Finally, after over a year, I was back in a West End theatre last week! Seeing the Les Miserables concert felt very overdue as I had tickets for it back in January. Inevitably, this did not end up being the exciting return to theatre I was hoping for at the time. For my theatre plans to work out this time around felt like a huge relief. I also managed to see a different cast to the one we have preserved on the 30th Anniversary Concert pro shot so it was a win all around.
First of all, I just want to commend the front of house staff for their organisation. They made sure everyone entered through the correct door, provided track and trace information, and enforced mask wearing throughout. The process of getting into the theatre was very easy and super efficient. Our time slot and entry door was given in advance and everything was clearly sign posted.
Les Miserables is notorious for recycling its actors. Jon Robyns is a great example of this. He has not only played Marius and Enjolras previously, but was leading the newly staged production at the Sondheim Theatre before the shutdown last year. He is the perfect choice to lead the concert version. His voice has so much strength, but still enough tenderness to make the entire theatre hold its breath during ‘Bring Him Home’. Last time I saw him perform he was only on stage for eight minutes as King George in Hamilton. It’s safe to say this is a very different role. Now he’s carrying an entire show on his shoulders with his unparalleled portrayal of Valjean.
It was such a pleasure to see Lucie Jones as Fantine, after last seeing her baking pies at the Adelphi Theatre. Her powerhouse vocals and raw emotion was so wonderful to see in this show. I’m thrilled that she’ll later be returning to Waitress on the UK Tour. Other stand out performances for me included Shan Ako and Jamie Muscato, as Eponine and Enjolras, who command the attention of the audience every time they’re on stage. Overall, this was a really strong principal cast, and the ensemble were truly a joy to see.
The music in this show can certainly hold its own as a concert. I could listen to this gorgeous score all day long. Seeing it in its most basic form is still a glorious experience. One thing I do have to question though is whether someone who knows nothing about Les Mis would understand the story. I was wondering this specifically during ‘The Runaway Cart’ where Javert says “can this be true, I don’t believe what I see” …meanwhile, we don’t see anything. It’s not explained exactly what Javert sees that sparks a memory of the convict Jean Valjean. Another thing (spoiler alert), many people die in Les Mis. For the most part, I think they showed these deaths well. It’s a concert after all which limits what you can do. Eponine’s death, however, felt very bizarre.
Something I really enjoyed though was the ensemble’s quirky choreography during ‘Beggars At The Feast’. It was nice to have them sometimes take part in the scene instead of just sitting in the background. Despite enjoying the concert, I can’t wait for the full staging to make its comeback. The concert is nice, but at the end of the day I’d much rather be seeing the show in all its glory. Although, how I will feel about the lack of a turntable remains to be seen.
What are your thoughts on the Les Miserables concert? Have you seen the show?