Les Miserables Reviews

from Dallas, Texas

LES MISERABLES

The most fantastic musical ever. I hope to see it again and again.

Bob-O from Cleveland, Ohio

NICK CARTELL

After having attended 5 different performances of Les Miz over the years, I have got to say that Nick Cartell’s perormance as Jean valJean, was by far the best ever! Never before have I been moved to tears! His ability to be point on with his voice, AND draw you in with the emotions of the song was astonishing!

Robb from Cleveland, Ohio

SENSATIONAL

This was the 5th performance I have seen-from London to Chicago and this was the best version. Great voices, wonderful staging on a limited stage area. Don't miss it.

Susan Cohen from New Haven, Connecticut

BREATHTAKING PERFORMANCE

Cast better than the Broadway show I saw. seating perfectly aligned so everyone could clearly see show. The Actors voices were strong, perfect choice of actors Actors for parts taken. The orchestra was in perfect timing. Jon Val John has the richest powerful enchanting voice as did most of the leads!!!! Needless to say, I loved this production!!!!!

Eileen from New Haven, Connecticut

THE BEST LES MIS OF ALL! PLEASE RECORD THIS COMPANY.

I’ve seen this wonderful play many times (on Broadway), but last nights experience topped them all! This is the pinnacle of acting, singing, sets, and music (the orchestra below is another vital character here) coming together to created a complete experience. You know you are experiencing great acting when the actors make you FEEL so deeply! This is truly an emotional experience. The singing voices of the major and minor roles are extraordinary - such a thrilling experience to hear talented people who are well-coached and directed! Please record this company! I have never seen an audience so in tuned with a performance - it was beautiful! The applause and standing ovations were so enthusiastic and deserved!

Cindy from Houston, Texas

AWESTRUCK!

This was one of the most amazing productions we have seen at the Hobby Center in about 15 years as a season ticket holder. Across the board the talent was incredible.

H. Adler from San Francisco, California

ACROSS THE BOARD EXCELLENCE, BUT KNOW THE STORY BEFORE

Every voice excellent, ensemble best of four prior experiences. Some of the vocal presentations at six star level. Loved every minute. But, a word of warning, if this is a first Les Mis experience, learn the story well before attending. The staging is excellent, but a bit of the love/responsibility story is not sold to the audience. For me, that was a "who cares" as I knew the story, but if it was a first time, I think following the story would have been quite difficult. ------ We saw a matinee and I wanted to attend again in the evening.

Lisa kilrow from Denver, Colorado

LESMISERABLED

My third time seeing this play and this was the best!! The performers brought such depth to their roles and voices were incredible. Spellbinding! I would highly recommend this performance.

Aaron from Denver, Colorado

FLAWLESS, STUNNING

One of the most powerful, and all inspiring shows I've ever seen.

Sherry Gomes from Boulder, Colorado

SIMPLY AMAZING

This was the 3rd time I've attended a performance of Les Mis. I also have five different cast albums. but this was the most amazing performance of them all. Nick Cartell as Valjean was so passionate with such a pure tone to his singing, I could listen to him over and over. all the other cast members were wonderful too. I cried several times, and during the finale, I had to hold on to my seat, because I wanted to jump up and join them on the barricades. I only wish I could go back and see it again and again and again. Thank you to all the cast for such a memorable evening and for moving my heart and soul so deeply in three short hours.

Serge from

EXCELLENT!

I have seen this play on Broadway and now here in Denver. I thought the Denver show was magnificent, the sets were very much the same, even the voices seem to match up with what I saw on Broadway. I went with my wife in NY, we enjoyed it so much we brought our three kids this time… Everyone loved it! my one critique would be that with traffic, lines etc. they could’ve been a little more graceful with the opening act... we waited about 10 minutes to get in and missed the first couple of songs.

D from Three Hills, Alberta

PHENOMENAL LES MISERABLES!

This was a PHENOMENAL show! If you are at all able...go! Go now! See it! We were very familiar with the story (novel and movie and songs) but had never seen it live on stage. The male leads especially stood out-- Javert, Jean val Jean, and Mariusz-- WOW! Those VOICES! My only regret is that we hadn't splurged a little bit more for closer seats (we were at the back of the first balcony, RC1, row N. I think Row A of first balacony center would be a dreamy spot!) I also wished we had known we could bring our drink in with us as I wouldn't have rushed it before being seated. 'Bring him home' was breath taking. The interaction in the garden with Mariusz and Cossette was SO tender and fresh. The Finale was heartbreaking and perfect. And the SET--- wow! Amazing! I just want to re-read, re-listen, and experience it again and again. I am so very thankful we spent the money, booked the sitter, pushed through the storm weather, and made it for this exceptional evening!

from Vancouver, British Columbia

LES MISERABLES

The best musical I have been to. Great story, outstanding actors/singers and great scenery. The unforgettable experience was the song "I Dreamed a Dream", it was absolutelly the best performance.

Greg Metcalf from Vancouver, British Columbia

AMONG THE BEST WE’VE SEEN

My wife and I are Les Mis nuts. We have seen the show seven times in London over the years. We were really impressed by the Vancouver version we were able to see today. The cast was fantastic. There were some interpretations we haven’t seen before but they worked well. I wasn’t convinced by Steve Czarnecki as Valjean in the opening sequence, but he grew into the role beautifully. And - this is worth noting - his rendition of Bring Him Home is easily the best we have seen, and that’s saying something as we have seen some stars. The rest of the cast were all great as well. We didn’t find any weaknesses. Some clever use of backdrop projections were innovative and worked well. Well done Queen Elizabeth and the whole production. Vancouver can be proud.

