A review: les misérables

It has been three years since I saw Les Misrables. It was an experience that I wont likely forget likewise soon for, not only was it an incredible melodious effect, it was also the first Broadway production I had ever seen.And a big production it was, too. Les Miserables has a mosaic of char dressers police, prostitutes and mulish students woven onto an automatically dramatic backdrop of tragic revolution in France where there is glory in death for a cause.It is unfortunate, however, that I do not remember all the main cast members. I do, however, conduct three of them, whose performances I really loved, still in mind dungaree Valjean, Javert, and my favorite, Ma-Anne Dionisio as Eponine. Her real account stuck to my memory just as her performance did. Though I was a little surprised at the form of an Asian for Eponines role, I realized that her ethnicity wasnt importanther repre moveative was. She was a truly amazing singer.This was the first time that Les Miz came to the Fisher Theater, and though regrettably seated at the $50 seats (way up in the balcony even for that price), it was worth it. Les Miz is one of those cross-files that doesnt need to be reinvented to be successful. It has been running so long that people knew what to expect, even me.I had heard of this musical many times before I actually got to see it, nevertheless just seeing the1800s costuming, the spinning sets, the shadowy lighting, were confirmation that all the accolades this show had gathered through the years were well-deserved. It was a production that spared no expense, and took no prisoners.To give a short summary of the consort from Online-Literature, Les Misrables is set in the Parisian underworld. The protagonist, Jean Valjean, was sentenced to prison for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread.After his release, Valjean planned to rob monseigneur Myriel, a saint-like bishop, but cancelled his plan. However, he forfeited his parole by committing a minor crime, and for this crime Valjean was preoccupied by the police inspector Javert. Valjean eventually reformed and went under the name of M. Madeleinea successful businessman, benef performer and mayor of a northern town.But to deport an innocent man, Valjean gave himself up and was imprisoned in Toulon. In the end, Valjean had to reveal his past. It was unimpeachably a sad story make sadder by the nervous strains sung in lament through most of the musical. The performances were, to my untrained ears, absolutely amazing. Im sure there were critics who noticed so and sos verbalise not being up to par, but to me, they all played their roles to perfection. The actor/singer who played Jean Valjean carried a huge part of the plays success.He was the main character. His first appearance on stage sent chills through me because here was the famous Valjean, finally. His song that lamented the yellow ticket (proclaimed his former-convict status) he had to carry around with him was moving.You felt his sa dness and pain. Javert, on the other hand, conveyed his feelings of jurist and self-righteousness to the audience with no problem. His posture told the whole story He stood mud and upright, never slouching, never flinching. His voice was superb as well. But, really, it was Eponines song On My Own that just pulled me in. What a glorious rendition it was hither was a woman in love.The fact that it was unrequited love made you all the more sympathize to her plight and make you want to succuss the guy whose love she craved. How could he not love her?What made these performances so much more effective were the gestures and costumes that they employed. Sure, costumes play a somewhat niggling role in any production, but in this case, the audience is aspect for authenticity, for a vision to lose himself or herself in because the viewer wants to view how it is to be in 19th century France.I thought that the costume devise was exemplary. Of course, the moving sets do not let you complet ely slide appear into another world, but the appropriate raggedness of some of the characters costumes were all too real. One even feels like the nearer one gets to the stage, the greater discover it would be to get a noxious whiff of Pariss poor folk. The gestures were evocative. I remember thinking how it must be to act and sing at the same time.