[Javert] AVM Blog Party -- Day Eight

GUYS GUYS GUYS! MY BLOG PARTY IS ALMOST OVER!

It's too soon, too soon to say goodbye.

Here's the thing. I know there are a lot of people who *really* wanted to do this Blog Party but they got too busy and they weren't able to. (AGONY!!!!)  I feel bad because apparently I did it in a very awkward week and lots of Musical Fans missed out. So I decided to do a thing. I'm going to extend my Musical Theme until after the first week in November, November Seventh.

I can hear the Non-Musical fans groaning in the background. I promise that once I finish with Day Ten, I won't post constantly and fangirl like a freak. I'll probably still do a couple Musical-centered posts before the seventh, just not every day. It's just... I never get to do this and I think it might be fun to let it go a little bit longer.

Also, my blog is going to be under construction. I still kind of hate how it looks. I want to do something different with it, It just might take me a while to decide what.

NOW FOR MY POST!

Day Eight: Favorite Antagonist/Villain

Javert. (Les Miserables) - Antagonist.

"Those who follow the path of the righteous shall have their reward."

I just saw a Production of Les Miserables, (A Community Theatre Production) which means I have a lot of Javert feels. So I am going to do him.

I feel like Javert is a really sad character. When I first heard the musical I thought he was rather harsh, but underneath his walls he did have a heart, one he seldom revealed. My favorite Javert is Philip Quast because his voice is Gold, but I also really liked Russel's Crowe's interpretation of the character. His voice certainly wasn't as good as it could have been, but he acted the part well and he's Russel Crowe, so I can forgive him a lot :)

*Plus, the movie is the only version of Les Mis I've actually seen professionally. The only other production I saw was put on by a Community Theatre. I prefer the actual musical to the movie, because I relate better with the characters, but the movie is pretty good. 

Javert is a police officer in France during the 1700's. He is very strict when it comes to executing the law and he has doesn't have much mercy towards criminals. His biggest rival in the story is Jean Valjean, a thief that he put behind bars for breaking into a house and stealing bread. Jean Valjean is released after twenty years of imprisonment, and shortly after he broke his parole and disappears. For the rest of the musical, Javert dedicates his life to tracking down this "desperate" criminal and put him back where he belongs.

"I never shall yield, till we come face to face. 

'Til we come face to face."

Javert is very harsh, almost heartless. To really understand his character, you have to remember the circumstances he was born under and the time frame he is living in. France has just come out of the French Revolution. The country had been in chaos, caught in a horribly flawed justice system that spun madly out of control and killed hundreds of people, many of whom were innocent. France had finally pulled itself up and established some sort of order, and the law couldn't afford to be lenient. If they relaxed even a little, they risked the people rising up and taking hold of the country again. Most of the citizens were still angry, raw, emotional. The whole country was very fragile and one move in the wrong direction could break the whole thing. Again.

"I am the law, and the law is not mocked."

I believe that Javert was a little insane. You can see there is something not quite right about him, and he gets steadily worse as the musical goes on. He was raised inside a prison, surrounded by criminals. He grew up around the worst of the worst, he saw just how bad bad could be and it scarred him. He became an officer to stop the bad, to make France a better, safer place. The problem with Javert is that he only sees in shades of black and white. He believes in God and the duty he has toward Him, but he focuses too much on the Justice of God. He doesn't allow for mercy or conversion of redemption. He thinks that once a person sins, he is a sinner for the rest of his life and there is no changing.

I don't think Javert was an evil man. I do think he was cold, even cruel.  He wasn't forgiving, he didn't allow for people to make mistakes and learn from them. He was like, "No, if you're a sinner, you will always be a sinner, and that is that." I don't think he could believe people could change. He dealt with criminals all the time. Peasants flooded the streets of Paris, running all sorts of cons and causing problems wherever they went. He was constantly reminded of the evil he was fighting, and from what he could tell, bad men didn't get better. They just got worse.* 

 *Main point of example, The Thenardier

The sad thing is, I truly believe Javert wanted to make France better for everyone. When the Barricade Boys decided to revolt. Javert was the one who went under cover to stop them. He wanted to stop the revolt before it spiraled out of control and people got hurt. Let me remind you, France had only just survived the last revolution. They really didn't need another one. I understand why the Barricade Boys wanted to free France, but I also understand why a lawman like Javert would see them as traitors and rebel-rousers. I understand why the law would want to stop an uprising. It is his duty to keep the peace, to keep order. He must uphold that at any cost.

