we talk a lot about
shaving or cutting Annie's hair
844
00:40:58,657 --> 00:41:01,126
but Hugh Jackman's hair
was shaved very brutally.
845
00:41:01,159 --> 00:41:04,596
And then in the opening
scene, I mean this is
846
00:41:04,630 --> 00:41:05,997
where he's kind of
quite eccentric.
847
00:41:06,031 --> 00:41:08,600
He went on a 36-hour water fast,
848
00:41:08,634 --> 00:41:12,604
which means no water
for 36 hours.
849
00:41:12,638 --> 00:41:14,573
And then was willing to
stand up to his chest
850
00:41:14,606 --> 00:41:17,876
in seawater putting a
massive on a rope
851
00:41:17,909 --> 00:41:21,513
so that your skin kind of
went back against his cheeks.
852
00:41:21,547 --> 00:41:23,849
You know, a lot of us
don't recognize him
853
00:41:23,882 --> 00:41:24,983
in the opening scene.
854
00:41:25,016 --> 00:41:29,921
I mean he's so kind of
broken looking by this thing.
855
00:41:29,955 --> 00:41:32,591
I mean and then when
his character kind
856
00:41:32,624 --> 00:41:35,527
of flourishes he then put on
weight and he changed again.
857
00:41:35,561 --> 00:41:38,530
And I mean like his
commitment to this was total.
858
00:41:38,564 --> 00:41:41,667
>> Yeah. My trainer on this
movie incredible guy David
859
00:41:41,700 --> 00:41:46,772
Kingsbury has at one point
in his life was a bodybuilder
860
00:41:46,805 --> 00:41:49,240
and he knew of this
water restriction thing
861
00:41:49,274 --> 00:41:52,110
which is what bodybuilders do
before a show and you can lose
862
00:41:52,143 --> 00:41:53,945
up to 10-pounds of body weight.
863
00:41:53,979 --> 00:41:57,315
And right off the surface,
do not do this at home.
864
00:41:57,348 --> 00:42:00,852
Trust me and so it
really sinks in your --
865
00:42:00,886 --> 00:42:04,055
I was already quite skinny
but it makes it quite drastic.
866
00:42:04,089 --> 00:42:05,190
Your eyes get sunken.
867
00:42:05,223 --> 00:42:08,226
I look like hell basically
and trust me the headache
868
00:42:08,259 --> 00:42:10,195
after about 20 hours is
something I don't want
869
00:42:10,228 --> 00:42:11,597
to repeat.
870
00:42:11,630 --> 00:42:15,734
>> I was up in Stratford
doing
871
00:42:15,767 --> 00:42:20,606
and I received a phone call
from my agent telling me
872
00:42:20,639 --> 00:42:22,908
that I would be playing the
hero Thenardier
873
00:42:22,941 --> 00:42:24,676
singing master of the house.
874
00:42:31,049 --> 00:42:36,622
>> Just like all the singing,
all the tears were done live.
875
00:42:36,655 --> 00:42:39,324
They were
-- they weren't mine.
876
00:42:39,357 --> 00:42:42,894
I mean I was definitely in
a fragile place that day
877
00:42:42,928 --> 00:42:45,597
because my hair was
going to be gone.
878
00:42:45,631 --> 00:42:49,768
But no I really did try to
kind of stay with Fantine
879
00:42:49,801 --> 00:42:52,638
and Victor Hugo has this
wonderful passage in the book
880
00:42:52,671 --> 00:42:54,873
where he talks about
Fantine really didn't want
881
00:42:54,906 --> 00:42:56,708
to cut her hair and how
she receives a letter
882
00:42:56,742 --> 00:42:58,910
from Thenardier saying that
Cosette doesn't have a skirt
883
00:42:58,944 --> 00:43:00,612
for winter, she's
going to be cold.
884
00:43:00,646 --> 00:43:02,681
And she sat there crumbling
the letter in her hand
885
00:43:02,714 --> 00:43:05,817
for an entire day and then
just like around sunset goes
886
00:43:05,851 --> 00:43:08,019
down to the wigmaker and says
take it -- how much for it?
887
00:43:08,053 --> 00:43:10,388
He said 10 francs and
she says cut it off then.
