#fra fee has the most beautiful voice

[princesssarisa]

A Christmas Carol Holiday Season: "Scrooge: A Christmas Carol" (2022 CGI animated feature)

The 2022 holiday season gave us something I never expected: a CGI animated remake of the 1970 musical Scrooge. In his last project before his death in 2021, renowned composer-lyricist Leslie Bricusse co-produced this Netflix original movie with director Stephen Donnelley, and co-wrote its script with Donnelly based on his original 1970 screenplay. This new Carol has gained quite a fan following on Tumblr, because its version of Scrooge (voice of Luke Evans) is a surprisingly handsome "silver fox." Naturally, I was eager to see it.

This film features five of Bricusse's original eleven songs from the 1970 musical: "Happiness," "I Like Life," "The Beautiful Day," "Thank You Very Much," and "I'll Begin Again." But it also has one new song by Bricusse, "I Love Christmas," and three new songs by Jeremy Holland-Smith and Stephen Donnelley, "Tell Me," "Christmas Wishes," and "Later Never Comes." The screenplay also carries over many details from 1970: Fred is again renamed Harry (voice of Fra Fee), Belle is renamed Isabel (Jessie Buckley), Bob Cratchit (Johnny Flynn) is again a lively, playful young man, and in Christmas Yet to Come, Scrooge's death is celebrated with a musical parade led by his elated ex-debtors. But the old songs are re-orchestrated, and the new songs written, in a contemporary style, and the script is revised freely.

The mischievous Ghost of Christmas Past (Olivia Colman) is a lady sculpted of wax with a candle-flame on her head, who shape-shifts into other characters at will. The other ghosts are more traditional, but Present (Trevor Dion Nicholas) is a black man, and Marley's Ghost (Jonathan Pryce) seems to be sculpted of ice, but with burning gold coins for eyes. Meanwhile, in the earthly realm, Scrooge has a bulldog named Prudence, recalling Debit from the 1997 version. His childhood is also rewritten to mirror that of Dickens (as in the Alan Menken musical), showing him laboring in a boot-blacking factory, his father in debtor's prison. There's also added emphasis on Scrooge's sister Jen (as Fan is renamed), of whom Tiny Tim is portrayed as reminding him. 1970's notorious "Scrooge in hell" scene is also cut. And in a politically correct touch, diversity is everywhere, with many minor characters portrayed as black or East Indian.

So what are my feelings about this version? Mixed. The animation is pretty, with spectacular imagery of ghostly magic, but its sparkly flamboyance isn't very Dickensian. I have mixed feelings about Scrooge himself too. Luke Evans gives a fine performance in both acting and singing, but not only is his Scrooge handsomer than most others, he's less bitingly cruel and more likable from the start, especially in his constant sarcastic wit. This makes the Ghosts' messages seem disproportionate. Still, as a whole, this is a charming Carol, with an excellent voice cast and enjoyable songs and visuals. It will probably always have a devoted cult following.

This new Scrooge can't replace the 1970 Scrooge, or any other of the great Carol adaptations, but all the same, I'm glad it exists.

@ariel-seagull-wings, @faintingheroine, @thealmightyemprex, @reds-revenge, @thatscarletflycatcher

#a christmas carol holiday season #scrooge: a christmas carol #2022 #animation #cgi #animated film #netflix #luke evans

[wild-yonder]

Fra Fee is so beautiful! His voice is also stunning, his little bit in the “Bring Him Home” video was just absolutely beautiful!!!

#fra fee #les miserables 2012 #les mis #les miserables #les miz #courfeyrac #west end musicals #broadway musicals #aaron tveit #fra fee has the most beautiful voice #ramin karimloo

[missmis]

I’ve been having a lot of heated debates recently over which actors are the best in certain roles, so I thought long and hard about my ideal Les Mis cast.

For some roles, I have several actors (mainly Enjolras, because every guy who’s ever played him seems to be gorgeous). For some roles, there is only one person who just IS that character to me.

Now without further ado, here we go:

Jean Valjean: Alfie Boe, always. He perfectly conveys Valjean’s transition from angry convict to noble and almost saintly, plus his voice still gives me chills every time. I could write an entire post exclusively on the sheer perfection of his high note at the end of “Bring Him Home”, but that is a subject for another day. Honourable mention: John Owen-Jones because his voice is incredible, too-but he overdoes it on the anger sometimes.

Javert: ooh, that’s a tough one. I’d say it’s probably a tie between Earl Carpenter (who has the warmest and most powerful baritone ever) and Norm Lewis, who does the cold-hearted arrogance perfectly. Honourable mention: Richard Woodford, who used to be Grantaire and Javert’s understudy ages ago. Most people probably won’t know him, but he is honestly amazing- and a lovely guy.