Jonathan from Vancouver, British Columbia

STUNNING

The audience gave an extra length ovation for On My Own. I loved every minute of it. I just added "See the Broadway version of Les Mis a second time" to my Bucket List.

Mary Dean from Portland, Oregon

LES MISERABLES

I am overwhelmed with such emotion after seeing the performance of Les Miserables today in Portland Oregon. Everyone was majestic in their performance from the top star to the children. Thank you for giving it 100% of your artistry

Mike Griffith! from Portland, Oregon

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

This production was by far and away the best musical production I have ever seen. The cast was spectacular the set was amazing. Thank you to everyone involved for such an amazing evening! I would. Highly recommend going.

Sharon Greenberg from Seattle, Washington

LES MIZ SMOKIN’

Wonderful singing, fantastic set design. Thoroughly enjoyable except for the smelly, choking smoke affecting the first 7-10 rows.

Jules W from San Diego, California

MY 5TH LES MISERABLES BUT THIS AMAZING CAST WAS NUMBER ONE.

Nine months ago I bought seven tickets to tonight's show, I always invite my young adult children and a friend or two who has yet to be transformed by this amazing play. Instead it was me that was blown away by an amazing stand out cast. Better than any of my past five performances. The sheer volume of talent took tonight's audiences breath away over and over. After certain numbers there was no applause, instead it was a thunder of approval with whoops and cheers and deserved recognition.

Marnie Barnhorst from San Diego, California

FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE!

I first saw Les Mis on Broadway 20+ years ago and was spell-bound. I don’t usually have high expectations of touring casts compared to the OBC (original Broadway cast), but this cast was fantastic. Huge voices, great acting, and the staging, lighting and special effects transported us back to Victor Hugo’s Paris. Next to the OBC in Hamilton, this is my favorite performance of all time!

Lana McClure from Dallas, Texas

FANTASTIC FROM BEGINNING TO END

Not disappointed one bit !! Beautiful voices singing memorable songs makes this my favorite musical. Good production in Dallas.

Kyle from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

LES MIS

Outstanding - The first act left me in awe. The voices were fantastic. A bit of an issue with sound as every once and a while I couldn't understand what the singers were saying. Overall, I strongly recommend.

Jack Gurey from Detroit, Michigan

LES MISERABLE

5 Stars are not enough to describe this fantastic musical. You learn something about yourself after seeing it: Joy, Happiness, Sadness, Complete Entertainment and the most POWERFUL music you will ever hear - Not a dry eye in the theater for many scenes. Simply the BEST

Joanna Hoyt from Schenectady, New York (performance) Orwell, New York (home)

WELL PACED, BEAUTIFULLY SUNG--A WONDERFUL EXEPRIENCE.

I drove three hours each way to see Les Miserables at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, and it was well worth it. I love this story--I've reread the book repeatedly and watched every film version YouTube offered, but this was the first live performance I've experienced. The pacing was quick, but they didn't cut enough to damage the story. The singing was moving and beautiful.(I've seen some complaints on this tour that lyrics were hard to understand, but I found everything quite clear.) The set design was arresting--the backgrounds based on Hugo's paintings gave a vivid sense of atmosphere. Most important, the core of the story shone clear-- the vivid awareness of injustice and man-made misery, and of the fact that sometimes people are sincerely trying to stop that misery, working at cross-purposes and making each other worse; the difficulty of breaking down economic/ social systems that crush people; the abiding possibility of love and courage in the face of all that's wrong.

Yvonne from Durham, North Carolina

TRUE TALENT

My daughters and I saw Les Mis... for my oldest daughters 18th birthday. She loves the story. The show at the DPAC in Durham was fabulous. It went off with out any glitches and the singers were great. The intensity of the show was emotionally moving and it showed like a movie. Wonderful voices and wonderful acting.

Catherine Souder from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

AMAZING

My husband and I saw it on January 18. It was one of the best performances ever. We've seen it a half dozen times in Philadelphia. The actors and actresses are so talented. Their voices were incredible. Congratulations to one of Philadelphia's local artists, Phoenix Best. She did an outstanding job and has a gorgeous voice. We saw many children under the age of 10. We don't think it's appropriate for children that young. We had dinner at Abe Fisher. Dinner was outstanding.

Paul Simpson from Chicago, Illinois

AWESOME!

I loved the 2012 movie release so much, I wasn’t sure this new live production would be worth seeing. Yet somehow this new theatrical version found a way to build on the achievements of the previous live versions and the movie release, to create an incredibly awesome new show! Of course seeing this new production in the beautiful Cadillac Palace theater in Chicago was an added bonus. Though I can’t imagine being disappointed watching a DVD of this performance in my home, and I am hoping this release will be soon.

Carol Meyer Schaap from Chicago, Illinois

GREAT SHOW!

The plot, the songs, the sets, the costumes- all great! One of my favorite shows ever! Some risqué bits in it - be aware if you are taking children.

Jeannette Levinsohn from Syracuse, New York

THE BEST

This performance was one of the best I've ever seen....and I've seen it at least a dozen times. The voices just kept on "giving" and the acting was wonderful. Kudos!

