Evil_Herbivore Seeing its never-ending popularity and its influence on the musical theatre, the 25th anniversary of Les Misérables had to be spectacular. Of course, it can always be argued that staging the show as a concert will never fully do it justice, but in my opinion, such a decision helps to appreciate the scale of what Les Mis has become. Seeing the crowds filling the O2 arena is also a part of the experience of watching the anniversary. The spectacle that was created is truly epic and I found with pleasure that this time (unlike with the 10th anniversary concert) the musical wasn't really abridged, as only a few parts were cut.The cast gathered for the celebration is quite uneven. Some performances are deeply moving while others are mediocre. Alfie Boe as Valjean does a great job underlining the solemnity of the character and his version of "Bring Him Home" is the best performance of the whole show. Lea Salonga as Fantine is as moving as can be expected from the musical legend that she is. Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras is super charismatic and absolutely believable as a leader of an uprising. Matt Lucas and Jenny Galloway as Thenardiers are hilarious. Norm Lewis as Javert may not be the best ever, but his performance is really solid nonetheless and he does a great job conveying the character's firm belief in the law. My biggest problem is the youngest cast members: Katie Hall, Samantha Barks, and Nick Jonas, whose performances lack the necessary spark. They are alright, but it isn't the quality one would expect to see on such a great occasion. Sadly, in Nick Jonas' case it is visible that he isn't really an actor and that he was probably cast because of his name rather than his skills.All in all, the show is a great spectacle that is a pleasure to watch. Some of the cast members may not be the best in the world, but their faults are less visible thanks to the rest of the actors doing a truly magnificent job. It also has to be mentioned that at the end there is a short surprise performance, which adds to the feeling of celebration of this great musical. This is a must-see for any Les Mis fan.

Wikingking First of all I have to say that I have seen the movie before I dig into Les Mis on the internet, so somehow the movie could catch my attention back then, and I am so grateful for it that I won't compare it with this masterpiece. Secondly, this is my first ever review on IMDb so hurray! :)What we've got here is a monumental show of pure talent and epicness, which is a must for all 'Les Mis' fans and for everyone who likes to listen to a musical masterpiece, and likes to get goosebumps all the time. The show took place at the O2 arena with hundreds of people participating. The setting is great, the lights and all technical stuff are excellent, the show sounds great, the mixing is very well made. The show has been conducted by the same conductor, who did the 10th anniversary concert back in 1995 (David Charles Abell), and he did one hell of a job, not a single flaw in the play of the orchestra. The cast is a brilliant one - well you could guess that something big is happening when musical giants like Earl Carpenter, or Hadley Fraser only get minor roles... There's a really large choir behind the orchestra, and they really make a punch when it is time for extra amount of epicness (like One Day More). The backing vocalist are also great (in numbers as well), everyone in minor roles (prostitutes, workers, the students) are great, this cast was chosen really carefully, that's for sure. I give a solid 10 for the supporting section of the cast.Earl Carpenter plays the bishop, and he delivers a fine performance, worthy of his reputation. He's really gentle but powerful at the same time. 10/10 Hadley Fraser plays Grantaire and he makes the new standard for the role with his performance. His baritone is a joy to listen to and they have a unique chemistry with Ramin. 10/10Katie Hall plays Cosette and she's excellent as well. I think that the role of Cosette has few moments to shine or to stand out, but Katie gives a fine performance, so no worries here. 8,5/10Lea Salonga is Fantine, and 15 years after she played Eponine during the 10th anniversary show, she delivers this role incredibly well. Her "I Dreamed a Dream" earns her a big applause and some standing ovation as well. Her low harmonics makes her voice quite unique, and that's something I really like. 9/10 Matt Lucas plays Thenardier and he enjoys his role very much. It is fun to see that Matt's dream comes true on-stage, so be ready for a benefit performance. I found him good. 8/10. Madame Thenardier is played by the veteran Jenny Galloway, so no surprises here :) 8/10 Now one controversial choice of singer: the role of Marius is played by Nick Jonas, member of the (in)famous Jonas Brothers. While Nick tries hard, his acting suffers from many wounds, and his voice is at least one or two leagues weaker than the rest of the cast's. He is not good, not for this role at least. The only possible explanation (other than making steps towards his younger fan-base) is that his weaker voice and young looks help creating the impression that his character is innocent and needs guidance from the more mature characters he hangs out with. 4/10 The tragic role of Eponine is played by Sam Barks, and boy, she is awesome. She is a real beauty, that her looks can only be compared her wonderful singing. Her 'On my own' earns her the show's biggest applause till then. 10/10 Enjorlas is played by musical prodigy Ramin Karimloo. He is absolutely incredible and for me, he is the best Enjorlas ever. His commanding performance and seemingly limitless range of voice is a joy to watch and listen to over and over again! 10/10Norm Lewis is Javert, and the great afro-American singer gives an excellent performance. The role of Javert is possibly the best role in the musical and definitely has the most depth, so it is common that singers make their own interpretation and Norm is no exception. His enunciation is somewhat controversial, but I love his Javert anyway. He is not as good as Quast (and I found EC's Javert better as well), but he gives a commanding presence and a great 'Stars' and soliloquy with full of emotion. 8,5/10 As you can see, the cast is superb, but the real deal is Alfie Boe as JVJ. Now Alfie sets new standards for the singing part of the role, and he is in his own league. He makes you feel that there are absolutely no limits to his wonderful voice as he makes those high Bs and Cs come out so clear and loud like no JVJ did before. His acting is a little stiff here and there, but maybe because his operatic-style of singing and acting, but he compensates it with facial emotions. Stunning. World Class. His 'Bring him home' earned him a standing ovation for minutes. The whole show stopped because of him! 10/10After the show ends, there are two extra songs involving the original and then-current casts from London. Bring Him Home is presented by the 4 Valjeans and One Day More by the original 1985 cast. Good extras!One more thing I really like in this concert: you can clearly feel the love between the cast members, and how the story and the incredible talent of Alfie Boe touch them. For me, these scenes are almost as important as good performances.Well, what can you say? This show made me love Les Mis, and I'm seriously in love with the show itself as well. Brilliant masterpiece which has to be listened to over and over again!

