Les Miserables... just for something different :)

Mainly to the cast & crew of Les Mis

Having read this long train of exchanged thoughts what is evident is that people who are not involved in the show have no idea what we were told when we first auditioned. It was clear from the outset that we were not to be paid - it was clear from the outset we were doing the show because we wanted to do Les Mis - or people wanted to play a lead in Les Mis for the benefit of their cv and ongoing music career.

As for ticket prices - they are not $50 - there have always been cheaper tickets. Anyway, if you saw the show it is worth the admission price. I have paid considerably more than that to see Royal Shakespeare at the Maj (in fact my firm is one of the sponsors) - it certainly was not $20 per ticket. I have many associates who paid more than $50 to see Les Mis at the Maj and the Ent Centre and you couldn't see the cast entirely or hear the sound properly. Equally I have seen shows for less that I enjoyed thoruoughly. It is neither here nor there. The question is whether the quality of the show warrants the price. Everyone who has gone says yes. If you haven't gone who cares what you think. Your opinion is really meaningless if you have no basis upon which to base your view.

As for incorporation - that is not the answer. An incorporated association must be established for charitable purposes. You will not find in this world enough people who would go through the pain that the production team has gone through to get the show on for free! We as the cast were aware we would not be paid so don't even try to say "well the cast does it free". We may experience the pressure of performing but that is nothing compared to the strain of the production team. They arrive well before us and leave well after we are in the bar drinking. As for the suggestion that the funds should be injected back into the arts(and by the way I run a charitable association through a dancing group and am on the Board of Ausdance so know how they operate extremely well before someone tries to argue about this!) I agree. But the arts are also assisted by allowing young talented people to play roles they may not otherwise get the chance to play, and the arts includes our musicians and technical crew. Every time a production is put on it contributes to the arts. The show on the other hand would not be able to be performed if there were also 80 cast to be paid. Or do we just pay the leads? Well that would be a great way to build harmony within the cast......

There should not be any criticism to someone establishing a company to put on a good quality show and hope to make a buck from it in the end. With the expenses in this production (notwithstanding what is seen as high ticket prices) I would be surprised if there was even a marginal profit.

I personally think the leads are fantastic - the cast is fun - the crew are professional and that enough has been said on this page.

If anyone is not in the musical and is seeking to comment on it - come to the show - see what you are discussing before attempting to pass judgment. And if you still have a point to make , make it to our faces at the Attic Bar afterwards. If you are too cheap to pay for a ticket, come afterwards anyway - the show finishes at 11.15pm. I will gladly debate with you the costs and benefits of incorporated associations , limited companies, charitable funds, tax exemption requirements, GST requirements and the myriad of other issues that confront a company and its Directors or an association and its Committee.

To those in Les Mis - see you tonight....... I think you are all talented lovely people and the only thing I regret is that we only have 2 more weeks to go!

Best wishes

Alex Mc