888
00:43:10,421 --> 00:43:12,190
And she sat there and trying
889
00:43:12,223 --> 00:43:14,793
to be stoic thinking I'm
clothing my hair with --
890
00:43:14,826 --> 00:43:16,294
I'm clothing my child
with my hair.
891
00:43:16,327 --> 00:43:18,964
And I just kind of tried to
bring some of that grace into it
892
00:43:18,997 --> 00:43:20,899
and not just have
it all be about me.
893
00:43:23,334 --> 00:43:28,206
>> For me like any
physical transformation
894
00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:31,176
that you undergo is obviously
going to be difficult
895
00:43:31,209 --> 00:43:35,180
but I couldn't take it too
seriously because it was my idea
896
00:43:35,213 --> 00:43:36,982
to lose my hair and
it was my idea to go
897
00:43:37,015 --> 00:43:38,950
to the extreme physical
place that I did for this
898
00:43:38,984 --> 00:43:40,018
and I did it for my job.
899
00:43:40,051 --> 00:43:42,387
And a lot of people don't
have a choice about it.
900
00:43:42,420 --> 00:43:43,855
A lot of people get sick
and they lose weight.
901
00:43:43,889 --> 00:43:46,157
They get sick and they
have to lose their hair.
902
00:43:46,191 --> 00:43:49,695
>> Tom Hooper who's not a
musical theatre director before
903
00:43:49,728 --> 00:43:53,331
he went to see the show and
really fell in love with it
904
00:43:53,364 --> 00:43:57,769
and he said how do I
recreate that feeling
905
00:43:57,803 --> 00:43:58,770
that you get in the theatre?
906
00:43:58,804 --> 00:44:01,673
And so he wanted to sing live
907
00:44:01,707 --> 00:44:04,009
and what he does
actually he's enhanced the
908
00:44:04,042 --> 00:44:05,243
theatrical experience.
909
00:44:05,276 --> 00:44:08,379
For example, Anne Hathaway,
her song "I Dreamed a Dream",
910
00:44:08,413 --> 00:44:12,183
which of course everybody feels
they know, is a single shot
911
00:44:12,217 --> 00:44:16,087
without cutting for three
minutes of her in close up.
912
00:44:16,121 --> 00:44:18,824
It's one of the great
performances ever given
913
00:44:18,857 --> 00:44:23,194
and I think and you never cut
away from it so it's like being
914
00:44:23,228 --> 00:44:25,296
in the theatre with
the best seat.
915
00:44:25,330 --> 00:44:27,833
You couldn't even get that seat
in the theatre it's like sitting
916
00:44:27,866 --> 00:44:30,435
in her lap and listening
to it, you know.
917
00:44:30,468 --> 00:44:32,971
>> There wasn't anything about
this job that wasn't daunting.
918
00:44:33,004 --> 00:44:36,842
I mean we were all just kind
of this mixture of anxiety
919
00:44:36,875 --> 00:44:42,981
and gratitude and excitement and
nerves and -- but you know --
920
00:44:43,014 --> 00:44:45,383
and then of course you show up
on set and you're just like --
921
00:44:45,416 --> 00:44:48,253
because we've all been working
in our own lives on the music.
922
00:44:48,286 --> 00:44:51,289
And you show up and
you hear Hugh Jackman,
923
00:44:51,322 --> 00:44:52,457
and of course we
kind of all knew
924
00:44:52,490 --> 00:44:53,725
that Hugh could sing
but not like this.
925
00:44:53,759 --> 00:44:58,163
And then Eddie Redmayne with the
most gorgeous voice just coming
926
00:44:58,196 --> 00:45:03,101
out of nowhere so I mean,
so it was exciting to work
927
00:45:03,134 --> 00:45:04,870
with everybody to hear what
they were doing but I think,
928
00:45:04,903 --> 00:45:06,838
you know, hearing how
talented everyone else was kind
929
00:45:06,872 --> 00:45:11,743
of pushed us all on
-- me on at least.
930
00:45:11,777 --> 00:45:14,412
>> So many auditions.
931
00:45:14,445 --> 00:45:15,113
Six in total.
932
00:45:15,146 --> 00:45:16,314
Three on tape, three in person.
933
00:45:16,347 --> 00:45:17,448
Two flights to London.