Casey from Syracuse, New York

OMG

I have seen Les Mis many times. I’m always just excited to go see it. This performance topped all. I was expecting a pleasant evening with my favorite musical and, instead, I experienced a rush of emotions and pure spontaneous glee in watching this cast. The visuals and special effects were amazing and the talent riviled Broadway. If one has a chance, go see! You won’t be disappointed!

Barbara Cosette Green from West Unity, Ohio

LES MISERABLES

I have viewed this musical many times, my grandfather named my aunt Frances Cosette when she was born and I was named Barbara Cosette also when my grandfather was reading this book many years ago, I am 80 years old and I did not like the name when I was young, but I loved the name as I grew older. My grandsons were in this musical and had the leads at their high school in Kentucky. I saw this many times when they performed. It is the best show ever and it is fantastic, I can't wait to see it in Toledo. I have this book named "Cosette" and am very proud of it.

Tara from Boston, Massachusetts

ONE OF THE BEST

Saw Les Mis last night in Boston. It was simply fantastic. I was in tears with the last scene. The music, the staging, the acting and singing were spot on. One of the best performances I have seen on stage, and I have seen quite a bit! Wish I could see it again! We were in the balcony and nothing was lost to us...I prefer closer seating in general, but with this powerful show, it did not matter.

Karen Brown from Boston, Massachusetts

THOSE VOICES!

Just amazing performances from Jillian Butler, Nick Cartell and Joshua Grosso. Honestly have seen this show many times and I believe this cast to be the best. So much talent.

Jeannie Perry from Colorado Springs, Colorado

AMAZING!

This is the fourth time I have seen Les Miserables including the Broadway production . This was by far the best cast and production I have seen. The cast was outstanding. Most shows have strong and weak members, but not this production. All the members were equally strong in their characters. The vocals were stunning. I thought I was cold but realized I had goosebumps because of the beautiful soul feeling performances of the cast. Phenomenal performances by all. Thank you all for an amazing afternoon. Bravo!

Martin g.Matsil from Brooklyn,NY

GREAT SHOW

i saw the 25th Anniversary,on PBS,from the O2 arena,fell in love,with the show.Channel 13.WNET

Dennis Pauly from Evanston, IL

STILL WONDERFUL

This was the 3rd time I have seen it and it is still superb. Maybe a bit long but the sets and the cast were outstanding. I never heard of Nick Cartell but his Jean Valjean will be hard to beat. The entire cast was outstanding and you could hear every word they were singing. Matt Shingledecker (what a great name) is outstanding as Enjolras. This does not seem like a touring edition but a version equal to anything I have seen in New York. Congratulations to this great cast and I am so glad I got to see this production.

Gail A Klingensmith from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

BEST YET

My first libe les mix. Staging singing everything top notch. Loved it mote than I can put into words.

Lynnea from San Jose, California

SEEN IT TWICE. LOVED IT BOTH TIMES

I'm a theater junkie. I rate Les Miserables as one of my top 2 favorites. The story is powerful, the songs and performances unforgettable. ( Read what it's about before you see it so you don't get left behind.) I've seen it twice on stage plus the film, and still am deeply moved by the story, characters and music.

RTR from Birmingham, Alabama

ALMOST PERFECT

Love this musical so much! The singing, acting, and sets were fantastic. Just an awesome show! I saw this in Birmingham at the BJCC and 3 technical things could improve an already fantastic performance. First, the sound could have been louder. I was in the third row of the middle tier and heard all the movements around me over the music. My church has louder music than this show did. Secondly, the sets were rather dark. Where I was seated, the actors faces could not be discerned due to the distance, so good lighting was more imperative to see all movements. Some night scenes were just too dark. And third, a big screen to show the actors faces would add a lot to appreciating the drama, as probably half the audience couldn't see the faces due to the distance and relied on their voices and body movements to convey this. Otherwise, fantastic performance. The flow from set to set was ingenious. I'd love to see Javert's fall again and figure out how it was done. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Kris Morris from Parrish, Florida

WAS I DREAMING ?

Today, March 1st, I was at the matinee performance of Les Mis in Sarasota After reading all these negative comments I’m wondering what everyone was watching !! ?? Maybe I was in a dream ..... if I was, please don’t wake me up After seeing this production twice before, I have to say it was fabulous. The voices were unbelievable....costumes, sets, music...all magnificent.. Kudos to everyone involved . Thank you ... I thoroughly enjoyed your production

Kathleen from Cleveland Heights, Ohio

I WOULD GIVE IT 10 STARS IF I COULD

The best Les Mis I have ever seen, everyone had a strong, stunning voice, the actors drew the audience in completely, an emotional, beautiful, stunning production. You must see this!!

Elaine from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

DON'T MISS THIS SHOW

Every member of this cast shines brighter than every star in the universe! We saw the Nov 6th matinee and were mesmerized by the singing, staging, and sets. Wish we could see it again tomorrow!

Sue from New Bedford Mass

LES MISERABLE

Went to see Le Mis at PPAC Tuesday night. Show was best version I ve seen in person. Jean Valjean actor was fabulous. So was understudy that played Marius. Can t say enough Thank you PPAC for the pleasure

Sue from Providence, Rhode Island

AWESOME THEATRE

A lot of the people who have left reviews of this national tour rendition of our much loved Les Mis need to ‘get over themselves’. We saw very very early Broadway showings of this classic in the ‘80’s with the original outstanding cast, and yet give high marks to this latest revival performance in the gorgeous Providence performing Arts Center. True, there was no revolving stage and the lighting was very dark at times … but strong and beautiful voices completely transcended any perceived production issues. This was a truly wonderful and memorable performance - the primaries saw to that - and I can attest that the capacity crowd that witnessed this Wed night performance was savvy enough to fully appreciate what they were seeing. It was a completely wonderful performance that shouldn’t be missed!!! If you haven’t seen Les Mis yet, you need to!! If you haven’t seen it in awhile, it’s time. I was reduced to tears and you will be too.