Red_Identity More than anything, as far as entertainment goes, 2012 will be the year I discovered Les Miserables. Anne Hathaway impressed me in Rachel Getting Married, so I found out about Les Mis through hearing she would be in it. So I gathered more and more interest for it as the months went. I then read the novel to prepare myself for the film adaptation of 2012. By the time I saw the film, I was in love with the music, and so this was the first real musical version I saw besides the new film. Yes, I saw it on Youtube, but what a beautiful, magical event. I feel like it's so much a part of me now. It's such an emotional experience that nothing I say can describe what it is to watch it for the first time.

hughman55 I saw this concert on KERA and it was breathtaking. And, not that Nick Jonas needs any help from me, but I think his work here is underrated. For the record I'm not a Jonas Brothers fan. I don't like or dislike them. I only know of their name. I couldn't name one song they've ever performed if you offered me a million dollars. And I don't know if Nick is the short one, the cute one, the fat one, the sexy one, the smart one, the bad boy, etc. BUT, I thought his rendition of "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" was haunting and very effective. There were plenty of vocal chops in this concert. His didn't need to be one more. When Marius Pontmercy sings "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" he is a BOY who has survived war and is racked with survivors guilt His mind is stained with blood and death. Young death. Nick Jonas sings this song with a youth and frailty that fits perfectly with who the character is and the horrors he can't forget. When I read a couple of the less than glowing reviews of his performance I found them at odds with the justice I thought he did for the song. So, I went to Youtube and checked out a few others, and yes, there are much bigger voices doing this piece. Some of them I thought to be very affected and over-sung. I thought Nick Jonas struck a good balance between the vocal demands of the piece and dramatic necessities of a young man forever scarred by death and war. It was very moving and the heavy lifting was done just fine later by Jean ValJean. The contrast was stark and proper. Worked for me!