Les Miserables

Upstagers at the King's Hall, Ilkley

Thursday, March 20

Based on Victor Hugo's celebrated novel set in early to mid-19th century revolutionary France, Les Miserables tells the story of convict 24601, Jean Valjean, who eventually finds redemption after serving a sentence of 19 years on the chain gang for stealing bread for his starving sister’s family.

Attending the first night of the Upstagers’ lavish staging of this fabulous, almost unremittingly dark - but ultimately uplifting - musical, there were times when I found it hard to believe that I wasn’t in a West End theatre.

That goes for both the stunning visual spectacle and the extraordinary musical quality of Gill Jackson's production. Les Mis is a “sung through” show with no spoken dialogue requiring strong lyric voices and abundant vocal stamina.

Upstagers’ vibrant company handsomely meets these exacting demands. Dalton Wood sings and acts the role of Jean Valjean; he stages the character’s transmutation from embittered ex-con to factory owner and Town Mayor with great sensitivity.

Tom Ramsay’s vocal warmth and intelligent characterisation makes Valjean’s chief adversary, the police inspector Javert, into an (almost) likeable human being. Sixteen-year-old Bradley Johnson sings and acts the role of Marius with feeling and nuance that belies his years. Marius falls in love with Cosette who is sung with charm and tonal colour by Robyn McIntyre.

Kayleigh Newsome is poignant as the street prostitute Fantine whose powerfully projected songs include At the end of the Day, and I Dreamed a Dream. Enjolras is sung by Alex Hall who makes a vivid impression as leader of the student revolutionaries in the spectacular Act ll ensembles and battle scenes at the street barricade. Emma Williams sings Eponine’'s songs On My Own and A Little Fall of Rain with heart rending resignation. Ten year-old Joseph Walker tugs the heartstrings as Gavroche, the brave little street urchin. Eponine’s parents, the villainous Innkeepers Monsieur & Mme Thenardier played by Michael McGeough and Megan Crowley, provide the only light relief in the entire show. Thenardier’s boisterous Master of the House song is projected with immense verve and cut-throat comic timing.

The orchestra, led by musical director Phil Walsh, does full justice to Claude-Michel Schonberg’s iconic score. Big ensemble numbers such as One Day More and Do You Hear the People Sing are sung with scorching intensity by the company.

This is the first time that I have seen Les Miserables since being knocked out by the show at The Palace Theatre in the West End back in February 1991. Twenty three years later, I have been knocked out again! Upstagers will stage the Broadway musical Sister Act at the Bradford Alhambra from July 17 -19.

Geoffrey Mogridge