Full circle for the Manila cast of the Les Miz world tour
LEA SALONGA credits stage director Jaime del Mundo for kicking off her obsession and lifelong connection with iconic musical Les Misérables early in her career.
“He lent me a copy of the original Broadway cast recording, and that was what started me on that train,” Ms. Salonga told the media during a press conference preceding the Manila premiere of Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular in the Theatre at Solaire in Parañaque City on Jan. 21. “The minute I was introduced to Les Miz, I was obsessed.”
Ms. Salonga has since played two of the musical’s major female roles, Éponine and Fantine, several times over the years. She played both on Broadway, appeared as Éponine in the 10th Anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and appeared as Fantine in the 25th Anniversary concert at London’s O2.
Les Misérables is the musical adaptation of the novel of the same name by French author Victor Hugo. First published in 1862, it tells of the tale of the struggles and redemption of ex-convict Jean Valjean, alongside the tragedies that befall other characters, culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris.
A NEW ROLE
The Manila production of the staged concert of Les Miz sees Ms. Salonga playing Madame Thénardier for the first time. She said that seeing Lindsay Hately playing the comedic character during one Les Miz run in London was “the role made flesh,” which she remembered after all these years.
“As a younger person, you tend to see yourselves in the younger characters, the idealists who want to see a better and brighter world. Then, it’s this woman who would do anything for her child,” she said, referring to the character Fantine. “Then, it’s these two characters, the Thénardiers, comic but also dark because of the things they’re willing to do to survive,” she explained. “And in a country like this, there are people who would do anything, even debase themselves, to make a buck. Meanwhile, there’s a guy who steals a loaf of bread and is sentenced to 19 years in prison,” she said of Jean Valjean.
For her, the pressures of being the first Asian to play Éponine and then Fantine have given way to pure joy, this time exploring Madame Thénardier, whose dialect and posture are completely different and whose story doesn’t end in tragedy.
On top of that, it is her first time doing Les Miz in the Philippines — alongside three other Filipinos in the main cast.
“When I looked at [the four of us in one spread in the souvenir program], I was like, ‘wow,’” she said. “That is so cool. That is truly iconic.”
Red Concepcion, who plays her onstage husband Thénardier, added that it’s an honor to share the stage with someone who “opened doors for us.”
Having played the role a few times previously, he displays a notable command of his zany tone and sleazy stage presence, with powerful vocals that match that of Ms. Salonga’s.
“It’s very special and so much fun to work with Lea,” Mr. Concepcion said. It shows, as BusinessWorld witnessed on gala night, in the wickedly delightful energy they brought in each scene they had together.
The two provide comic relief, adding distinct moments of humor (sometimes ad libbed) tailored for Filipino audiences to appreciate. Their exaggerated movements and expressions are precisely timed to offer levity in contrast to the tragedies of the other characters.
CONCERT VERSION
For Rachelle Ann Go, who is once again reprising Fantine who she played on the West End, this concert version has its own allure.
“It is surprisingly alive even without the full, revolving set [of the traditional musical]. The music itself has its own heartbeat. No matter where you put the actors, it’s going to stand on its own,” Ms. Go said at the press conference.
People may go to Solaire expecting a full stage experience, but the mix of musical theater and concert in this production is still able to do the beloved music and storyline justice. It’s a spectacle with a live orchestra on a partially elevated platform, dynamic lighting, and well-synced sound that all aid the audience in immersing themselves in the cast’s powerhouse performances.
The wooden barricade is a consistent visual motif onstage, while a large LED screen is lit in the familiar French colors of blue, white, and red. Each side of the stage has a screen that shows close-ups whenever an actor has a solo performance, giving the tremendous talent in the cast ample chances to shine.
It’s a full-circle moment for Ms. Go, having done her first show in London in 2015, before having kids and still feeling the pressure as the only Filipino in the cast. Her performance as Fantine is just the right amount of heartbreaking, her love for the role and the musical itself very evident.
“I can rock up on stage and open my mouth and cry,” she explained. “It’s always a dream come true to perform to the Filipino people. It’s where I started and I will always come back.”
The fourth Filipino in the main cast is Filipino-American Emily Bautista, who plays the impoverished Éponine who suffers an unrequited love for the student-revolutionary Marius. She previously played the role in the North American Tour of Les Misérables in 2018.
Her take on “On My Own” highlights her crisp yet steady singing style, the vulnerability mixed with a bit of defiance. The spunk she brings sets her Éponine apart from previous versions.
“I’m a proud Filipina. My parents will be in the audience and it means so much to me to perform for family,” said Ms. Bautista. “I’ll be able to connect with my roots.”
The other cast members in Les Misérables: The World Tour Spectacular’s Manila leg are Geronimo Rauch as Jean Valjean, Jeremy Secomb as Javert, Will Callan as Marius, Lulu-Mae Pears as Cosette, Harry Chandler as Enjolras, and Earl Carpenter as the Bishop.
Fans of the musical will feel their spirits rise, from the epic ensemble scale of “One Day More” to the powerful throes of “Do You Hear the People Sing?” The experience may not be full musical theater, but it is communal and will ring in your head long after you’ve gone home.
Les Misérables: The World Tour Spectacular runs until March 1 at the Theater at Solaire in Pasay City. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
