Les Misérables Performance - Staff Reviews

Les Misérables Review from Mr Hatfield (Subject Leader for Religious Education)

The wave of sound from the live orchestra crashed over my senses, immediately transporting me to 19th century France with a shiver of awe. The sheer amount of music, not to mention the technical difficulty, would have many schools running to outsource. But such is the strength and ambition of the music department under Mr Burvill’s experienced leadership that the school put together their own student-teacher orchestra who delivered each song with such professionalism the audience could have been forgiven for thinking themselves in the West End.

Credit to students in Orchestra: Connie W, Rosie, N, Charlotte, L, Hazel M, Liam S, Evie S, Charlie M, Sayaka Z, Anna M, Kitty B and Millie B.

The flawlessness of the production didn’t stop there. Like a duck flowing smoothly on the surface of the water whilst paddling diligently underneath, the backstage crew were working so hard and so efficiently that the myriad of set changes, mic changes, costume changes, lighting details, props to manage and all the unseen, and too often unsung, minutiae that the performance requires, all ran without a hitch. In every sense of the word, they set the stage perfectly.

Credit to students in Production Roles: Hugo W-B, Luke M, Lily M, Annabel L, Amelie S

Credit to students in Crew: Abi S, Amber C, Amy K, Elsie W, Esme M, Flora B, Gracie H, Lizzie H, Millie C, Frances T.

The on- and off-stage elements were coordinated beautifully thanks to the Direction of Dr Passfield, with support from Assistant Directors Gemma S and Liam S. The ambition of taking on a show like this is further underscored by the vastness of the cast with 18 principles and 27 additional characters and ensemble, many playing multiple characters.

Such an undertaking would require a magnitude of talent greater in scale than has yet been attempted in any school performance I have seen. Critical to this endeavour would be the roles of the protagonist Valjean (Krish P) and his foil, Javert (Tom M). Though more will be said at the end of this review, their unbelievable vocals, the level of class and acting skill garnered rapt attention from start to finish.

The challenge to the cast commenced with brilliant staging, melodic solos and exquisite harmonies in such classic scenes as the ‘Prologue’ (Look Down), ‘At the End of the Day’ and ‘Lovely Ladies’ where excellent performances of all on stage wove a tapestry of theatre that had me hooked from the outset. The tension between Lois C and Fantine (Sonia G) coupled with the swagger of Foreman (Inca C) as he casts Fantine aside in ‘At the End of the Day,’ was utterly gripping. Sonia’s following rendition of Fantine’s ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ brought genuine tears to my eyes. Yet, the emotional journey was far from over.

The innocent longing of Young Cosette (Lucy O) in ‘Castle on a Cloud,’ Young Gavroche’s endearing bravery and ultimate sacrifice (Rosie B), and the poignant love triangle between the grown-up Marius (Poppy N), Cosette (Ella M), and Eponine (Sabrina N) were all deeply moving. The angelic voice of Cosette (Ella M) in ‘A Heart Full of Love,’ the haunting rendition of ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’ by Marius (Poppy N), and Eponine’s crushingly beautiful demise in ‘A Little Fall of Rain’ (Sabrina N) were all delivered with profound emotional depth, exceptional skill, and professionalism in both acting and vocals. I also had the privilege of working with this talented cast in some acting coaching and staging, in particular the Javert/Valjean fight scene

and Valjean/Marius Sewers ‘carry’ scene. Each actor who I worked with responded with professionalism and they were all a pleasure to work with.

However, this is not the end. If you thought Les Misérables would fluctuate only between the heartrending and the heartwarming, you would be mistaken. A thread of humour was artistically woven through this rich tapestry of performance by the inimitable Thenardier (Evelyn J) and Madame Thenardier (Lucie F). The comic timing, accents and characterisation of the Thenardier’s, particularly in ‘Master of the House’ and ‘Beggars at the Feast’ had me in tears again, though this time from laughter. Adding to this cavalcade of emotion was the rousing ‘Red and Black’, ‘Do you Hear the people sing?’ and the whole barricade sequence, led commandingly by Enjolras (Maria B) and supported with gusto by his (her) fellow Students; Marius (Poppy N) Grantaire (Clara K), Combeferre (Mira L), Courferac (Inca C), Feuilly (Sophie B), Joly (Nicole N), Lesgles (Lois C) and Prouvaire (Eden S). The importance of the broader cast was again underscored in ‘Empty Chairs’ as the ghostly Students set the emotional backdrop. The heartfelt sorrow of the vocals converged with the movement on stage as a ghostly effigy extended a single hand to Marius’s shoulder, poignantly timed, at the climax of the song.

