With the pall of the abysmal recent screen adaptation hanging over my head, I journeyed to the Palace Theater last night to view Les Misérables, the beloved musical version of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel, and although the stench of Tom Hooper's clunker could not be completely extricated, I must say that the stage production was a lively and moving experience. With its cast of booming voices, the orchestral melodies, and the magnificent sets, it is easier to overlook the lyrics, which seem at times as if they were composed by a 5-year-old. Looking back at the mesmerized audience from my corner balcony seat, and later regarding the numerous bawling women exiting the theater, I realized what a sensational production this is, and wished I had skipped that bloated, confounded film.
