The Song(s) of Angry Men - Les Misérables Review - Moriah Weiss

Moriah Weiss

 Les Misérables

The Song(s) of Angry Men

 Many are familiar with the emotionally visceral and musically astounding account of the French revolution: the iconic musical, Les Miserables. Based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo of the same title, it was first brought to the stage by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil in 1985. With the many nuances of the characters and themes it portrays, it is an understandably complicated production. The national tour’s rendition of Les Mis at the Orpheum in Minneapolis displayed succinct professionalism in all elements of the show, bringing audience members to both tears and abject silence.

The audience was immediately immersed in the vivid and rustic setting of 1800’s France, with impressive set pieces and ominous lighting, further brought to life by a screen upstage to act as a backdrop in the changing scenery. The stark lights and set design combined heightened the romantic tension in “A Heart Full of Love” and made the deaths of the rebels all the more tragic in Act 2.

The ensemble took the auditorium by storm through their passionate displays of anger and persistence against injustice. No matter where you looked on stage, everyone was engaged and further told the story through their actions with other people, evident in the scenes at the barricade. They, particularly the students, helped to reinforce Les Miserables’ signature sense of camaraderie, and their deaths were even more devastating as a result.

Building on this powerful story was some incredibly passionate and heartfelt performances from specific actors. Jean Valjean (Nick Cartell) displayed a wide array of emotions, especially through the nuances of his vocals. “Bring Him Home” was a profoundly touching example of Cartell’s acting ability. Haley Dortch’s Fantine was another performance fueled by sheer anger and honesty, which the audience could feel alongside her, evidence of an impressively strong performance. Javert’s story of inner turmoil was expertly conveyed by Hayden Tee, culminating in a chilling death scene. Eponine (Christine Heesun Hwang) was another intoxicating performance; audiences were drawn in by her frustrations of unrequited love and determination to support the cause of the students.

Marius (Gregory Lee Rodriguez) and his instantaneous enamourment with Cosette (Addie Morales) lie on the receiving end of this unrequited love. Perhaps a flaw of the story itself, the actors in these roles have the difficult task of portraying immediate infatuation and chemistry. However, in this production, their relationship as conveyed by the actors felt rushed and surface-level. While some moments showed the unique dynamic of their relationship, there wasn’t enough consistent emphasis on their feelings for each other to make this strange circumstance convincing. Cosette, while having a lovely, though rather high, voice, did not contribute much in the way of her relationship with others and her overall significance to the story. Again, perhaps it was the way she was written, but her personality was lacking. The same logic could be applied to Jean Valjean’s near-instant affection towards Marius during “Bring Him Home.” While the song itself was an impressive display of Cartell’s singing abilities, the moments leading up to the song did little to reinforce why Valjean began to care for Marius.

This multifaceted musical expertly portrays the complications of love and personal morality set against the French Revolution, and this performance conveyed this plethora of themes with dedication and heart. Audiences will be undeniably enthralled by the incredible array of emotions the ensemble portrays and will have no choice but to cheer on for the rebels’ cause and cry for the losses and love that is shared.