934
00:45:23,789 --> 00:45:25,891
>> You know 60 million people
have seen it around the world.
935
00:45:25,924 --> 00:45:29,327
London has taken it to their
hearts in the very beginning.
936
00:45:29,360 --> 00:45:34,232
I wanted to protect what
it is people love about it
937
00:45:34,265 --> 00:45:37,836
and somehow take that and
intensify it on the big screen
938
00:45:37,869 --> 00:45:40,505
and I think it's how it makes
people feel and how people --
939
00:45:40,538 --> 00:45:43,174
you go back to re-experience
these strong emotions.
940
00:45:43,208 --> 00:45:46,277
I wanted to make the emotions
they feel even more intense
941
00:45:46,311 --> 00:45:47,512
on the big screen.
942
00:45:47,545 --> 00:45:50,481
>> I don't think I think about
it in terms of hard or easy.
943
00:45:50,515 --> 00:45:53,251
It's just my job.
944
00:45:53,284 --> 00:45:57,455
So you know, it's not like it
all kind of a feeling comes
945
00:45:57,488 --> 00:46:00,859
to you in one great moment and
you're like, oh, I'm quite good
946
00:46:00,892 --> 00:46:02,794
at this or oh, I'm
terrible at this.
947
00:46:02,828 --> 00:46:05,931
You're so far removed from
it and at that point I'd done
948
00:46:05,964 --> 00:46:08,333
so much preparation
that I was so into it,
949
00:46:08,366 --> 00:46:11,136
it wasn't really
about performing.
950
00:46:11,169 --> 00:46:14,105
It was more about just
honoring what I had learned
951
00:46:14,139 --> 00:46:16,241
in the research that I
had done and just trying
952
00:46:16,274 --> 00:46:19,444
to open myself wide enough
to let all that come out.
953
00:46:26,084 --> 00:46:29,888
>> Really amazing
to be up there.
954
00:46:31,322 --> 00:46:34,993
It's so cool.
955
00:46:35,026 --> 00:46:37,428
>> Well John Valjean,
for actors it's a bit
956
00:46:37,462 --> 00:46:38,964
like a Hamlet or something.
957
00:46:38,997 --> 00:46:42,133
It is a kind of role
you dream of playing
958
00:46:42,167 --> 00:46:45,603
and also secretly
terrified of playing
959
00:46:46,537 --> 00:46:48,539
because it requires
everything of you
960
00:46:48,573 --> 00:46:51,042
and with John Valjean
emotionally, physically
961
00:46:51,076 --> 00:46:55,013
and vocally everyday it requires
it usually all at the same time.
962
00:46:55,046 --> 00:46:58,049
So it was an incredible
opportunity and I'm just
963
00:46:58,083 --> 00:47:01,186
so lucky to have been
working with Tom Hooper
964
00:47:01,219 --> 00:47:03,088
and all these great
actors, you know?
965
00:47:03,121 --> 00:47:06,257
>> You know, I used to go to
the Empire Leicester Square
966
00:47:06,291 --> 00:47:09,961
and the Odeon Leicester
Square as a kid and dream
967
00:47:09,995 --> 00:47:12,263
of one day having a film
maybe in those cinemas.
968
00:47:12,297 --> 00:47:15,233
I remember the ritual as I
left I'd always turn back
969
00:47:15,266 --> 00:47:17,903
and watch the end credits roll
and make a kind of commitment
970
00:47:17,936 --> 00:47:20,906
to myself to try to get a
film on one of those screens.
971
00:47:20,939 --> 00:47:23,008
To have both screens at
the premier last night
972
00:47:23,041 --> 00:47:26,044
with 3000 people was a kind
of great, I don't know,
973
00:47:26,077 --> 00:47:28,880
homecoming for me as a Londoner
to have that opportunity.
974
00:47:28,914 --> 00:47:30,982
>> You know he would have
everyone over when we were
975
00:47:31,016 --> 00:47:33,318
in London and it was great.
976
00:47:33,351 --> 00:47:38,123
He has a very, very great estate
over there and it was a lot
977
00:47:38,156 --> 00:47:41,426
of fun and it was nice after
long weeks for everyone
978
00:47:41,459 --> 00:47:44,963
to come together and do that
and he's just a great guy.