Before he could stop the rebellion, the Barricade Boys discovered Javert was a spy. They tied him up until they could decide how to deal with him, and shortly after, the first fight at the Barricade started. Because Javert wasn't able to stop the battle, all of those boys lost their lives. Their deaths were pointless. Nothing good came out of them.

Shockingly enough, Jean Valjean was at the Barricade before that first battle. He came to protect Marius, a Barricade Boy whom his daughter was in love with. He helped Javert escape.

"Vengeance was his and he gave me back my life."

This was the big turning point in Javert's character. You see a side to him that you didn't know existed. He began to doubt his beliefs about good and evil. His whole moral compass was thrown off and he couldn't see his way. He got confused, angry, ashamed, unable to accept the fact that he has been wrong all this time.

"My heart is stone, but still it trembles.

The world that I knew is lost in shadow."

This is when I really like what Russel Crow brought to the character of Javert. After the fight at the Barricade is over, he goes back on the field of battle to close the eyes of the dead and just tidy them up a little so they aren't strewn every which way. He notices a very small boy, Gavroche, lying dead among the others. He is only about twelve-years old. Javert gets down on his knees beside the boy, takes a medal from his uniform and places it on Gavroche's jacket as a symbol of valor and honor. He then takes the body in his arms and removes it from the battle field. I assume he either took the body back to the family, or found somewhere clean and proper to lay the it down before it was buried. It is a very touching moment that isn't in the Broadway production,* and I think it brought a very nice depth to Javert.

*At least, it wasn't before. Some productions might add it in now, since the movie did it. I don't know. 

"This only goes to show what little people can do."

Javert tried to be a good man and live his life for God. His great downfall was that he couldn't accept mercy. Jean Valjean was his sworn enemy and a criminal on top of it. When he saved Javert, asking nothing in return, Javert couldn't accept it. Everything he understood about the world, everything he had believed in and fought for, was turned upside down and torn apart. He had been trying to uphold the law, to do the right thing, but instead he had done everything wrong. He was overwhelmed. He realized everything he had done in the name of justice had been sinful in the name of mercy. He had been the sinner, not Jean Valjean. He had been the man without a heart. It sent him into despair. It broke him so entirely that he couldn't bear it and he killed himself.

In this moment especially, I think it was pretty clear that Javert had lost his mind. Russel Crowe really brought out that aspect of the character, something that I appreciated with his performance. You can literally see the hope leave his eyes and the insanity take over.

"And the stars are black and cold."

At the end of the musical, Jean Valjean dies and you see him enter heaven, and there is sort of a big reunion where you see all the different characters who died over the course of the story. In most productions I don't think Javert is in the finale, but in the Community Production I saw, he was, I know it isn't really accurate, but I loved that he was there. Plus, if he really was insane there is a chance he would have made it to heaven. Javert went down on his knees in front of Valjean and Valjean gently helped him back to his feet. Finally, there was peace between them. It was a beautiful moment, one I didn't expect. I was okay until that happened, and then suddenly there were tears and I just ... I was so glad to see Javert at peace. I think it was a nice touch.

Who is your favorite antagonist? Who is your favorite villain? What are your thoughts on Javert?

Peace out y'all!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bells

[Favorite Portrayals] AVM Blog Party -- Day Seven

Day Seven: Pick a character: Choose Your Favorite Portrayal. 

Sooooooo. I had to think a lot about this. There are so many characters that I love and want to just rant about, so finally I decided to pick three characters.

First: The Phantom.

"Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation."

My favorite Phantom is Michael Crawford, I feel like he really nailed the character and showed him how he is supposed to be. Over the past few months I've listened to a lot of different actors and I've found the same thing with all of them; they are way too angry. I don't mind a strong Phantom. I don't mind if actors portray him a little more actively aggressive. I mean, different actors see roles in a different way, and that is part of the beauty of Theatre. I just feel like the Phantom, as a character, shouldn't be a loud sort of person. He shouldn't be so sharp and harsh.