Susan from Detroit, Michigan

LES MISERABLES!

This production is by far the best one I’ve seen, having attended every return production in Detroit. The voices, sets, lighting, the orchestra, etc.etc. immersed me in the story fat better than it has through every previous one (and I thought all the previous ones were wonderful as I was seeing and hearing each one). Actually, the show date I saw (December 23rd) will be tied with the second time I’m seeing it (January 8th!

Reena D from Nashville, Tennessee

STUNNING PERFORMANCE BY ALL

The entire ensemble cast and the orchestra were phenomenal. The set design and direction, especially scenes like Javier's suicide and the sewers, were mesmerizing. Goosebumps, tears, and lots of 'wow' moments prevailed throughout the show. I've seen Les Miz in London and New York numerous times throughout my life, and this performance stands up and stands-out as one of the best I've seen!

Bill Irvin from St. Louis, Missouri

THEATER DEFINED

This is why human beings perform. Cannot imagine any possibility of Broadway doing it better. The definitive Les Mis. Singing and acting were amazing. Staging was brilliant. Save yourself airfare to NY or London and see the best version jere

Morgan from Baltimore, Maryland

LES MISERABLES

Absolutely incredible voices

Yvette from Baltimore, Maryland

LES MISERABLES IN BALTIMORE

Fantastic show!! The whole cast were perfect in their roles. Loved the singing, stage sets. It was wonderful. My daughter and I were hooked. Beautiful theatre experience.

Lisa Simeone from Baltimore, Maryland

SIMPLY EXTRAORDINARY

Best version I've ever seen. All the singers/actors are marvelous, but special shout-out to Preston Truman Boyd as Javert. My god, this man can sing. He brought the house down, even with fan favorite Nick Cantrell as Jean Valjean (who, yes, was also great). And the cinematic set, the lighting, the production design all magnificent. Go see this show!

Alma from Baltimore, Maryland

WONDERFUL

This was the third time I’ve seen Les Miz live and have watched video of the original cast and the movie. The cast in the touring show is top notch, their voices perfect. Bravo!

Marilyn Duncan from Chicago, Illinois

LES MISERABLES CADILLAC PALACE

I have seen this play 12 times over the last 25 years - in New York on Broadway and here in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace. This performance was right up there with the best I've seen. In fact, the cast was amazing, the music was amazing and they drew you into the entire play with emotion. Cudos to this performance. Perfect choices for the cast. Could give it 10 stars.

Donna Calderone from Toronto, Ontario

LES MISERABLES

I can’t believe they are finally coming back to Toronto. I have seen this musical approximately 4 or 5 times with both Michael Burgess and Colm Wilkinson. I absolutely love, love, love the music and when I’m sitting there watching them I go into this other place singing, and crying at the same time. It has not been here since 1997 and I cannot wait to see it again, and again, and again.💗

Dave from

ALWAYS AMAZING

Drove 100 miles to see it. Would drive further. Simply the best!!

Eileen from Richmond, Virginia

CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF THIS SHOW!

My 5th time seeing Les Mis! The performance this week did not disappoint! Fabulous voices , set and orchestra. Loved every minute. Full house for opening night and a standing ovation! Thank you!

Desiree Belcher from Greensboro, North Carolina

LES MIS

Opening night in Greensboro! Bring your tissues and prepare to be covered in goose bumps. This cast knocked it out of the park. I cannot think of one thing they could have done better. Eponine and the child characters stole the show! The chemistry between the actors was mesmerizing. I am SO glad I did not miss the opportunity to see this cast at Tanger.

Sandra Yow from Greensboro, North Carolina

LES MISERABLES

What can you say about Perfection. To me, This Play was an incredible adaptation of the book... I just don't think the Actors or the music could have been better performed! Thank you for a night of Excellence - which I will never forget!

Shirley Harrison from Toronto, Ontario

JUST HEARING THE WORDS "LES MIS" SENDS CHILLS THROUGH MY BODY AND SOUL, THE MUSICAL OF ALL MUSICALS, COMING AWAY WITH FAITH, LOVE, AND PUFFY EYES ALL FOR THE GOOD OF THIS MAGNIFICENT PERFORMANCE.GOOD THOUGHTS FOR THE FUTURE

I have seen this unbelievable majesty 3 times and would see it 3 times, 33 times more! The music soaring throughout, the characters fulfilling their roles to the limit and more and me, left speechless as I leave the theatre and find a corner to just stand and think about what I have just experienced as I wipe away the tears. Thank You, thank you!!!

Frances Dupuis from Penetanguishene ontario

LES MISERABLES

The best musical ever!!

Rachael T from Kansas City, Missouri

INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE WITH AN INCREDIBLE CAST!

