Bring Him Home

As much as I liked being in London, and loved seeing Les Miserables, and discovered two Gail's Bakeries right smack dab in the middle of Paddington Station, it was SWEET to be welcomed aboard the Great Western Railroad again, destination St Ives.

Les Miserables at the Sondheim

Did I say something about Les Miserables? Yes! I have been obsessed by the story for years. First, it was the book by Victor Hugo. Tremendous! We lived in Oregon that winter, and I recall reading the Kindle version of it while laying flat out on the couch in front of the fire. Much of my response to it consisted of open weeping.

Around that time Les Miserables started becoming a movie. When it did, I saw it MULTIPLE times. The central disappointment for me was that very few of its actors had singing voices. But the story still moved me, and I could rejoice in the singing voice of Amanda Seyfried (Cosette), whose voice soared flawlessly.

During my obsession with Les Mis, I searched YouTube to see if there were any other renditions of the story. Of course there WAS! Alfie Boe played Jean ValJean at the 02 Arena in London, supported by a stage filled with talented singers and actors. This became the new obsession, and I walked ten miles a day listening to Alfie Boe singing "Bring Him Home".  

Dear Readers, I heard and watched it so many times that YouTube took it down! 

Well, they probably didn't do that just because of me. But there were millions of other obsessed people listening and watching Alfie Boe so much that it was all-at-once stricken from the Tube. I still remember where I was when, in the middle of "Do You Hear The People Sing?" it went blank.

Seeing it on the stage at the Sondheim Theatre yesterday brought all that back, with a stage again filled with unbelievably talented people. If you ever have the chance to see it there, DO! The lady sitting behind me wept openly during Eponine's "A Little Fall Of Rain", and I did the same during Jean ValJean's beautiful "Bring Him Home" (we both felt sheepish about it afterward).

The audience stood and applauded for ages and ages. Then they sat back down for a while, because no one wanted to leave. It was fun to talk about it with the perfect strangers surrounding me! I'll never forget it. 

Why will I never forget it? I am convinced it is because of The Bishop. I simply love the Bishop, who touches our hearts the way he touched Jean ValJean's. It is the miracle of Redemption, which is woven throughout the entire story, beginning to end. And oh, how we need that.

See you along the Way!

the SconeLady