Les Miserables Critique Paper

Les Misérables
The concert performance of Les Misérables (tenth anniversary concert) was performed
at Royal Albert Hall in London. It is an impressive and magnificent performance. The
story and characters are vivid, and the music is magnificent, with not a single bad song
in the entire production.
The central conflict in the novel is between Valjean and Javert. Valjean has completed
his sentence and been released from jail, but he does so with a yellow passport, which
means that everyone he meets, will know that he is an ex-con. Even when he is not
guilty of any wrongdoing, this makes him suspect. Javert believes that the law is the
answer to everything, and that no exceptions should be made, no matter how little the
infraction. The romance between Cosette, Valjean's foster daughter, and Marius, a
young baron, is another source of strife. Marius is a member of a movement fighting
injustice in his world, and he is frequently in danger, having been shot once.
In the end, Valjean died but he finally attains the peace that he has sought for so long.
And he died with contentment after a joyful reunion with his daughter Cosette. He is
relieved that Cosette and Marius have "forgiven" him. While Javert commits suicide by
jumping off a bridge into the Seine River, unable to reconcile the tension between his
civil and moral duties, which he had always assumed to be the same.
“Do You Hear the People Sing?” is the iconic, theme-defining center of the theatrical
musical Les Misérables, which premiered in 1985. And focuses about criminal justice,
education, and the treatment of society to women.
The cast are amazing. They have played their characters very well. Jean Valjean who is
an epitome of change. He was an intriguing Les Misérables hero, one of which was his
dramatic transformation from a sad or a miserable criminal to a brave, peaceful man.
And Valjean was played by Colm Wilkinson who obviously developed and sculpted the
character for everyone. He is the apex of what Jean Valjean should be and sound like.
His gruff, high warbly tenor is ideal for the part, and even his outlandish flourishes at the
end of songs. Philip Quast, who plays Javert, has a piercing baritone. He is fantastic as
Javert, portraying both his ruthlessness and his humanity. Michael Ball played Marius
Pontmercy, his voice is incredible, it can soften even the hardest of hearts. He strikes
the ideal mix of "bashful, charming schoolboy" and "enthusiastic tenor." Eponine is
played brilliantly by Lea Salonga. The original character was played as wimpy and
melancholy, which may be truer to the original novel, but Lea brought her fiery side to
the role. Her voice is excellent, with incredible control and a strong vibrato and I admire
her. Judy Kuhn as Cosette, her voice is lovely, and she gives the character just the
appropriate amount of youthful freshness. She has demonstrated a real awareness of
the trauma and abuse Cosette suffered in childhood.
Ruthie Henshall as Fantine, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, Alun Armstrong as
Thénardier, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier, Adam Searles as Gavroche,
Hannah Chick as Young Cosette, and several others have portrayed their characters
well and are strong as well. And I admired them for their work, their voices which are
incredible, they are so talented.
The costumes and makeup of the characters contributed to the total aesthetic value of
the play. From the general color scheme to the historically accurate bicorn hats to the
high-waisted button pants and revolutionary rosettes, everything about this outfit is
historically accurate. The costumes and makeup had helped make the play formidable
and realistic, it helped the artist perfectly portray her/his character.
As for the setting of the play, the stage and props are prepared well to suit the events of
the story. They have performed the play like a movie, realistic. When I was watching it,
it was like I was also watching the 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables.
Overall, the musical performance was great. I enjoyed it. Even if I will play it repeatedly,
I will not be bored to listen to it, especially to the part where they sang the song, “Do
You Hear the People Sing.” When they sang this part, it was magical to me, I was
drawn to the way they sang it, the tone. And I admired how deep the meaning of the
lyrics of the songs is. It lyrically represents the heart of all protests and popular
movements - individuals who fear their voices are being drowned out. It is the music of
the people. It clearly portrays the society and its people whose pleas are not heard, and
where justice is not fair.

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Les Misérables

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