To think they could've found a better singer than Hugh Jackman?

[Eebahgum]

Went to see les mis last night with my dm. Loved it. Genius casting of Helena Bonham Carter & Sacha Baren Cohen as innkeeper and his wife. But surprised Hugh Jackman got the lead as his singing voice is not that brilliant. He is a fabulous actor though so maybe that swung it for him.

[NotADragonOfSoup]

I think the Gavroche(s) I"ve seen on stage have been cockney for some reason I thing the one on the CD was too.

[TeamJavert]

I think cockney Gavroche is pretty common.It's not exclusive to him though.Les Mis only really works in French or British accents for me now,if it's the English language version. I've heard clips of casts with American accents and I found it odd.It just didn't seem right to me,not that an American accent is any less,or more legitimate in Les Mis than a British one,but that's probably just me.

[TeamJavert]

That should say that I've heard the Thenardiers with cockney accents too on occasion.

I do agree that the Thenardiers were very sinister,Downton Trout.I just worry that some will think they're comic relief in the book too.They're even more evil there.They have grown on me a little since the first film,but .MOTH just makes me feel ill.

Flobba, Russell Crowe's stars definitely isn't on a par with PQ's but it's done in a very different style,much more quiet and prayer like. He's certainly not as vocally talented as PQ,but then who is?,but his version worked for the film in a way that it would never work on stage.

As much as I love PQ I keep picturing him in the film belting out Stars on the rooftops at midnight, and someone throwing a shoe at him.He'd definitely have to tone it down for the film if he'd been cast.

[NotADragonOfSoup]

I've seen it in Sydney and New York - I don't recall the accents being a problem but can't remember if Gavroche was cockney in those performances!

[DumSpiroSpero]

I loved Hugh Jackman, but I have done since seeing him in Oklahoma.

I thought singing-wise Russell Crowe was definitely the weakest link, and pretty one-dimensional with it. I haven't seen the stage show but you could do so much more with the character.

Wasn't hugely keen on Eddie Redmayne or Amanda Seyfried, but I think that wa because the characters they play are pretty drippy anyway.

Thought the Thernardiers were ok but again, no comparison.

Loved Sam Barks as Eponine and Aaron Tveit as Enroljas - though both performances were outstanding.

[AudrinaAdare]

at a someone throwing a shoe at Javert.

And knocking him off the bridge.

[lesmisfan]

I thought Sacha and Helena was quite poor, they really ruined it for me, a real shame.

[cardibach]

I've seen the stage show in London and Manchester, and Gavroche had a regional accent to suit (ie Cockney in Londin, Mancunian in Manchester). The Thenardiers are usually cockney - I think it is to show the class difference between them and the richer characters. Just convention.