Les Misérables

The 25th Anniversary national touring production of Les Misérables (directed by Laurence O’Connor and James Powell) has opened at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse, and it is magnificent and surprising, with completely new staging and settings. The opening scene, for example, now takes place on a prison galley ship, rather than in a prison, which provides a more dynamic start. And, oh! Lawrence Clayton is a perfect Jean Valjean—he has authority, heart and great humanity, a solid lower register and gorgeous head tones. I’ve never seen the role played better.

This is an astonishingly good production. If you have a chance to see it—either at Paper Mill or at any subsequent place on the tour—go! This is first-rate throughout. The richly melodic score, by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Herbert Kretzmer (original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel), has been freshly orchestrated by Chris Jahnke, and it has never sounded more uplifting. Set designer Matt Kinley has come up with some surprising new visual effects, involving Jean Valjean’s escape through the tunnels and Javert’s suicide. (I won’t be more specific because I don’t want to spoil any theatergoers’ sense of surprise.) Michael Kostroff is an engaging Thenardier, Christen Harmon a vivacious Eponine. But the whole production is laudable, and every word came through clearly. The only time I missed the original staging (by Trevor Nunn and John Caird) was in the closing of the first act; they created a stronger, more memorable visual image. But this production, overall, is stunning.

(Pictured: Lawrence Clayton and Andrew Varela; Photo by Deen Van Meer)

Chip Deffaa
Cabaret Scenes
November 28, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org