Say, Do You Hear the Distant Drums?

Two more Les Mis highlights reels in honor of Barricade Day. Both from non-replica productions staged in the round at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts.

The first is from their 2007 production: Fred Inkley (Jean Valjean), Devin Richards (Javert), Jacquelyn Piro Donovan (Fantine), Charles Haggarty (Marius), Joanne Javien (Éponine), Renée Brna (Cosette), Charlie Brady (Enjolras), Ron Wisniski (Thénardier), Inga Ballard (Mme. Thénardier), Sebastian Hoffman (Gavroche), Joanna Rosen (Young Cosette)

The second is from their 2014 production: Will Ray (Jean Valjean), Danny Rothman (Javert), Daniella Dalli (Fantine), Blake Stadnik (Marius), Lizzie Klemperer (Éponine), Siri Howard (Cosette) Steve Czarnecki (Enjolras), Gary Troy (Thénardier), Tregony Shepherd (Mme. Thénardier), Gavin Swartz (Gavroche), Carly Williams (Young Cosette), and fan favorite Joseph Spieldenner (the Bishop/Grantaire)

“Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” Fresno Grand Opera, 2014. Max Quinlan as Marius.

A handsome, powerful rendition by a Marius whose voice nicely combines the youthful lightness of most recent casting with the rich, dignified tone of the Marii of yesteryear.

“Lovely Ladies” and “Fantine’s Arrest,” London, 2014. Na-Young Jeon as Fantine, Tam Mutu as Javert, Daniel Koek as Jean Valjean, Carl Mullaney as Bamatabois.

A strong performance all-around.

Na-Young is a graceful, delicate, vulnerable Fantine, but one with inner strength as well, and with a beautiful voice. Her anger, fear and anguish are vivid throughout the scene, if not always as raw as some other actresses’, and at the moment of her turn to prostitution, I like the decisive way she gulps down the liquor and then runs forward, offering her hand to the sailor. It shows that she isn’t being coerced into this by other people, but is making a brave sacrifice for her daughter. My only real objection to her performance is that we don’t necessarily see that Fantine is sick. She does seem weak toward the end, as she collapses from the effort of scratching Bamatabois’s face, but she doesn’t cough, hold her chest in pain, or anything like that. But she’s hardly the first Fantine not to do much in that regard.

Tam’s Javert, as always, is fierce and fiery, especially as he intimidates the fleeing whores and as he forces Fantine nearly onto her back with the end of his nightstick on “Honest work, just reward...” Daniel’s Valjean is solid in his concern for Fantine and quiet sternness toward Javert.

Carl’s Bamatabois is very strong: more dandy than brute, without laying too much physical abuse on Fantine (though still enough), but in a way that works. The ensemble is excellent, with standouts including Jenny O’Leary as the hard, ruthless Old Woman who buys Fantine’s locket and Lee Dillon-Stuart the Scottish-accented Pimp. It’s a horrifying moment when he grabs Fantine after she scratches Bamatabois, apparently ready to give her a beating, only for Bamatabois to scare him away with his stick so he can give her a worse punishment himself.

Thanks to @doyouhearthefranzising for letting me know the ensemble members’ names!

“Javert’s Suicide,” London, 2014. Tam Mutu as Javert.

A fierce, frantic, fiery portrayal of Javert’s ultimate despair by an especially fierce, frantic, fiery Javert.

So far, at least, Tam is the only Javert I’ve ever heard sing “And my thoughts fly apart...” using the same key change with which Valjean sings “Take an eye for an eye...” in his Soliloquy. I don’t know if he chose to do this to add fresh dramatic power to the music or if he couldn’t quite reach the low notes as written – that I can imagine, because his voice is slightly lighter than other Javerts’, although his tone is nicely rich and dark. But either way, the key change enhances the effect of just how wildly unhinged he is, with his shouting, growling, shuddering, and raw physicality as he jolts this way and that, collapses over the railing and desperately clutches it. His almost childlike rocking and hyperventilating through his final words are especially heartbreaking. It’s completely different from the outwardly calm, coldly decisive plunge of Hugo’s Javert, but it vividly conveys the torment that the novel’s Javert has within him and only needs not express outwardly because Hugo’s narrator voice describes it.

