Les Miserables School Edition

On Tuesday, January 28th, I had the pleasure of visiting Droylsden Academy to watch their production of Les Misérables. For those unfamiliar, this musical is set in 19th-century France. It closely follows the life of Jean Valjean, an ex-convict seeking redemption. He takes care of Cosette, travels across France, and faces the tumult of the French Revolution. Throughout this musical, we are exposed to themes of social and political struggle, love, passion, and courage.

After a warm and friendly welcome from the staff at Droylsden Academy, we took our seats centrally in the auditorium, offering an excellent view of the already exposed set. The set comprised of a raised platform and various moveable flats, brilliantly pre-lit to heighten the dramatic impact of the design. Despite not being a conventional theatre space, the performing arts department did a fantastic job utilising the area for a performance setting.

The production opened with powerful energy from every performer on stage. Entrances were slick and meaningful, enveloping the dramatic tension from the very moment they appeared. Each performer gave 100%, and it was lovely to see that although this production doesn’t feature much dance choreography, coordinating a significant number of performers to move in various directions and formations, with entrances and exits, likely required a lot of resilience and patience. The performers demonstrated just that with excellent stagecraft throughout the production, demonstrating excellent performance discipline. This musical in particular requires a mass of ensemble performers to make it work, and I must say that every single performer in the ensemble gave a focused and powerful performance.

The set designs constructed by the pupils were brilliant and aligned with the musical's intent. The platform's used added interest in the change of levels and proxemics between characters and performers. It was heartening to see pupils taking active roles off stage, recognising that these roles are also integral to a successful production.

Several performers deserve a mention here. Isaac Short, playing Javert, gave a powerful performance with conviction, consistently characterised by a powerful stance and body language in fitting with the role. Both Mia Pearce, playing Fantine, and Izzy Sinclair, playing Éponine, gave convincing and emotive performances, taking the audience on an emotional journey with great interaction with other characters. Madame Thenardier, played by Leyla Francis gave an impressionable performance with lovely stage presence and facial expression. Evie Quinlan, playing Jean Valjean, portrayed an impressive character, engaging the audience as a repentant, honourable, and dignified man. Evie’s vocals complemented the artistic intention beautifully.

There were moments in the performance where I struggled to hear some of the vocals. When using backing tracks, especially in such a large space, careful attention to sound levels is crucial to ensure both performers and music can be heard. Additionally, my seating position might have impacted my view, however, when positioning performers close to the front of the audience on tiered seating, they can sometimes disappear from sight when the auditorium is full.

The lighting design throughout the production was good. A particular favourite was the underlighting used in the barricade section, excellently lighting the set from a different angle and further highlighting the performers' facial expressions.

Overall, it was an impressive performance of Les Misérables, with powerful energy and conviction from all involved. It was lovely to see so many pupils engaged in performing arts at this school and, most importantly, enjoying it. It was a delight to visit the school and the performing arts department. Thank you once again for your hospitality, and I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Andy Milthorpe

NODA District 1 Representative

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