Javert - The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.

[deralte]

I dreamt I was leading a team of ninjas through a hedge maze filled with killer bunny rabbits, while we made our way through the British Museum in order to hunt down the Yeti that was haunting the place. I was being warned not to destroy or get blood on any exhibits when I woke up.

I was so exhausted yesterday that a lot of it feels like a dream. Was I really in London all morning? Did I see Les Mis?

I got into the city a bit earlier than I expected, so, like the historical geek I am, I schlepped on over to the British Museum again to see the rest of the Greek/Roman section and the African section (and yet I'm still missing seeing a few of the galleries *boggles*), very quickly took a lot of photos and saw the helmet I wanted to see, then ran to get tickets to Les Mis. and meet gramayre1971 for good food and good conversation. I was sad we didn't have more time (since it was obvious we could have talked for hours), but we were running to get to the theatre on time. I made it to my seat literally as the curtain was coming up.

The play itself was fantastic as always. They really has some high calibre voices and everyone sounded perfect for their roles. My only complaint would be that while the guy playing Valjean had an excellent voice that suited the character, he could have acted a bit better. Musicals aren't just about the singing after all. I appreciated a lot of the subtleties of the play more now that I've read the book. It's kinda funny too. I was under the impression that that ABC society had a much larger role in the musical, yet they don't really. The only person who's fully characterized other than Enjolras, is Grantaire (and I was slightly disappointed to realize they don't die smiling at each other while holding hands in the play *pouts*).

I've seen the play four times now, and I have to admit, each time I swear they're going to go to intermission after Javert's swearing down to hunt Valjean, or after "Can you hear the people sing?", and then it goes on for another twenty minutes and I'm always confused. While it makes sense to put the intermission where it is, you're always bemused because there's all these stiring numbers before hand that would make excellent intermissions as well. Another thing I noticed with this particular showing was how cinemographic the whole thing is. People pose and create tableaus that are gorgeous enough to make you want to get out your camera or icon them.

I was really impressed by their casting of Marius. He's not all that likable or interesting as a character, and yet usually he's cast as this handsome, clueless man. The guy playing him here looked like a complete dork. The kind you see in any public school, and just automatically label dork. Therefore it was really easy to believe his falling in love and his dorkiness in the middle of a revolution. What was more impressive is how he changed after Eponine's death into a much bitter, harder man. Very good acting, and very good singing.

And I always feel sorry for the actor playing Javert cause even when the suicide scene is fantastic (which it usually is) no one claps cause then you'd be clapping someone killing themselves. All you can do it try to make up for it at the end of the play I guess. Incidently, I love seeing the actors playing Valjean and Javert walk off the stage with thier arms across each other's shoulders *L*

Random observations: The actor playing Grantaire looked exactly like my fencing coach from first year. Very disconcerting. The actor playing Enjorlas looked like Geraint Wyn Davies, and the actor playing Jean Valjean looked like a Nio protector *L*

When I was younger, Gavrouche's death used to make me cry. Now I'm braced for it, so only the ending and Valjean's death makes me tear up. Good stuff *L* I left the theatre nearly bouncing and humming Can you hear the people sing? which must have bemused the people on the tube *L*

I had to run all the way to King's Cross to catch my train on time. I'm impressed by my physical conditioning really since I can run all the way up those huge escalators without getting out of breath, though by the fifth one in the day, I was getting a bit tired. Made it to the train with five minutes to spare and settled in for a long journey that once again involved dozing and staring out the window.

I also read Bisexuality in the Ancient World, which was quite interesting, even if the author is occasionally talking out her arse (or batalos if you prefer it in ancient Greek... the things you learn...). I managed to finish the entire Greek section and start in on the Roman one. Am left wondering why no one ever tells you that almost all the famous philosophers and statesmen were courting boys. I know I'd have paid a lot more attention to them if I had known *L* It's kinda fascinating how people's obvious traditional hangups over the topic have coloured all the scholarly works and analyses of the history.

Anyway, got ten hours of sleep and now feel human again. Will spend the day relaxing and recouperating. Ja ne!

Comments

[gramarye1971]

Eee, I'm glad you made it, though. ^_^ *loffs*

[deralte.livejournal.com]

*g* I think everybody hated me for pushing through to my seat. Luckily the play distracted them.

[siria]

I am so envious. It is my great wish to make it to the British Museum one day (clearly, I am as much of a geek as you are ;)

I might have a look to see if I can find the book on bisexuality in the ancient world - though the title itself does make me a little bit wary. It sounds interesting, but I keep thinking 'can you really classify it as 'bisexuality'? Because different cultures and different mores...'

I think maybe I've become too continuously pomo, thanks to having some fairly academically conservative lecturers *g*

[deralte.livejournal.com]

Well, for one thing the book is translated from Italian so I suspect it wasn't called that in it's original language. For another, I think she just chose bisexuality as a blanket term because it covered homosexuality, lesbianism, and bisexuality - since she seems to deal with homosexuality and lesbianism by turn, but because of marriage, most of these people were bisexual by default, at least by the dictionary defintion of someone who 'loves' both men and women regardless of their own gender. Of course, I'm assuming all this since she never did a real definition of terms. The book could more accurately be entitled, "Homosexuality, Lesbianism and Bisexuality in the Ancient World" *shrugs* But who cares? *g*

You should definately visit the British Museum, and plan on going for the entire day, and maybe leave yourself a second day as well. There's nothing more frustrating then to visit the damn place and not see something you know is there cause you run out of time.

[doolabug.livejournal.com]

Did you see the Warren Cup? How can people still discount the importance of homo/bisexuality (for lack of better terms) in the ancient world when its so prominently and proudly displayed? Boggles me.

[deralte.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! I did a double take when I saw it, since while I'm well aware the stuff exists, I was under the impression they didn't display it for Victorian reasons, and yet there it was, prominently shown. I have a nice close up pic of it *L*

I'm left wondering why the book I'm reading spends so much time proving that the youths were being throughly buggered when you have it showing very clearly on the Warren Cup...