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“One Day More,” Broadway, 2001. Ivan Rutherford as Jean Valjean, Peter Lockyer as Marius, Melissa Minyard as Cosette, Jessica Grové as Éponine, Christopher Mark Peterson as Enjolras, Shuler Hensley as Javert, Nick Wyman as Thénardier, Betsy Joslyn as Mme. Thénardier.
A first-rate Broadway rendition of the glorious Act I finale.
“Well Scene” and “The Bargain”/ “Waltz of Treachery,” Broadway, 2001. Nick Wyman as Thénardier, Betsy Joslyn as Mme. Thénardier, Ivan Rutherford as Jean Valjean, Christiana Anbri as Young Cosette.
The uneven camerawork and partially blocked view is especially unfortunate here, as repeatedly we hear the audience laughing at stage business from the Thénardiers that we can’t see. But the sound quality is just fine and we see enough to know that this is a good performance.
Nick and Betsy earn all the laughs they get, with their craftly little gestures to each other, their facades as kind and tender-hearted foster parents, Mme. T’s fake sobbing over Fantine’s death and obvious improvising on “If... she hadn’t... so often been... ill!”, and their cackling and fighting over the money in the end. Of course that’s mostly standard Thénardier business, but they do it well.
Ivan’s warm and dignified Valjean and Christiana’s sweet little voiced Young Cosette are just right too. Valjean and Young Cosette’s moments together are always heartwarming.
“Castle on a Cloud,” Broadway, 2001. Christiana Anbri as Young Cosette, Betsy Joslyn as Mme. Thénardier.
For Cosette Appreciation Week.
Christiana is just right for the role of Young Cosette: a sweet, delicate-looking little girl with a sweet, delicate little voice.
Almost 20 years after her more famous turn as Johanna in Sweeney Todd, Betsy Joslyn has seamlessly made the transition from mad parody of an ingénue to nasty middle-aged frump as Mme. Thénardier. Her meanness and bitterness are spot-on.
“Master of the House,” Broadway, 2001. Nick Wyman as Thénardier, Betsy Joslyn as Mme. Thénardier.
Not the best quality video, but still a good performance.
Nick’s Thénardier might take a bit of getting used to, because both his humor ad his sliminess are fairly understated. Nor does he have the type of rough or brash character voice we so often hear in the role, but a clear and pleasant baritone. But this is valid, IMHO. When Thénardier is overtly slimy, you wonder why he has so many customers who like him. You wonder why Fantine ever trusted him. A pleasant, amiable facade makes it all the more understandable why he gets away with his dirty deeds.
Betsy’s Mme. T. also has a reasonably pleasant soprano voice, not the usual brash, loud mezzo (she’s probably the only Mme. T. whose best-known previous role was Johanna in Sweeney Todd), but she “compensates” nicely with her comically weary exasperation, bitterness and exuberant insults. Her cleavage-flaunting as she tries to flirt with the customer is a bit vulgar, but it’s funny too.
The ensemble is excellent, as are the small comic touches in the blocking: for example, Thénardier kissing each of the pretty girls, then almost kissing his wife, only to pull away in disgust when he realizes its her.
Well done.
