Les Mis

I think everyone should show more respect to everyone.
It's all gotten a little silly, and I for one can't actually remember where a lot of it started???
Everybody is entitled to their opinion. I reiterate, as someone already has said, one of the posters is one of our younger cast members- with the passion and love of youth, but shall we say, a less refined access to debate. A cool and calm head from all is required...

For my money-
I didn't agree during rehearsals with several of John's ideas, mostly because they were different to what I have seen before and liked. However, having the advantage of 'seeing' the show 11+ times, I think they did- but not in every show! Something as different as this version was often required us all to be on the ball for the full 3+ hours of every performance. The fact it wasn't perfect only proves that we were a mostly amateur cast doing our best- and mostly this was excellent.
and it got better every show- thus I noticed mostly the reviews have improved the later in the season people saw the show.
It also proved to me that no matter how clever you think you are (I think I am!), there is always someone who knows more!
Sound was a major problem- in virtually every show. I suspect this was a poor equipment issue, having many years faultless experience of working with these sound guys in other gigs. That said, every notes session involved discussion on turning your head and speaking at the floor mikes (just in case). When people did this (not all could have body miking all the time) it was still possible to hear lines.
One matinee my mike had died for one of my larger scenes. Despite this, my friends in the audience told me they still heard every line I sang. This was thanks to hearing this note constantly for the previous week.
Again- another learning experience for us all.
John's major issue in this show, and I don't think he'd have issue with someone saying it publicly, was that we simply didn't have enough time in the theatre itself before opening. Due to the enormous set/technical requirements of a show of this size, we literally were only able to run 2 proper dress rehearsals before opening, the first without lights having been plotted and without makeup, the second with only half the show plotted. Therefore opening night was the first time we ran with lights, sound, costumes and full sets. This was a source of massive frustration for John, and I suspect another learning experience for the MSS crew.
It was also very scary for me as a performer.
No matter how great the director/crew/cast, sometimes miracles cannot be performed

So all in all, a good show to be involved in, and I must say- mostly reviewed extremely fairly. It was not perfect, and sometimes some of it was downright ordinary. But we all learned, and I think the vast majority of the audiences has a cracking good time, based on all the feedback I have received. hopefully musical theatre throughout Perth will continue to be stimulated and grow from this experience, (and healthy and freethinking debate continues to thrive in this country.)

If us creative people can't manage to debate freely, how do we expect the politicians etc to manage it...?

yours in peace
Nev