979
00:47:47,032 --> 00:47:49,600
>> At the beginning, it's
a very embarrassing thing
980
00:47:49,634 --> 00:47:50,835
to actually sing to people.
981
00:47:50,868 --> 00:47:54,272
It's very exposing thing to
be like on the set
982
00:47:54,305 --> 00:47:57,008
and so when you get -- you're
allowed to get so relaxed
983
00:47:57,042 --> 00:48:00,511
around each other and learn to
-- and you didn't feel awkward.
984
00:48:03,114 --> 00:48:07,052
>> There have been subsequently
some wild singing parties.
985
00:48:07,085 --> 00:48:11,456
We were down in a pub in New
York the other day and Russell
986
00:48:11,489 --> 00:48:13,291
and Russell's mate with a guitar
987
00:48:13,324 --> 00:48:15,994
and we were all singing
-- singing songs.
988
00:48:16,027 --> 00:48:17,162
It's -- I've never quite gotten
over the fear factor of it
989
00:48:17,195 --> 00:48:17,963
but it is quite entertaining.
990
00:48:17,996 --> 00:48:18,763
>> You know what?
991
00:48:18,796 --> 00:48:20,966
I feel so proud to
be part of this.
992
00:48:20,999 --> 00:48:24,402
It was so odd last night, we
had the premier and was ended
993
00:48:24,435 --> 00:48:27,672
up driving back to -- there
was a party afterwards and sort
994
00:48:27,705 --> 00:48:30,942
of drove through Leicester
Square and up past
995
00:48:30,976 --> 00:48:32,177
where "Les Mis" is on.
996
00:48:32,210 --> 00:48:35,180
And there in the Palace Theatre
where it used to play I have
997
00:48:35,213 --> 00:48:36,982
so many memories as
a kid of walking up
998
00:48:37,015 --> 00:48:41,486
and down there wanting to
maybe be an actor but never was
999
00:48:41,519 --> 00:48:43,989
in my wildest dreams I'd get
to be a part of it so yeah.
1000
00:48:44,022 --> 00:48:45,123
I feel very privileged.
1001
00:48:45,156 --> 00:48:46,291
>> You dreamed a dream.
1002
00:48:46,324 --> 00:48:47,025
It came true.
1003
00:48:47,758 --> 00:48:48,026
>> Oh, that's so Jesus.
1004
00:48:48,059 --> 00:48:49,194
>> Yeah.
1005
00:48:49,227 --> 00:48:52,097
>> You may not have been the
first person to say that.
1006
00:48:52,930 --> 00:48:55,233
>> See Russell loves
a sing-along
1007
00:48:55,266 --> 00:48:57,035
and if you ever get
invited to his place
1008
00:48:57,068 --> 00:48:59,337
for a party Lucrezia right
1009
00:48:59,370 --> 00:49:03,141
after you do David Letterman
then make sure you take a song
1010
00:49:03,174 --> 00:49:04,609
because he gets everyone
singing.
1011
00:49:04,642 --> 00:49:07,078
But it was a great
way to let off steam.
1012
00:49:07,112 --> 00:49:10,481
I mean, we were all -- you
were not allowed to sing any
1013
00:49:10,515 --> 00:49:13,985
of your songs from your
repertoire in the musical.
1014
00:49:14,019 --> 00:49:15,253
That was the only rule.
1015
00:49:15,286 --> 00:49:17,388
>> It's -- you know it's easy
to see why Eponine loves Marius
1016
00:49:17,422 --> 00:49:19,390
when he looks like Eddie
Redmayne, you know.
1017
00:49:19,424 --> 00:49:22,160
But then equally it's easy
to see why he loves Cosette
1018
00:49:22,193 --> 00:49:24,629
when it's Amanda
Seyfried to be fair.
1019
00:49:25,363 --> 00:49:26,464
>> Yeah, no, there was a lot --
1020
00:49:26,497 --> 00:49:29,034
the thing about this film
because it's embarrassing
1021
00:49:29,067 --> 00:49:31,636
because we're all such
aggressive "Les Mis" fans.
1022
00:49:31,669 --> 00:49:35,306
It's the first film I've seen
when people would come in to set
1023
00:49:35,340 --> 00:49:39,444
on their days off to kind
of see how everyone's doing.
