Les Misérables

If there is anyone else who needs a good dose of theatrical splendour to take away the bitter taste of the 2012 film of Les Misérables, then this new production is guaranteed to make you feel better and restore your faith in this epic musical. It is simply splendid on all levels. Beautifully mounted with a remarkable set and projections (set and image design by Matt Kinley, inspired by Victor Hugo’s paintings), astonishingly lit by Paule Constable (often reminding the audience of Brueghel rather than Hugo’s paintings), wonderfully evocative projection by 59 Productions, and with magnificent sound design by Mick Potter; the show is a triumph before we even mention the actors, though of course they are of stellar importance.

I’m not even going to mention plot; surely we all know it. Suffice to say it is the journey of ex-convict Jean Valjean, unfairly imprisoned, and the police inspector of tunnel vision who hounds him through nearly twenty years. This Les Mis gives us a Valjean, in the form of Simon Gleeson, who may well be the quintessential casting in the role. His anger and bitterness at the beginning of the prologue, and his transformation into a man of humility and compassion, plus the beautifully subtle physical process of aging, are superb acting even if he never sang a note. Yet sing he does, and quite magnificently throughout; from a deep chesty baritone, through the tenor range and up into falsetto headnotes that would make the Angels weep. He stamps the role with authority and command, and stops the show on several occasions, with “Bring Him Home” reducing many of the audience to tears. He proves beyond doubt that he is a true star of Music Theatre.

Many of us wondered if Hayden Tee, despite his delightful presence in other shows, had the clout and vocal depth to play Javert. After all, he had played Marius in London and was noted for his clear and light voice. We need not have questioned Tee’s depth. Not only does he stride the stage with pent up rage and single-mindedness that are truly menacing, but vocally he delivers everything that anyone could hope for from Javert. His magnificent rendition of “Stars” in Act One had the audience cheering and screaming for a good 30 seconds, and we held our breath during the painful Soliloquy and his death…which was brilliantly staged, elaborating on the flying bridge from the original production. He has staked his claim on Javert forever.

Trevor Ashley and Lara Mulcahy at last deliver the perfect Thenardiers, flesh and blood and three dimensional, with just enough of the grotesque to retain credibility, and some delicious physical comedy business. Ashley is a superstar in his own right, with a voice that soars; but so successful has he been in his outrageous cabaret style drag shows, that we wondered if we would ever see him again on the “legit” stage. We are privileged indeed, and the deliciously overblown Mulcahy is the perfect match for him, loud and coarse, simpering and manipulative. The level of joy goes up a notch when the two are on-stage together.

Patrice Tipoki is a beautiful Fantine with a great voice, but she didn’t eradicate the memory of the astonishingly poignant Debra Byrne (from the original Australian production) nor make me cry as Anne Hathaway did in the film (there, I think the choice in the film to move “I Dreamed a Dream” back a little, until after Fantine sells her hair, worked far better for the emotional arc of the character). Euan Doidge (Marius) and Emily Langridge (Cosette) are suitably sweet as the young lovers - but lack of experience, and perhaps first night nerves, contributed to the “nothing wrong, but nothing magic” level of their performances. “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” was perhaps the most disappointing of the major songs on opening night. Countering that, Kerrie-Anne Greenland is a superstar in the making. She soared in the iconic “On My Own”, but it was her brilliant death scene in “A Little Fall of Rain” which marked her true potential. It’s astonishing to realise this is her professional theatre debut.

Chris Durling (Enjolras) sang brilliantly but I would have liked a little less 20^th century rock star swag in a 19^th century student leader. The students themselves were vocally excellent, with special mention of Daniel Belle, Joshua Robson and Zoy Frangos (one to watch). The ensemble was superb throughout, as Australian ensembles generally are, and I must mention that a staggering 14 of the cast (over a third) including all four female leads, are graduates of WAAPA, proving once again the outstanding level of talent that goes through the West’s premiere performance academy. I need to add how excellent the orchestra sounded under the direction of Geoffrey Castles.

This production may not thrill all the purists who have seen every production of Les Mis in every country since its inception; but there is a whole new generation of Musical Theatre addicts who know the show only from recordings and the film. They will, and must, see this production for the first time live over the next two years. They are the future, and the theatre-goers who need examples of why theatre is sometimes far superior to film; of why professionals decried the casting of an Academy Award winning Russell Crowe as Javert; and of why Simon Gleeson is a better Valjean than “Our Hugh”. There is magic to be had in the theatre…and the standing ovation at the end was not driven by tradition or celebrity obligation, but by the sheer exhilaration of a magnificent show.

Coral Drouyn

Images: (from top) Simon Gleeson; "One Day More", Hayden Tee, Trevor Ashley and Lara Mulcahy; Patrice Tipoki and cast on the Barricade.Photographer: Matt Murphy.

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