The Phantom wants to be normal. He does his best to be a gentleman, a professional eloquent sort of person. He speaks like a gentleman. He dresses like a gentleman. He wears a wig and a mask to make himself look more sophisticated. Even when he writes notes to the Opera House, he is very polite and passive. He isn't (typically) a loud, aggressive man. He is like the dog who will take a lot of hits, but when his bone gets taken away he growls and bites.

That was a really weird analogy, but you see my point.

The Phantom spent his entire life hiding under the Opera House. No  one ever saw him, no one ever heard from him except through the notes he wrote. No one knew anything about him. He didn't go unnoticed and undetected for years by being loud and throwing tantrums. He kept himself a secret by being quiet, clever, manipulative. He got the whole Opera House to believe he was a Ghost, to listen and obey him, and he never showed himself even once! It wasn't until Raoul showed up and tried to take Christine on a date that he finally revealed himself to Christine, and took her down to his lair.

"Look at your face in the mirror. I am there inside..."

Now, when The Phantom is with Christine he should be at especially gentle and careful. He loves her, he wants her to trust him. He would be at his very best around her, with her he would act even more like a gentleman. He wouldn't want to do anything to scare her or make her wary of him. She's the one thing he really cherishes, he wouldn't want her to  be afraid of him. I think that is why I prefer it when The Music of the Night is gentle, enticing. This is the moment when the Phantom is revealing himself to Christine, showing her what he loves and asking her to love it too. He wouldn't be forceful. He would be very tender, leading and letting Christine follow.

The Phantom usually kept to himself. He only started to stage catastrophes when Andre and Firmin, the new owners of the Opera House, refused to respect him or obey his orders. Most of the time the only reason he got aggressive was when it had something to do with Christine. He was in love with her voice and he wanted her to be the star of everything. When Firmin and Andre didn't comply, he got angry. But even then, he started out small and tried to get what he wanted in a passive way. He sent notes and warnings. He tried to be as civil as possible. He didn't immediately fly off the handle, he tried to deal with the problem like a normal person would. He was insane but he wasn't an angry lunatic... at least not at first.

"Dear Andre, just a brief reminder. My salary has not been paid. Send it care of the Ghost, by return of post, PTO. No one likes a debtor, so it's better if my orders are obeyed."

At the end of Act I, Christine and Raoul get engaged. This sends The Phantom into a tail spin. He loves Christine and he feels like she had betrayed him by choosing Raoul. This betrayal sends him into a rage, and he started striking more aggressively after this. However, he still kept the cool gentleman front. He speaks eloquently. He 'asks' for the cooperation of the Opera House. All of his writing is calm and well put together, as if he is trying to keep his anger under control.

"Why so silent, good messieurs?"

"Fondest greetings to you all. A few instructions just before rehearsal starts; Carlotta must be taught to act, not her normal trick of strutting round the stage. Our Duan Juan must lose some wait, it's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age, and my managers must learn that their place is in an office, not the arts. As for Miss Christine Daae! No doubt she'll do her best, it's true her voice is good - she knows though, should she wish to excel, she has much still to learn! If Pride will let her return to me, her Teacher. "

I think the Phantom should be more tender and vulnerable. It makes him more sympathetic when he has a soft side to him. It is so much better when his character is fueled by heartache, and not just mad rampage. It is my humble opinion that the Phantom should be mostly heartbroken when Raoul and Christine get engaged, at least until he hears them singing together and breaks into rage. The same sort of heartbreak should be there in the final lair. He will be angry, of course. Christine betrayed him (twice) and she was the one person he really trusted. But his anger shouldn't be the main point of his character. It is so much better to channel the pain and loneliness of the Phantom then the insane, broken side of him. I'm not saying the Phantom should be just tender and gentle. That is another extreme. I just think there has to be a healthy mix of both, with a strong tilt toward the misery in his character, not the wounded anger that so many of the actors channel right now.

I promise I won't rant as long with my other two 8-)

The Pirate King (The Pirates of Penzance) 

"For I am the Pirate King!"

