Canberra
Philharmonic Society
Erindale Theatre
until March 16th.
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
“Les Miserables” is an epic musical of
operatic proportions and with their stunning new staging at the Erindale
Theatre, The Canberra Philharmonic Society does justice to Boubil and
Schonberg’s masterful adaptation of Victor Hugo’s stirring saga, with a thrillingly
sung production that crackles with energy, and occasionally bursts off the
stage to engulf the audience..
Director Jim
McMullen, has gathered a huge cast and
orchestra and harnessed significant resources for this
production which with the help of an
impressively flexible setting, brilliantly captures the sweep and excitement
of the story with imaginatively staged and choreographed set pieces balancing touching
moments of genuine pathos.
At the heart
of the show is the superbly modulated, beautifully sung performance of Dave Smith,
as Jean Valjean who manages to capture the passion, strength and dignity of a
man struggling with his ideals. Cast
against type, as the hateful Javert, Adrian Flor matches him with an equally
powerful performance, revealing an unexpectedly fine baritone voice in a show-stopping
version of “Stars”.
Vanessa de
Jager is heart breaking as the feisty Eponine. Mat Chardon O’Dea and Laura
Dawson are beautifully matched and haunting as the young lovers, Marius and
Cosette. Ian Crocker and Kate Tricks are wonderfully awful as the Thenadiers, while
Kelly Roberts as the tragic Fantine, and Grant Pegg, the heroic Enjolras, both
provide stand-out performances in an ensemble production rich in excellent
cameos. Not to be missed.
An edited version of this review appears in CITY NEWS Feb.28th March 6. edition.
