Les Misérables - Please go Hear the People Sing! by Huxley Westemeier

 

LOOK DOWN, LOOK DOWN, DON'T LOOK ‘EM IN THE EYE. So begins Les Misérables, continuing its National Broadway Tour stopping in Minneapolis for the fourth time since 2010. LOOK DOWN is also an apt description of my viewpoint on the show— I sat near the farthest back row of the balcony and was expecting the usual messy audio and hard sightlines that plague upper seats. Refreshingly, I didn’t have any of those issues: I was fully invested in the show for the nearly 3 hour runtime. As you might know, the plot follows convict Jean Valjean throughout decades of his life and eventually rebellion against the monarchy, introducing a smorgasbord of characters and dark moments that highlight the true brutality of love and war. Despite being set in the early 19th century, it felt relevant. I was rooting for Jean Valjean as he struggled from the opening number onwards.

I was pleasantly surprised by every cast member. Precise direction by Laurence Connor (School of Rock, Miss Saigon) and James Powell (Mary Poppins) elevated the characters past their sometimes 2-dimensional narratives. Nick Cartell (Jean Valjean) and Nick Rehberger (Javert) were both fantastic- and I learned after attending the show that Cartell has been Valjean for over two years and 1,200 performances (according to his YouTube Channel)! His nuance during Jean Valjean’s passionate “Who Am I?” raisedthe bar, yet Javert’s haunting “Turning” and eventual suicide offered perhaps one of the most provocative moments I’ve seen on stage. Javert ‘jumps’ off a bridge, floating in midair as the bridge and water rushes up below him in slow motion. Moments like these make up for the lack of traditional dance numbers. And the use of fight choreography in the famous barricade scene in Act Two literally had me on the edge of my seat.

Les Misérables’s set design by Matt Kinley (Miss Saigon) is minimalistic and powerful. Large structures representing period buildings on either side of the stage move alongside multiple sliding panels providing a backdrop for interior scenes. Transparent scrims project elements such as gunshots during the barricade or ocean waves while at sea, and there are many smaller automated wooden sets that appear to great effect, including the barricade formed with overturned chairs and tables inspired by the barricades the Revolution built some 200 years ago.

 

Claude-Michel Schönberg’s grand and triumphant score perfectly lifts the storyline from being too repetitive or bland. While some of the songs felt excessive and repetitive near the end of Act Two, especially the long conclusion after the climax where we see Valjean’s adopted daughter’s wedding, the score alternates effortlessly between lighthearted musical numbers to haunting ballads. 

Les Misérables is a phenomenal production with a stellar cast and balances pure emotion with entertaining subplots. It successfully takes us along Valjean’s journey from convict to hero. On Les Misérables website, it says the show is “Still The World’s Most Popular Musical”, and I’d have to agree. It's one of the best touring shows. I completely recommend jumping into 19th century Paris for a passionate, gritty, yet completely engaging three hours of Les Misérables!