LES MISERABLES: LET THE PEOPLE SING

Photo: Miles Davies 

Forty years on and it is still so hard to understand why, on its opening, the press slated Les Miserables. Fortunately for the show the public went along anyway and not long after it became the global sensation that it now is, and still running in various productions around the world. Now in celebration of that phenomenon Sir Cameron Mackintosh has released a clutch of amateur licenses across the UK. Fortunately for us Brighton Theatre Group was granted one of those licenses and producer Keith Shepherd has embraced the task of staging this massive piece of musical theatre.

And my what an amazing job he and his associates have done. There was nothing glum about this production, far from it, and in casting the audition net wide, across lots of local theatre groups, from Eastbourne to Worthing, they have pulled in the very best talents to present something truly spectacular and breath takingly impressive.

This was my thirteenth time seeing this show, yes already a fan, and I will not hesitate in saying that this ranks very highly. And by working with people who perform for love and not for money, you can hear an ensemble of immense power, probably only possible now, for economic reasons, in this amateur format. Maybe those major concert productions would have this much oomph but who wants to see and hear it in a massive arena like the O2 when you can enjoy it in the perfect surroundings of Theatre Royal Brighton.

Schoenberg and Boublil’s rendering of Victor Hugo’s epic novel offers a well balanced story of love and revolution, of injustice, poverty and privilege and comes with a delicious amount of comedy to lighten the whole. The score is epic and here is delivered by an orchestra of 14, you seldom see or hear that many musicians in the pit for a pro company, and is led by Dan Lacey with power and conviction.

The whole has been directed by Michael Burnie and Jodie Michele, sharing the credit on this occasion. Michele is usually credited for her choreography but here her management of so many players on so small a stage extends way beyond dance. And the fight direction is down to Ollie Wray, a local actor who is currently performing in the West End production of this very show.

Photo: Miles Davies

The ensemble here is so excellent in every sense and those massive numbers are delivered with incredible power but never at the loss of musicality. You can easily belt out the big ones but not here, power but with finesse. And from the ensemble so many get solo moments, all of which, from the prostitutes to the rebels are sung with clarity and perfect pitch, but also with character.

Photo: Miles Davies

When it comes to character we could not have asked for a better duo than Carl Lovejoy and Lucia Romero Clark as the wickedly funny Thénardiers, sinister comedy at its very best and wonderful diction to boot, you want to hear every word of their great songs and you can.

Philip Lloyd Davies adds a sinister comic moment as the arrogant Bamatabois as Fantine descends into the mire of prostitution that hastens her demise.

The younger members of the company are equally impressive, a very sweetly voiced Juliette Mitchell-Gears as Cosette and a feisty Eponine from Georgia Burns. And once grown Nina Hayward has purity of voice as Cosette and Mitzi Tullet, with some of the best songs in the whole, gives a West End standard performance as Eponine, truly moving in every sense.

Chris Brown’s Enjolras is assured and hearty, a real hero as he leads the students to almost certain death on the barricade. Amie De Valero Bragg is a finely voiced and confident Fantine, so much to deliver in the opening scenes and then a long wait before reappearing in the final tender moments for that delicate and sensitive quintet.

Max Jenkins plays Marius with a sense of youthful innocence that is underpinned by a fine and mature voice and Aaryan Willmott is a delightfully confident and charming Gavroche, again displaying a clarity of diction so often missing.

Photo: Miles Davies

Jean Valjean on the opening night is played with dramatic and vocal force by James Harrington. It’s a demanding role that requires strength in every sense and a wide vocal range too, and this guy has it all, from fiercely angry to touchingly tender, a first class performance on every level.

Photo: Miles Davies

Finally, and by no means least, we come to Javert. The role is demanding in every sense, reserve, dignity, darkly powerful and finely sung to name just a few of the qualities required to make him come to life. Wayne Roberts delivers the performance of the evening in an evening filled with fine performances. Thirteen times in I declare that this is the best Javert I have ever seen, not only dynamically sung but also dynamically acted, a masterpiece.

I have praised the achievements of Brighton Theatre Groups many many times over the years but this time, well let’s just say that the bar is set very high for their future. Congratulations to them all for once again delivering an evening of first class musical theatre.

Andrew Kay

13 August

Theatre Royal Brighton

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