Flashes of brilliance shone out opening night of the Great Lakes Theatre’s current production of Les Misérables at the Hanna Theater, Playhouse Square. Director Victoria Bussert’s fast-moving production created a PechaKucha-style scrapbook celebrating this oft-performed classic as its talented cast (of seeming 1,000s) sang their hearts out.
Plot-wise, much relies on the audiences’ familiarity with the Les Mis storyline (covers 1815 to 1832 and beyond) because without it, some events and exchanges might not make sense to newbies (you can find a decent plot summary on wiki).
But it doesn’t matter, we know that Jean Valjean (Stephen Mitchell Brown) is a good guy and that Javert (Brian Sutherland) just doesn’t understand. All the characters are worth watching so whether or not this is your first time or not (I saw the 1980s production in London, plus ones in Cleveland and, of course, the latest film version), amusement abounds.
Highlights included suffering with an outstanding and convincing Brown as a weary Valjean, especially when he sat at the edge of the stage and turned “Bring Him Home” into a moving plea, an anthem, and a pledge as he resolved to assist the young revolutionary Marius (a dashing Pedar Benson Bate) survive the coming clash with the French military forces.
Valjean does this, of course, because he unselfishly wishes to please his daughter Cosette (the melodious Clare Howes Eisentrout). This trio is joined by the unlucky Eponine (a vibrant Keri René Fuller even when singing the sad “On My Own”) to create a memorable “In My Life.”
Much was accomplished by the talented and role-shifting cast thanks to the minimalist set by Jeff Herrmann. At one point dramatic clouds of smoke engulfed the doomed barricaded students, especially Enjolras (a powerful Kyle Jean Baptiste) who as leader stands facing the enemy.
I wasn’t too persuaded by the rows of chairs hanging from the ceiling to suggest the barricade, but the only truly strange sight opening night was when Valjean climbs up the stage to hide Marius in the sewer to save him. A golden light shines as an opening magically appears (as in Harry Potter’s Room of Requirement) and Marius is rather unceremoniously dropped out of sight.
Costume designer Esther M. Haberlen created an outfit for Tracee Patterson (as the villainous Madame Thenardier) that almost deserves separate billing in the wonderful final scene when Madame Thenardier and her husband (Tom Ford) prance about in their best finery.
Bottom Line: See it. Some of the best songs in town in the gorgeous Great Lakes Theatre.
Best Overheard Remark: “In Les Mis if you hear a character saying to another ‘You won’t die,’ in the next minute, they die.” And rather suddenly, I might add.
[As an aside: Watching this essentially quick notes version of Victor Hugo’s masterwork made me want to re-read this marvelously long book to see if I find it as enchanting as I did the first time I read it. Looking at the credits, it’s easy to think it takes a village to adapt Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. The 1200-page novel set in 19th-century France, provides the basic storyline for this musical version written by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, and Orchestrations by John Cameron. According to the program notes by Bussert, the original French text for the production was developed by Alain Boublil and Jean Marc-Natel with additional material provided by James Fenton. The original London production (in the 1980s) was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird and was produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Royal Shakespeare Company. Whew.]
[Photo: Actor Stephen Mitchell Brown (as Jean Valjean) implores secrecy from Clare Howes Eisentrout (as his adopted daughter Cosette) in the Great Lakes Theater production of the Tony Award-winning musical epic LES MISERABLES at the Hanna Theatre, PlayhouseSquare which runs through November 9. (Photo by Roger Mastroianni)]
Laura Kennelly is a freelance arts journalist, a member of the Music Critics Association of North America, and an associate editor of BACH, a scholarly journal devoted to J. S. Bach and his circle.Listening to and learning more about music has been a life-long passion. She knows there’s no better place to do that than the Cleveland area.
Cleveland, OH 44115