In his Daily Mail column Friday First/Hot Gossip, London writer Baz Bamigboye reported enthusiastically on a Sadler's Wells press preview of Martin Guerre, the latest musical by the Les Miserables team.

Martin Guerre, which is scheduled to begin previews June 21 and open July 10 at London's Prince Edward Theatre.

Referring to the rivalry between Andrew Lloyd Webber and his former partner Cameron Mackintosh, the columnist wrote, "Lloyd Webber may not be pleased to know that in the high-stakes world of major musical, he's about to be swept off center stage by the sheer vivacity and melodic excitement of his rival Mackintosh's £3.75 million musical, Martin Guerre, which will propel its young stars Juliette Caton and Iain Glen to international stardom."

The musical, by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, who also wrote Miss Saigon, has "funny songs, sad songs and love songs." The columnist wrote, "From the moment the overture began, I was swept away." He singled out the tune "All I Know" as "a soaring melody."

Bamigboye alluded to Lloyd Webber's revivals of Jesus Christ Superstar and By Jeeves, but wrote "The electrifying emotional force of Martin Guerre will eclipse both shows to become the musical of 1996."The production has English lyrics by Edward Hardy, direction by Declan Donnellan and music direction by David Abell.