REVIEW: The LES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR Is A Breathtaking Celebration of The 40th Anniversary Of The Famous Musical *UPDATED FOR ALTERNATE LEADS*

Thursday 1st May 2025, 7:30pm, ICC Theatre Sydney

In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Claude-Michel Schönberg (Book & Music), Alain Boublil (Concept, Book & Original French Lyrics)  and Herbert Kretzmer (Lyrics) musical theatre adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel, LES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR is a captivating, staged concert designed for large venues.  Visiting Sydney as part of its World Tour, this production reunites Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas and other fabulous performers that have been part of the “Les Mis Family” over the years while also welcoming new performers to the Barricade.

First performed in English at the Barbican Centre in London in 1985, LES MISÉRABLES has remained a mainstay production on the West End, with a temporary shift to an All Star Staged Concert at the Gielgud Theatre in 2019 while its home at the renamed Sondheim Theatre was renovated.  It is only natural that producer Cameron Mackintosh would want to celebrate the multi award winning show’s longevity by giving as many people around the world the opportunity to experience the musical again, or for the first time.  The choice to adapt the 2019 Staged Concert for a larger audience, suitable to be shown in arenas, capitalises on the success of the 2019 production while shifting the work to a whole new level in terms of scale and impact.

As with the 2019 Staged Concert, the orchestra sits atop the tiered set that resembles the detritus used to build the barricades of the Paris Uprising of 1832, otherwise known as the June Rebellion, that forms the revolutionary riot that brings the story arcs of former prisoner Jean Valjean (Alfie Boe), ex-prison guard turned Police Inspector Javert (Michael Ball), and a group of student revolutionaries together.  Coming out of the orchestra pit utilised for traditional musical stagings, the orchestra expands to a 26 strong ensemble of musicians, predominantly from Australia for the Australian leg of the tour, under the direction of Adrian Kirk. 

With the luxury of extra space, the performance space is extended to include a catwalk that encapsulates a grate to take the story to the sewers below Paris and provide some staging variety from the lineup of microphones on stands that spans the main performance space.  Set and Image designer Matt Kinley also takes the work higher with the use of the floating timbers that also house the lighting rig and have the ability to shift the space from Thénardier’s Inn, to the Parisian café headquarters of the student revolutionaries, and hidden elements that enable bigger ensemble pieces to have vertical variety.  Adreane Neofitou’s costume design includes additional elements and tweeks that ensure the impact of the work is felt in the larger space, from the change from the prisoner’s rags of dirty beige to a more striking red, more flamboyant outfits for the working girls, and a brighter shade for the grown up Cosette’s gown and coat.  Due to the size of the venues that the Arena Spectacular is playing, additional screens flank the central screen that generally displays images that reinforce the settings.  The additional screens enable live feed projections of the performers. 

The performances for this Arena Spectacular are universally strong, with many performers reprising their performances from earlier productions, enabling them to have a deeper connection with their characters.  This intimate knowledge of the roles allows performers to share new expressions of the characters so the work remains fresh as new elements become apparent to the audience, regardless of how many times they may have seen the story.  With the work presented as a stage concert, directors James Powell and Jean-Pierre Van Der Spuy have ensured that each performer balances an expression of the dramatization with a front facing concert delivery.  The performers express interactions between the characters with a nuanced ease that makes it clear that conversations are occurring even though they are not bodily facing each other.  The exclusion of any significant props is also managed well with physical responses delivered with a realism that allows the audience to fill the missing elements with ease. 

Alfie Boe joined the Les Misérables “family” when he delivered Jean Valjean in the 25th Anniversary O2 Arena production in 2010, when he made his first transition from traditional opera to musical theatre and it is a treat to experience his expression of the conflicted man who must make the choice between honouring his obligations as Mayor and his conscience that tells him he can’t stay silent while someone else is punished in his stead.  Boe is a magnificent blend of phenomenal voice that expresses the emotion with his singing and a nuanced actor who’s facial expressions reinforce the emotions without being overplayed.  He has an intensity that echoes the internal struggles the former prisoner has as he lives a life trying to make up for a decision to walk away from Fantine’s pleadings when his Factory foreman wants to throw her out of the ‘respectable’ workplace. 

As Thénardier, Matt Lucas also joined the “family” for the O2 Arena production and his camp comic sensibility works wonderfully with Helen Walsh who performed the role of Madame Thénardier for the Gala opening night.  The role naturally allows for a degree of flexibility and ad-lib and Lucas even adapts his quips for the Australian audience to the delight of the Gala audience.  Shan Ako also reprises her performance from the 2019 Staged Concert with a moving presentation of oft overlooked Éponine who so desperately wants to be loved but is only ever seen as a ‘mate’ by the students and a hinderance by her parents, the Thénardier’s.  While much of the cast is drawn from UK productions, the role of Enjolras is performed by James D. Gish who comes from the 2019 US Tour.  For your BroadwayWorld Sydney Senior Editor, it was interesting to hear the role with a different accent and to see the role presented with a different, almost maniacal obsessive intensity having last seen the role performed by Bradley Jaden in the 2019 Staged concert. 

For opening night, young Australian performers Alexandra Szewcow and Sebastian Sero filled the roles of Little Cosette and Gavroche.  Both performers delivered captivating ‘mature’ performances that had a confidence and clarity and Sero particularly infused street urchin Gavroche with an air of an old soul in a child sized package. 

