Drury Lane's Striking 'Les Mis'

By Melody Udell in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 11, 2014 9:05PM

There’s been a lot of Les Mis lately. The resurgence seemed hinged (arguably) on Tom Hooper’s 2012 movie version, with the infamous actor close-ups and Oscar-winning turn from Anne Hathaway as Fantine. Then, Broadway announced a 2014 revival of the mega-musical, based on a Victor Hugo novel about the lives of the poor in early 19th century France. And, of course, there are all the pop culture references, most recently a Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Segel duet of the song “Confrontation” on an episode of Inside the Actors Studio. So naturally, Drury Lane (and later next year, the Paramount) has jumped on board the Les Mis train, drawing in audiences with promises of hopeless Eponines and scheming Thenardiers.

Popularity aside, Les Mis is a deserving show. A soaring score by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Shonberg and a rich, heady plot means this musical has what many others can only hope for: endurance. And Drury Lane’s production is no exception. Led by the prolific Chicago director Rachel Rockwell, this Les Mis is every bit as dramatic, every bit as poignant, as a misery-infused popretta should be.

Playing the leads, Ivan Rutherford as Jean Valjean and Quentin Earl Darrington as Javert are both indomitable singers. Rutherford was a natural choice—he's played Valjean more than 2,000 times over the years. Valjean first appears on the chain gang—where he’s serving a sentence for stealing bread to feed his poverty-stricken family—in an unfortunate Dana Carvey-esque wig. (This show actually has more than one ill-advised wig decision, but the strength of the musical overrides such small detail thanks to a plot ripe with actual issues.) As Fantine, the weary single mom who sends her paycheck to a pair of wily innkeepers taking care of her daughter, Jennie Sophia seems miscast, but nevertheless, we feel for her as she gets unceremoniously sacked by the factory foreman. And Valjean, after breaking his parole and bettering himself to become the factory owner and town mayor, is oblivious to the cruelty taking place right before him—a nuance I’ve always found unlikely since Valjean is no stranger to the cruelty of others. After all, he’s being hunted by Javert, the maniacal police inspector with a God complex who can’t let former prisoner 24601 out of his clutches.

But the heart of Les Mis is the plight of the poor, making the entire show a bitter pill, but luckily the aforementioned innkeepers are on-hand to infuse the production with a welcome bit of comedy. Mark David Kaplan is hilariously court jester-like, and Sharon Sachs is winning as the calculating, grubby Madame Thenardier. Their “Master of the House,” which cleverly incorporates little Eponine (Peyton Shaffer), is one of the most boisterous, enjoyable renditions I’ve seen. In fact, Rockwell has added a few flourishes to really make the production her own—a lingering note here, clever stage blocking there.

Skylar Adams is a solid, emotive Marius, and his scenes with Cosette (Emily Rohm) are tender and sweet—always a welcome change of pace amid the poverty and political upheaval throughout the rest of the show.

Drury Lane’s production is polished where it needs to be and gritty where it counts. When the student revolutionaries, led by the deeply moving Travis Taylor as Enjolras, are fighting hopelessly at the barricade, its hard to fight the swell of emotion, even if you know all too well what comes next. And for an audience that could very well have Les Mis fatigue, that’s a refreshing sentiment.

The show runs through Sunday, June 8 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Ln., 630-530-0111 or online.