Stage Directions: The true story of Les Misérables takes place more in that mystifying and kinetic space that exists between people than it does in any time or location. It is by opening a window into this web of emotional forces that connects us that this sung-through musical based on Victor Hugo’s 19th century novel has moved audiences the world over.
5 comments:
“Les Miserables” was one of the first musicals I saw in which I truly understood the importance of lighting design. I saw it at a regional theatre in my hometown when I was in middle school. I found myself enthralled by the use of templates and soft spotlights that were artfully integrated. The designer, Paul Black, was one that I kept an eye out for when seeing theatre in my hometown. This article mentions how most of the production occurs in a “mystifying or kinetic space” that cannot be clearly defined in traditional terms. The large amount of locations required by the script makes it difficult to scenically convey a place, especially when some solo numbers are more ethereal and less concrete. I love this designer’s approach of “less is more” because it is merely used to propel the story forward. Avoiding ultra-saturated colors can prevent the looks from being overwhelming colorful and unrealistic, especially for this serious story grounded in the true events of the French Revolution.
I've worked on a production of Les Miserables before and I can tell you that this article is all correct and lighting design that doesn't do a little bit more work in terms of textual and emotional analysis of the world of the play or musical, can end up looking really uncanny and weird onstage-- even if the lighting design looks visually stunning. I think that the designer does a great job of prioritizing his storytelling in terms of design work, he really makes a decision that comes down to, what is more important, the lights or what is literally happening on stage. That being said, there is plenty of room for spectacle in Les Miserables and if a designer plays their cards right and adds more nuance and intrigue to smaller more intimate scenes in the musical, they have the ability to heighten moments that actually need height later in the musical. Overall, this article is really an insight for a lot of lighting designers because it focus' in on storytelling not impressiveness.
Les Miserables was the musical my parents saw in london and brought be back the original recording making it the first cast album I ever owned. I do not think I have ever actually listened to it all the way through once. This is because it is a sung-through and you need it in pieces so it does not become monotonous. This lighting designer acknowledges this creatively by watching the saturation of his colours for only the really tense and or climactic scenes. The show has so many different types of scenes in so many settings every design aspect has to be greatly varied for it to work. There is so much going on I doubt any regular muggle would notice the nuances of the lighting, costumes maybe, scenic more likely, sound that’s a good joke. I am really looking for a Les Miserables done in all black and white or neon colors, just something really different, everyone in the nude, something to mix it up.
Les Miserables is one of the best shows I have ever worked. On top of it being an amazingly written piece, the cast I was working with and the crew that was working under me were absolutely phenomenal. It is because of them that we were able to pull off such an amazing show and do such a powerful piece justice. Everything this article stated is completely true. There is a huge difference between a lighting design being just visually stunning and actually working with the show. I think, due to the nature of the show, that this is super important for Les Miserables. I was fortunate enough to work with a lighting designer and director that fully understood this concept. Now I also think this is true for other design departments. Something can sound amazing, but putting amazing jazz music behind a battle sounds very different than something faster paced. I think this is one of the most difficult things to grasp as a designer.
I’m excited to see an article like this. Although lighting isn’t my specialty, I always enjoy learning more about it. Lighting evokes emotion to the audience almost subconsciously and not many people stop to appreciate the spectacle of the performances. It was really interesting to hear how the lighting designer was so specific in his design choices. For example he said that he would stray away from using saturated colors or intense tones unless it was a time where drama and tension was needed to be implemented. This article talked about the positioning of the lights and their importance as well as the color, including the type of gel they use, etc. I think a lot more goes into choosing lights for a show than most people think. But that also contributes to the beauty of the production as whole. The audience doesn't think about which lights are being queued when which makes for a natural effect and a flow.
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