BWW Review: LES MISERABLES – THE STAGED Concert, Sondheim Theatre

Les Misérables- The Staged Concert has experienced an unanticipated 2nd run soon after turning into a bought-out accomplishment very last yr.

Relocating up coming doorway into the Sondheim Theatre, the clearly show are not able to return in the ordinary capacity thanks to Covid-19 restrictions, but the staged live performance provides the barricades back again to lifetime in a safe and sound way.

All the solid have appeared in the display right before, from excursions and West Conclude operates to the staged concert very last yr, so you happen to be in incredibly safe hands ideal from the extremely get started. Just about every performer is self-confident, hits every note with excellent dictation and tone, and tends to make this staged concert really feel like a typical musical manufacturing.

In simple fact, throughout the interval, some audience associates were questioning whether or not it was a concert mainly because it felt like this sort of a total display.

Last year’s staged live performance was slick and deserved the significant praise it received, but refined tweaks below and there, like slight improvements in shipping and tone, have produced this version a more robust manufacturing than its former operate.

While the display just isn’t specifically acknowledged for its light-weight-hearted times, it is clear that Les Misérables is discovering to snicker in new moments. It’s an unanticipated but joyful detail to witness.

From the pre-show announcement to the Thénardiers’ scenes (performed by Matt Lucas and Katy Secombe) to Marius (Rob Houchen) being mocked for his besotted behaviour, this scattering of humour was a new contact that introduced realism and heart to scenes.

Audiences absolutely will need a crack from doom and gloom suitable now, so this smaller contact of light-weight humour can help to relax the considerably less extreme scenes and implies this exhibit is getting open up to using alone a lot less seriously.

Speaking of comedy, Lucas and Secombe’s on-stage chemistry and comedian timing with just about every other make scripted strains come to feel like amusing advert-libs, so the pair constantly received significant laughs. When they weren’t singing, they ended up great listeners constantly responding in hilarious but understated means that became mesmerising to enjoy.

Of course, you are not able to have Les Misérables with out individuals heart-breaking power numbers, and the staged live performance is no unique. Michael Ball, (who’s playing Javert), and John Owen-Jones (who shares the part of Jean Valjean with Alfie Boe) provide vulnerability to these complex people, and their duets are stand-out moments in the demonstrate as a outcome.

Marius is typically considered of as just a adore-struck man, but Houchen’s portrayal is a lot more charismatic and self-assured. Marius is even now a sensitive soul, but Houchen also delivers out his loyalty and determined character much too, which is a clever way to produce this character.

The unrequited really like of Éponine (performed by Shan Ako) to Marius is performed with more than enough uncooked emotion that you happen to be wholly invested in her sadness, but also with sweet electrical power (from both of those actors) that highlights Marius and Éponine’s loving friendship.

Carrie Hope Fletcher may only be on stage for a little segment of the display as Fantine, but her effective vocals and emotive functionality command notice every time she’s present. She is a sweet Fantine, but Fletcher also delivers out the fierce aspect of Fantine and her underestimated power, creating the character’s downfall additional tragic.

It genuinely highlights the significant calibre of the total forged that the restricted staging does not get just about anything absent from the demonstrate it never ever affects the pacing and feels just about pure in places.

This clearly show has clearly been skipped above the previous 9 months, with the audience’s power producing an emotional curtain simply call that is almost never found so early on into a show’s operate.

But it is really no shock that the viewers was acquiring swept away in the atmosphere about them this display is so stunning you speedily neglect you happen to be sporting a mask and in socially distanced seating.

The new policies and polices have not made the staged live performance any significantly less outstanding or fascinating, and the closing range has in no way sounded so passionate or uplifting, as you can notify that just about every individual on that phase is delighted to be again on stage through unprecedented instances.

Les Misérables – The Staged Concert isn’t going to just aspiration the desire, it provides it to lifetime with present-stopping performances, outstanding orchestrations and an electrifying environment that encompasses the whole theatre from start out to finish.

Les Misérables – The Staged Concert at the Sondheim Theatre until finally 28 February 2021

Photo credit score: Johan Persson