Les Miserables, The Mayflower, Southampton.

EVERY superlative in the English dictionary must have been used to describe Les Miserables over the years, but the 25th anniversary production is just about as close to musical theatre perfection as you are ever likely to encounter.

Cameron Mackintosh has pulled out all the stops for this revised version, with a spectacular cast who deserved every second of their lengthy and rapturous standing ovation. The applause was thunderous, or in the case of Earl Carpenter’s Javert, the boos and hisses were deafening.

Carpenter is the perfect villain opposite John Owen Jones who turns in the most incredible performance as Jean Valjean.

Gareth Gates is a revelation as Marius, showing off a remarkable vocal range and sizzling alongside both Katie Hall as Cosette and Rosalind James as Eponine.

Lynne Wilmot and Ashley Artus have bags of fun and perfect comedy timing as the grotesque thenardiers and Toby Prynne, our Gavroche, is surely a star in the making.

Much of the first act is spent on introductions to the huge cast of characters which feature in this dark tale set amid the chaos of post-revolution France.

Victor Hugo’s tragic yet inspirational story is one of forgiveness, love, betrayal and sacrifice for the greater good. These are themes as old as time, but Les Miserables is now bought firmly into the 21st century with thrilling special effects which give the show a cinematic feel.

The score is spine-tingling, the set design ingenious and the story as poignant as ever.

This is one musical theatre institution that has only got better with age.

Tickets for the remainder of the three-week run are scarce, but do all you can to see the World’s longest-running musical. Just don’t forget your tissues.

Les Miserables runs until Saturday September 11. Box office 023 8071 1811