The third Australian season of 'Les Miserables' is playing in Sydney. This box office champion of a musical is still weaving its magic given that this season is now into its second year. The two earlier Australian seasons also ran for multiple years.
I had read that this reimagined staging of the musical is significantly different from the original stagings in particular through its use of screen projections. I was sceptical about meddling with a proven successful formula but now realise I underestimated the extent to which film is used to create imaginative atmosphere.
The projected images have been used brilliantly to support the live action and to suggest location and environment. I think this production with the projected images enhancing the physical settings is visually superior to the original which to my mind now seems quite minimalist by comparison.
Crucially in this production the performances of Simon Gleeson (Valjean) and Hayden Tee (Javert) are powerful. Both sing their roles strongly. Of the supporting soloists Kerrie Ann Greenland (Eponine) impressed me the most. The other soloists, to be honest, don't match the stellar performances of their counterparts in the previous Australian productions but they contribute effectively nonetheless. There are some impressive voices amongst the ensemble cast.
As a fan of this musical I didn't really expect this, at least fifth, viewing to be a fresh experience but to my delight that is how it felt this time around.
★★★★
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