Hehe, I bet you didn't see this coming. The Pirates of Penzance is one of those fun, relaxing musicals that you watch when you are in need of a laugh, and I really love it. My favorite performance is the one that Anthony Warlow is in, because, of course, Anthony Warlow. He is such a brilliant Pirate King. He is so funny! He does a "Jack Sparrow" take on the character. He copies Johnny Depp's mannerisms so well, it's fabulous. He also brings something of a charm to the role that no one else really has, it makes me happy. He does all these fun little things too, like draw guns during a sword fight and the whole *drunk hands* thing. Like, there is one scene in particular that I really like, where he is is explaining to one of his pirates that he can't leave the ship because it isn't *really* his twenty-first birthday;

"For some ridiculous reason, to which, however, I’ve no desire to be disloyal... Some person in authority - I don’t know who - very likely the Astronomer Royal, has decided that, although for such a beastly month as February, twenty-eight days as a rule are plenty, 

One year in every four his days shall be reckoned as nine and twenty. Through some singular coincidence – I shouldn’t be surprised if it were owing to the agency of an ill-natured fairy – 

You are the victim of this clumsy arrangement, having been born in leap-year, on the twenty-ninth of February."

When he says "An ill-natured fairy." he pulls a little fairy out of his ear and flicks it away. It's so unique and clever. He does all sorts of those type of things in his performances, little quirks that fill out the Pirate King. He makes you believe the Pirate King is real, he makes you love him and want to be part of his crew. I love Anthony Warlow, he is such an amazing actor,

You can actually get this performance on a DVD. It is well worth the buy,

"I sink a few more ships, it's true, than a well-bred monarch ought to do."

Lilly Craven (The Secret Garden.)

"A girl at work in her garden..."

I absolutely love Lilly and Rebecca Luker portrays the part perfectly. She is gentle and sweet, you can tell just by her voice that she is a graceful, beautiful young girl. I love her infliction and how light she is when she is sings. She makes you love her. It is hard to find really good female actors who aren't too harsh or sharp when they sing. I listened to the Lilly from the Original Australian Cast, and she was fine... she just wasn't Rebecaa Luker. When you listen to Rebecca Luker, you love Lilly You can tell she is a very special soul, someone sweet and tender, someone who just wants to help others to see the beauty she sees in the world. She has this amazing ability to sound like she is speaking when she is singing. She is just gentle and soft, the words seem to flow out of her without any effort, you just love to listen to her. She has such a subtle, layered emotion to her voice. Sometimes I listen to her and I get all choked up inside. She makes me want to cry.

"How could i know I would have to leave you?"

Lilly is a character on Broadway that I would love, love, love to play. She's only a ghost, but you can bring so much to her character. She is the Beauty in The Beauty and the Beast story. I love her relationship with Archie. She loved him so much and she is so upset that she hurt him... she knows how much he loves her in return and she can't bring herself to leave while he is grieving so much. And even though they don't have many scenes together, I really love her and her little son Colin. She's also really cute with Mary. You can tell she would have been a really good mother. She is beautiful and strong, she makes me want to be brave. Lilly is someone I would really love to bring life to on stage. And I *think* I could do a good job with her.

Have you heard Michael Crawford play the Phantom? Have you seen The Pirates of Penzance? Do you know who Rebecca Luker is? Who do you think does the portrayal of your favorite character?

Peace out y'all!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

[Raoul & Christine] AVM Blog Party -- Day Six

Day Six is your favorite Theatre OTP.

Raoul x Christine (The Phantom of the Opera.)

"Christine Daae, where is your red scarf?"

I bet you all knew I would pick this pairing. :) Raoul and Christine hold a special place in my heart. I remember being really little and thinking that I liked the sweet man who loved Christine because he gave her roses and he hugged her a lot, and he proposed with a song, and really that song was gold. I remember I always felt sad for the Phantom, but in the end I was glad the cute guy and Christine ended up together.

"Say you'll share with me, one love, one life time!"

Raoul and Christine have a sweet love story. They grew up together and were best friends for most of their childhood. Even when they were little they had a thing for each other, and it was clear Raoul really, really liked Christine. When he was just fourteen he ran into the cold sea to rescue Christine's favorite red scarf from the waves. He was so, so cute.

When you first see Raoul in the musical, he is a guest at one of the plays in the Opera House. He spots Christine as the lead, and you can tell he still really likes her. After the Opera is over, he goes to visit Christine. He is kind of shy and nervous, because he is a little afraid she might not remember him, but the minute he mentions her red scarf, Christine turns around, smiling and laughing, "OH RAOUL IT IS YOU!!!" So, she remembers him too. You can tell there is still a spark between them. Raoul is gentle and sweet with Christine. He makes her laugh. She seems relaxed and happy, and she obviously still feels very close to him, because she tell him that she's been visited by 'The Angel of Music.' She isn't afraid to share her secret with him. She trusts him.

