Reply to Is Les Miserables ok for a 7 year old child?

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Reply to "Is Les Miserables ok for a 7 year old child?"

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[quote=Anonymous]Another huge no vote here...  and I have taken my young children to many musicals (by age 5, my son had seen Wicked, Joseph, Cats, Peter Pan, Grease and Annie).

I've thought about Les Mis, because we've listened to some of the songs in the car, and my son is fascinated by the French Revolution angle (good guys v. bad guys).  But here is why I think Les Mis is a really poor choice:

Primarily, the story line is too mature and too complicated.  I saw it when I was 15 and I was bored to tears during the first Act (and I love musicals).  The entire (long) first Act is all to set up the second act.  It spans several decades in time (hard for young children to understand/follow), and involves some pretty mature themes:  prostitution, consumption, giving children to strangers to care for, Jean val Jean going from criminal to mayor to runaway...  It would be very difficult for a young person to follow.  I think she'll either be frustrated and bored, or else she'll be interrupting you (and everyone else) every 2 minutes trying to have you explain what is happening.

And, while it is not "graphic" per se - the themes are just very complicated and adult.  I just think it would be a miserable experience for a 7 year old.  By comparison, I think Grease is a much easier story line to follow, and there is dancing/jazzy songs that may be more accessible to a young person.  If you want something more high-brow -- Peter Pan is a GREAT first musical.  My kids (both boys) LOVED it.[/quote]

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