The powerful music from the classic “Les Miserables” echoed throughout the Buell Theatre when the 18-year-old touring production visited Denver last week, marking its eighth and final visit to Denver.
The touring production will end this year, but the production in New York and London will continue. In October, “Les Mis” will become the longest running musical in the world.
Although the chance for a revival is probably high, the thought of knowing that this is one of the last productions of “Les Mis” in Denver is a sad one – considering how influential and beautiful the story is, which is made up of a riveting plot (based on Victor Hugo’s masterpiece of the same name and unbeatable music and lyrics by Claude-Michel SchCB6nberg and Herbert Kretzmer, respectively.
“Les Miserables” came onto the scene when “Phantom of the Opera” was the biggest hit on Broadway – but surpassed it in terms of universal appeal and success.
The play centers around the character of Jean Valjean, who escapes from prison after serving 19 years for stealing bread for his starving family, and who is continually being trailed by the officer Javert, who is obsessed with capturing him again.
In the next scene, eight years later, Valjean has changed his name to Monsieur Madeleine and is now a successful factory owner and mayor. The audience is then introduced to Fantine, who is dismissed by the other workers after they discover she has an illegitimate child.
Desparate for money to take care of her child, she sells everything she has: her locket, her hair and finally herself and becomes a prostitute. Later, Fantine is rescued by Valjean, but dies too quickly, while Valjean promises to take care of her young daughter, Cosette, who is being abused working at an inn.
The next part of the production, set nine years later, continues the central theme, the unrest and cruel treatment of the French people that results in the French revolution.
The play focuses on a love triangle involving Cosette, student Marius and Eponine. Marius falls in love with Cosette and enlists the help of friend Eponine, who is deeply in love with Marius, to bring Cosette to him. Trials and turmoil follow the rest of the production while the audience is enthralled by the characters’ lives.
The music and lyrics are simply engaging. The classic “On My Own,” sung by Eponine, is arguably one of the most moving songs ever written. In it, Eponine sings about her love for Marius, but how he cannot see it.
If Marius’s love was given to the woman with the most beautiful voice, Cosette (although still talented) would be out of the picture. Nothing can rival the song’s emotion.
Although heavy on emotion in general, an act of comedy shines through successfully in the performance in “Master of the House” in which a bunch of drunkards are mocking and singing about raising their glasses to the master of the house to a very upbeat and catchy tune.
Songs like this and the encouraging “Do You Hear the People Sing?” will have audience members humming it for days after.
But the real staying power of the musical is a plot centered on students fighting against the injustice and wrongdoings of the government that is oppressive.
This central theme is so universal and close to home that the musical has been seen by more than 53 million people worldwide in 38 countries and in 21 languages.