The first night they're together, Raoul asks Christine to dinner. She is a little reluctant because, as she puts it, "The Angel of Music is very strict." but Raoul is persuasive and she agrees to go. He leaves to get his hat and Christine starts to change. However, before they can have their date, the Angel of Music appears inside Christine's mirror and takes her down to his labyrinth under the Opera House. Raoul hears voices in the dressing room and throws the door open, only to find Christine missing.

Now, at first, Raoul doesn't believe there is really an Angel of Music. He thinks the whole Opera House is a little strange and superstitious, and the whole "Opera Ghost" thing is out of hand. He knows that there is something going on, but he doesn't think it's a ghost. He thinks it is just a man... an unstable man perhaps, but a man all the same. All he really cares about is the fact that Christine seems to be scared of this Ghost and that, for her, he is very real indeed. When Christine isn't cast as a lead in the newest Opera, The Phantom gets angry and causes a scene which ruins the play. Then he hangs one of the Stagehands and drops him on the stage. Christine flees to the roof of the Opera House with Raoul close behind, and you can tell she is really scared.

"Who is this man, who hunts to kill?I can't escape from him! I never will! 

And in his labyrinth, where night is blind,

The Phantom of the Opera is there inside my mind!"

"There is no Phantom of the Opera!"

"Raoul, I've been there! To his world of unending night! 

To a world where the daylight dissolves into darkness..."

I think Raoul thought Christine was going a little crazy. She was hysterical and going on about a Phantom she couldn't get away from, and she was acting kind of insane, Maybe he thought she was having nightmares about this man. Maybe he thought she was disillusion. Either way, he didn't really understand what was going on with her. But then she collapses and starts crying, and suddenly he doesn't care anymore. He just knows she is scared and he wants to take care of her. 

"No more talk of darkness, forget these wide-eyed fears."

He makes Christine feel safe. He tells her that he won't let anything hurt her, and Christine believes him. He makes her feel like she'll be okay, and that is what she really needed. He made her feel like she didn't have to be afraid anymore. 

"I'm here, nothing can harm you."

"Say you'll love me every waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summertime. 

Say you'll need me with you, now and always. Promise me that all you say is true.

That's all I ask of you."

-Christine (Why have you brought us here/Raoul I've been there.)

Christine wants to be with Raoul. She loves him. I think she's loved him for a long time, but this is when she realizes it. And when Raoul gets down on one knee and proposes to her, she holds nothing back. She falls to her knees beside him and grabs his hand, and she is all happy and excited... You can tell how in love she is with him, and how in love he is with her. And I love how Raoul puts out his proposal. He doesn't say "Come with me, Christine." He says, "Christine, let me go with you...Take me. please." IT IS SO SWEET.

"Christine, that's all I ask of you!"

Raoul literally spends the whole musical taking care of Christine. He is always there, whenever she needs him, and it is the most precious thing ever. Christine keeps close to Raoul too, and relies on him for comfort and support. He makes her feel like things are going to be okay. He is her protector, her guardian, her dearest friend. She knows that whatever happens, Raoul will be there to fix everything. Raoul is going to make sure she is okay. 

"Christine, Christine, don't think that I don't care..."

Raoul spends the whole musical looking out for Christine. When the Phantom writes an Opera and demands Christine sing the lead, he defended her. The only reason he asks her to consider it, is because this Opera might be their means of escape. The Phantom will attend if Christine sings. They can finally catch him and be done with him. He is tired of the Phantom going after Christine. He is tired of the Phantom acting like he owns her. He is tired of the Phantom making her feel scared. He just wants to catch the stupid guy and end the nightmare Christine is living through. 

"Christine, what are you afraid of?"

Christine doesn't want to sing the lead, but she agrees to do it because she knows Raoul will be watching, and he's not going to let anything happen to her. Shortly after the first rehearsal for 'The Phantom's Opera' she goes to her father's grave to pray for strength to do what she has to. While she is praying, the Phantom shows up. 

"Wandering Child, so lost, so helpless, yearning for my guidance." 

Whenever the Phantom sings, Christine ends up in a sort of trance... it's almost like he hypnotizes her. In this instance it's even worse, because Christine is emotional and vulnerable, and there is a part of her that still believes the Phantom is her Angel. She goes toward the voice, hesitant and afraid, but unable to stop herself. 

