Why Regret What Cannot Be?

Les Miserables - Magdeburg, 13th July, 2013

After a perennial break in Germany as rights were withdrawn (blame Stage Entertainment for that apparently!) for a few years Les Miserables is finally back in Germany this summer being the Theatre Magdeburg's annual open air production - directly on the city's cathederal square with the audience facing the stunning cathedral.
And as stunning as the cathedral is, is the production (besides some casting issues I have, later more) looking sumptuous, splendid and grand.

So after a lovely sunny day in the Altmark region as visiting the beautiful town Stendal pursuing my other hobbies, hiking and travelling, I was off to Magdeburg, a city I hadn't been to for four years after seeing Titanic there in 2009.

Cast
Jean Valjean - Thomas Borchert
Javert - Markus Liske
Fantine - Bettina Mönch
Marius - Oliver Arno
Eponine - Christina Patten
Cosette - Julia Lißel
Thenardier - Peter Wittig
Madame Thenardier - Gabriele Stoppel-Bachmann
Enjolras - Marc Lamberty
Gavroche - Maria Neumann

Director - Gil Mehmert
Musical Director - Pawel Poplawski
Stage/Set - Jens Kilian
Costumes - Dagmar Jordan

Set prior show

This is most probably one of the most impressive productions seen in this country with the set being the centrepiece of it.
Weird to start with the set but that is definitely THE absolute highlight (not saying there were no further) - a round half open wooden construct directly in front of the Gothic cathedral with three levels - on each side there was an element of the set that was, as on tracks, movable and could be moved manually towards the centre stage, sometimes just one of them, but also both which were used for Fantine's room or the ABC cafe.

At the opening the set got covered by massive banners to depict a stone quarry looking so compelling or for the final of act 1 during "One Day More" the students put up a gigantic French flag between the two elements while standing together which are then moved apart and with the right spotlights and the huge ensemble standing behind it bringing the uproar to life (see picture on right) with the main leads standing either on the left or the right side on all levels one after the other appearing when it was their turn to sing their lines .

The barricades are a bit small and low being brought on stage with bits of the barricades each being assembled on some flats trolleys but I understand that due to this being an open air production they are a bit limited.

Even the cathedral's lights was incorporated as during Javert's disturbing suicide scene when he was standing at the top level and the lights in the cathedral behind switched on adding such a special atmosphere. Additionally the good weather on that day also helped too with show starting at 9pm, sunset around 9.20pm and new moon just a very few days before so it was just a very narrow sickle adding some dark ambiance (during full moon that might be different of course).

Some of the scenes I would have staged a bit differently though. What slightly bugged me was when people moved around on the set, especially when climbing up stairs either disappearing for moments or turning their backs to the audience - an absolute no go for me - but that is me nitpicking again.

Overall director Gil Mehmert and his team did an excellent job but then he had excellent material as in the right musical, a working set with also appealing contemporary costumes (by Dagmar Morell) to match the decades and the scenes and the moments in the show, a huge ensemble (apparently nearly 80 adults, two children and even a horse(!)  though even when pretty much everyone onstage the stage never looked cramped with making best use out of the space on the ground floor but also on the other levels) to make the mass scene such an experience, etc., to work with that you actually need to try really hard to make it not work.

What though does not work for me, and that is simply subjective is the casting of Valjean.
Thomas Borchert as Jean Valjean is not what I want to see. Yes, the reviews of his performance were most positive but I did not see that great performance other saw. He can sing though that night I was there his voice actually cracked a few times but he totally lacked the emotional depth I had seen in other productions and other Jean Valjeans as Drew Sarich, even Alfie Boe had that, before totally missing out the dramatic element in that part.

For me he is these days one of these performers I do not believe any more that this job is more than just a job. His play is not natural, it is so contrived and insincere and Valjean's development is just simply not there for me. He acts totally the same way at the beginning as he does near the end with the ageing process being hardly visible neither in his voice nor in his play. Seriously, the story covers several decades, you cannot tell me that you act the same way at a young(er) age than when old and close to die (unfortunately make up and hair was also a bit of a let down as there was just when Valjean dies some major alterations to his looks).
What other called expressive as his "Who Am I" or his "What Have I Done?", I just call loud, what other called warm as his "Bring Him Home" I just call bland and dull. 

