“At the end of the day you’re another day older. And that’s all you can say for the life of the poor.” Are you singing? Why not? Ok, let’s try another. “I dreamed a dream in time gone by, when hope was high and life worth living.” If you don’t know at least one of these, you may very well have been living under a rock. Welcome to Les Miserables.
For forty years, this show has been running in London and for twenty odd years, I had been seeing it periodically. I have seen Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean and Phillip Quast as Javert; the best! Then, after moving to Australia, those chances obviously lessened. I have seen versions of it here in Sydney and at University of Queensland, but then I heard that the London production was staging a world tour. Time to grab tickets and secure my seat. I was not going to miss it.
On May 29, dad and I headed to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre at Boondall. Cameron Mackintoshes London production was in town. With our priority parking booked, we were in line to see Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean and Michael Ball as Javert. Where do I start? Let me firstly say that paying extra for priority parking is VERY worth it. The parking is in-front of the arena, and we were able to be back on the highway going home shortly after leaving the arena. That made an enormous difference.
Curtain up, let the show begin!
This show has always been a ‘wow’ for me, from the very first moment I watched it, way back in the mid 90s. From the powerful opening notes of ‘Work Song (Look Down)’ to the stirring final chorus of ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’, it never fails to hit all the right notes. Tonight was no different.
Alfie Boe played the titular role of protagonist Jean Valjean, a man breaking parole to start life over as a free man. His soaring vocals and emotive resonance infused his songs with an electrifying energy, delivering an inspiring performance that captivated the audience. I had high expectations of Alfie’s performance, and he certainly exceeded them.
Of course, in any stage show there is usually a little laughter to be had. Les Mis is no different. Enter Monsieur Thénardier and Madame Thénardier, ably portrayed by Matt Lucas and Marina Prior. These two are sublime. Comedy. Singing. Acting and several one liners that are not always scripted, made for smiles all round.
The highlight of this show for me, belongs to another man; Bradley Jaden, who replaced Michael Ball for this performance. I must admit, my initial disappointment at missing seeing Michael Ball perform quickly vanished. Bradley Jaden brought a level of passion to the role of Javert that I had never seen before. He didn’t ’play the part,’ he embodied it completely. Every song he sung, whether it was a solo or duo, resonated with conviction and emotion. Bradley Jadens powerful voice and stage presence brought a compelling and imaginative side to the portrayal of Javert – he really did make the role his own.
The show was superb. I have seen it many times, the last time being ten years ago with my late husband in Sydney. This was my first time seeing it without him and I can’t lie; it was a little emotional. Bradley Jaden singing ‘Stars’ would have had my husband squeezing my hand and grinning. It was his favourite song.
Curtain down. Until next time….