But then, Raoul comes. Raoul always comes. He calls out to Christine and his voice helps her to break lose of the Phantom's hold. She runs to him and hugs him, and Raoul starts to pull her away from the graveyard. But then the Phantom starts throwing Fireballs at them, taunting Raoul, daring him to take one more step. 

"You can't win her love by making her your prisoner!" (Raoul - Wandering Child)

Raoul has had it, he's too angry to care about fire. He tells Christine to stay back and heads right toward the Phantom, ready to fight him off for her. He literally risks fire getting rained down on him, just to stop the Phantom from getting to Christine. RAOUL IS FABULOUS, OKAY?

"Raoul!"

When the Phantom traps Christine and takes her down to his lair at the end of the musical, Raoul is the first to go after her. He swims across a freezing lake in the middle of winter, just to get to The Phantom.  (cause, you know... his lair is across a lake. Go figure.) When the Phantom catches him in a lasso and strings him up, Raoul begs Christine to get away while she still can. He never once thinks of himself. He begs her to forgive him, and tells her to run before it's too late.

"Angel of music, why this torment?"

For pity's sake, Christine say no! 

Don't throw your life away for my sake!

Raoul was willing to die to save Christine. The only thing he wanted was for Christine to be safe, free, and if he had to die for her to escape then so be it. He loved that girl with all his heart, and no one can tell me differently. And Christine... Christine couldn't say no. She couldn't let Raoul die, not when she could save him. She told the Phantom that she would stay with him. She gave up her life so that he could live. Both Raoul and Christine were willing to sacrifice everything for each other. If that isn't true love, I don't know what is.

Heck, even the Phantom saw their love! When Christine promised to stay with him, it was like he realized just how much she loved Raoul. He saw how much these two souls loved each other and how cruel it would be to keep them apart. He let Raoul go and commanded him to take Christine away. Even the Phantom couldn't deny their love. Just saying.

"Let me lead you from your solitude."

In conclusion, Raoul and Christine are the strongest, most innocent and adorable Theatre couple ever. They make me feel warm and happy inside, and I am glad that, in the end, they got to build a home and a life together. They deserved that. 

Three cheers for the best Christine and Raoul ever.

Have you listened to The Phantom of the Opera. Do you ship Raoul and Christine? Who is your favorite OTP?

Peace out Y'all!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage.*

Bella

[Favorite Theatre Males] AVM Blog Party -- Day Five

Day Five: Favorite Theatre Males:

Come on. You knew this was coming....

Sydney Carton. (A Tale of Two Cities.) 

"Was failure born inside my heart?"

You all know how much I love Sydney, In fact you're probably sick of him by now. I've already posted about him here and here, so you're probably like, "Bella we knooooow." But I can't help it! He is such a sad potato.  He can see nothing good in himself. All he sees is a pathetic drunk who fails at everything he does. But he is just a very broken man. He wants to be better but that he thinks change is impossible for a man like him. Everyone in his life views him badly, everyone treats him badly, and his boss seems to make it his point in life to bash Carton whenever he gets the chance. And Carton believes all the horrible things said to him, so he has completely given up on himself.

"Where did all those stars come from?"

*I can't believe I found a gif of him!

Carton tries to be better after he meets Lucy. He tries to be his best whenever he is with her. He doesn't drink as often, and he  never drinks when he visits her or her family. Underneath the careless attitude his is really very kind, gentle, and he has a soft spot for children. After Lucy marries Charles, Carton asks if they might be friends, and Charle's agrees, welcoming Sydney into his home. He becomes sort of a godfather figure to Lucy's daughter, and that inspires him to change all the more. He has a slow, steady character ark, and in the end he sacrifices himself to save his friends. It is beautiful and horrible and it makes me cry. Carton is a very sad, sweet potato. I adore him.

2.) Raoul De Chagney.  (The Phantom of the Opera.) 

"So, it is to be war between us."

