"Les Misérables' on tour

The new 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables is actually better than the 1985 London original, which came to Broadway in 1987. In an era when return engagements usually are stripped-down reductions, this re-mounting by the original producer Cameron Mackintosh is bigger and more imaginative.

Rather than relying on a turntable and painted flats, Mackintosh and directors Laurence Connor and James Powell here employ rear projections and more substantial sets. The sound, too, is fuller, with a large orchestra and sophisticated audio effects. When cast members descend into the sewers of Paris, the echo is palpable.

As Andrew Varela, playing Javert, jumps off a bridge, he flies through the air flailing his arms and plunges into the Seine with exciting realism, thanks to the creative use of video projections.

Some trademark effects remain, like the revolutionaries' waving red flag. Others are improved upon, like an impressive barricade where the students take their stand against the tyrannical government. The repetitive marching in place toward the audience is somewhat reduced from the original.

This production retains the original's strong emotional appeal as well as its heavily underlined excesses. It remains an unsubtle musical rendering of Victor Hugo's masterpiece.

This production's Jean Valjean, Lawrence Clayton, is black— which opens up possibilities for exploration. Clayton's presence gives enhanced meaning to the lines, "I am a slave. And a slave you'll remain."

But the production shrinks from exploiting this intriguing potential. Soon enough we realize that the casting is color-blind. The young woman playing Eponine is black, while both of her parents are white.

Clayton owns a strong voice: At the climax of "Bring Him Home," he impressively displays a nicely supported pianissimo instead of the falsetto resorted to by others in the past. He should improve his diction so meaningful lines won't be lost.

The rest of the cast displays excellent diction and projection as well as great singing voices. Betsy Morgan is Fantine, Jenny Latimer is Cosette, Jeremy Hays is Enjolras, and Justin Scott Brown is Marius. Chasten Harmon is the most impressive Eponine I've ever seen, belting excitingly and also giving us tender soft moments.

The superb 13-player orchestra, led by Robert Billig, sounds much larger; the musicians play a total of 24 instruments including Cor Anglais, tuba and recorder. The Steve Cohen who plays horn, by the way, should not be confused with me.