This review will be different with other reviews, and it is also really important to me to write down the experience of being a part of Les Miserable. Before the memoir, I would love to say that acting in Les Miserable is definitely the most memorable achievement I have in the junior year. I am so proud that I attended this production as an actress in the ensemble.
Musical Les Miserable is composed based on the novel Les Miserable, which was written by French novelist and poet Victor Hugo. The story is set up in the France 1832, the years before French Revolution. The class oppression causes chaos of the society in Franc and brings out the anger from the poor and some bourgeoises who have advanced thoughts of equality. The musical depicts many characters' lives from the different class, and it also emphasizes how the people react when they face to the revolution and the chaotic, injustice society.
I was in the ensemble, so I did not have the specific character. Instead, I would play many different characters, such as beggars, students, bourgeoises, sailors, and workers. Different sex, different jobs made the performance exciting because they are totally different. Therefore, I always thought about how I can act out the different people in one body. I would think of their personalities. Firstly, it is great that I do not have to follow the specific description of the character because I am in the ensemble, which means I do not have to specifically build up a complete character. I could think if I was born in that time period in a such a body with such an identity, how could I live. Then, everything looked clear. Secondly, I would separate my characters into two groups: women and men. Obviously, no matter what the class you are in, women will have a lot of differences from the outside to inside. I would shape the men looked more tough, such as frowning, standing straight with flat shoulder and straining the muscle. Compare to men, women are softer looking with round shoulder and mild thinner eyebrow. They relax their body more and walk softly. After the body shaping, I can add identities to my characters. They should be different, but I believe there is one thing in common: they are all somehow aggressive. The reason is quite simple: people have to be tough and aggressive so that they can survive in a struggled world. There is hardly some moral code for them to obey but god, so most of the people do not have the sense of morality, which make the living competition more straightforward and harsher. People have to work out on their own to survive. Therefore, the weak people are easily bullied by others. If I was born in that period, I am probably a mean person. I mean, we should insist on the kindness that we believe, and we also should follow the justice and right path, but "honey babe" is never an option.
To be honest, being mean is also a difficult task. The first scene for me was acting a mean female worker, so I decided to be a gossip girl who is petty and stingy, always showing an ugly bitchy face to others. Then, when the scene went to lovely lady part, I was a sailor who is a dissolute, rude alcoholic. The personality of a sailor could be as negative as we can imagine. Therefore, when I played the sailor, making deals with the prostitute, there is only one thing I care--- if any prostitute refuses my "invitation", I will sexually assault her... Can you imagine how embarrassed and ashamed I was to act in this scene, especially you have to exaggerate your facial expression and body language on the stage? At that scene, I struggled all the time. Oh my god, should I really touch Maggie? I do not think she will allow me to do that. Oh, that is so real... I mean, we are students... be polite... Am I an asshole? How do my friends think of me? Maybe they do not even notice me...Who cares...no... Those mental activities almost kill me. It is a madness.
It was great to practice the songs, but for me, everything became more interesting when we reached the black box and then sang with the pit band. Then, after dressing up, the work in Les Mis get a climax. I had many scenes to act. Before the scene, I had to change costume, get the props and might change makeup. Sometimes, I would change the props during the scene change, and it made me busier. Some scenes are connected, so I had to prepare more quickly, which often drove me crazy but I was also excited. Moreover, it is also exciting to see others acting. The main characters were all doing good jobs on the stage. Most of them sang the sad songs, and all the songs were so touching.
At the performance days, I did some mistakes, which were frustrating. However, the last show was close to the perfect. My aunt came to the last show, and she cried from the beginning, I dreamed a dream, to the end. Especially at the last scene, when we were waiting behind the curtain, someone said that Lexi was crying, and then the sadness just spread to the backstage. I started to realize the meanings of the show to those seniors, and I also started to realize this is the real last chance for us to stand on the stage singing such masterpiece. It is my first time to sing in Les Miserable, and it might be my last time to sing Les Mis on the stage. I never imagined I can sing Les Miserable because of the difficulties of music and staging. However, we really did, even though it is much far away from the show in Bushnell. I am so proud that there are so many talented and hardworking people in the school to make it happen, and I am so proud that I made a right choice for my winter activity.
I had the unforgettable experience acting in Les Miserable, played an alcoholic, bastard, person in the bottom class, and a passionate revolutionary who has faith in future. I think that I have hardly, almost zero chance that I will have the same experience with these people. Therefore, I am extremely glad and excited that I can taste the piece of their lives by thinking in their ways, living in their ways, and acting them on the stage.
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