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Les Misérables and the happy-clappy audience
Following its UK release, Les Misérables is striking an unusual chord in cinemas – applause. As the film scoops up Golden Globe awards and Oscar nominations, we see if clapping is set to appear in a cinema near you soon.
Twenty-four hours after director Tom Hooper finished his twilight cut of Les Misérablesin November, he showed it to a New York audience. It was riotously received – applause followed every musical number and a standing ovation took place at the end of the film. Granted, the principal cast, which includes Amanda Seyfried, Russell Crowe, Helena Bonham Carter and 2013 Golden Globes winners Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway were present. But, nearly two months later, a similar reaction has been resounding out at local cinemas following the film’s UK release. Is this the start of a trend of rowdy cinematic appreciation, or merely some excited musicals fans getting (literally) out of hand?
Critics reported on noisy celebration at Les Mis’ London premiere – David Sexton said that “the audience erupted in applause after every big song” and the Independent bemoaned 10 instances of appreciation. However, hands were a-clapping during the first weekend of the film’s release, too. A spokesperson from PictureHouse cinemas told the Telegraph that they’ve had a lot of reports from branches of “very engaged audiences”, and clapping after songs. Telegraph theatre critic Dominic Cavendish experienced “a smattering of enthusiastic/slightly embarrassed clapping at the end of the film on Saturday night”…..
