Les Mis Opening Night - Please someone turn on the lights!!

The first part of this i actually wrote during the intermission last night on my iPhone and tried to post it here (but for some reason wasn't working properly) and the second part is new... Part 1: Intermission iPhone update to theatre.asn Well, here i am at the opening night of Les Mis and i am so frustrated. The lighting, oh god, please someone turn on the lights on stage!! I mean, i understand and get that it's supposed to be gloomy and depressing, but seriously, not to the point where i can't actually see people's faces on stage! ... I'm talking about where a lead or someone stepping forward to sing is in _complete_ shadow!! It's as if they decided not to use _any_ forward facing lighting at all! ... Let me put it into perspective, the conductor had a spot on him so the orchestra can see him, that spot is _twice_ as bright as _any_ of the lighting of the characters on stage... I know people in the show, and the only way i've been able to recognise them, unless they accidentally hit some of the sporatic lighting, is by the way they move. The only way to tell who is singing a line is to try and peer through the gloom to work out who's making more movement than the others. ... You know how at the start of a show when the actors are all on stage as you enter and the lighting is all dim, well, that's how the lighting has stayed the entire time! Ok, rant over, second act about to begin. Sigh, even the lighting in the auditorium is brighter than anything on stage... Aside from that, i'm loving the show. But i am so very frustrated :( Part 2 ... Next day thoughts. Ok, so the lights finally came up for the wedding scene, again, i do understand that it's supposed to be a contrast, but i'm sorry but it really detracted from the show not being able to even see faces or expressions, only shadows and slightly darker spots where u could tell they had their mouth open and they were singing. I was in row R, about 2/3 of the way back. Speaking to the ppl i knew after the show, i even commented to one of my friends who was in it, wow, u only had that bit at the start and right at the end ... to which he told me he'd been in and out of costumes and on stage all night... i was amazed. ok ok ... enough about the lights. I'm just saying, please put some gentle spots at least so the we can see their faces a little as they do their major songs at least?? Jean - He was bloody great! Controlled acting and singing, a pleasure to watch and listen to! Your diction was exceptional, i was with someone who had never seen the show or heard it at all before and she was able to completely follow. Javet - Peter, i told you last night when i caught up with you that you were great, and i really meant it, fantastic mate. Amazing voice, you and Jean sounded great together, gave me goosebumps in "Confrontation" with the overlapping. Your suicide song was amazing, and great choreography, loved the whirlpool and demons taking you over. Bishop - Alan, great work mate! That is one of the highlight songs for me in the show, good stuff! (Just disappointed i didn't see you in the rest of the show ;)) Young Cosette - you were great, beautiful voice and played really well :) The Thénardier's - *grin* nice one, sounded just like the recording :) ... Just wished there was more energy in that one, seemed to be a bit puffed though :( .. love her laugh :) Marious, Eponine and Cosette - Great work you guys, loved the performances, really nice voices and i was especially impressed with Eponine ... although, it wasn't until the Wedding scene that i actually saw what u guys looked like :( seriously Marious, half the time you were singing with complete shadow on ur face (not ur fault though) The rest of the cast ... seriously well done!! Great performance, loved it!! ... stand out parts were the drunken priest, GOLD LOL, Julia doing her thing (she plays a very good whore), Tim ... i got goosebumps when you were doing the Red, etc in Red and Black, and also the fact that ur character was a drunkard and a coward not being able to face the barricade, well done! Gavroche's death was really well done too, good stuff ... Oh god, if i've forgotten any of the others i knew in it i'm sorry, but you were great!!! :D Sigh, i really would have loved to have seen it with lights that showed faces and not just shadows :( i know i keep harping on about it, but i missed out on so much not being able to see :( Great work all!! Matt :)