1024
00:49:39,477 --> 00:49:41,779
No one
to miss out so yeah,
1025
00:49:41,812 --> 00:49:42,780
we were all very supportive.
1026
00:49:42,813 --> 00:49:47,385
>> Well, I think it's,
you know, when you --
1027
00:49:47,418 --> 00:49:49,254
I've always admired
Hugh Jackman.
1028
00:49:49,287 --> 00:49:51,289
I've always respected
his career and his work.
1029
00:49:51,322 --> 00:49:56,194
I think he's just got
fantastic range in what he does.
1030
00:49:56,227 --> 00:50:00,031
I just think the world
of him professionally and
1031
00:50:00,065 --> 00:50:02,067
so then, you know,
I was thinking,
1032
00:50:02,100 --> 00:50:05,136
well you know you meet someone
who's almost like an idol
1033
00:50:05,170 --> 00:50:05,836
and you think they're
never going
1034
00:50:05,870 --> 00:50:07,505
to amount to that expectation.
1035
00:50:07,538 --> 00:50:09,207
Well here's the thing
with Hugh Jackman,
1036
00:50:09,240 --> 00:50:11,109
he didn't match it,
he raised it.
1037
00:50:11,142 --> 00:50:13,611
I just didn't think
somebody could be so cool
1038
00:50:13,644 --> 00:50:17,115
with all the success
he's had to be this --
1039
00:50:17,148 --> 00:50:19,284
the most levelheaded person.
1040
00:50:19,317 --> 00:50:21,086
He is so calm on set.
1041
00:50:21,119 --> 00:50:22,553
He's like hi.
1042
00:50:22,587 --> 00:50:25,723
He's lovely and then
it's like action and this
1043
00:50:25,756 --> 00:50:29,794
like character busts out of
his soul and it's like wow.
1044
00:50:29,827 --> 00:50:32,097
And for me that's inspiring
at the beginning of my career
1045
00:50:32,130 --> 00:50:34,665
to meet somebody like that
who's got that perfect balance.
1046
00:50:34,699 --> 00:50:37,335
I look at -- you know, he's
inspiring to me definitely.
1047
00:50:37,368 --> 00:50:40,705
>> I spent the most time
with Eddie, I think.
1048
00:50:40,738 --> 00:50:41,806
Yes.
1049
00:50:41,839 --> 00:50:46,277
>> And who did you bond with
the most, would you say?
1050
00:50:46,311 --> 00:50:49,147
>> I guess Eddie.
1051
00:50:49,180 --> 00:50:50,215
I guess I bonded -- no.
1052
00:50:50,248 --> 00:50:52,150
I don't know -- yeah.
1053
00:50:52,183 --> 00:50:57,722
I guess Eddie for the most part
I bonded with Eddie and Samantha
1054
00:50:57,755 --> 00:51:02,493
but we all kind of had -- I
mean we all had scenes together
1055
00:51:02,527 --> 00:51:05,230
and throughout rehearsal
we were able to kind of get
1056
00:51:05,263 --> 00:51:09,800
to know each other and bond
through like the terror
1057
00:51:09,834 --> 00:51:11,536
of singing live and
also the fact
1058
00:51:11,569 --> 00:51:14,139
that we were all major,
major "Les Mis" fans.
1059
00:51:14,172 --> 00:51:15,706
And the fact that we all worked,
1060
00:51:15,740 --> 00:51:18,143
like our ass off
to get the roles.
1061
00:51:18,176 --> 00:51:23,248
So but I guess I spent the most
time with Eddie and Samantha
1062
00:51:23,281 --> 00:51:26,217
and it was a nice little group.
1063
00:51:26,251 --> 00:51:28,219
>> I think it was
just the difference
1064
00:51:28,253 --> 00:51:30,721
in how you convey this emotion.
1065
00:51:30,755 --> 00:51:33,858
I think in the theatre you're
projecting to 2000 seats
1066
00:51:33,891 --> 00:51:34,992
and everything is heightened
1067
00:51:35,025 --> 00:51:37,628
because there's no point
having a little private moment
1068
00:51:37,662 --> 00:51:39,830
on stage you need people
to connect with that story
1069
00:51:39,864 --> 00:51:43,868
and to sort of feel what
your character's feeling
1070
00:51:43,901 --> 00:51:47,605
and on screen the camera's so
close to you that you feel,
1071
00:51:47,638 --> 00:51:50,541
you know, it's so intimate you
can be more truthful and that
1072
00:51:50,575 --> 00:51:52,310
that realism is amazing.