Fantine: Carrie Hope Fletcher. Her voice can be powerful or soft as needed and she really captures Fantine’s pain. Honourable mention: Lea Salonga, whose voice is also gorgeous, but whose acting I find a little exaggerated sometimes.

Éponine: Samantha Barks will always be the one true Éponine for me. Her voice is incredible, she looks right (because in my head, Éponine is always dark-haired) and she portrays the whole unrequited love thing to perfection. And yes, I may possibly have a tiny crush on her... Or a big one.

Cosette: Honestly, Cosette always annoyed the heck out of me until I discovered Lily Kerhoas. She’s completely lovestruck-as the character should be- but she manages to turn Cosette into an actual person and not just a one-dimensional teenager who was put in to make all the guys look better. And that is honestly a huge accomplishment. Honourable mention: Amanda Seyfried, although her incredibly high soprano is a bit too much for my ears.

Marius: I loved Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal in the film version. His general adorable shyness steals my heart every time. I also love Rob Houchen, who has a gorgeous voice and who captures the innocence of the character. And Gareth Gates does hands down the best version of “A Little Fall of Rain” I’ve ever seen, because he actually seems to care that Éponine just died, unlike many other actors who’ve played this role.

Enjolras: As I said, there are so many amazing people who have played him. But if I had to choose one, it’d probably be Bradley Jaden (and no, I’m not just saying that because his man bun is a blessing to this fandom). I love his passion and the sheer power he brings to the character. Aaron Tveit is also up there with my favourites-he may not be the greatest singer, but he looks exactly like Book Enjolras and he gets that coldness and indifference-especially towards poor Grantaire- just right. Then there’s Killian Donnelly whose Irish accent I absolutely adore. Oh and lastly, Ramin Karimloo, of course-he may not look like your classical Enjolras, but the light of rebellion is ablaze in his eyes :)

Monsieur Thénardier: the one and only, the inimitable Matt Lucas. He is simply hilarious, which is actually kind of an ethical issue, because he almost makes me like Monsieur T. And every time someone says “Cosette”, I now hear “Courgette” in my head, which is entirely his fault.

Madame Thénardier: Katy Secombe. She’s mean, she’s funny, she’s brash, her facial expressions are everything and her voice can knock you off your feet. Especially great in combination with Matt Lucas. Honestly, I’d pay to see these two do stand-up comedy together.

Gavroche: Also a tough one. My favourite is probably Daniel Huttlestone in the film, just because he’s so adorable I want to adopt him. I also love Robert Madge’s mischievous and cocky Gavroche in the 25th and recently, Logan Clark, whose antics give me life.

Grantaire: He’s my favourite character, so I’m kind of picky about who plays him. Only two guys have found mercy before my eyes. One: George Blagden, whose pining for Enjolras was the only thing that kept me watching the film. I will never stop being pissed that they cut his solo in “Drink With Me”. Two: Keith Anthony Higham. He has the richest voice ever and he just gets Grantaire-the cynicism, the drama and the unrequited love thing. If you haven’t already, watch his 2008 version of “Drink With Me” with David Thaxton. Thank me later.

Courfeyrac: Fra Fee- I love his passion and his friendship with Gavroche in the film. Plus, he has a beautiful voice. Also the guy from the 2019 staged concert- I believe his name is Michael Sheehy, but I could be wrong. He is honestly hilarious.

Combeferre: Killian Donnelly. He gets the whole slightly-exasperated-by-all-of-these-irresponsible-idiots professorial vibe. And he has a very powerful voice.

Feuilly: Matthew Gent because of his lovely soft singing and his funny-as-hell facial expressions.

Joly: Jamie Muscato, who is just such an adorable goofball.

Bossuet/Lesgles/Laigle/the dude with a hundred different names: I don’t know the guy’s name, but he’s in the 25th. Firstly, because he’s actually bald and thus, about ten times more accurate than most other portrayals and secondly, because his voice is warm and soft and it’s actually a shame he hasn’t got more lines to sing.

Bahorel: Again, the dude from the movie- Iwan Lewis, I think he’s called. Just the right amount of recklessness.

Jehan Prouvaire: I haven’t really found anyone I like in this role yet. I’m not that big a fan of Alistair Brammer for some reason, so if someone could help me out here, I’d be grateful.

The Bishop: Also Earl Carpenter, because his voice is-for lack of a better description-like a nice, warm blanket. And I like Colm Wilkinson in this role, too.

I hope I haven’t missed any characters. If I have, please do point them out to me. I hope you’ve enjoyed my analysis- I tried to make it about more than just “Oh, I like this person because they’re hot”. Feel free to share your own opinions and remember: these are just my subjective ones.

