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The last time I watched Les Misérables was in 2015, at London’s West End. It was the full shebang: revolving stage, looming barricades, the works. So when I heard Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular was coming to Singapore, I was curious but also slightly sceptical. This is a show built on scale and storytelling. Strip that back and what’s left?
Now at the Sands Theatre until May 10, Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular arrives off the back of a sold-out global tour, with more than a million tickets snapped up worldwide. It’s a concert version, essentially, and it leans fully into that.
A quick refresher, if needed: the iconic sung-through musical is based on Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, adapted for the stage by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil in 1980, and later turned into a global phenomenon by Cameron Mackintosh. It was last staged in Singapore in 2016 at the Esplanade. This version is a different proposition.
There’s no set in the traditional sense. No barricades, no props. Instead, you get a tiered stage, a full orchestra in view and large projection screens. The cast – more than 65 performers and musicians – stands and delivers. The storytelling is still there, but it takes a back seat to the music. That shift is the point. And for the most part, it works.
Without the visual clutter, the focus shifts almost entirely to the music. And the payoff is huge. ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ feels even more intimate. ‘Stars’ is steady and controlled. ‘One Day More’ builds exactly as it should, with the full company driving it forward. If you already know the show, you don’t miss much – the emotional beats still land.
The stellar international cast does a lot of the heavy lifting. Gerónimo Rauch’s Jean Valjean is measured and consistent, matched by Jeremy Secomb’s more rigid Javert. Singapore's very own Nathania Ong brings a clear emotional edge to Éponine, while Red Concepción leans into the comic relief of Thénardier. Musical theatre royalty Lea Salonga, returning to the show as Madame Thénardier this time, is a reminder of how closely she’s tied to this material too.
Where it falls short is in the staging. The concert format means some scenes lose context, especially if you’re not familiar with the plot. The big screens help as they pull you in close and catch expressions you’d otherwise miss, but they can’t fully replace the physical action. Some of the lighting-heavy sequences, particularly the battle moments, feel a bit abstract.
Where it falls short is in the staging. The concert format means some scenes lose context, especially if you’re not familiar with the plot. The big screens help as they pull you in close and catch expressions you’d otherwise miss, but there are moments where you miss the grit and physicality of a proper set. Some of the lighting-heavy sequences, particularly the battle moments, feel a bit abstract.
Compared to the traditional staging, this feels more pared back despite its scale. You’re not watching a world unfold, but listening to it being performed. Would I pick this over the traditional staging? If it’s your first time, probably not. Nothing quite replaces the magic of seeing the story in full theatrical detail. But if, like me, you’ve already sat through the barricades and lived to tell the tale, this Arena Spectacular offers something else: a heightened, almost concert-like experience that lets the music take centre stage.
Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular is now playing at Sands Theatre till May 10, with tickets start from $99. Secure your spot here.
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