This production of Les Miz is incredible! Every role from lead to cast member is beautifully sung. The ensemble created such palpable emotion, you are moved to tears throughout. And the acting not only conveys deep feeling, but brings humor at just the right moments. The only downside to the experience was the seating at the Kansas City Music Hall. The venue is very beautiful, but the hall itself is dated and the seating does not allow you to see over the person in front of you. There is also very little leg room and many audience members had to stand to address cramping legs. This cast is truly remarkable and I would love to see them again. This was an amazing experience and I hope a recording is made with this cast! If it had been available, I would have bought it that night.

Jeffery & Helen from Big Island of Hawaii

GREAT!

We are first time visitors from Hawaii to Colorado. And it has been many years ago when we last saw a live musical. My wife and I love the whole performance, and the theater was very nice and organized. We had front balcony seats , center too. “WOW” ! Great performance! “Mahalos”

Elly Harper from Denver, Colorado

BEST OUT OF TEN !

Having seen 9 Les Mis since 1988 in NYC, both my hubs and I now have seen the best ever! I don't have enough words to express our gratitude for talent of the company, the staging , the sound and light, the orchestra, just about every aspect of the play. We enjoyed the clarity of the lyrics as they were sung. Thank you a million times for coming to Denver. Best wishes to all for continued professional growth! Not a missed note! My eyelids are still swollen-thanks a lot! lol

Lisa kilrow from Denver, Colorado

MAGICAL , POWERFUL, EMOTIONAL

i have seen this play several times - this one brought tears of pure emotion and was deeply experienced like no other performance!!! what a fantastic group of performers and orchestra! performance and talent at its best!!!!

Jeanne from Seattle, Washington

EXCELLENT!

I've only seen Les Miserables on stage once, in its first road tour, and I didn't understand the story. Of course I've seen the movie since and got the story. The dazzling performance put on by this road company is better than the movie! The evocative acting, the amazing vocals, the set design, everything was spot-on. Perfectly cast, all the players including the children were performance excellence. Don't miss it!

Stormy Donelson from Belfair, Washington

I WANT TO GO BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN.

I have attended well over 100 theater productions in my life, Les Misérables US was definitely the best one i have ever attended! I could go every single day and not get tired of it. The scene changes were seamless, the singing was on point, the story line was exactly as I remembered it, except the love story seemed to be missing a bit, which is OK, the play was already 4 hours. I regret forgetting my glasses in the car, because I missed out on seeing so much of the play. My only complaint is that the actress who played Cosette did not have a great voice, however Eponine was FABULOUS! I would like to see the two actresses switch roles.

Brian from San Francisco, California

THIS CAST!!!

I saw opening night here in San Francisco, July 5, 2023. This is one of the best casts ever assembled to perform this production. Nick as 24601 is stunning- vocal power but also softness and gentleness. He is superb and would be the main reason to see the show if not for countless other amazing performances. Fantine (Haley) and Eponine (Christine), in particular, killed their solos and received extended applause. Gavroche (Milo) was also amazing!

Beverly Vasquez from San Francisco, California

AMAZING PERFORMANCE

This is the 4th production of Les Miz I have seen. In my opinion it was by far the BEST! Nick Cantrell was outstanding as Jean Valjan. He was supported by a brilliant cast. I can’t say enough about this production. Not only was the entire cast amazing, but the set designs were superb. Don’t miss this production. It will stay with you for a very long time. In addition, the disabled gentleman who was singing outside the theater, brought me to tears. His voice was amazing. I could have listened to him for hours!

Anonymous from Fresno, California

LES MISERABLES

Loved the show. I’ve never seen it live in person before. It completely blew my mind, I would so totally see it again.

Ana from Los Angeles, California

JUSTIFIABLY A CLASSIC! (I'D SAY 4.5 STARS IF I COULD.)

This is my third time seeing Les Mis onstage (8/11/23 in Hollywood) and I'd see it again in a heartbeat. The voices and acting were fantastic--some gorgeous harmonizing!--and, even though I've seen one production with the rotating stage circle, I didn't feel like anything was missing without it. The background projections were great at giving the scenes depth. / Minor criticisms: Some of the quieter lines were TOO quiet, and some lyrics seemed rushed compared to the OBC recording; my companion said she wished the lyrics were projected. As others have said, I highly recommend reading a synopsis or the lyrics beforehand so as not to miss important details and witty quips. [Side note not meant as a criticism: Interesting to see that a line of "Beggars at the Feast" has been changed to make Thenardier not sound like a homophobe. Sign of the times.]

Marcia Broderick from Los Angeles, California

BEST. SHOW. EVER.

Absolutely outstanding: the Los Angeles performance at the Pantages Theater was simply amazing. Spectacular performances, great sets, wonderful orchestra. Do not miss it!

Roy Hoagland from Richmond, Virginia

GREAT PERFORMANCES, LOUSY ACOUSTICS

I have seen many a Broadway show and this was one among equals. The directing was superb, the voices incredible, the sets amazing, the pit orchestra excellent, he acting as good as it comes ... The acoustics were terrible. We had great seats (front row in the mezzanine, or Grand Tier as they call it at the Altria theater) and 50% of the words were mush, especially the choral numbers. This has happened before at the Altria. While the sound was amazing, the language was indecipherable. I should have asked for a refund as all four of us in attendance could not understand the sung dialogue more often than not. But hats off to the performers and the production company, especially the two leads. Their performances were stunning.

Dawn from Richmond, Virginia

LES MIS IN THE DARK?