1073
00:51:52,343 --> 00:51:54,279
But then you can't beat
the live buzz of theatre
1074
00:51:54,312 --> 00:51:58,349
so what I feel is exciting
about this project certainly
1075
00:51:58,383 --> 00:52:02,220
from an acting point of view
is combining those two together
1076
00:52:02,253 --> 00:52:05,356
so it's kind of that utter
realism of film but with
1077
00:52:05,390 --> 00:52:08,259
that kind of live buzz
you get in theater.
1078
00:52:08,293 --> 00:52:10,728
It's combining the two to create
something that feels unique.
1079
00:52:10,761 --> 00:52:12,830
>> I had to sing.
1080
00:52:12,863 --> 00:52:13,931
Just had to sing.
1081
00:52:13,964 --> 00:52:18,669
I was completely, completely
out of my comfort zone
1082
00:52:18,703 --> 00:52:22,707
and you know very, very
insecure about my voice.
1083
00:52:22,740 --> 00:52:24,709
I definitely wish
I'd had more time
1084
00:52:24,742 --> 00:52:32,917
to prepare the soprano technique
but you know, I did my best
1085
00:52:32,950 --> 00:52:35,220
and I feel like, you know,
this is the kind of the --
1086
00:52:35,253 --> 00:52:38,589
it's a new unique experience
and the opportunity's not going
1087
00:52:38,623 --> 00:52:43,228
to come around very often so
I definitely think this is,
1088
00:52:43,261 --> 00:52:44,762
you know, the coolest
thing I've ever been in.
1089
00:52:44,795 --> 00:52:47,598
>> Well I didn't get a call.
1090
00:52:47,632 --> 00:52:48,799
That was the first step.
1091
00:52:48,833 --> 00:52:52,570
Basically I was performing
as Nancy in "Oliver" on stage
1092
00:52:52,603 --> 00:52:55,506
and Cameron Mackintosh,
the producer, walked on
1093
00:52:55,540 --> 00:52:59,544
and announced to a live
audience, yeah, that I was going
1094
00:52:59,577 --> 00:53:01,279
to be playing Eponine
-- that was my face.
1095
00:53:01,312 --> 00:53:01,846
Right there.
1096
00:53:01,879 --> 00:53:02,380
That was my reaction.
1097
00:53:02,413 --> 00:53:04,782
And it's on YouTube.
1098
00:53:04,815 --> 00:53:08,586
I've watched it since
because I can't remember it.
1099
00:53:08,619 --> 00:53:10,555
I just remember hearing Eponine.
1100
00:53:10,588 --> 00:53:13,724
I remember my heart nearly
falling out of my chest
1101
00:53:13,758 --> 00:53:15,893
and going -- because I've
never wanted anything more.
1102
00:53:15,926 --> 00:53:18,796
I never -- this has been
a part for four years.
1103
00:53:18,829 --> 00:53:22,767
It's a character I feel so
passionate about and oh gosh
1104
00:53:22,800 --> 00:53:25,270
and to get that news
in that way,
1105
00:53:25,303 --> 00:53:26,904
that was my reaction
right there.
1106
00:53:26,937 --> 00:53:28,606
You did a really good
impression of me.
1107
00:53:28,639 --> 00:53:32,277
>> It's like my inner,
you know teenager.
1108
00:53:32,310 --> 00:53:35,413
You grew up with Ali G
and all those things --
1109
00:53:35,446 --> 00:53:39,584
I was properly star struck
by Sasha and he arrived onset
1110
00:53:39,617 --> 00:53:41,919
at a point that he Helena
Bonham-Carter arrived at a point
1111
00:53:41,952 --> 00:53:43,754
which we'd being going through
this rigorous quite sort
1112
00:53:43,788 --> 00:53:47,958
of intense process forever
and they arrived in sort
1113
00:53:47,992 --> 00:53:51,329
of a lightness arrived
and it made me very happy.
