Les Misérables, currently at Providence Performing Arts Center is a must see show, its rendition of the famous musical does not disappoint.
For those who don’t know the plot of the opera-style musical, it is a bit darker than most other popular musicals. It is set in France during what is usually thought to be the French Revolution, 1789; but is actually a century later during a smaller revolution in 1832 that writer, Victor Hugo, witnessed. It follows the story of Jean Valjean, who stole a loaf of bread to support his sister and niece which leads to him being thrown in jail. Once Valjean is out of jail however, is when the play really starts as he tries to rebuild his life while getting in to conflicts with authorities. While trying to be a better man Valjean, adopts a little girl named Cossette who has lost her mother. The story then follows Cossette, Valjean, and characters around them as they struggle with loss, love, and the revolution that they are about to pursue. I would highly recommend looking up the plot of the play before going, as it can be very confusing (and long) if you don’t know whats going on.
The cast was phenomenal as a whole; however, there were a few stand out actors who were especially captivating. The main character of Jean Valjean was played by Nick Cartell, who has a phenomenal voice that fits the character perfectly. Every time he sang I had chills and couldn’t wait for the next time that he came on stage. Pheonix Best who played, Eponine also had a stand out performance as she plays the sad part of a girl who can never be with the man she loves.
The sets were very unique and elaborate. They used visual effects to make scenes feel even more real, which is something I have never seen used on stage. Not to mention Providence Performing Arts center is a beautiful theater already, which just made the show even better. I would highly recommend this show. Although it is a bit long, the beautiful songs and amazing cast make up for it. Les Misérables runs from the 21st-30th of September.
Cover photo: https://rukkus.com/venue/providence-performing-arts-center-tickets/seati…