Music

Radio Free Mattopia: You won't fool the children of the revolution. (T-Rex)

One day to a new beginning
Raise the flag of freedom high
Every man will be a king
Every man will be a king
There's a new world for the winning
There's a new world to be won!
Do you hear the people sing?

Tomorrow we'll discover
What our God in heaven has in store
One more dawn
One more day
One day more!

- One Day More from Les Miserables

A note of gratitude to the Mattsonian National Library for supplying the following factoids and quotes.

12 October 1990
Broadway Theatre
Jean Valjean: J.C. Sheets (understudy for Craig Schulman)
Fantine: Mary Gutzi (understudy for Christy Baron)
Theatre Capacity: 1,752

Excerpts from The Young Mattopia Jones Chronicles,
translated from the original Mattskrit:

25 May 1993 - London, England
"Long walks, taxi rides, the tubes and a big, heavy backpack."

"Crash at 9 p.m., Langland Hotel.
Wake at 1 a.m. to dump junk off bed and take off pants."

Undated Journal Entry,
Assume 26 November 1993 - London, England
"Editor's note of apology:
Had I written a journal of my 'London Days,' it would have made
War and Peace look like a cheap, superficial short story.
Tamburlaine left land unconquered. I shall try not to..."

27 November 1993
Train from London to Edinburgh
Left London: 12:00, Arrived Edinburgh: 16:38
Train Name: Songs of Praise

28 November 1993 - Edinburgh, Scotland
"Cut to Les Mis - the definitive production!

Not a sour note from the cast. Impeccable. Understudy Whitcombe was beautiful & perfect voiced for Fantine. Innovative staging. I swear things have been toyed with - red caps on the boys at the barricade, use of 'modified barricade' at 'Red & Black' pub meet, and other intangibles make this the most thrilling experience since the Broadway Theatre.

Sitting in about the twelfth row, center section, with 6 feet of leg room in front of me, it was perfect!

The only frustrating thing is that you can't pack it up and take it home. Although I have tried: sweatshirt, brochure, program, & Manchester cast tape (£23.99 all told).

In every way the inspiration I seek & find in Les Mis.

A terrific way to kick off my travel season."

6 December 1993 - Calais, France
"The Calais port was not designed for the traveller, non-French speakers, or people who don't know where they are...

And there's nothing worse in this world than having a Spanish pop song at 3 in the morning with scratches all over the vinyl playing on the PA system! There was enough repitition w/o the scratches!"

"An awkward night that got quite cold in the ferry station.
I am collected by the 5 a.m. bus to the Calais Ville station."

7 December 1993 - Montreuil-Sur-Mer, France
"On the ride to MSM, doze off in a big way, but wake up when the train makes its stops... and upon arrival at MSM, I note people leaving and that I need to as well, but the legs won't cooperate!

My right leg was rubber and I fell forward, pick up my bags & fall again. A sweet little French woman (teenage, I suppose, blonde hair tucked under her cap - neo-30s-ish fashion) stops the conductor by sticking herself out the door, calling out that they need to wait.

She actually takes my big pack & sticks it on the platform.

"Is OK?" she asks, as if I had room to complain!

It was just one of those moments - I look up at her as she gets back in & closes the door. She said 'Bye bye' in the sweetest voice I ever heard."

"As for Montreuil S.M. - I shall always remember it fondly, regardless the conditions of myself & the weather. I walked through the village in the morning darkness - still black as pitch at 7:30 a.m. Even hear the call of the roosters! The city wall is dramatically floodlit."