Les Miserables - Original London Cast

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Les Miserables - Original London Cast - song segments

Рет қаралды 354,402

Күн бұрын

Here's a montage of several songs from American TV's 20/20 segment on Les Mis circa 1987. Featured are original London cast members Colm Wilkinson, Frances Ruffelle, Michael Ball, and Peter Polycarpou. The performances are from the London Company and the Broadway rehearsals.

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@dasteufelhund 5 жыл бұрын

Rufelle's lonely voice is what made me fall in love with Les Miserable. Wilkinson's voice is a reminder of altruism and Michael Ball, love.

@chiralityraven337 5 жыл бұрын

Same. It was her singing this song that made me love Les Mis

@billny33 11 жыл бұрын

i loved Frances Ruffelle's voice for Eponine. It seemed like her voice was more fit for 80s pop music than Broadway, very sultry and breathy. It always sounded like she was about to cry. And that's basically where Eponine's at during the whole show so it fits.

@ForgottenArmy1944 3 жыл бұрын

80s pop music vibe for sure. So special and great to listen to

@taketothehill5975 Жыл бұрын

Frances is easily my favourite Eponine. Lea Salonga is a better technical singer but I think that detracts a little from the performance. The enunciation is so precise that I feel it loses touch with the actual character. Eponine in the novel is far more complex. She is somewhat broken from a life of trauma and is on the edges of sanity. I feel that come through far more clearly in Frances Ruffelle’s version. The lost child who is slightly unhinged. It’s brilliant.

@billny33 Жыл бұрын

@@taketothehill5975 I wholeheartedly agree. I wish Frances had been in the dream cast but Lea is also so talented that it would be wrong of me to say she doesn't deserve it. However, Frances also originated the role like so many others in there.

@BrendanJSmith Жыл бұрын

Linzi Hateley had a very similar sound in her version of On My Own.

@jmw939 7 ай бұрын

Her voice sounds a bit like Eponine’s voice as described in book. Only prettier of course.

@Pretendkid 11 жыл бұрын

I have no idea how human beings can possess such incredible voices as those of the original London cast....

@broadwaymike92 10 жыл бұрын

Francis Rufelle is so talented and she will always be known as Eponine!!!

@Len1977gt 3 жыл бұрын

Is that who played her? I remember watching a performance near where I live in New York USA back in 1990.

@Broadwayriah 2 жыл бұрын

@@wyattdegrasse121 Lea didn’t even originate Eponine in any production, and she’s better known for playing Fantine than Epoinine

@haneefjames2676 7 жыл бұрын

well I met Frances and she is beatiful and can sing. she was the orignal characterin London and broadway and has made history for the character. Her voice was raw and didn't need training like others. She did a fantastic Job and won the first Tony for the role. when people listen to the song on my own ( real singers) go to the orignal song because it's sung correctly.

@ladyanne97 10 жыл бұрын

Michael Ball, Frances Ruffelle, Colm Wilkinson - adore them!

@RandomNEGuy 7 ай бұрын

I saw Les Mis with my grandmother when it opened in London - one of the greatest shows ever.

@caleb1413 3 ай бұрын

I’m jealous!

@mskimyu 3 жыл бұрын

No matter how many Eponines come and go, Frances will be the sweetest and greatest of them of all. The Original London is indeed EPIC.

@katiehanna90 8 жыл бұрын

Colm + Patti + Michael + Frances = awesomeness.

@kamwrites 11 жыл бұрын

Going through Les Miz vids and comments: I'll never understand why people expect perfection. Frances was everything Eponine was supposed to be. She wasn't the beauty who won hearts, she was the street rat, still very much a child, with a raspy voice from a hard life who fell in love with someone above her station. Good grief, she was a Thenardier! She's not supposed to be the standout, she's supposed to be someone we can relate to and have sympathy for...unlike Cossette, who is quite dull IMO.

@holden6104 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I personally think Lea Salonga was a horrible casting decision for all the reasons you've stated in support of Frances. The original London cast was flawless.