#les mis #les miz #les misérables #les amis #jean valjean #fantine les mis #éponine #marius pontmercy #javert

[newyorktheater]

Paddy Considine as Quinn Carney (center, standing) and the company of The Ferryman

By the time “The Ferryman” has ended, we have been treated to a breathtaking mix of revenge action thriller, romance, melodrama, family saga, and a feast of storytelling – ghost stories, fairy stories, stories of Irish history and politics, stories of longing and of loss.

Jez Butterworth’s play about farmer Quinn Carney and his sprawling, colorful family is rich, sweeping entertainment — epic, tragic….and cinematic.

No, director Sam Mendes, best known as a film director (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Spectre), doesn’t use projection design or other movie-like technical touches. Unlike his James Bond films, nobody travels to exotic locations around the globe. Indeed, after an ominous prologue, the play takes place entirely in Ron Howell’s lived-in feeling set of a living room of the Carney’s old stone house in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.

But “The Ferryman” comes closer to a movie than to most plays these days in several ways:  Its scale — there are some two dozen actors, all terrific, most making their Broadway debuts; its embrace of naturalism — there’s a live baby, a bunny, and a goose! — and simultaneously of myth; its willingness to mine archetypes, and its bold use of familiar storylines from crowd-pleasing genres.

The playwright and the director pull this off through skilled construction – a masterful sense of suspense, and of when to focus and when to pull back to show the panorama.  A significant joy of “The Ferryman” is sharing in the characters’ excitement, dancing, singing, joking and general hubbub during the Harvest and the Harvest Feast that follows.

“The Ferryman” was inspired by a true story.  Several months before Laura Donnelly was born in Belfast, her 26-year-old uncle, who was involved with the Irish Republican Army, vanished. Three years later, his body was found in a bog.

Donnelly told this story to the playwright,  her partner at the time. She is the actress who now (winningly) portrays Caitlin Carney in “The Ferryman,” a woman whose husband Seamus Carney disappeared ten years ago. At the outset of the play, his body has been found in a bog, with a gunshot in the back of his head. Seamus was the brother of Quinn Carney (an anchoring Paddy Considine.)  It is August, 1981, a time when imprisoned members of the IRA have gone on hunger strike, and are starving to death one by one.  A leader in the IRA, Mr. Muldoon (a deep-voice, smooth-talking villain portrayed by Stuart Graham) visits the Carneys with a two henchmen and a warning: With the hunger strikes focusing world attention on The Troubles, this is not the right time to be making accusations against the IRA; they need to accept “that what happened to Seamus was a tragedy which had absolutely nothing to do with us.”

Quinn, we learn, has a past with Muldoon; he was a soldier, but gave it up ten years ago – right before his brother’s disappearance.

Caitlin has lived with Quinn’s family ever since, and she’s more or less taken responsibility for Quinn’s seven children (now aged 16 to nine months), while their mother Mary (an ethereal Genevieve O’Reilly) retreats to her bed with a series of imagined “viruses.” It’s clear from the very first scene, when they’re dancing to the Rolling Stones, that Caitlin and Quinn seem to have a special….rapport.

These plotlines give “The Ferryman” forward thrust.  But the many characters and their stories give it beauty; and the underlying themes give it heft. This is a play full of storytellers, who understand the importance of a good yarn well-told. We’re cued in early to this when Quinn’s Aunt Pat (Dearbhla Molloy) ridicules her brother Uncle Pat (Mark Lambert) after he recalls his first Harvest Feast. “You know what irks me most about this ‘story’? It isn’t one,” Aunt Pat says, in a monologue that is both amusing and that introduces us to her bitterness – which we eventually learn was caused by the death of her older brother during the Easter Rising of 1916.

Nearly every character sooner or later gets their moment in the sun, many of them telling stories, We first meet Aunt Maggie Faraway (the great Fionnula Flanagan) in her wheelchair, silent and seemingly senile. But she suddenly comes to life, and Quinn’s girls (Brooklyn Shuck, Matilda Lawler, Willow McCarthy, and Carla Langley, wonderful young actresses all) gather around her to ask her questions – where has she been, why has she never married, what will their futures hold, why is “Aunt Pat such a bitch?”…each of which yields a story more spellbinding and fantastical than the last – before she again falls silent.

The actors portraying Quinn’s aunts and uncle are olds pros, and priceless. There are many other memorable performances. Tom Glynn-Carney portrays Shane Corcoran, Quinn’s nephew, one of three brothers who have come from Derry to help with the harvest. He starts off as fun-loving lad who changes up the music from Irish fiddling to the hard rock “Teenage Kicks” by the Undertones and dances like a maniac. He reveals himself as astrident Irish patriot who’s been flirting with the IRA, then becomes an anxious kid who picks a fight with first his cousin Michael Carney (the wonderfully Fra Fee) and then with his brother Diarmaid (the equally wonderful Conor MacNeil), before he winds up adrunken and dangerous lout. Justin Edwards is Tom Kettle, a feeble-minded but strong, well-meaning and capable handyman who recalls the character Lenny in Of Mice and Men. Because he is an Englishman in Northern Ireland, though he’s lived there since childhood, the militant members of the family, including Aunt Pat and Shane, express outright hatred for him. This hatred prompts a series of events that feed into the multiply shocking climax of “The Ferryman.”  Some theatergoers might wonder at how plausible the ending is. But they’re likely to reflect on this only after they’ve had a chance to catch their breath back home.  And with that reflection may come as well the realization that the underlying themes (such as the wages of hatred) add heft to what seemed merely to be the most thrilling play of the Broadway season.