Markus Liske as Javert on the other hand could convince. Some reviewers said he could not compete with Borchert but I could not agree less. Yes, he as a tenor did not always sound 100% right for the part but he had the demeanour, determination and the power in his play and especially in his voice to be most believable and his version of "Stars" gave me goosebumps for all the good reasons - and when that happens the performer wins me over loving the song. 

Oliver Arno as Marius was my highlight of the show. Yes, I do like him personally anyway, though when I saw him in Elisabeth during the tour in Germany he was not too much my cup of tea but since then he has developed and grown so much.

Already when I saw him as Raoul in POTO in Vienna in December I was taken by surprise how convincing he was but as Marius he went even further delivering such an expressive, heart-warming and emotional performance  with his "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" being so lachrymose.
They added the little touch to the song that when Marius sings the lines he calls out all the names of the other fallen students in-between the "normal" ones being such a clever but also shivering idea.

Or his duet  "A Little Rain To Fall" was so full of doleful empathy for the dying Eponine who was so tenderly and poingnantly played by Christina Patten. She lacked the odd fierce wrath at the beginning for me, but that soon was forgotten when she she owns up to her true love for Marius which was wonderfully portrayed with so much detail of a young loving woman.

The actress who played Cosette at the premiere and the following shows (and receiving largely most negative reviews) was replaced throughout the run (apparently due to other obligations, though with this all happening at rather short notice, this sounds a bit dodgy) and most probably luckily I got to see the marvellous Julia Lißel who is most probably one of the most formidable Cosette's I have ever seen. Normally Cosette is such a dull part but Julia is not only a very clear engaging singer having the required vocal range even sounding even in the high classical range moments still rather natural but she also portrays the young innocent girl becoming a woman going through the inner emotional turmoils when falling in love with Marius and facing "real life" so beautifully.
Her interaction with Oliver Arno is also spot on and being credible with such a spark between the two.

Bettina Mönch as Fantine was moving and engrossing.
It was the first time seeing her in a non comedy part and she proved she can play such dramatic parts too. She is certainly no Jo Ampil who most probably will stay forever my favourite Fantine lacking that little bit extra Jo has in all her performances but still can portray authentically Fantine's decay with an agitated strong "I Dreamed A Dream". 

Marc Lamberty does a decent job as the leader of the friends of the ABC cafe, maybe not as charismatic as I had wished but he has heart and passion in his play.

The Thenardiers were a bit disappointing, certainly delivering a satisfying job, but not more nor less. Especially Thenardier lacked stamina so he was out of breath very quickly and he just cannot sweep away the audience with his "Master Of The House".

The part of Gavroche is (unfortunately imho) played by a young woman, most probably as the show just starting at 9pm and the German youth protection law being rather strict, it was too much hassle, but for me this did not really work. She was simply not a young boy for me, while certainly loud and could deliver her lines, she was way too mannered and just not a cheeky Gavroche missing that specialness of that part.


Talking about children: especially to be mentioned is Viviana Blaszyk as the little Cosette. I do not know how old she is, maybe 8 or 9, but not only did she could sang her "Castle On The Cloud" harmoniously sweet but also her few moments acting were of fine standard. 

Of the ensemble all the students and the bishop leave a positive impression. There were again the odd members from the theatre's in house opera choir with massive bugging accents - argh, my pet hate - and the odd member who I'd wished would have not been given a line or two to sing but when the rep theatre brings on-stage such a massive production I can live with that too as they certainly all played and sang ardently. 

The Theater Magdeburg Symphony orchestra, conducted by Hermann Dukek that night, performed the score eminently with the right drive with sound, neither by them nor sound desk, never sounding unbalanced and/or too loud.

While I really did not like the main character and other issues with some castings overall Magdburg's "Les Miserables " is a most amazing, full of emotions production that can easily compete with other productions, it definitely beats set wise and  with its creativity the London production.
I just hope that it will not take again several years until another production of Les Mis is seen in Germany. 

Curtain call - naughty me