I saw the truly grand production of Les Miserables years ago so I am probably very spoiled. The biggest problem of this version when I saw it Oct. 23 was lighting. Everything was so dark you could not see the actors very well at all! I understand that this was done in a style which depended on lighting and darkness, but it was WAY too dark. I had trouble telling who was singing as there was not always a spot light on them. I had to search for the singer several times. The sound balance was off for whatever reason. The actors and their singing was truly superb, although I found Javert a trifle jolting in his timing. He also needs to slow down just a bit. Grand voice though.

from San Francisco, California

GREAT

Wonderful but they need to turn the sound down a few decibels...too loud st times

Margie from Denver, Colorado

WHAT DID YOU SAY

I really love this story. I loved the singing but i have to agree with fellow reviewers. The first part of the play seemed rushed and the words to the songs were unintelligible. My son asked if they were singing in English. He did not know the story and had no idea what was going on. After the Bishop sang it was better. I also wondered why Fantine sang her song BEFORE she was a prostitute. Misplaced there.And Valjean sang his song to God BEFORE Marius was shot. Misplaced there...4 stars because the songs were better understood as the play went on the singing was amazing...as the story played out.

Joan from Denver, Colorado

LES MIS IN DENVER AT DCPA

The good: Number one it is "Les Mis", a beautiful, raw human story of redemption and loss with amazing words, acting and songs! The recognition of our common tragedies, longings in the plot is always timeless and valuable! This specific production- the voices and singing was awesome! The set changes and visual effects were well done- the acting was passionate, energetic! The bad: - while the set is supposed to be dark to reflect some of the darkness of the plot- it was so dark that at times it made it difficult to see what was happening. The songs - unveiling of the plot seemed so rushed and breathless (especially in the first part) that I almost felt as if I were listening to a favorite record (vinyl) on the wrong speed. I did not find the "rude gestures out of line with the rawness of the plot. Overall: It is totally worth it- the story and music never fails to move me since I saw it first back in the 80's . .. It is "Les Mis" !

Marcia from Denver, Colorado

LES MISERABLES

It was way too loud and was hard to understand the words. Went a bit long. One of my all-time favorites so somewhat disappointed, but the story was strong. This is second time in the Buell that the music seemed too loud and tinny-sounding.

Dribble from Portland, Oregon

ORCHESTRA AND SINGERS FABULOUS; STAGE LIGHTING HORRENDOUS

The music was fabulous but the stage lighting was so dark it was like watching sepia toned shadows moving around on stage. In the first scene I thought it was dark in order to represent the grimness of Jean Valjean's prison, but it continued throughout the show. It is possible to portray mood while still allowing the audience to see the stage set and actors. In this case I might as well have kept my eyes closed because it would have been less frustrating.

from Indianapolis, Indiana

FANTASTIC

i loved the play. Although it's almost 3 hours, the time went by quickly. The sets and special effects were quite good as well. Not for young children.

Sherry from Detroit, Michigan

LOVED ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!

The music, the singing, the acting were fabulous and the sets were amazing as well. If you know the story line, it is filled with a wonderful message of hope and redemption, but the reason I wouldn't give it 5 stars is because I could really do without seeing some of the obscene gestures in a few of the acts. (ex: at least 3 times when different objects are used as a male body part) It is not needed at all. Makes it a little less family friendly, but everything else was great!

Ruth from Ottawa, Ontario

LES MIS

The show was amazing - I have never seen a production of Les Mis I didn't love. If you have never seen this I highly recommend the show. In this production at the NAC 2018 however there were a couple casting problems with Fantineand Cosette - both actresses had wonderful voices but their acting lacked the rawness required of the Characters. They both seemed better suited to play Dorothy in OZ and lacked the ability to play a character with raw emotion pain and absolute love . Other than that the show was great. I would see it again!

Inez kraus from Charlotte, North Carolina

WONDERFUL SHOW

I’ve seen this show 4 times, two in NYC and two here in Charlotte. In this production the voices were wonderful as was the acting. My disappointment was that much of the words were unintelligible so if you didn’t know the show you might not understand the story. The orchestra seemed to be too loud at times. Also the staging was extremely dark. However, with that said, this is one of the best shows ever performed.

from Los Angeles, California

SOLID AS A WHOLE WITH SOME WEAKNESSES

Thankfully, Javert and Valjean shine. "Bring Him Home" was stellar. Marius and Cosette likewise were fantastic. Thénardiers were ok, though he was quite hard to understand half the time. The only low point was Fantine. Applause for "I Dreamed A Dream" was tepid at best, and understandably so. Very pitchy, unfortunately. Perhaps it was an off performance for Mary Kate Moore? I saw the original B'way production a few months into its run, and I have to admit I miss the circular, rotating stage. I also don't recall the lighting design being so DARK! But perhaps it was, and my memory has faded.

Justin Brooks from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

TREMENDOUS: GOOD & SOMETIMES GREAT VOICES BUT BAD SET

We have seen many productions of Les Mis, including the original on Broadway, and we really enjoyed this one. Most of the voices were excellent. Nick Cartell as Val Jean, in particular, shone. He comes close to matching the original recordings and production. Thernardier was a bit weak as was the adult Cosette. Maybe they had an off-day. The Philadelphia set was not good and also very poorly lit. All in all, top notch.

