Les Misérables theatre breaks
Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a major production in the same league as The Phantom of the Opera. The musical tells of the story of Jean Val Jean, an ex-convict who could not escape his past. Like the Phantom, Les Mis has been conducting a couple of world tours off and on over the years. I’ve never seen the play elsewhere but I have been told that the travelling cast is nowhere as good as the one based in London, not sure how true that is though. Well, when we finally got to experience it for ourselves last Saturday, it totally blew us away.
Les Miserables Cast
Being a large scale production, they can boast a cast of more than two dozen, probably many. Having many recognizable characters, it’s not really possible to recycle actors and actresses to take on more than one role so the cast is very much a full one.
Though the main characters generally possesses well endowed voices, the main actor to look out for is the one who take on the role of Javert, a policeman who was bent on capturing Jean Val Jean. His baritone voice carried through the theatre magnificently and you could feel his anguish when faced with the dilemma towards the end of the play.
Also look out for a boy who acts as Gavroche, a young street urchin. His clear and cheeky voice captures the hopes of the youths in the chaotic situation that engulfed 19th century France.
Staging Les Miserables
Something that really distinguishes Les Miserables out from other shows is the use of the circular stage. By rotating the stage and the clever use of lights, props and settings can be changed while causing absolutely no disruptions to the unfolding of the drama.
In fact, scenes that depict people walking across distances were done seamlessly. Look out for the scene when Jean Val Jean carried an injured Marius through the sewers and you’ll know what I mean.
Les Miz – My conclusions
Les Miserables , without a doubt is worth the full ticket price and perfect for the best theatre breaks in London.
To those who have read the 1200-page original unabridged version of the story, this musical will bring to life those characters that have been so strongly portrayed in what was purported to be the story of the century even then. To those who are unfamiliar with the turmoil that swept 19th century France, Les Miserables will provide a strong introduction to the subject.
