Phillyist Reviews... Les Miserables

I have to be honest here for a minute: I was pretty pessimistic about The Walnut's production of Les Miserables, more or less from the second it was announced as the season closer. It wasn't lack of faith in The Walnut that led to my lack of optimism. Rather, it was a familiarity: nothing about Les Mis—not the music, not the costumes, not the set*—is easy, and bad productions are far too common. Not only that, the better known a musical is, the greater the chance that the audience, used to hearing the original Broadway soundtrack, or having seen the production in London or New York, will be tough to please. Perhaps I should re-phrase my initial statement. It's not that I was pessimistic about The Walnut's production—it's just that I entered the theatre with a healthy sense of reality.

To be sure, The Walnut's production of this well-beloved piece of musical theatre-for-the-masses isn't bad. It could have been far, far worse. But unfortunately, it also could have been far, far better. Take, for instance, the much-hyped Hugh Panaro as Jean Valjean. Gorgeous voice. Absolutely stunning. And when he sang "Bring Him Home" in Act II, I had chills—he positively nailed it. It's just that he spent the remaining 117 minutes of the musical seemingly forgetting to act. His voice was still beautiful, but his actions mechanical, sometimes almost laughable, as if director Mark Clements was so busy coaching the show's massive ensemble that he forgot about his leads. There was also the unfortunate Paul Schoeffler, last seen onstage at The Walnut as Captain Hook. And as Captain Hook, he shone. But as Inspector Javert, he fell flatter than flat, serving as a baritone Snidely Whiplash to Panaro's less-effete C-3PO. His performance of "Stars," arguably the hardest song in the show (for a male voice, at least), was a total cop-out: that impossibly high money note at the end (I believe it's an "E," but it's been a while since I've looked at the music) was dropped at least an octave to accommodate the needs of the actor, rather than finding an actor to accommodate the needs of the show.

But the production is not without its saving graces: Scott Greer and Dawn Spence are outstanding as the odious Thenardiers; Christina DiCicco makes quite a fine Eponine, ably handling both notes and nuances in "On My Own;" Jeffrey Coon, although perhaps a bit too old to play Enjolras, stirs hearts and arouses feeling as he leads "Do You Hear the People Sing?"; and young Dante Mignucci, playing the precocious Gavroche the night we attended (he alternates the role with Brandon O'Rourke) positively stole the show away from the much older actors with whom he shared the stage. Additionally, the ensemble is composed of some of Philadelphia's finest—Mary Martello and Ben Dibble among them—playing a handful of smaller parts and really flushing out the vocal arrangements. But the true star in this production is the very handsome Josh Young as Marius. I usually hate Marius, but Young downplayed the character's annoying youthful naivety and made him compelling, providing him instead with real emotions. His rendition of "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" was stirring enough to send many in the audience, myself included, searching for a tissue with which to wipe our eyes. So strong and memorable is his performance that his clear tenor voice will haunt you as you make your way down Walnut Street, surprised, perhaps, that the song rings as true in the City of Philadelphia as it did in Revolutionary France.

*I'd be remiss if I didn't note that this production of Les Mis has abandoned the rotating stage familiar to all those who have seen the production in London or Broadway, or even on a major tour. One major set piece (the barricade) does rotate out of necessity, but otherwise, the stage (not the staging) remains stagnant. It's a bit shocking if you're familiar with the show, but once you get used to it, you realize director Clements' staging of the show is no less able than that of his rotation-equipped counterparts.

Jeffrey Coon and the Ensemble in The Walnut Street Theatre's production of Les Miserables, continuing through August 3. Photo by Brett Thomas.