Les Miserables School Edition

Les Miserables is an iconic show and one has certain expectations when going to see it. The Drama Department`s production of said show certainly did not disappoint, they brought “it” in bucket loads!

The set contained a large video wall at the rear of the stage which Steven Bailey provided footage filmed of the actual cast members at times which allowed the audience to further connect with the characters that they were seeing right in front of them, he also threw in some incredible looking backdrops.The main set piece is the barricades from Scenic Projects Ltd, these are two huge multi faceted pieces that have to be manouvered in to place and then locked in position sometimes in complete darkness – these were ably controlled by stage manager Tracy Harper and her incredibly hard working, big muscled team . Various tables, chairs, benches etc were used, a gate and floral bench were visible to the front left forward of the stage – this is a small extra performance space due to the shape of the theatre itself. This space lent itself perfectly as older Cosette`s garden and added some depth to the stage space. Props by Sarah McConnell and Matt Bridle were very much in keeping with the era and were handled well by the cast.

Lighting by MSL Ltd allowed Lighting Technician Gary Jones to work a great atmospheric lighting plot, the strong beams of French red, white and blue ran through the production in poignant ribbons. I loved the side beams in the furthest rear flats. I also loved the way Fantine, Eponine and Jean Valjean were lit in his death scene – very simple and yet super effective and beautiful . Bravo!

Sound by Tube Uk Ltd was good throughout with only a few gremlins, the balance between the cast and the  orchestra was good with no overpowering from either side. It is always difficult for the sound team when cast members move off the stage and into the audience area but it proved to be no match for John Redfern and he caught every single one of Cosette`s (Lucy Donoghue) soaring angelic notes.

Costumes by Molly Limpets Theatrical Emporium looked fabulous, they seemed to fit well and they stayed very much in keeping with what we the audience expected to see. Hair and make up were also very much in keeping.

Paul Lawton as Musical Director flexed his “batonic” muscles for this beast of a score, he kept great pace and delivered the spine chilling notes with confidence, all the vocal lines were heard clearly. He ably led both his orchestra and vocalists to a climatic, passionate ending. The standing ovation that I witnessed was very much deserved by all both on and off stage. Choreography by Dawn Leigh was fairly simple and well executed, I particularly enjoyed the Thenadier`s song.  Michael McCaw as Director had the unenviable task of moving this musical from page to stage using actors only up to the age of 21 and putting his own interpretation/twist on things without detracting from the original at all. In my opinion he should be very pleased with himself and all his cast and crew that have followed his vision – it was an absolute triumph! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

The whole cast deserve a mention for bringing their passion, trust and talent to this show . I cannot single out any weak link, every line was sung with attack, there was great connection with the audience and as I watched this show I believed that you were your characters and not just acting them. It was a change to see Daniel Eccles (Javert) playing a serious part but he proved himself more than capable, he gave a good solid performance with some strong vocals . I would have liked to see an actual rope round his wrists instead of mime acting when Javert was tied up at The Barricades, but perhaps it got lost in the dark? Harry O`Conner as The Bishop of Digne gave us some great vocals and a strong stage presence. Toby Fullman as Marius also had some great vocals and held his own when singing with Cosette (Lucy Donaghue) he showed a lovely soft side to his character at Eponine`s death.  Eleni James (Eponine) delivered a heart wrenching performance of “On My Own” and made the stage her own every time she appeared on it. Reuben Ryder and Olivia Williams as Thenadier and Madame Thenadier showed some exquisite comedy timing, they were big, brash, loud and horrible, but also slightly loveable.  Scarlett Bailey (Little Cosette) delivered  a haunting, note perfect performance of “Castle On A Cloud." She was equally matched in cuteness by Brodie Robinson (Gavroche) when he died on the barricades I don’t think their was a dry eye in the house – I expect to see him doing even more great things in the future! His vocals in “Little People” were great, his diction was very clear and presentation good. Harrison Bramhall-Knowles (Enjolras) on the performance that I saw his mic failed early on, but I was pleased to later both see and hear his passion in his cry to arms, he had some good stage presence and made a good connection both with the audience and with his fellow castmates on stage. Olivia Small (Fantine) is such a generous and effortless performer, she is blessed with an expressive face and she brings a gentle strength to her performance, her vocal masterclass delivery of “I Dreamed A Dream” was an absolute joy to hear, she has marvellous diaphragmatic breathing technique and superb stage presence. Another songbird is Lucy Donaghue (Cosette) her notes soared to the rafters with strength and such purity of note it almost made me cry. Ben Hadfield (Jean Valjean) owned his part, he delivered each note with conviction and passion, used his stage space naturally and made a great connection with the audience.

The ensemble worked their socks off, it was obvious that this production was special, every single person in it was getting something different out of it, they all laid their passion on the line for the audience to see.

Thank you for inviting me. Myself and my guest enjoyed your production of Les Miserables School Edition and I look forward to seeing you all again very soon.    

 

   

 

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