‘Les Miserables,’ a phenomenal evening of musical theatre

I went to see the 25th anniversary production of Les Miserables. It’s playing at The Buell Theatre and it’s been touted as being better than ever due to the reimagined scenic design based upon Victor Hugo’s paintings.

Going in, I wondered if this would help or hinder. Cameron Mackintosh has gone to great lengths to tell us that his new production is better than a sliced baguette. I wondered, “would it be?” Or would it be more like a stale day-old loaf of French bread hacked up and served up with a sort of artistic fromage du jour?

Would the additional artwork enhance or distract?

Would the show fall somewhere between our memories of the fully staged productions of the past and a concert version of the show or prove a sort of sterling amalgam of the two?

I soon discovered that through the gorgeous reimagining of this work the beloved musical had evolved into an even grander treasure than any of my musings had considered. In a nutshell, C’est magnifique!

When I first saw the show in London shortly after it opened in the mid ’80s I was only able to get a ticket in the last row of the upper balcony. With my back literally pasted to the ceiling of that old barn, about all I could see without opera glasses were the miserable people rotating on the turntable and the whirlpool into which Javert made his final leap. That leap seemed powerfully well done at the time. However … when you see what the scene has evolved into with the use of current technology you will, I am sure, like this reviewer, find your jaw pasted to the floor in amazement.

This scene as well as the one in which Valjean carries Marius to safety after the fight on the barricade, provides the audience with a whole new visual enhancement of the stage that is eminently cinematic. The cast is uniformly brilliant in its acting and singing of those memorable tunes that have rightfully earned a beloved place in the hearts of its international aficionados and fans.

J. Mark McVey is my favorite incarnation of Jean Valjean to date.

McVey is a handsome actor with a gorgeous voice. His singing of the emotionally charged “Bring Him Home” was utterly transcendent. In fact it stopped the show.

Valjean’s nemesis, Inspector Javert is powerfully acted and sung by Andrew Varela. His rendition of “Stars” is outstanding.

Betsy Morgan’s Fantine is utterly breathtaking. One is amazed at this beautiful woman’s acting and vocal virtuosity.

As Marius, Justin Scott Brown has a voice of such sweetness one is simply mesmerized. His singing of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” brings the show’s concept – ‘evolution, not revolution’ – home with real impact.

Richard Vida and Shawna M. Hamic as Monsieur and Madame Thenardier respectively prove to be masters of the kind of low comedy that one expects from these bourgeois low-lifes. “On My Own,” Eponine’s (Chasten Harmon) lament about her unrequited love for Marius was splendid.

Later there was a miking glitch in “A Little Fall of Rain” so Eponine audibly died before she passed visually. The set pieces that get rolled in and the projections of Hugo’s sketches as scenes change transport us directly into the exact French neighborhood described in Hugo’s oeuvre.

Thanks to stage directors Lawrence Connor and James Powell, the show moves along seamlessly at a pace that will make it seem to fly by even for folks who have seen the show multiple times. The new orchestrations are rich and full and maestro Robert Billig kept the musicians in the pit and the singers on the stage in absolutely perfect synch and balance so that every word in those sensational lyrics was understood clearly.

At final curtain the audience leapt to their feet with shouts of brava and bravo! This opening night crowd wasn’t content until the cast had had multiple curtain calls. There are so many outstanding aspects of this production one could go on at length. Let it suffice to say that this is the most satisfying touring production to come along in a long, long time.

Run to get tickets!

Les Miserables is playing at The Buell Theatre through September 10.