Les Miserables school edition

Queen Mary’s College Performing Arts Department

Queen Mary’s College Hall

HOW often can you write, hand on heart, that you believe a star has been born?

The audiences who attend this stirring production directed by the tireless Anne Higgins will witness the incredible performance of young Joe Edmunds as Jean Valjean and realise that they are in the presence of a pretty special singer and actor.

The quality of this young man’s voice has to be heard to be believed and hearts will be broken as he powers his way through the difficult numbers, including a phenomenal rendition of Bring Him Home. It certainly brought a tear to my eye when I saw the show.

But that is not to take anything away from the rest of the cast. Robbie Pilcher is an authoritative, impressive presence as Javert, emphatic in his pursuit of his old foe Valjean, and Lucy Barnes copes beautifully with the demanding role of Fantine.

Nathanael Osman and Laura Whitwell do a great job bringing lovers Marius and Cosette to life, whilst the delightful young performer Caitlin Kruger (alternating the role with Mi Scannelli) delivers a heartrending Castle On A Cloud.

And rousing the troops with passion is Jessica Monteiro as Gavroche.

On opening night, radio microphone issues unfortunately affected our ability to hear some of the main performances in the first half, particularly Aneesa Coelho as Eponine and Leo Holt as Thenardier.

But the latter’s fantastic physical delivery of the key comedic number Master of the House won the audience over regardless, which says a lot for the good work of he and his partner in crime Beth Valler (who alternates the role of Madame Thenadier with Ella Hardy).       

Coelho’s mic was restored, thankfully, in time for us to hear her poignant delivery of one of the show’s standout numbers, On My Own.

Plaudits must also go to the rest of the hardworking performers, the backstage crew, the orchestra, and to Steve Brannam and Andy Foster, who constructed the accomplished barricade.

Ryan Messer’s lighting design is also a triumph throughout, from the fantastic tricolor effect which welcomes the audience into the hall, to the evocative work as Fantine dies and as Jean carries Marius to safety.     

This is Anne Higgins’ tenth musical at QMC. Congratulations must go to her on such a successful period of staging student musicals at the college.

Here’s to the next decade!

*Performances continue tonight and tomorrow. Contact the box office on 01256 418318 or log on to centralstudio.co.uk for ticket details.