Of the performers, Michael Ball has the longest connection with Les Misérables, having originated the role of Marius in the original West End Cast at the Barbican Centre at 23 in 1985, a role he reprised for the 1995 Dream Cast.  He performed the role of Jean Valjean for the 2004 special performance for the Centenary of the Entente Cordiale at Windsor Castle and as Ball’s voice matured, he has taken on the role of Javert since the 2019 Staged Concert, reprising his performance for the Arena Tour.  As with the other performers that are reprising their performances, Ball delivers a performance that inhabits the character with an intuitive ease.  His iconic vocals are paired with his dramatic intensity that conveys the Police Inspector’s single-minded pursuit of what he believes is right according to the laws of the land and his God. 

The LES MISÉRABLES THE ARENA SPECTACULAR is a Must See for anyone that appreciates great musical theatre, loves Les Misérables (yes there are many that have seen multiple productions around the world over the 40 years it has been on stages globally), and appreciates the opportunity to experience world class performers.  For those less familiar with the story, it may be worth having a quick review of the synopsis in the program but generally the production tells the story with enough clarity for the uninitiated.  It is noted that Alfie Boe and Michael Ball are sharing the roles of Jean Valjean and Javert with Killian Donnelly and Bradley Jaden respectively and whilst your BroadwayWorld Sydney Senior Editor is yet to see Donnelly and Jaden’s performance, earlier experience of Jaden’s performance in the 2019 suggests that it would be worth securing tickets performances from both casts.

https://lesmisarenatour.com.au/ 

Photos: Danny Kaan

Additional Note:

For the Sydney Gala production, producer Cameron Mackintosh gave the audience an extra special treat of celebrating Les Misérables Australia Alumni, from Normie Rowe, Philip Quast, William Zappa and Simon Burke who were Australia’s original Valjean, Javert, Thénardier, and Marius respectively in the 1987 production, (Quast also performed in the 10th Anniversary Concert In London), Laura Mulcahy and Nikki Webster who played Madame Thénardier and Little Cosette  respectively in the 1997 production (Mulcahy also played Madame Thénardier in the 2014 production), and David Campbell and Scott Irwin who played Marius and Enjolras respectively in the 1995 10th Anniversary production. The Australian Alumni were joined by the Arena Tour cast to present an encore of One More Day which was hopefully caught on film somewhere.   

ADDITIONAL NOTE **ALTERNATE LEADS BRADLEY JADEN AND KILLIAN DONNELLY**

In order to see the alternate leads of Bradley Jaden and Killian Donnelly, your BroadwayWorld Sydney Senior Editor also purchased tickets to the Saturday 10th May 7:30pm performance.  It was well worth it.

Jaden and Donnelly have recent experience performing Javert and Valjean in the full staged version at the Sondheim Theatre and this seems to inform how they present their characters in the Arena setting.  Both Jaden and Donnelly have a ‘brightness’ in their delivery which allows a greater contrast when the characters need to delve into deeper and darker places. 

Donnelly has the requisite intensity for the ex-convict who is constantly grappling with the internal challenge to never allow himself to fail another human again but there is a quieter sensitivity than Boe’s brooding gravitas. 

Jaden brings his beautiful energy to his portrayal of Javert as his cheeky smile that sneaks out during his first duet with Donnelly’s Javert gives way to a more sinister ‘bloodlust’ smirk as the Inspector’s obsession with capturing the parole violator intensifies.  Jaden’s interpretation of Javert’s solo STARS is mesmerising as he shifts the tempo ever so subtly to achieve a powerful, clear, presentation that, combined with his physicality of performing the role that is beautifully nuanced surpasses Ball’s delivery for emotional connection.  His performance of Javert’s Suicide is equally moving as even though his is the antagonist of the story, Jaden ensures that the character’s inner conflict is clear. 

For this performance, Marina Prior, absent for the Gala, had returned to the role of Madame Thénardier.  Prior’s more classical voice and history of more ‘straight’ serious roles makes it seem like an unusual choice for the comic relief character.  She brings her classical operatic tones to the role which help convey Madame Thénardier’s desire to be ‘more’ but the comedic moments feel held back and less intuitive particularly when paired with Matt Lucas' comic sensibilities. 

Mary-Jean Caldwell covered the role of Fantine for this performance and while it is understood that it was the first time covering for the Australian leg of the tour, Caldwell covered Fantine for the 2018-2019 UK tour and it was clear she was well acquainted with the role.  Her slight slowing of the tempo and her ability to lean into the drama of the work without overplaying it amplified the emotional impact of I Dreamed A Dream.

While the performances were the same staging it was incredible to see how different they could feel in the hands of different performers.  Both performances were amazing, but each tapped into a different energy.  If you have the means, it is well worth securing tickets to see both sets of Leading Men but if that is not possible, either casting is a special experience. While Jaden and Donnelly may not be as familiar for Australian audiences who have experienced Ball and Boe's concert tour, Jaden and Donnelly hold the promise of being the next big names in International Musical Theater so see them while you can.

While the Sydney Season has finished, secure a ticket to the Melbourne or Brisbane season.  For cities not covered by the tour, it is well worth hopping on a plane.

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