@bookemdano7567 4 жыл бұрын

And Thank You! I always felt that I am in the minority about Lea Salonga as Eponine. She has a great voice and is wonderful as Kim, but, she’s just not Eponine to me ( and she’s even worse as Fantine) She’s too “perfect” with no emotion. She tries to show emotion with her face, but, it comes off fake to me. Frances IS Eponine. She has so much emotion in every single word she sings. And her voice is unique, where as other Eponine’s are a dime a dozen. There was a time, back, in the first 5 years or so of the show, that every girl playing Eponine would try to imitate Frances. Now it’s sad that On My Own and many other songs from Les Mis are sung as power ballads like they are auditioning for American Idol. The youth of today feel that if you aren’t belting/ yelling to the rafters, you’re not a good singer.

@melizmatea 4 жыл бұрын

I agree, except I think she was a stand-out! She was so adorable, and really evoked pathos.I gotta say, I think she was beautiful - I don't know how anyone could say otherwise - almost too beautiful for Eponine - much prettier than Cosette.

@chinatipodeesamer2776 4 жыл бұрын

Nathan Topik You shut up.

@mikekaraoke Жыл бұрын

Kamwrites you said: Frances was everything Eponine was supposed to be. She wasn't the beauty who won hearts! I hope you are joking but if not, I totally disagree with you Frances to me and many many others think she rather pretty.

@DarthxErik 13 жыл бұрын

Les Mis is not just a musical. It is... one of the biggest loves of my life.

@ErinLovegood 11 жыл бұрын

Frances will always be the Eponine of my heart

@jelloh0530 12 жыл бұрын

I saw them in New York in the 80s when I was about 8 years old, and they were perfection. As an adult, I can hear the flaws in Frances' voice, but she's still my favorite Eponine. She played her with such passion and pain and it doesn't matter whether her singing had technical issues. She embodied Eponine's sorrow and hope perfectly.

@Pretendkid 11 жыл бұрын

From the novel: "It was a dull, broken, hoarse, strangled voice, the voice of an old man, roughened with brandy and liquor." "And she hummed scraps of vaudevilles, as though she had been alone, frolicsome refrains which her hoarse and guttural voice rendered lugubrious.An indescribable constraint, weariness, and humiliation were perceptible beneath this hardihood. Effrontery is a disgrace."

@chiralityraven337 5 жыл бұрын

Colm always stirs emotion in me. Michael, Francis.... classic cast!!

@DeepScreenAnalysis 11 жыл бұрын

Something about Frances Ruffelle always reminded me of Edith Piaf. She had such pluck and singular character.

@freesiaoriental 3 жыл бұрын

That's exactly what the creators had in mind when they cast her for the role, actually. She supposed to sound like a street singer. Fits the character better

@AngelLittleMerman 11 жыл бұрын

Frances Ruffelle is the original and will always be Eponine! Haters shut up!

@24morgy 11 жыл бұрын

I've just had the pleasure of seeing Frances Ruffelle playing Edith Piaf in the play 'Piaf'. She was well suited to the character and her acting and singing were PERFECTION! pretty hot too!

@rulerofthebog 12 жыл бұрын

Les Mis came to Broadway just a couple months before I was born. I've literally grown up with this musical my entire life - my sisters listened to a couple different recordings of it all the time when I was small, first on tape and later on CD, and I developed a love for it at a very early age. I have a special fondness for the Original London Cast - they just knock it out of the park. Michael Ball just makes me swoon - I love seeing him so young here, with that long curly hair. What a hottie!

@missbroadfoot 13 жыл бұрын

frances' version is by far the best i have heard! lea salonga is good but frances sings like an angel! beautiful song :)

@Klskcs1 11 жыл бұрын

It made my day to see Michael Ball and Frances Ruffelle singing One Day More!

@HeWhistledAtMe 11 жыл бұрын

I do believe that the first person you see play a part is usually the one that you end up preferring. Not always, of course. Stephanie Lawrence was by far my favourite Evita but she was the third one I saw. With Frances though - as with all of the OLC of Les Mis - she (and they) will always be the benchmark for me. I had seen her in Starlight Express prior to Les Mis anyway and she was adorable in that.

@melizmatea 4 жыл бұрын

Frances was the best Eponine, I don't care with anyone else says!