“Dawn of Anguish,” “Second Attack/Death of Gavroche” and “The Final Battle,” London, 2014. Anton Zetterholm as Enjolras, Rob Houchen as Marius, Daniel Koek as Jean Valjean, Max Robson as Gavroche, Adam Linstead as Grantaire, Tam Mutu as Javert.

189 years ago today, the barricades fell, so it seems only fitting to relive the tragedy through its most famous fictionalized portrayal.

Last year I shared a video of this same cast from 2013, albeit with a different Gavroche and without the battle’s aftermath. This performance, which allegedly was Anton Zetterholm’s last before he left the show, is just as strong as the earlier one, although unfortunately the camera goes in and out of focus.

Anton’s Enjolras might not be the most physically imposing Enjolras, but his shining blond hair, his chiseled face, the cream and steel combined within his voice, and his demeanor that blends stern, quiet dignity with revolutionary ardor, he’s faithful to Hugo’s vision of his angelic “marble lover of liberty.” His opening lines are moving, as his hushed “The people have not stirred...” comes as close to expressing despair as Enjolras can allow himself, but then his fierce “The people have not heard...” reinforces his unshakable courage. His “Let others rise...” is excellent too, with a magnificent final note on “...is FREE!”

Max is a vivid, vulnerable yet fierce Gavroche, although his drawn-out stiffening and collapse as he dies is slightly unconvincing.

“The Final Battle” is powerful from beginning to end. First there’s the mute, dumbstruck grief of the revolutionaries after Gavroche’s death – I especially like that the only significant movement is the overwhelmed Grantaire sinking into his chair – which erupts into wild cries of anguish and rage when the offstage officer delivers his final message. Then comes Enjolras’s thrilling last words and brief yet moving last moments with Marius and Grantaire. I notice that after “Let others rise...” he never fires another bullet at the enemy, but is already reaching for the flag to wave it when Marius is shot. He was ready to accept death then and there, but then his love for his friends makes him delay it for just a moment to run to the seemingly-dying Marius’s side and to share a handshake with Grantaire before his last stand. As in the 2013 video, he and Adam’s Grantaire recreate “Orestes Fasting and Pylades Drunk” as closely as Nunn and Caird’s staging allows, with Adam reaching the top of the barricade as Anton is still standing and making himself visible to the enemy just behind him, raising his wine jug in defiance.

As always, the tableau of Enjolras’s body on the barricade is heartbreakingly beautiful, with only a small trickle of blood from his mouth. The fact that this performance includes Javert in the tableu by having him stand at the top of the barricade (a choice which, from what I’ve read, has been used on and off in London over the years) adds a biting layer of social commentary, emphasizing that it was “the Law” that killed Enjolras and Gavroche.

Tam’s Javert always seems to have been an especially driven, wolfish one, and this scene is no exception. We can see his desperation as he spots the sewer grate, struggles in vain to lift it, listens for the sound of human movement below it, and then exits with an ominous growl of “Valjean!”

“Fantine’s Death,” Fresno Grand Opera, 2014. Susan Spencer Varela as Fantine, Peter Lockyer as Jean Valjean.

A quietly poignant rendition. Susan (wife of Andrew Varela, the production’s Javert – that’s not a casting choice you see every day!) is a sweet-voiced, delicate Fantine, while Peter’s Valjean compliments her perfectly with his gentle, handsome-voiced dignity.

“Stars,” Fresno Grand Opera, 2014. Andrew Varela as Javert.

A strong rendition by a memorable, if unconventional Javert. His voice isn’t quite the majestic baritone of other renditions, although it is handsome and powerful, and his delivery is slightly rushed and ever-so-slightly choppy. But it suits the type of performance I remember seeing him give - not the staunch, rigid figure of tradition, but an especially obsessive, neurotic Javert, whose slow descent into madness started long before Valjean set him free at the barricade.

“Javert’s Suicide,” North Shore Music Theatre, 2014. Danny Rothman as Javert.

An appropriately passionate, powerful rendition.

“Master of the House,” Fresno Grand Opera, 2014. Timothy Gulan as Thénardier, Shawna M. Hamic as Mme. Thénardier.

An appropriately rollicking rendition. Both Timothy and Shawna might be slightly hammy and do more shouting than the song really needs, but their slimy and brash exuberance is infectious all the same.

