I've long been a fan of Les Misérables, and I mostly knew it from seeing the movie versions and pop culture. I once tried reading the book, but it was waaaaaay too long, and I wasn't in the right headspace for it. Maybe I'll try again (when I'm retired! 😄). I was also familiar with the music because it's so popular. For many years, I've wanted to see the musical on stage. Well, that finally happened in June in Boston. And no surprise, the rumors were true; it was excellent. I went with David and Sam, which was fun. We had dinner at a Chipotle a few blocks from the theater, then enjoyed the show from our seats, which were higher up than I thought they'd be (but still cost a lot of $$$!?!).
Sights of Boston walking to and from dinner...
One of the things I love about Boston is the mix of historic old and modern new, right next to each other.
The church is the Old South Meeting House.
When in Boston...
...why not dress like a Founding Father?
Finally!
The Opera House is ornate and beautiful inside.
Some views inside the theater before the show began...
Right above us, this:
It was a great show. I'd give it four out of five stars. It loses a star for the following reason: I didn't like some unnecessary queer stuff they put in toward the end—what an insult to the integrity of the storyline that Victor Hugo worked so hard on. I'm not sure if it was done because it was "Pride Month" and Boston is a very liberal place, or if it's just part of the show now. Related to that, I also didn't like how the musical focused more on the abhorrent, scamming innkeeper couple, who are secondary characters in the story anyway. They get a good laugh, but they're vulgar. Sadly, that appeals to the masses in the culture we live in now. I was able to let the Opera House know (politely) how I felt in a survey they sent out after the show.
Despite that, I'm so grateful that I got to see this wonderful show! It has beautiful principles of love, forgiveness, and the ability to change into something better, with a good dash of history (the French Revolution!) mixed in. Vive la France!
