Les Miserables Reviews

Elizabeth from Boston, Massachusetts

ENTERTAINING BUT NOT WOWED

I might be biased having seen it performed 5+ times in London. The actors, especially Jean Valjean and Javert, were wonderful. The stage direction and some of the songs felt so rushed and the lighting was so dark. You’d think France only knew nighttime.

D. Whelen from Boston, Massachusetts

SO-SO

This version lacked the excitement of the older shows. I’ve seen it about 7 times. The sets were sparse, the sound very loud, the comical aspects downplayed, and it felt rushed. As others mentioned it was hard to follow if it was your first time seeing it, which was the case for my friend. Actors voices were very good, and the crowd gave an ovation. Overall it was good, but lacked the wow power of previous version. The lighting is dark at all times, even during less emotional moments and although the story is gritty and bleak, having it all sort of one note in color/lighting/tone doesn’t give the character’s evolutions a way to shine. The story has ebb and flow, but in this version it was like they punched you with every song. Like watching a singing competition rather than a developing plot. And the skimpy barricade was just a shame.

Melissa from Boston, Massachusetts

SONGS WERE TALKED IN PARTS

I’ve seen Les Miserables at least ten times. It’s my absolute favorite. Although I thought the men leads were great, I wasn’t a fan of the way the women sang. I think it was directorial, but I felt like they were talking parts of the best songs in the show. I left disappointed.

A. Catalano from Colorado Springs, Colorado

SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING

If I didn't know the story, I would not have understood what was going on. Both my husband and I were often frustrated by garbled lyrics and wondered if we chose the wrong seats. Based on other reviews, it looks like seats didn't matter.

Eric from Chicago, Illinois

BE GONE HAMILTON, THIS IS LES MIS!

The actors voices were strong, the staging was good, the pace of act 1 was slightly rushed (I've come to expect this from Les Mis productions since the early 2000's.) My issue with the production was the "Hamilton" influence of adding modern phrases into the classic book. I don't need to hear Marius say "what's up" when he meets Cosette for the first time. Further the same was done to at least three other numbers where the lyrics were "updated." I also felt that the actor playing Grantaire was directed to play it "like Jefferson from Hamilton only more crude." Look, I get that I'm one of the only humans to have seen Hamilton and not thought it was the greatest thing that had ever hit the board. However I can't be alone in thinking that we don't need every production to copy their style am I?

Ava from Spokane, Washington

GREAT PRODUCTION MUFFLED SOUND

I know the show - new choreography- loved it! Hard to understand voices at different times, missed quite a bit of the lines which was disappointing.

Devorah McIntosh from Spokane, Washington

CAN NEVER MISS THE CHANCE TO SEE IT LIVE

This was my fifth live theater experience of "Les Miserables" and took a friend who had never seen it who fully enjoyed it. I, however, missed the fluidity of the staging from previous productions e.g.: the original curtain screen and the visually tragic tableau of the barricade when the set revolved to show the defeated and the red swath of the doomed flag - to name a few. I missed much of the previous stage sets and the choreographed moves of the cast. Both actors portraying Valjean and Javert were strong, and Valjean's"Bring Him Home" was exquisite.

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