Dave from Indianapolis, Indiana

"LES MISERABLES" REVIEW CLOWES HALL INDIANAPOLIS

What more can you say about the play that hasn't been said? This was performed at Clowes Hall, a tremendous venue architecturally and with great staging and lighting. A wonderful theater. I saw previous complaints here about the sound quality at other theaters, not the case here -- I'd give it a 9 out of 10. The voices were very strong, again a 9 out of 10. The sets were not as elaborate as of seen with another production of Les Miz, (I'm guessing if they move from one city to the next every 1-2 weeks they do a little downsizing,) but they made up for it with some innovative lighting and staging, especially Javert's fatal plunge -- that effect was amazing. They threw in small and updated changes (I think) from other versions -- at least I noticed them. Where it was supposed to be funny -- it was, tearful -- it was, joyful -- it was. Enthralling and moving, a good night for touring Broadway in Indianapolis.

from Richmond, Virginia

LES MISERABLES

Our first time experiencing this sensational story/production live, after years of hearing the original cast, watching reunion shows, and seeing the film production. I, of course, loved the fine voices that performed this great story in this Thursday, March 3rd matinee. My first impression was that I was moving quite a bit faster on the musical cadence; whereas the words were a bit chopped and the actions to match were blurred in a whirl. If you came without knowing the story and circumstances, you may have been a tad lost. The set was darker than I anticipated it would be. And with the spirit of redemption so ingrained I had hoped that light would be shining forth at those key moments. The actor portraying Valjean had a killer voice, and I was justly moved by "Bring Him Home" - standing O all the way around. Several attendees had noted a few more- than-bawdy displays in the tavern scene, so I will note that it did catch my eye. Of all the things that distracted me, the most would be the sound during the earlier numbers; the orchestra (though beautifully performed) overmatched the singers. I would go again, just felt the speed pushed me through to the finish line in record time.

Richard Bradley from Richmond, Virginia

LES MISERABLES DELIVERS - BUT IN THE DARK

The play was wonderful and the actors superb. My only criticism was the lighting. Did they forget to pay the electric bill? Were they cutting back on expenses? I jest, of course. It was just too dark. Other than that, wonderful.

Hilary Bradley from Sterling, VA

EXCELLENT PRODUCTION

It did not disappoint. I have seen it multiple times and it was just as good. I thought the lighting was a bit too dark. I was in AA Orchestra and I would have liked to be able to see the faces a bit better. Epinine was fantastic with her stand out voice. The motion of going through the sewer was good. I don't remember that. I think I might go by myself to see it again! It always brings me to tears. KC member.

Debra from Puyallup, Washington

GOOD, BUT DISAPPOINTING

If you've never been to a production of Les Miserable before you will be awe struck. Great actors with incredible voices and the stage scenes were impressive. However, I have been to 3 previous productions of Les Miserable at the 5th Avenue spanning 25 years. This production paled in comparison. This cast seemed much smaller and I really missed the circular rotating stage, which added a great dynamic to the scenes. This orchestra was less impressive as well. Fewer members seemed to equal lesser quality of sound. The scene for "Empty chairs and empty tables" was just that, empty. The placing of lights on an empty stage was severely lacking.

Terri from Seattle, Washington

GOOD EXCEPT VALJEAN

(June 15 7:30 show) I seem to be alone in feeling most disappointed in Valjean. He is very on tune and really nailed Bring Him Home with the high notes but generally he seemed to just sing the songs mechanically and I couldn't get immersed in the character and relate to his suffering. Agree with another reviewer who said the music seems to be a beat or two faster than the original, which gives a rushed feel to what should be emotional numbers. Fantine was my fave, Thenardiers were very funny, Javert was understudy but he did so well you couldn't tell, Marius and Cosette both pretty good (wow, those two- or three-part harmonies where Cosette is holding on to a super high note were PERFECTLY blended), Eponine was pretty good in On My Own (a bit too dramatic the whole way?), but Little Fall of Rain was unfortunately the worst. What was up with random people walking all over the stage while she's dying and distracting from her and Marius? Enjoyed it overall, but wasn't super moved.

Theatrepro from St. Louis, Missouri

LES MIS FIRE

Les Mis is one of my all time favorite shows. I saw it on Broadway for the first time as a child in 1988. I have worked on the show multiple times in my professional career as a technician. This production has issues. It also has some great performances. Val Jean, Fantine, Javier, Madame Thenardier, Marius were all up to the task if you could find them on stage in the "artistic theatrical lighting". Give me a tech rehearsal so I can please fix your lights. The lack of a turn-table ruins the staging of the show. Uninspiring battle at the barricade. Thenardier often my favorite was rather stiff and don't get me started on Epinine, though she did redeem some of her signing in Act II. Empty chairs and empty stage would be a better title for the song. The use of the projection was a welcomed addition and wasn't overused. Why do people try to recreate perfection only to destroy the heart of what made it so true?

Dorothy from Cleveland, Ohio

LES MISERABLES, CLEVELAND, OH

Very dim set lighting. I was distracted how dark everything was. I kept waiting for the set to lighten up, but it never did. I thought it felt a little rushed. I knew the story and songs so I understood what was going on, but someone unfamiliar may have trouble following it. Not sure if it was the sound clarity. Female singers were excellent and children too. I thought the male singing not as strong at times. My first experience of seeing this was via the movie so I think it ruined my theatre viewing of this production.

Dan from Richmond, Virginia

GREAT CAST BAD LIGHTING

Saw Les Miserables yesterday (2 pm) sitting in the E section orchestra area. Loved the voices but whomever choreographed the lighting was way off. Having paid over $200 for tickets for my wife and I I spent half the show watching darken shapes on stage. To me, the lighting or lack of lighting was a big distraction. I wanna see whats going on on stage. Other than that fantastic production. Went to The Answer Brewpub afterwards...highly recommend it.