Finally, the iconic characters of Javert (Tom M) and Jean Valjean (Krish P) were brought to life with a maturity, heart, depth, and talent that was beyond their years. Portraying these legendary roles was a tall order, yet they rose to the occasion and then some. Tom and Krish depicted the conflict between Javert’s justice and Valjean’s grace masterfully, communicating the narrative, character and relationship between the two with a performance worthy of any stage. That alone would have been enough, but the vocals and emotion conveyed in Javert’s ‘Soliloquy’ and ‘Stars’, and in Valjean’s ‘Who Am I’, ‘In My Life’ and ‘Bring Him Home’ were done with such effortless power that it left the audience speechless and only able to respond with cathartic applause as a means of conveying their adulation.

To say it simply, as many were repeating endlessly during their exit from the theatre, as they scrambled for words to accurately convey the impact of the show, this performance of Les Misérables was genuinely ‘stunning’. Throat raw from cheering and eyes red from tears of laughter and sadness meant the end to a truly triumphant evening of theatrical excellence. A huge congratulations to all those involved on a job well done, and whatever show you put on next year… save me a ticket.

Credit to the Additional Characters and Ensemble referenced, but not named, above: Holly A, Pearl A, Amy B, Elena C, Lily C, Rinka C, Bella D, Heather E, Beatrix G, Esther G, Neve G, Sophie G, Amelie GL, Flo H, Juno H, Milo K, Flora L, Elada M, Isabelle M, Robyn M, Sophie M, Anna N, Emily P, Sophie P, Anoushka R, Coralie S, Gemma S.

Les Misérables Review from Ms Batts (Teacher of English)

As I found my seat at the school production of Les Miserables on opening night, one of my students in the row behind told me ‘I don’t know anything about the French Revolution.’

‘I think this takes place after’ I replied, but to be honest, my knowledge of history was also limited. What I did know was that I had been hearing the rehearsal of this show for weeks and from what I heard, this promised to be something special.

The Langton Girls’ Grammar production of Les Miserables was staged at the Malthouse Theatre for a four night run from Wednesday to Saturday at the beginning of March. The school is home to a talented collection of performers and singers, from the youngest in KS3 to those finishing out their school years in the sixth form.

At its heart, Les Miserables is a musical about characters caught in the throes of political upheaval—their relationships, dreams, and hopes—and this production captured that incredibly well.

The Malthouse was a new venue for the school, and they made full use of its potential. The split-level staging and industrial background meant that the potential for scenes was versatile.

The leading roles in this production were beautifully sung and convincingly performed, but their performances were made all the more impactful through the seamless transitions in scenery and the lighting of the stage. Jean Valjean’s journey—from prison to the church to the streets of Paris— was made all the more vivid by the fluid scene transitions, which made him appear as if he was passing through seamlessly.

The ensemble brought the streets of Paris to life, filling the stage in just the right places- a versatile group, they could at once be working women in a factory, drunkards in an inn or revolutionaries fighting for their cause. Their acting in particular should be commended- their reactions to the situations unfolding on stage made the story all the more convincing.

Madame and Monsieur Thénardier’s comedic timing was impeccable. The pair worked together really well, particularly when it came to the ‘Master of the House’ number. It’s a versatile set of roles: at times they were endearingly comical, at times unnervingly cruel. This, of course, was all enhanced by the excellent use of accents and physical performance- you got the impression of Monsieur Thernardier as a roguish chancer with the gift of the gab.

And, as the curtain raised again for the second part, the stage had transformed into the barricade, dramatically lit in red, white and blue. I particularly enjoyed the appearance of a Parisian soldier in the balcony seating to call the revolutionaries down using a megaphone. Lit by the spotlight, she extended the action out into the audience. This barricade was used to its utmost potential- the actors placed themselves with their prop rifles in such a way they appeared to be firing into unseen streets beyond the stage.

The orchestra too accompanied the singers with brilliant timing and skill. On the rare occasions I looked away from the stage, it fascinated me to see them playing such a varied and extended series of pieces. Having a live orchestra made all the difference to developing the emotional intensity of this performance.

Langton Girls’ is full of talent. Special appreciation has to go to the drama and music departments, who have created these opportunities for our students to perform to such a professional standard. The school has developed a phenomenal repertoire of performances- you won’t want to miss the next one.