1114
00:53:51,362 --> 00:53:52,430
It was just -- I
was a bit of a sort
1115
00:53:52,463 --> 00:53:55,600
of a lifetime aspiration
was to --
1116
00:53:55,633 --> 00:53:57,368
I never thought I'd get the
opportunity to work with him
1117
00:53:57,402 --> 00:53:59,036
but it was pretty
wonderful to do so.
1118
00:53:59,069 --> 00:54:02,740
>> I think I was excited about
there was a role I knew nothing
1119
00:54:02,773 --> 00:54:05,476
about at least I kind
of -- I knew this girl.
1120
00:54:05,510 --> 00:54:09,314
I knew this piece, I felt
so passionately about it
1121
00:54:09,347 --> 00:54:11,682
so to be -- that was the
one comforting thing,
1122
00:54:11,716 --> 00:54:12,850
I think about entering it.
1123
00:54:12,883 --> 00:54:15,620
I wanted to work with these
actors that I'd, you know,
1124
00:54:15,653 --> 00:54:17,955
admired for years, people
like Hugh Jackman, you know?
1125
00:54:17,988 --> 00:54:20,325
And Eddie Redmayne I knew
had been cast as Marius
1126
00:54:20,358 --> 00:54:21,792
and when I was auditioning
1127
00:54:21,826 --> 00:54:24,329
for Eponine there were posters
everywhere with "My Week
1128
00:54:24,362 --> 00:54:26,697
With Marilyn" and I was
like, remember being just
1129
00:54:26,731 --> 00:54:29,500
like positive thinking he
could be my Marius and working
1130
00:54:29,534 --> 00:54:32,870
with people like that,
that was such a highlight.
1131
00:54:32,903 --> 00:54:35,306
>> I was lucky enough to attend
many of these gala nights
1132
00:54:35,340 --> 00:54:38,376
of "Les Mis" and they've
always been magical.
1133
00:54:38,409 --> 00:54:40,311
You know, any musical
1134
00:54:40,345 --> 00:54:44,315
that celebrates a particular
milestone is always sort
1135
00:54:44,349 --> 00:54:46,817
of like one of those moments
where you think it's been going
1136
00:54:46,851 --> 00:54:49,487
so long can you really
inject something into that?
1137
00:54:49,520 --> 00:54:52,390
And it does have
that magical touch.
1138
00:54:52,423 --> 00:54:54,825
I think what's also
interesting is the fact
1139
00:54:54,859 --> 00:54:58,095
that as somebody who's seen it
as I say quite a few times now,
1140
00:54:58,128 --> 00:55:00,965
you go along and each time
there's always something
1141
00:55:00,998 --> 00:55:03,368
that you don't quite remember
1142
00:55:03,401 --> 00:55:05,836
from the first time
or the second time.
1143
00:55:05,870 --> 00:55:09,807
And you do come away it's what
they call one of those musicals;
1144
00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:12,843
it's what they call
a memorable musical.
1145
00:55:12,877 --> 00:55:16,981
Not just because of the story
but particularly with the songs.
1146
00:55:17,014 --> 00:55:20,818
You do go out and days later
you've got this fantastic melody
1147
00:55:20,851 --> 00:55:23,654
in your head and you're thinking
to yourself, what is that?
1148
00:55:23,688 --> 00:55:24,355
What is that?
1149
00:55:24,389 --> 00:55:25,623
Because a with a lot of songs
1150
00:55:25,656 --> 00:55:28,459
from musicals you don't always
know the title but you only have
1151
00:55:28,493 --> 00:55:32,430
to hear, you know, the sort
of words of "On My Own"
1152
00:55:32,463 --> 00:55:35,900
and it strikes a chord to
any generation and I do kind
1153
00:55:35,933 --> 00:55:39,704
of think that that's why it's
been covered by so many people.
1154
00:55:39,737 --> 00:55:43,374
So many people resonate with the
lyrics and the beautiful melody
1155
00:55:43,408 --> 00:55:47,445
of many of the songs from
the score of "Les Mis"
1156
00:55:47,478 --> 00:55:49,414
and I think it will
go on for many,
1157
00:55:49,447 --> 00:55:51,482
many years in people's minds.
92072
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