Deb from New Haven, Connecticut

ENJOYED SHOW BUT NOT THE BEST PERFORMANCE

I love Les Miserables and have seen it many times. Hartford a few years ago and usually New Haven. This time, the sound was awful, I knew most of the lyrics but couldn't understand many of the words being sung. The stage was dark throughout the show and a lot of the staging from previous shows seemed to be gone. The voices were strong and some songs were excellent and the finale was wonderful, it always brings goosebumps. The sound issues though made it the least enjoyable of all the shows I've seen. Reading some other reviews, I guess it wasn't just ours.

C Castro from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

GREAT PERFORMERS AND ORCHESTRA...TERRIBLE SOUND BALANCE!

I couldn't understand the performers most of the time. I first thought they were just being too expressive, but then I could tell the audio wasn't balanced that their booming voices made it difficult to understand them. If it wasn't because i have seen the movie and heard the soundtrack many a times before that I would know what was happening. I lost focused of who was singing because the lighting wasn't always on the main person. So I my eyes would wander off looking for who is singing as the costumers were similar for every character and couldn't distinguish some from others. I believe lighting and sound where the problem here. The acting was wonderful and musicians as well. I hope this won't be how the rest of the seasons turns out to be.

Kim from San Francisco, California

FIRST TIME... GOOD AND BAD

Sound was bad.. I couldn't believe a professional, reputed theater could have this bad sound. Especially in the beginning, it was like listing to low bitrate mp3 I pirated from the internet. This contributed to making songs / especially group singing often unintelligible. Especially singers with sharp voices like Eponine and Thenardiers were very hard to understand. As for actors... I was bit caught off guard when I saw a different person than Nick Cartell, but Steve Czarnecki was an amazing Jean Valjean. I couldn't believe he is an understudy, I almost thought it was a double cast. His singing, acting, emotions—everything was on point. Javert, his voice and emotion was good, but his diction was a bit strange. Female characters...I absolutely loved loved Cosette. Gorgeous clear voice, just as I expected Cosette to have. Fantine(Mary Kate Moore) and Eponine(Paige Smallwood), on the other hand, ruined the experience for me, as much as it hurts me to say. Singing was not good at all

P. Dover from Denver, Colorado

ALMOST GREAT 8/5 - FINAL SHOW

All of the main characters were fantastic EXCEPT Javert and Epinine. Javert was in his own key when he sang, but most of the time he was speak-singing. He was kind of awful and made me dread the many scenes with him, by the way. He seemed to be trying too hard to be bad guy. Eponine was played by an understudy for this show. That has never been an issue for nay other show I've seen at DCPA. However, Eponine's voice was so shrill it did not fit the texture of the rest of the cast. Her voice kept "One Day More" from being an otherwise awesome, show-stopping performance. Even Javert's poor singing was not enough to hurt this number. Remove these two actors, and this was an amazing performance.

Elly Harper from Denver, Colorado

LES MIX DENVER

Okay, first of all, was about the 10th time seeing this play. We brought our two grandsons to enjoy this spectacular musical. Too bad the lyrics were rushed and the lighting was very poor. They knew the plot, etc, but couldn't understand a word, especially in the first act. I would have the pacing of the lyrics more defined, the actors facing the audience so we could at least see, if lighted enough, what they were trying to sing. Emphasis of lyrics in many of the songs was misplaced and the spotlight words were garbled. Cast was good, but they are only as good as directed. It hurts to write this note, but that's the way I feel.

Lynne from Denver, Colorado

LES MISERABLES

It was ok. We were in 7 th row. Center. But it was too loud and you really couldn’t understand lyrics. So that made it distracting. Solos were great since you could understand them. The smoke smell was bad in the second half We ate at the limelight and it was absolutely horrible. For 100 dollars it was a total waste. All in all not a great experience. We will try another play this holiday season.

Andie Ptak from Seattle, Washington

POOR SOUND DESIGN SPOILED THE SHOW

To start, I last saw this show from G-center with the original Broadway cast, so this production had a tough act to follow, but I knew that going in. As with many other reviewers, I found this production to be marred by poor sound design—specifically for numbers that were backed by full, loud orchestration. That meant that the large chorus numbers and most of the men's numbers were nearly unintelligable. Thankfully, the wonderful solo ballads by the highly skilled performers accompanied by softer orchestration were wonderful. Eponine's "On My On" and Fontine's "I Dreamed a Dream" were, of course, particular stand-outs, as was "Bring Him Home." It's a shame that so much of the show was so hard to hear. I highly recommend that anyone who has tickets listen to the cast album in its entirity BEFORE you go. I wish I had pulled my vintage vinyl out of the stacks and done so.

D. Bissonnette from Madison, Wisconsin

GREAT VOICES ...LIGHTING, TOO DARK!

This was my third time seeing Les Mis. I know that nothing will ever compare with the first time in Chicago in the late 80's. I cannot fault the singing. the voices were terrific but if I had not already known the story, I would not have gleaned it from the words and actions I observed. The stage was very dark without good spotlighting of those who were singing or where the action was actually taking place. The songs seemed rushed and the words frequently garbled. And where was Gavroche's "little people" song? We ate at the downtown Eno Vino. It was great!

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