@MegaTaraNator 11 жыл бұрын

That Eponine's voice is perfect. As an 11 year old I wanted to sing like her. As a 35 year old I want the same thing. Frances Ruffelle is perfection in my opinion just like her counterpoint, Michael Ball. No one can even come close to his Marius.

@copielover 13 жыл бұрын

frances is beautiful both apperance and voice

@richpaulfive 11 жыл бұрын

I was in New York at one of the original showings, it was amazing!!! After the play they auctioned off a white robe which they wear in between scenes which I bought and have to this day! I also had the opportunity to meet some of that amazing cast at that time as well. Amazing!! Can't wait till Christmas Day to see the movie.

@Euroviking86 6 жыл бұрын

Three members of the original cast of Les Miserables took part in Eurovision! Two for the UK and one for Ireland.

@annflanders5618 3 жыл бұрын

love love love colm's voice

@cutegirliepie 12 жыл бұрын

MAN!!!! To be able to see THAT cast would be a dream come true. The best and original cast EVER for that play would be sooooo amazing!!!!

@Reverend_Kane 11 жыл бұрын

After watching clips from the upcoming film of the musical which I've waited my entire life for and being disappointed in the singing, I am relieved to be able to come here and find this which I have never seen on YT before. Thank you for posting it.

@HeWhistledAtMe 11 жыл бұрын

Oh I absolutely love David Burt (OLC Enjolras). I first saw him as Magaldi in Evita, then Munkustrap in Cats. Michael Maguire was awesome and very good looking (and tall) but Burty will always be my absolute favourite :)

@soulfuldreamer03 11 жыл бұрын

In awe. What I'd give to see a full recording of the original production!

@DoveCalderwood 12 жыл бұрын

I think it's nice that a few members of this particular cast are getting cameos in the film version (Colm Wilkinson as The Bishop, Frances Ruffelle as one of the "Lovely Ladies")

@amangkalikasan 13 жыл бұрын

i love frances voice for the role of eponine. Frances really did gave justice to the song and to the role of eponine. It's perfect because she sounds and acts like a naive girl...

@cardamom7 11 жыл бұрын

his jewel headband and les mis sweatshirt outfit was also amazing.

@mikekaraoke Жыл бұрын

Ahhhh the decade of the Mega Musicals. love the 80's! Others comes to mind like: Cats, Starlight Express, Mutiny, Dave Clark's "Time", Chess, Miss Saigon....etc + ones that were not Mega Musicals which were/are hits from the 80's like: Blood Brothers, Little Shop of Horrors, Bugsy Malone, Sunday in the Park with George.....etc

@cloudbusting.heights 11 жыл бұрын

I totally agree. Roger Allam is my favorite Javert. But it is so hard to find earlier video footage of Roger Allam as Javert. It's so frustrating!

@NelenaLoveForever95 13 жыл бұрын

I love it!!! Frances, Lea and Samantha for me are the BEST EPONINE that I've ever hear in Les Miz

@SingPlayWrite999 11 жыл бұрын

What I want to see is a performance where there's a Eponine like Frances Ruffelle and a Cosette like Katie Hall. Both these actresses took the characters to a new level; Frances completely played Eponine like the miserable street urchin she is, and Katie plays Cosette as a love-struck teenager, rather than a stiff, perfect child.

@zagm9621 10 жыл бұрын

Eponine

@KlaineHummelson 11 жыл бұрын

Oh my gosh, I went to see Les Mis on the west end two years ago, it still rotates now! x

@Fula101 13 жыл бұрын

I like the original london cast.

@Sundybell777 11 жыл бұрын

No film nor skating can do justice to one of the greatest classic novels like the Les Miz the musical can. Thanks MUCH for this video 'cause I've always wanted to watch the original cast performing this epic musical and wasn't able to find it until now.

@telegramsam 11 жыл бұрын

COOOOOOOOOLM colm colm colm colm (he is literally the best ^.^)

@HeWhistledAtMe 11 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for not judging me. It means a lot.

