Tuesday evening marked the opening of “Les Miserables” at Wharton Center, nearly seven years after its last tour stop in East Lansing. The show runs through Sunday, November 17. Click here for show and ticket information.
I’ve seen Les Mis a handful of times in the past, both in local theatre and national touring productions. It’s a show that has endured, rightfully so, as a Broadway classic and fan favorite since the 80s. Each time I see the show live, or listen to the soundtrack, I notice new things about it. Sometimes I can’t tell if they are elements that have always been there, or artistic choices by the performers and director. But either way, it makes for a unique theatre experience each and every time.
Here are three takeaways from last night’s performance of Les Miserables at Wharton Center.
Comedic choices by the performers added some much-needed brevity to a serious show.
Les Mis has many dark themes and moments throughout the show, so I was pleasantly surprised to see some comedic choices that I didn’t remember from previous viewings. One of my favorite scenes in the show was when Marius (Joshua Grosso) has his meeting with Cosette (Jillian Butler) outside her home, singing “A Heart Full of Love.” Instead of playing it cool, Grosso’s sweet Marius cannot believe his good fortune, injecting endearing bits of spoken dialogue during the duet. I loved seeing Marius this way, as a young man with a crush who can’t believe a beautiful young lady is even speaking with him.
Other welcomed moments of comedy were courtesy of Madame Thenardier, played boisterously by Allison Guinn. As the busty and busted of the dastardly Thenardier duo, Guinn brought so many laughs to the evening. I enjoyed her solo during “Master of the House” and the way she hilariously and unsuccessfully tried to flirt with Jean Valjean when he came to their home to find young Cosette. In general, the Thenardiers are the major comic relief in Les Mis, but it felt like Guinn was especially having a blast on stage playing such a deliciously evil character.
The powerhouse moments still packed an emotional punch, even on repeat viewing.
There are moments in musicals that absolutely wreck me every time. “She Used to Be Mine” from “Waitress” and “Those You’ve Known” from “Spring Awakening” are two examples. When it comes to “Les Miserables,” “Bring Him Home” is the one that does it for me. It’s an achingly beautiful song, one that starts and ends so quietly, yet soars in the middle. As Jean Valjean, I thought Nick Cartell was just fantastic. The role is so physically and vocally demanding, particularly as Valjean ages through the years.
The tension between Cartell’s Valjean and Javert (Josh Davis) is so palpable throughout the show. “The Confrontation” is one of my favorite powerhouse moments, and these two leads did not disappoint. Davis stands tall, coldly and unforgivingly, against his foe. For the first couple of times I saw Les Mis, I enjoyed the love triangle between Marius, Cosette, and Eponine. Now, the journey these two characters take on stage is my favorite thing to watch unfold.
The themes of activism and fighting for a cause are just as relevant today.
When I spoke with Matt Shingledecker (Enjolras), one of the things he said he most enjoyed about performing in Les Mis is having his run in conjunction with the protests in Hong Kong. I can only imagine how powerful it is to perform “Do You Hear the People Sing?” each night, knowing that people around the world are also using that song as an anthem for their causes. Watching last night’s performance of Les Mis, I was even more struck by the collective energy of the Friends of the ABC. So many examples in recent and past history show the power that comes when people come together for a cause. In “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” Marius sings, “Oh my friends, my friends don’t ask me / What your sacrifice was for / Empty chairs at empty tables / Where my friend will sing no more.” I found myself thinking about our own tumultuous time as I watched the show, being thankful to those who sacrifice for what is right. They are seeds of sacrifice planted in hopes of a better future.
Don’t miss “Les Miserables” at Wharton Center, now through November 17. Click here for show and ticket information.