For the first time ever in its 36 year history, the world famous Les Misérables kicks off its UK tour with an extended run in Glasgow at the Theatre Royal over the festive period.
Set in early 19th century France, Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Boublil and Schonberg’s musical begins with a prisoner named Jean Valjean who has finished his long brutal sentence for stealing some bread to help feed his starving nephew.
Branded a criminal and struggling to survive, he swears to turn his life around and be a good and honest man. However he is ferociously hunted down by prison guard Javert who swears to find him and bring him to justice for breaking his parole. Just as Jean Valjean is about to turn himself in to the law, he meets a destitute and dying Fantine and swears to honour her last wish, no matter what it might take to do so.
The talented and experienced cast deliver incredible emotional performances in this sung through musical, as each character wrestles themes such as love, loyalty, poverty and revolution.
Valjean (Dean Chisnell) and Javert (Nic Greenshields) are a powerful duo. While Javert is the villain of the story, both men were also vulnerable and emotional as their lifes intertwined and they faced their own personal struggles. During Bring Him Home and Stars you could have heard a pin drop in the audience.
The heartbreaking solos from Fantine’s I dreamed a dream (Katie Hall) and Eponine’s On My Own (Nathania Ong) recieved rapturous applause from a tearful audience. Monsieur and Madame Thenardier (Ian Hughes and Helen Walsh) provided some light comic relief with some hilarious moments especially in their performance of Master of the House.
With dark and gloomy lighting featuring scenery from some of Victor Hugo’s original paintings, Les Miserables is an emotional rollercoaster which will leave you equally thrilled as you are heartbroken. The show runs until December 31st – just remember to pack your tissues.
