Above : Noah Rayner in the role of Enjolras. Featured image: Packemin Productions’ cast of Les Misérables. Photos by Grant Leslie.
Beyond the barricade of the inner city there lies a musical you will truly long to see. Les Misérables, the classic from Boublil and Schonberg, is vividly brought to life at Riverside Theatres by Pakemin Productions. This is an excellently produced version of the loved show. It will attract new and old fans alike via well sung scenes and a lavishly costumed cast whose storytelling has believable dramatic focus.
This sprawling tale, based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, traces the run from the law of prisoner Jean Valjean. His slippery track takes him from the Toulon prison chain gang eventually to Paris of the 1830s emerging in its upper class within a society plagued with problems.
In this environment, here expressively recreated, inequality and suffering abound. The general public plus students tragically protest in the streets in vain. Such efforts require a firm delivery of character and contrast on stage, and Pakemin provides this with the assembled talent and creatives.
Director Luke Joslin ensures that this version of Les Mis is full of such keen comparisons as it tugs firmly at our contemporary heartstrings. Its effective relating of history almost two hundred years old reflects similar problems in our modern world.
Above : Daniel Belle continues his success with Les Mis and the role of Jean Valjean in this production.
From the outset Packemin’s cast emerge from hazy darkness. There is often an eerie gravity to Sean Clarke’s evocatively lit stage. Throughout both acts the visual atmospheres created are exciting, whether they be dank streets or bright high-class function halls.
These efforts in lighting are supported by a successful composite set structure with a small number of main components to efficiently and expressively convey a multitude of scenic detail.
Amidst such landscapes moves an energetic ensemble which are directed well to keep the often short scenes and large details of explosition moving along at the requisite pace. The male chorus grips us initially in chain gang guise (‘Look Down’) and thrills us with student camaraderie later. The female chorus also continually rises to the occasion with finely chiselled versatility in factory fights, street depravity and protest-aftermath reverie (‘At The End Of The Day’, ‘Lovely Ladies’, ‘Turning’).
Above : Matilda Moran in the role of Fantine. Photo credit : Grant Leslie.
Principal parts are well cast, with exciting voices and characterisations in the ensemble ready to be very satisfactory understudies through the run. Daniel Belle is a gift to this production, bringing his experience with this show and other local as well as international performance. His chameleon tenor voice faultlessly traces the bravery and vulnerability of Valjean and his acting shows tremendous range.
Robert McDougall steps up to the mark strongly as a foil for such a well-presented character. His Javert is as menacing as any fan would hope for, with snippets of conversational or dialogue singing as direct as more extended communications, such as the well-known ‘Stars’.
Matilda Moran provides us with a fabulously lost and abused Fantine. She has great poise and elegance of movement as well as a full sound that emerges with heartache from the melée. The stirring role of Enjolras is attacked with fervour by Noah Rayner. Visually and vocally his calibre of leadership would not be easily challenged.
The tricolour of varied, delightful tone colours that make the young love triangle at the heart of this story shows much physical and musical chemistry here. It is a coup d’état of casting that unites the look and lyrical delivery on love of Emma Mylott’s Eponine, Brenton Bell’s Marius and the powerful constancy of Georgia Burley’s bell-like voiced Cosette. Their separate and combined communications are always stunning.
Above : Georgia Burley in the role of Cosette. Photography by Grant Leslie.
Comic relief and depiction of the society’s range of class is so brilliantly provided through the accent, stage romps and visual gags of Les Thénardiers (Prudence Holloway and Alex Cape). The stage presence of the young Eponine and Cosette are strong and secure, as is Gavroche’s mixing so well amongst the big people. The alternate cast of youth will give nice variety here.
At times there is loud ensemble enthusiasm in full crowd scenes which takes away from some clarity of line in the principal action. More than once this prevents lyrics and description from unfolding unhindered by some background extra, though relevant noises. This also can extend to fleeting but distracting activity in the periphery. Hopefully as the run unfolds this will be streamlined.
All the favourite hit songs and music are presented here with able orchestral support. A huge range of instrumental colour and mostly fine balance is maintained throughout under direction of Peter Hayward and Rachel Kelly.
The opening night standing ovation and cheering from the crowd many times throughout were well deserved here. The show will continue to call for love, justice and bright tomorrows on a captivatingly transformed Riverside Theatres stage. Les Misérables plays there until February 29.