Review: LES MISÉRABLES, THE ARENA SPECTACULAR WORLD TOUR in Sweden

This year the musical Les Misérables celebrates 40 years since its premiere in 1985 in London and is now on a grand world tour that has now reached Sweden where the first performances are in Gothenburg. In Sweden, the tour continues to Stockholm and Malmö before heading out into the rest of the world.

Les Misérables is a musical that works very well as an arena set with its large ensemble and orchestra. Neat and effective, the same feeling as in a smaller theater is created.

From the first note you are enchanted by Claude-Michel Schönberg's well-known music. Both the grand, bombastic songs as well as the ballads are magnificently performed by the incredibly musical ensemble. This is West End class at is finest.

The ensemble is mainly British, but in Sweden a couple of roles are played by two of Sweden's leading musical artists. Tommy Körberg, who played Jean Valjean in Stockholm in 1990, now takes on the role of the bishop. A small role, but where Tommy manages to show what magical voice quality he still has. Peter Jöback played Jean Valjean in London a few weeks last year and it's fun to see him retrun to this role again. His Jean Valjean is powerful and sensitive at the same time.

Bradley Jaden has played both Javert and Enjolras in the West End and shows tonight how amazing he is as Javert. His version of Star, was the showstopper of the night. Bradley Jaden was in the concert version played in London a few years ago and that set also featured Matt Lucas as innkeeper Thénardier. I was over and saw two performances of the concert version and unfortunately Matt Lucas didn't perform in neither of them. But now I finally got to see him and it was worth the wait. He is absolutely one of the best I've seen in that role.  Many people probably recognize Matt Lucas from the comedy series Little Britain and The great British Bakeoff.

I've seen many different productions of Les Misérables and I thoroughly enjoyed this production - it really lives up to the name Spectacular! It includes many magical Les Misérables moments which I will cherish for a long time. 

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