By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN?: Friday 9 October, opens 20 October and runs through 31 October 2026

The best reason to see this re-imagined revival of Martin Guerre is to hear new song Someday (watch and listen below) which very much reminds of Schönberg and Boublil’s best loved work Les Miserables thanks in part to Liv Andrusier’s beautiful vocal.

• Read on for reasons including how Martin Guerre is a bit of a damp squib on which to end Warchus’ firework-filled reign at this iconic venue

This re-imagined revival of Martin Guerre is likely the last new work by the venue’s artistic director Matthew Warchus after 11 years as the Old Vic helm with so many highlights to remember.

It’s clearly a passion project for Warchus who writes of it in the programme: ‘I saw the original Cameron Mackintosh production of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alan Boublil’s (Les Miserables) at the Prince Edward Theatre in 1996 … I started to wonder about a new version of the show, reconceived as an intense and intimate folk tale – a domestic tragedy performed by a small ensemble in the intimacy of an in-the-round configuration.’

He contacted Schönberg and Boublil who had similar thoughts for the future of their work after seeing an in-the-round performance of The Crucible at the Old Vic in 2014 – and they began working together.

Warchus remembers this approach would ‘almost completely dispose of the religious wars, which had helped give the original production its epic scale, and reframe the musical as a psychological drama in which the passions of the heart provide the battleground’.

Based on a real-life story, you join us in 1548 in Atigat, an isolated settlement south of Toulouse, where a young man – the titular Guerre – fled his village and his young wife and disappeared.

Seven years later he returns as a grown man, resuming his marriage, but he is accused of being an imposter and a trial takes place.

We didn’t see the 1996 Guerre and our 1st impression is of how ridiculously unsympathetic the villagers are to our protaganists, so much so that an unintended comic touchpoint would be The League Of Gentlemen questioning how local people are.

The songs do remind of the classic tale of injustice that is Les Miserables but to do so also reveals that these songs are not quite of its standard and that the story has far less universal relevance.

Warchus is to be succeded by Rupert Goold from the Almeida and already has his best new work transferring to the Bridge Theatre next month in Pride, 1 of the best shows of the year and, whisper it, perhaps ever.

Unfortunately though Martin Guerre is a bit of a damp squib on which to end his firework-filled reign at this iconic venue.

• Main pictures by via Facebook courtesy Old Vic Tickets
• Have you seen an Old Vic show before and what did you think of it? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Enjoyed this preview? Follow monstagigz on Twitter @NeilDurham, email neildurham3@gmail.com and check us out on Instagram and Facebook