Maia Pramuk Green Group October 19, 2012

Play Review On October 5, 2013, Les Misrables was performed at Toby's Dinner theatre. This iconic musical has become even more well known due to it's recent movie version (featuring popular actors such as Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Sacha Baron Cohen), it's lack of spoken word, and it's French roots. The pieces's theme goes into depth about the importance of making your life worthwhile, and the drive, inspiration, and aid love brings to those who need it. Because Les Mis is now so much more popular than it was once before; not only the theatre junkies, but now also the general public, are able to understand and appreciate the musical's high standards. The story can be divided into three main parts, the first scenes are dedicated to introducing the antagonist and protagonist and giving insight to their history and what type of people they are. The first scene includes a large musical number which introduces Jean ValJean (Daniel Felton) or 24601, as a convict for petty theft, soon to be released by Javert (Will Emory) a cold and single-minded Warden. The prisoners poor work conditions were portrayed through a large scaffolding structure which went diagonally across the square stage, surrounded by the audience. Once ValJean is is released from prison he is shunned from society for being an ex-convict and ends up seeking refuge in a church. There he meets a wise and loving priest, and he decides shed his former life to become a better man. Here the audience begins to notice the immobile lights, poor sound quality, and somewhat sloppy stage directions. The story then flashes forward 8 years to 1823, France, where ValJean has now taken on the identity of Monsieur Madeleine, a popular and wealthy factory owner, and achieving what he believes to be his dreams. A former worker in his factory is Fantine (Heather Beck), a single mother who turns to prostitution in order to send money to the caretakers of child. Valjean,

finding Fantine left for dead, promises to take her daughter, Cosette, as his own. ValJean then hears that another man is to be convicted for his crimes and admits to Javert that it is he who is 24601." ValJean then abruptly leaves to find Cosette, once again causing a fire to be lit within Javert to catch ValJean. Thnardier, the Misses (host parents) and Eponine (their daughter) are con artists and sell Cosette to Valjean for a money. Throughout the beginning of the musical the strength of each characters voice and variety of both colorful and timely costumes (David Greggory and Shannon Maddox) becomes apparent, but the larger ensemble music numbers often end up out of sync, out of step and overall hard to understand. The immobile the lights also caused some characters with solos to end up in the dark. The story then advances nine years to Paris where Cosette and Valjean now live. In a town center setting Cosette notices Marius (Jefferey Shankle), a wealthy man who is fighting for the people of France. The two instantly have love at first sight, distressing Eponine, whose heart belongs to an oblivious Marius. Here the casting confused many viewers because the age difference between the actors who played Cosette and Marius was quite impressive. Out of fear of Javert, ValJean plans to leave Paris, the day after the Paris uprising (which Marius and many patriots plan to take part in). ValJean learns of Cosette and Marius' great love ,he then ventures down to the barricade to rescue an injured Marius, where he also comes upon Javert who'd been captured for double crossing the patriots, ValJean decides to let him go. Javert, unable to conceive that a once convict could ever be so selfless, commits suicide. Marius and Cosette Marry, but ValJean unable to tell Cosette the truth about his darker past, leaves the couple. The two, realizing his great acts of heroism search and find ValJean in the Church hed once sought refuge in. After telling Cosette the Truth about everything, ValJean dies in peace. Through out the musical, characters used limited gestures but responded to each other quite

realistically, Katie Heidbreder as Cosette and Jeffrey Shankle as Marius particularly related to each other as if they were truly in love. Their movements were very give and take and their facial expressions were on point and natural looking. As the Musical went on the sound effects and music fought more and more with characters voices, often too loud or too subtle and the lighting very rarely matched up with the characters location. During town scenes the actors were very good at communicating their opinions and thoughts through actions varying in speed, size and how they affected others. Because the characters gestures were so down played the audience was able to see the musical as less of a production and more like events actually happening before their eyes. A downside to smaller gestures and limited props was many people in the back were unable to the unspoken words happening in the Musical.