@lora0494 11 жыл бұрын

amazing Colm Wilkinson :o

@mreffen1 13 жыл бұрын

@321rayofsunshine123 As I recall it's: - Drink With Me with Peter Polycarpou - On My Own - Frances Ruffelle - Bring Him Home - Colm Wilkinson in Broadway rehearsal - One Day More - Michael Ball and cast from London

@james14joe 10 жыл бұрын

i like eponine on the symphonic recording best and that has been the best recording so far also the second look down is now called paris and has word changes when gavroche sings plus some songs where rushed

@molblargio 11 жыл бұрын

Drink with me to days gone by.....and yet Les Mis has yet to die

@lloydchristmas4547 4 жыл бұрын

Never gets old. Amazing.

@ladyanne97 10 жыл бұрын

I love this cast.

@justtim 12 жыл бұрын

Colm looks SO young!

@mishael53 11 жыл бұрын

Completely agree. She is the best.

@georgevalco215 7 жыл бұрын

Colm and Michael ....still the best!!

@lesmizfanatic90 13 жыл бұрын

shame on anyone who says lea michele does the best on my own. she has a fantastic voice but in no way compares to the pain and sorrow in frances' voice. frances is eponine. lea salonga and samantha barks (i adore both) will always have to live in that shadow

@billny33 11 жыл бұрын

its Frances Ruffelle, the girl in this video. She was the best too.

@sunrazor33 13 жыл бұрын

That was a good video!

@kategirdlestone50 9 жыл бұрын

Roger Allam is such an underrated Javert

@mjjago 5 жыл бұрын

Kate Girdlestone Agreed. Cliver Carter in the video here though.

@TheLadyjazzy1 12 жыл бұрын

Best Version Ever!! Nothing like the original!!

@littlemissdipsy 11 жыл бұрын

i know everyone is saying the movie cast are the perfect cast but to me the origional cast were always the best cast

@Gailbert11 12 жыл бұрын

I wish i saw them live! but i didnt :O so i guess your right because it matters in live more..

@katiehanna90 8 жыл бұрын

This is magical.

@shaybean54 12 жыл бұрын

Colm is fucking awesome.

@amyclarke41 9 жыл бұрын

Despite the title it's actually not too miserable

@sav1472 5 жыл бұрын

amy clarke Eponine was Miserable

@ReilaKun 11 жыл бұрын

Well, as far as casting for something based on the book, it was perfect. Eponine's voice in the book was supposed to be that way. It isn't perfect, it isn't always pretty, and that's good because she isn't perfect or pretty. I believe they probably had that in mind in casting Frances as the first 'Ponine. Personally, she's my favorite for that very reason.

@SparksfromtheAnvil 11 жыл бұрын

I enjoyed the movie interpretation on its own terms; but I agree that there is a raw magic to the stage version that can't be duplicated. Also loved the revolving turntable stage (which they dispensed with in the 25th anniversary tour, sadly) and the innovative use of it to great effect.

@ts1228uki 12 жыл бұрын

I love that Colm's wearing Les mis jumper :)

@PaulTheillusionist 12 жыл бұрын

Awesome!

@tamarexxe 11 жыл бұрын

Colm is god. I'm a big fan of Lea Salonga and I will never diss her, but I just don't understand why Frances Ruffelle was not chosen to do the 10th Anniversary Concert. She was 30 I realize so maybe she was just too old for the role? Lea nailed it anyway, but I feel it was somehow wrong that Frances, who won every award that could be won for her portrayal of Eponine, was not a part of the 10 Annivesary Concert which is my fave version of Les Misérables

@AdAsh650 2 жыл бұрын

I think age was of a factor.

@SingitHosking 12 жыл бұрын

The biggest dream of my life is to play Eponine. Even on a small stage

@gustavomatias4870 Ай бұрын

They could record a commemorative studio album as a new symphonic recording complete with the Original 1985 British cast (audio only)

@kennethdavies5598 29 күн бұрын

That would be nice! After all these years I still prefer the original London cast.

@gustavomatias4870 29 күн бұрын

@@kennethdavies5598 i too I love the drums in On my own in the original version

@macy2nene 11 жыл бұрын

actually i jst saw the movie and it was so good! i loved it! i ♥ the song "castle on the clouds" :)

@WaterBottle1998 11 жыл бұрын

Oh Colm Wilkinson bow to The Lord of Jean ValJean!