Raoul was my first Musical Theatre hero. He is a severely under-rated character, since most POTO fans love The Phantom, and therefore hate Raoul. I really don't understand the hate. He is such a cool person! You meet him as this charming young man who really fancies the Chorus girl, Christine Daae. He is all shy cause they haven't seen each other in ages and he is kind of afraid she might have forgotten him, but then he brings her in a flower, and Christine is all happy and she remembers him, just like he remembers her, and that old spark fires up again and.... *flails.*

Raoul is a very gentle sort of man. (can you sense a pattern here? I like gentle guys.) He is kind and sweet, and he is incredibly protective. (And the pattern continues.) When he realizes that the Phantom is a real danger in the Opera House, he does everything he can to stop him and make Christine feel safe. He defends her and stands by her, through thick and thin. He calms her down when she is practically hysterical with fear, and he supports her even when he doesn't understand what is going on and Christine is acting kind of crazy.

"Let me be your freedom, let me be your light."

Raoul is also very brave. He stands up to the Phantom and refuses to step back, even an inch. He braves fire for Christine, he braves drowning for her, he braves death for her. When the Phantom kidnaps Christine and takes her down to his lair, Raoul risks his life to go down and save her. When the Phantom strings him up with a noose and tells Christine to either stay with him forever or watch Raoul die, Raoul begs Christine to say no. This is only one of many times when he put Christine before himself. The man is a hero in his own right. He's fabulous.

3.) Percy Blakley. (The Scarlet Pimpernel.) 

I couldn't find any good pictures of Percy on Broadway, so I had to use the actor from the movie. I love the movie too, so I don't really mind using this Percy. He's great.

"There will always be perilous waters which someone must sail."

I couldn't post about my favorite male character without at least mentioning Percy. Percy is a very iconic character, if you don't know him you should start rethinking your life choices

Percy is one of those characters who is incredibly unique and mysterious. He's quite remarkable, really. He spends most of his day pretending to be an fainthearted idiot, but underneath his clever mask he is a strong, reckless leader who tears through France saving "aristocrats" from the Guillotine. He is ingenious, rebellious, reckless and practically fearless. There is nothing that Percy can't do, and you are never really sure what to expect from him. He fools everyone, he always finds a loophole, and he always has a second play to the second plan in case plan B failed. He even manages to play a trick on someone who knows the truth of who he is, and furthermore, was waiting for him! And he wins! The guy is fabulous!!

"That demmed, elusive, Pimpernel."

Seriously, if you don't know who Percy is it is time to find out. The Scarlet Pimpernel as a musical is really good, and I would also recommend watching the 1982 film, which is the one my pictures are from. That Percy is amazing, perfect for the role.

 4.) Curly McLain. (Oklahoma.)
.

"Who's the best bronc buster in this here territory?"

I really love Cowboys and the whole "Wild West" aspect of American History, so Curly is very special to me. Plus, I saw version where Hugh Jackman was Curly and that basically sold me on his character. He's a rugged, redneck American with a dangerous, reckless streak in him that you don't see in most men nowadays. He is the kind of guy you could see having a showdown with someone he really didn't like. (for example, Jud Fry.)

Curly is rough-around-the-edges, stubborn and a little crazy. He doesn't like losing or backing down. He captures the spirit of men back in those good ol' days and it is incredibly fun to watch.

Did I mention he has a soft side?

I FOUND THIS GIF AND IT WAS TOO CUTE TO LEAVE BEHIND

Curly may be a hard nut, but he has a big heart and he is very protective of those he cares about. His relationship with Laurey is sweet, if a little odd, and I adore.how cute and awkward he gets when he proposes. Like... Curly.

5.) Edward Rochester (Jane Eyre.)

"Will I not guard and cherish you as long as I shall live?"

Since I've already done a long and extensive post on this particular character, I won't say too much about him. Rochester is a bitter, cynical man when the story begins, but he finds Jane and, slowly, he comes to realize that not everything is lost. There is still good in the world, maybe even in himself, and there is reason to hope. He starts out broken and full of anger but as the musical goes on his character goes through an ark and he becomes kinder. gentler. He's a rough man who has a lot of love hidden behind his walls and he is one of my favorite characters in Theatre... and literature.


Who are some of your favorite male characters? Have you ever seen Oklahoma? Do you like Hugh Jackman? Have you read/watched the Scarlet Pimpernel? Do you think he is Faaaabulous?

Peace Out Y'all!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella

[Favorite Theatre Females] Blog Party -- Day Four

Day Four: Favorite Theatre Females. (*flails* Yes!)

I'm going to do my top three females. ;-) That makes it easier.

1.) Christine Daae (The Phantom of the Opera.)