“Dawn of Anguish,” “Second Attack/Death of Gavroche” and “The Final Battle,” North Shore Music Theatre, 2014. Steve Czarnecki as Enjolras, Blake Stadnik as Marius, Will Ray as Jean Valjean, unknown Gavroche, Joseph Spieldenner as Grantaire.

This heartbreaking audio shows how effective it can be when a regional production takes a fresh approach to a scene, rather than going though the motions of other productions. As I’ve written before, this production seems to have let its cast members ad-lib much more than usual and here they do it to moving effect.

When the very young-sounding yet strong voiced Gavroche meets his fate, there isn’t a long silence, nor does only Grantaire shout “NO!” Instead we have a collective “NO!” from all the revolutionaries, bringing Hugo’s statement “The whole barricade gave a cry” to life. But Joseph Spieldenner doesn’t let his Grantaire’s special bond with Gavroche be overlooked: a few moments later, he lets out an agonized “WHYYYY???!!!” and then sobs uncontrollably.

I saw Steve’s Enjolras in another regional production a year after this one and I can definitely hear here what I remember from there: that his Enjolras is more humanized and anguished than others. We can hear the despair in his voice on “The people have not stirred...” and during the battle... well, more on that below. He’s not Hugo’s marble lover of liberty, but within the musical, I think it works. In no way does his anguish at watching the insurrection fail and his friends die around him signify a lack of courage or heroism, which his “Let others rise...” and other defiant lines show that he still has in spades.

As for “The Final Battle,” the production’s “ad-libs welcome” policy makes it especially raw, with so much shouting and so much audible desperation and defiance as the barricade falls. The rawest moment of all comes just before the final orchestral “Red and Black” reprise. Apparently, instead of having Enjolras die before Grantaire as in replica productions, this staging had Grantaire die in Enjolras’s arms. We hear Enjolras shout “Grantaire!” and then lapse into inarticulate, nearly hysterical pleas to his dying devotee (“No, no no!” and “I’m sorry!” are the only words I think I can make out) before shouting “LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC!!!” in a wild, grief-stricken, rage-filled tone as his final burst of defiance before his own death. I only wish this were a video recording, because those final moments must have been especially powerful to see.

“Bring Him Home,” Fresno Grand Opera, 2014. Peter Lockyer as Jean Valjean.

A beautiful rendition from an actor whose Les Mis experience has been long and distinguished – first he was Marius on Broadway for five years, then performed all over the US and in London as Valjean, and has even directed a few regional productions, including this one.

“I Dreamed a Dream,” Fresno Grand Opera, 2014. Susan Spencer Varela as Fantine.

The tempo is a tiny bit fast, but Susan sings with all the requisite sweetness, power and feeling.

“A Little Fall of Rain,” Fresno Grand Opera, 2014. Briana Carlson-Goodman as Éponine, Max Quinlan as Marius.

A lovely, tender rendition of Éponine’s last moments from two sweet-voiced, earnest performers.

“On My Own,” Fresno Grand Opera, 2014. Briana Carlson-Goodman as Éponine.

A beautiful and powerful rendition of Éponine’s famous solo.

“Look Down,” North Shore Music Theatre, 2014. Steve Czarnecki as Enjolras, Blake Stadnik as Marius, unknown Gavroche.

A strong rendition with a bright-voiced, fiery Gavroche, a strong Marius and Enjolras (whose first lines are switched, as in so many recent productions), and a good ensemble.

“A Little Fall of Rain,” North Carolina Theatre, 2014. English Bernhardt as Éponine, Bruce Landry as Marius.

A beautiful rendition overall. English’s Éponine sings warmly and sweetly (though it’s odd that she belts the words “I’m at rest”), while Bruce’s Marius conveys touching tenderness and grief. Well done.

“Javert at the Barricade” and “Little People,” North Shore Music Theatre, 2014. Danny Rothman as Javert, Steve Czarnecki as Enjolras, unknown Gavroche.

I wish the Gavroche were credited. His voice is strong bright, clear, and full of spirit. Danny’s Javert sounds strong too. So does Steve’s Enjolras, though I don’t know why he shouts “There is WORK we have to do!” in such an angry tone when no one is clamoring for Javert to be shot right away. I’m sure it made sense in context onstage.