@musicalmaniac1000 12 жыл бұрын

Me too!!!! Such a wonderful character. :')

@JessaGrace091887 12 жыл бұрын

I really love "Les Mis"

@artiewalker2660 8 жыл бұрын

Michael Ball IS older in some videos cos he was filmed years later.

@321rayofsunshine123 13 жыл бұрын

Can anybody give me the order of songs and singers?? PLEASE?!?!?!

@mreffen1 12 жыл бұрын

On the other hand I think Miss Saigon could make a great movie. It's filmable. All they have to do is cast it well and film it competently.

@Velizvalenzuela 11 жыл бұрын

You are right. The original performers are somehow the bests because they put a part of them in their characters. However, I have to say that I prefer the originals Enjolras and Javert from Broadway. And I think both Rebecca Caine and Judy Kuhn are amazing Cosettes.

@sydnisan 11 жыл бұрын

My favourite Eponine ever is Nancy Sullivan, but Frances is absolutely amazing! She's got quite a unique voice that doesn't sound 'pretty' and it also sounds rather childish, but that's why they cast her. Eponine was only supposed to be 15 and her voice in the book was certainly not described as pleasing or nice. Frances really brought the character to life in my opinion. Also, Colm = best Valjean ever

@AdAsh650 2 жыл бұрын

And yet Frances’s voice is incredibly pleasing.

@hoodredlr 12 жыл бұрын

I like how Eponine goes high on *pretending* rather than what they do now

@Mistardmuster 11 жыл бұрын

I used to have this fantasy Les Mis cast with Stevie Nicks as Eponine. After seeing Frances, I wish that had really happened.

@BethPaige 4 жыл бұрын

Prefer this than Hugh Jackman's ridiculousness.

@mreffen1 4 жыл бұрын

Agree. Colm was great and Hollywood disappointed like they usually do with musicals.

@FitzpatrickJames7 11 жыл бұрын

OMG sh is lik Edith Piaf how very canny and yet wonderful she is lovely.....

@reneliciouss 11 жыл бұрын

Colm

@andrephan96 12 жыл бұрын

1:44 OMG, she is so cute *-*

@ndeb100 12 жыл бұрын

I think sam and frances are pretty equal. No other eponines capture their magic. But Frances is forever my fav... So happy Sam is in the movie and Frances will be in lovely ladies. yay!

@lisambofoh 11 жыл бұрын

Oh god I hope 80s hairstyles never come back.

@mikekaraoke 6 жыл бұрын

Lisambofoh-I know you posted comment a very longtime ago, But not everyone in this video has typical 80's hairstyles like-Cameron Macintosh, Colm Wilkinson, Frances Ruffelle, Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, John Caird a few other people did not have the 80's hairstyles in the 80's some people did and some didn't

@melizmatea 4 жыл бұрын

@@mikekaraoke One is more than enough to stir scary memories, hahaha. I had a perm...ohlawd, what was I thinking...

@KatThePuppyGirl 11 жыл бұрын

I still do want to see it... :)

@zigfried64 13 жыл бұрын

I have a soundboard recording of the Original Broadway Cast that is quite amazing. It is better than the cast recording!

@TheKatHan101 12 жыл бұрын

Yeah I know. Tons of people say that he did a horrible job but honestly, he did a fantastic job.

@dietayler8350 4 жыл бұрын

I’m just tryna see the original gavroche man why is it so hard to find it

@sharonjohnson1909 10 жыл бұрын

Incredible! Couldn't DISAGREE WITH YOU MORE. (Lynn Ross).

@beccaw74 11 жыл бұрын

i love the guy, who i think plays marius, hair.

@108chaitea 12 жыл бұрын

where can I see the whole thing??

@ciaconne 13 жыл бұрын

I don't get the Frances hater either. Her performance from the original cast recording always gave me the goosebumps, and remained the definitive Eponine that is as yet unsurpassed by those who followed, IMHO.

@kamwrites 11 жыл бұрын

History disagrees. She is legendary in this role.

@TheKatHan101 12 жыл бұрын

I like Frances Ruffelle...