Strong female characters are often hard to find, especially in Theatre, but Chrstine Daae is definitely one of the stronger girls on Broadway. I love her character.

"Little Lotte let her mind wander..."

Christine is a very kind, she has a tender heart, and it is shocking how compassionate she is. Even when she realized how crazy and unstable The Phantom was, she still found it in her heart to have pity for the man. She saw the horror that life had dished out to him and she was full of sympathy for him. Even more ... I think Christine wanted to love the Phantom. I think there was a part of her that wanted to save him from the darkness he was trapped in.... just not in the way he wanted. The Phantom wanted a wife, and Christine didn't have those feelings. He was more like a father to her, a mentor, a teacher. She cared for him in that sort of way. I don't think she liked betraying or hurting him, but she didn't see any other way because of how crazy he got after she accepted Raoul's proposal of marriage. She didn't want to make his life worse than it already was. I think it broke her heart to leave him alone, but at the same time she couldn't possibly stay with him. He killed and manipulated people. He was a broken, sad man, but he was insane and he terrified her.

"Try to forgive, teach me to live, give me the strength to try!"

Christine is a very complex girl because she is very young and very naive, but she grows a lot through the musical. Raoul comes into her life and with him she finds hope. He makes her feel safe and happy, he makes her feel like she doesn't have to be scared anymore, and I think he gives her strength to stand against the Phantom and try to take her life back. She has a strong will, and when it comes down to it, she is very brave. I love her character development, and I think it would be incredibly fun to act out.


2.) Lucy Manette (A Tale of Two Cities.)

"Do you always see the best in people?"

I adore Lucy. She is so cute! Like Christine, Lucy is very kind and compassionate. She strives to see the best in people. She liked Sydney Carton even when Sydney was was drunk and acting like a fool. She saw the best in him and inspired him to be better. She takes care of everybody and I love how sweet and awkward she is with Charles, it is freakin' adorable. (I am probably one of the few people who actually like both those characters. I ship it so hard.)

Lucy is kind of my hero. She sees goodness in everyone, and she always tries to be gentle. She takes people in and makes them her family, asking nothing in return. She is like a ray of sunshine, she can make everything better just by walking into the room. She always seems happy and light-hearted, and she brings brings joy into the lives of everyone she meets.

"I'll be brave, and I'll be strong..."

Lucy is a good role model because she proves you don't have to be bratty or high-strung to be a 'strong' women. She is very kind, but she is also spunky. Like, I could totally see little Lucy climbing trees and stomping through rain puddles with the neighborhood boys, and then getting in trouble because she was a lady. Then she would laugh to herself and run upstairs to change. She has a lot of spirit, this teasing side that comes out when she is especially friendly with people. She is brave, and sweet, and full of life, and she is just a beautiful person. I love her.

3.) Jane Eyre (Jane Eyre.)

Hehe. Jane is kind of a new favorite female for me. I've always liked her, but since I actually read the book and watched the musical, I've grown to really love her character. She is a very unique sort of person. She grew up poor, mistreated and abused, yet somehow managed to make it into adult-hood without becoming bitter or vengeful. Helen, of course, had a lot to do with that. She befriend Jane when they were both children and she helped her to trust in God and learn to forgive.

"She pledges to spread her wings, through her hurricanes she'll fly!"

Jane loves God very much, she is very loyal to Him. She would never do anything that might harm her soul, or her relationship with her Maker. Her drive comes from Faith and the belief in heaven, and I really liked that because not many females have that kind of angle to them.

"A slip of a girl who misplaces her grace and disgraces her place."

Laughable, impudent, brazen, audacious! Saucy, impertinent, bold and ungracious!!

Jane comes off as very serious and thoughtful. She usually keeps her own counsel and she doesn't say too much. I think this is mostly because, underneath her calm exterior, she has quite a temper, and she can be very blunt, even rude. She has a dry sense of humor and will often over-step her bounds as a 'women' by talking back and standing her own ground. But she does everything in this subtle, serious way and it's hilarious. She is a careful little spitfire, and it is the best thing ever. Jane Eyre is the sass-master of the 1800's.

Who are your favorite females? Do you know any of these characters? Are any of you taking part in my Blog Party? (because I'd love to read your posts!!!)

Peace out y'all!!

*swings around cape and leaps off stage*

Bella