[NEohioPAL]Berko Les Miz review/Kirov Ballet preview

[Roy Berko]

‘LES MIZ’--CAPTURES AUDIENCE AGAIN; KIROV BALLET
COMING

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

‘LES MISERABLES’ VISITS CLEVELAND, AND WOWS THE
AUDIENCE, ONCE AGAIN

I have to admit it, I’m a sucker for ‘LES MISERABLES.’
It remains one of my very favorite musical theatre
scripts, along with the likes of ‘FIDDLER ON THE
ROOF,’ ‘WEST SIDE STORY,’ ‘CAROUSEL,’ ‘MY FAIR LADY,’
‘PIPPIN,’ ‘THE KING AND I,’ ‘MAN OF LAMANCHA,’ ‘CHORUS
LINE,’ AND ‘RAGTIME.’ 

It was, therefore, a little disappointing, that during
the first act of the opening night performance of the
present production, I found myself getting very antsy.
  All the elements were there...the full Broadway set
with its awe-inspiring turntables and huge barricade
and cityscapes, the marvelous costumes, a lush
orchestra, fine vocal sounds, and the good singing
voices of the lead characters.  So, what was missing. 
I often found that the actors were singing words, not
meanings of the words, some of the timing was off,
such as in the usually raucous "Master of the House."
Fortunately, by the second act, the cast settled in,
the pacing of the show picked up, and the audience got
swept away.  Whew!!

The musical is based on Victor Hugo’s epic and classic
pre-French revolutionary war novel.  It foreshadows
what will soon happen in France.  It  asks, "What is
the moral way to act?," and how much do we have to pay
for our small or large transgressions. Think of the
television series and the movie, ‘THE FUGITIVE’ with
music.

The story centers on Jean Valjean, who, at the start,
is released on parole after 19 years in prison for
stealing a loaf of bread to fee his ailing nephew.  
He finds that the yellow ticket-of-leave he must, by
law, display condemns him to be an outcast. Only the
saintly Bishop of Digne treats him kindly and Valjean,
embittered by years of hardship, repays him by
stealing some silver. Valjean is caught and brought
back by police, and is astonished when the Bishop lies
to the police to save him, also giving him two
precious candlesticks. Valjean decides to start his
life anew.  The rest of the musical follows him
through the rest of the his life.

Songs include the compelling, "Soliloquy," the
gorgeous, "I Dream a Dream," the social commentary,
"Who Am I?," the enthralling, "Do You Hear the People
Sing?," the heart rending, "On My Own," and the
haunting, "Bring Him Home."

Randal Keith, who was one of the many who played Jean
Valjean on Broadway was outstanding.  He has a big
voice and clear grasp of the character.  James Clow,
portraying the policeman Javert who dedicated his life
to finding and punishing Valjean, did not have the
evil-edge needed for the role, though his singing
voice was glorious.  Amanda Huddelston, portraying
Cosette,  an orphan who Valjean adopts to be his
daughter, has a fine voice but failed to get full
worth out of her songs.  She often overlooked the
implications of the words she sang.  Josh Young was
appealing as Marius, Cosette’s lover and idealistic
student.  Ma-Anne Dionisio was voice and performance
perfect as a street walker who loved Marius.  Michael
Kostroff got laughs as the innkeeper, but was far
inferior to most who have played the roll.   The
children in the cast were weak in both singing and
acting.

Missed "Les Miz" this time around?  Don’t worry, if
the past is prologue, it will tour through town again.

	PRESTIGIOUS KIROV BALLET TO DANCE AT STATE THEATRE

There are many ballet companies in the world.  A
handful are truly world class. The Kirov Ballet from
St. Petersburg, Russia, is one of these.  From
November 6th to 9th the Cleveland area is fortunate to
be the host for four performances by this outstanding
group.  

The Kirov is more than 220 years old, making it one of
the oldest dance companies in the world.  It has
produced such luminaries as Rudolph Nureyev and
Mikhail Baryshnikov and presently includes Svetlana
Zakharova, considered to be one of the shining lights
of the new generation of ballet stars.   The company
has 130 dancers.

‘LA BAYADERE,’ which will be danced at all four
performances, is a classical, pantomime-style ballet. 
The presentation is choreographed by Marius Petipa and
is danced to the music of Ludwig Minkus.  

The story is set in the 19th-century in India and
tells a tale of love, revenge and mysterious travels
of souls to the nether world.  It is famous for its
"miracle" scene in which dancing shadows descend from
the snow-capped Himalayas.

The performances will also feature the accompaniment
of the Marinsky Theatre Orchestra.

The evening performances will take place at 8 p.m. the
Sunday matinee at 2.  Tickets range from $25 to $100. 
For tickets to Play House Square Foundation
productions call 216-241-6000 or 800-766-6048 or go on
line to www.playhousesquare.com.


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