Theatre review: Les Misérables, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

“THE WRETCHED” is the title Victor Hugo gave to his great 1862 novel, best known since 1980 in the form of Claude-Michel Schonberg’s stage musical, with lyrics and text by Herbert Kretzmer, Alain Boublil, and - in English - James Fenton. There’s nothing wretched, though, about the musical version’s astonishing global success over the last 39 years; and now, this current touring version of Cameron Mackintosh’s smash-hit West End production has sold out a complete four-week run at Edinburgh’s 1900-seat Festival Theatre.

Les Miserables at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Theatre review: Les Misérables, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh ****

Based on a radical novel that seeks to expose a desperately unjust penal system and the plight of the 19th century urban poor, the musical version of Les Mis takes a famously romantic and apolitical approach to Hugo’s story. However soft-edged its style, though - and however heavily it leans on Schoenberg’s almost sung-through score of huge, emotive melodies - it has become a much-loved popular opera for our time; and in this staging by Laurence Connor and James Powell, the show - perhaps significantly - is comprehensively stolen by a magnificent Nic Greenshields in the role of the reactionary policeman Javert, rather than by Killian Donnelly’s slightly muted Jean Valjean.

The sets are spectacular, the 14-piece band is magnificent, the 40-strong ensemble sing and act their hearts out, belting out famous numbers from I Dreamed A Dream (superbly sung by Katie Hall’s Fantine) to Can You Hear The People Sing as if their souls depended on it; and if the overall effect is far from revolutionary, it’s still thrilling to see an audience of almost 2,000 people rise as one, to hail a much-loved musical that has, in its way, become the new opium of people, and the heart of a heartless world. - Joyce McMillan

Until 16 February.