Les Miserables: My First Musical Theatre

Assalamualaikum

London is very synonym with theatres. And Londoners always like to go to theatres as well as tourists. Being a temporary Londoners, I have also wished to watch a theatre at least once. ;P But being a parents we never had a chance until recently. 

I guess it's my luck when my UEL junior had suddenly asked me to go with her. Of course I was over the moon! ^^

Since it was me who really yearned to go to theatre so hubby quickly gave a green light and was willing to take over in taking care kids after he came back from uni. Thank you Darling! I took this as my pre-birthday treat, ok! heheh.

My junior, Iman wanted to watch Les Miserables ( pronounced as La Misera ;)) Honestly, i have no idea what 's the story about, just happened to know it through tv ad. :D 

Anyway, at first i was being sceptical afraid if the ticket's price was expensive. Obviously, i didn't want to spend ridiculously on it. :P But Iman convinced me that it was only 20 pounds. So relieved me! tho the price came with the very restricted view but we didn't mind! hihi. Iman said from the review, the view from the seat was not bad so it's good to know that. ;)

So Iman took care of everything. She bought the tickets online, hence the ticket was under her name as in the pic above. ;) 

The theatre started at 7:30pm at Queens Theatre, one of the oldest and established theatres in London. It's situated at Shaftesbury Ave, London. Again i didn't know where it was. So it was on Iman again and we departed together from my house two hours early. 

We took train at Seven Kings station before taking tube at Stratford station heading to Westbound. Firstly, we had to change tube at Holborn station before heading to Piccadilly Circus. It was 5:30 so the train and tube was fullhouse! We were hardly got seated almost in that 1 hour journey! huhu 

Upon our arrival at Piccadilly Circus, it was crowded at Piccadilly square with police everywhere. Apparently, there was Anti-Capitalism Demonstration but it was all under controlled. Luckily, nothing bad happened. 

After collecting our tickets at Queens theatre, never i knew i would bump into celebrity. :P It was Marion Caunter, babeh! I knew she was in London since i followed her instagram but i didn't expect that i would meet her here. Hahaha. 

Anyway, she was so prettay! And so nice and friendly when we approached her. Here was the dialogue

Me: Hi, you're Marion Caunter, right?

MC: Yes, i am!! (silly me, of course she was :P)

Me: Can we take a pic with you?

MC: Of course, come, come! Are you guys study here? (asking me and Iman)

and so on..:D and she even asked her mom to take our pictures! (Oh, thanks aunty! ;)) Her mom in law was just watching while her husband went inside maybe to collect their tickets. Then we left her who bid us goodbyes cheerfully. Very sweet of her!

Since it was still early, Iman took me to Patisserie shop nearby. We had a yummy eclairs roll and ice lemon tea hoping it was enough to keep our tummy quiet during three ours theatre. Huhu yup,  it's three hours. And apparently, Les Miserables was happened to be the world's longest running musical theatre ever! ;)

Actually, when we arrived back at the theatre, the doors were already closed. :P The theatre patrons kindly took us to the waiting room, where there were other latecomers as well..There was a LCD screen so we watched there at first and it was when Iman's friend, Rasika joined us, just before we were taken inside the theatre in between the scenes..

The lights were already off Inside and luckily we were guided by the patrons otherwise i think i could be stumbled on the steep stairs. Again fortunately, our seats were the first three rows so we didn't disturb anyone in the same row but some people in the row behind..:P but not much as the other scene didn't started yet at that time ;)

As soon as we settled down, I enjoyed everything. ;)

Les Miserables was about a French Revolutionist, Jean Valjean who had escaped himself from a conviction. Then he became a Mayor in Paris and was willing to take care of a prostitute's daughter whom was isolated by family and friends. 

Before that the little girl named cosette was taken care cruelly by a poor, drunken and bad couple who also had a daughter named Eponine. They even made the mayor paid them high in order to take Cosette away from them. Very bad couple! :(

But the girls, Cosette and Eponine were happened to be good friends. When both had grown up, they suddenly fell in love with the same boy. huhu It's a triangle love! But the boy, Craig loves Cosette more. so two of them were in so much dilemma not to hurt Eponine's feeling until Eponine finally died in a war. And then only, Craig managed to get married with Cosette. 

It's so heart-wrenching but with happy ending! I almost cried! Hee. 

at the end, all the audiences were madly clapping and standing since the lights were back on during one by one of the casts coming out to give a bow at us audience until the last main cast who played as Jean Valjean came out, AND he got the biggest claps ever from the audiences . (smpi lenguh den berdiri ..:P)

Overall,  It was the best performance i have ever seen in my life tho it was the first theatre i went. hihi. The live musical led by London orchestra band was superb! All the cast actors and actresses were incredible, so did their singing voices. Stunning and amazing! I even had a goosebumps uols :P And of course the on-stage setting/backdropes of each scene were all awesome! Thumbs-up to them! and i really highly recommend to those who wants to watch theatre, Les Miserables Musical Theatre is the one! so worth it. 

Afterwards, Iman, Rasiika and me walked to SOHO area for food-hunting. It's already 10:30pm and we're starving!! :P So Iman suggested us a Thai restaurant, TukTuk where the food they serve is always in big portion. Upon hearing that all of us were in! :P Iman and I ordered a seafood kuey teow goreng while Rasiika had ordered a Phad Tai, looked like a kuew teow ladna to me. ;)

 We quickly had it gone and when my tummy is happy, i'm a happy mommy! ;P

On the way back to Piccadilly Circus, i managed to see some London night-life. :P We only took some pictures before taking tube heading back to Eastbound. and hubby waited us at Seven Kings station as it's already past midnight. huhu what an experience!

Alhamdulillah, from hubby's report, the kids all were fine. ada lah tanya2 ummi tapi under control.  Credit to hubby who had rented a Tinker Bell movie through our service provider, Virgin Media. All of them watched the movie two times during my me-time. :P And guess what, Zahin really loves the rental idea and she even asked me when will i go for next girls outing again. Boleh? hihihi bertuah tau dia ni..:)

Ps. the kids memang ok klu ummi not around, kalau ummi ada je semua manja mengada. :P