  The Ferryman

Bernard B. Jacobs Theater Written by Jez Butterworth; Original music by Nick Powell; Directed by Sam Mendes. Scenic and costume design by Rob Howell; lighting Design by Peter Mumford; sound design by Nick Powell; Hair and wig design by Campbell Young Associates Cast: Paddy Considine, Laura Donnelly, Genevieve O’Reilly, Dean Ashton, Glynis Bell, Gina Costigan, Charles Dale, Justin Edwards, Fra Fee, Fionnula Flanagan, Tom Glynn-Carney, Stuart Graham, Mark Lambert, Carla Langley, Conor MacNeill, Colin McPhillamy, Rob Malone, Dearbhla Molloy, Glenn Speers, Niall Wright, Audrey Bennett, Peter Bradbury, Trevor Harrison Braun, Will Coombs, Carly Gold, Holly Gould, Matilda Lawler, Michael McArthur, Bella May Mordus, Griffin Osbourne and Brooklyn Shuck Running time: 3 hours and 15 minutes, including two intermission (one 15 minutes, one three minutes.)

Tickets: $59.00 – $175.00

Recommended for 10 years old and over.

  Click on any photograph by Joan Marcus to see it enlarged

Paddy Considine as Quinn Carney

Laura Donnelly as Caitlin Carney

Justin Edwards (Tom Kettle) [holding Pierce The Bunny], Carla Langley (Shena Carney – hidden), Willow McCarthy (Mercy Carney), Brooklyn Shuck (Nunu (Nuala) Carney), Matilda Lawler (Honor Carney), and Rob Malone (Oisin Carney)

Glenn Speers (Lawrence Malone), Charles Dale (Father Horrigan), Dean Ashton (Frank Magennis), and Stuart Graham (Muldoon)

(L-R): Niall Wright (James Joseph (JJ) Carney), Matilda Lawler (Honor Carney), Justin Edwards (Tom Kettle), Mark Lambert (Uncle Patrick Carney), Fra Fee (Michael Carney), and Willow McCarthy (Mercy Carney)

Fionnula Flanagan (Aunt Maggie Far Away) and Mark Lambert (Uncle Patrick Carney)

Brooklyn Shuck (Nunu (Nuala) Carney), Matilda Lawler (Honor Carney), Willow McCarthy (Mercy Carney), and Carla Langley (Shena Carney)

Fionnula Flanagan (Aunt Maggie Far Away), Matilda Lawler (Honor Carney – sitting on the floor), and Brooklyn Shuck (Nunu (Nuala) Carney)

Stuart Graham (Muldoon) and Paddy Considine (Quinn Carney)

Genevieve O’Reilly (Mary Carney) and Sean Frank Coffey (Bobby Carney) Directed By Sam Mendes

Willow McCarthy (Mercy Carney), Brooklyn Shuck (Nunu (Nuala) Carney), and Dearbhla Molloy (Aunt Patricia Carney)

Willow McCarthy (Mercy Carney), Brooklyn Shuck (Nunu (Nuala) Carney), Genevieve O’Reilly (Mary Carney), and Matilda Lawler (Honor Carney)

Laura Donnelly (Caitlin Carney), Genevieve O’Reilly (Mary Carney), Sean Frank Coffey (Bobby Carney), and Paddy Considine (Quinn Carney)

Fra Fee (Michael Carney), Tom Glynn-Carney (Shane Corcoran), and Conor MacNeill (Diarmaid Corcoran)

The Ferryman By Jez Butterworth Directed By Sam Mendes

The Ferryman By Jez Butterworth Directed By Sam Mendes

The Ferryman By Jez Butterworth Directed By Sam Mendes

The Ferryman By Jez Butterworth Directed By Sam Mendes

Scenic and costume design by Rob Howell; lighting Design by Peter Mumford; sound design by Nick Powell; Hair and wig design by Campbell Young Associates

The Ferryman Review: A Breathtaking Feast of Stories and Character By the time "The Ferryman" has ended, we have been treated to a breathtaking mix of revenge action thriller, romance, melodrama, family saga, and a feast of storytelling – ghost stories, fairy stories, stories of Irish history and politics, stories of longing and of loss.