Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre 20th April to 15th May 2010

Les Miserables is probably my favourite musical, I must have seen the original London version and UK tours over 90 times, the 10^th Anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall plus the schools edition twice. I thought I knew it forwards, backwards and even sideways, then along came the 25^th Anniversary tour!

The original sets were very minimalistic making the barricade a phenomenal spectacle and the revolving stage adding a third dimension. The totally revamped set took me a little by surprise, admittedly some of it is superb but some of the changes just left me asking why? The chain-gang breaking rocks has changed to galley slaves chained to oars, possibly more fitting with the start of the song ‘Lovely Ladies’. The one scene that has vastly improved, to my mind, is the sewer scene where Valjean carries Marius away from the carnage on the Barricades.

As for the cast and performances they are superb! After knowing past casts so well I had forgotten just what it is like seeing totally new faces in the characters. Some of the libretto and score have been adapted but the alterations are subtler than the set changes. Visually and vocally the cast are brilliant it is a joy and a pleasure to sit back and be reacquainted with the many characters I adore. As with many of the audience around me, the tears were flowing during several of the sadder scenes.

John Owen-Jones

Earl Carpenter

Being an predominately an ensemble show, with the animosity between the characters Jean Valjean (John Owen-Jones) and Javert (Earl Carpenter) winding and twisting through the French countryside and the Student riots culminating in the wedding of Marius (Gareth Gates) and Cosette (Katie Hall), it is a little unfair to point out particular scenes or performances.  However the young Cosette, young Eponine and Gavroche (Robert Madge) always steal the scenes they are in. Ashley Artus and Lynne Wilmot are hilarious as Monsieur and Madame Thenardier adding some new touches to the ‘Master of the House’ number. Rosalind James as Eponine brings the house down with her rendition of ‘On My Own’.  Javert’s number ‘Stars’ is one of the shows several iconic songs, sung beautifully by Earl Carpenter, no stranger to the stage of The Edinburgh Playhouse. Madalena Alberto as Fauntine manages to portray a hidden strength through ‘I Dreamed a Dream’. Gareth Gates as Marius has come a long way since appearing on “Pop Idol” and his rendition of ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’ is particularly poignant, partly thanks to the new direction.  Katie Hall is the first Cosette I have seen who is not a brunette dressed in black. Mention Les Miserables to most people and they will mention Jean Valjeans ‘Bring Him Home’.  John Owen-Jones sings this with such depth of feeling and purity of voice the silence before the thunder of applause was almost deafening.

The whole team cast, crew, backstage, orchestra and technicians pull together to produce one of the top shows on stage all over the world. The initial genius of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg joined with Cameron Mackintosh, Herbert Kretzmer, Trevor Nunn, John Caird, Laurence Connor and James Powell along with many others work behind the scenes join together creatively to give the performers the vehicle with which to delight us audience members.

I am looking forward to seeing the show at least twice more during the current run and hopefully many, many more times in future years.

For further information about Les Miserables visit the official website www.lesmis.com for dates times and other shows at the Edinburgh Playhouse go to www.edinburghplayhouse.org.uk .