EDINBURGH 2023: Review: LES MILLENNIABLES, TheSpace @ Niddry St, Upper Theatre

As someone whose favourite musical is Les Misérables, as soon as I saw the poster for Les Millénniables, the classic drawing of Cosette inside of an avocado, I knew that I had to check this show out.

Les Millénniables takes the characters of the musical and puts them into the 21st century in situations reflecting what they faced in the 19th century. Jean Valjean is on the run from Javert over student debt, Fantine is selling her hair for money, and Enjolras is leading a rebellion against those in power. There are plenty of millennial-themed jokes including Tamagotchi, Spongebob, and, of course, avocado toast.

Instead of the classical music from the musical that we know and love, Les Millénniables creates parodies of pop songs. Of course, there are some bits of the original musical that poke through at times. All of the actors have incredible vocals, particularly the actor playing Javert, who stole the show with their solo performance. I found myself rooting for Javert more than I ever had in the original Les Misérables! Gavroche also acts as a narrator of sorts, explaining time jumps and pausing the story to talk with the audience.

The show occasionally attempts to be serious, taking a pause from jokes and songs to reflect on the horrors of society, but these moments tend to fall flat and slow the pace of the show. I much preferred when social issues were brought into the show through song with a light touch, tying them together with the issues that the characters of Les Misérables faced. The “metaphorical” deaths also tended to be quite amusing, particularly Enjolras spread out across a tiny couch. 

Ultimately, Les Millénniables is a fun show that works best when it is not taking itself seriously. The actors are a talented and passionate group and the script is written with a clear love for musical theatre. I would definitely recommend it for fans of  Les Misérables, especially millennials who will take extra pleasure in the jokes about what it’s like to be entering the adult world in the 2000s.

Les Millénniables ran at theSpace @ Niddry St, Upper Theatre (Round) at 21:25.