LES MISÉRABLES: LET THEPEOPLE SING! REVIEWS - 2025

REVIEW BY PHIL LOWE - EAST MIDLANDS THEATRE

Les Misérables: Let The People Sing! is produced here at Nottingham Theatre Royal by special arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh and Music Theatre International. It has been created by Nottingham Operatic Productions in collaboration with Carlton Operatic Society, The Cast and Nottingham Theatre, Royal. It is a UK amateur premiere of Les Misérables in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s beloved legendary musical with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.

Taking place between March to August 2025 the project will see eleven community wide productions of Les Misérables: Let The People Sing! being mounted in cities across the United Kingdom. These are Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Norwich, Porthcurno (Cornwall), and Swansea. This full length show has never been made available to amateur groups in the UK and has generated huge excitement in amateur musical circles and in the theatre going public’s hearts. An edited Schools’ edition was previously launched in 2002 to mark the bicentennial of Victor Hugo’s birth.

Nottingham Operatic Society, Carlton Operatic Society and The Cast have created an extraordinarily wonderful and unique stage re-working production of Les Misérables with a cast of over one hundred. As an episodic piece of musical theatre each scene slips one into the other like magical mercury. This is down to the discipline of the cast under the direction of David Covey and Justine Lee (Movement Consultant) and long hours of preparation and rehearsals from all involved. Plus invaluable support from MTI.

There are also two sets of main principals and child characters and this review concerns the cast on the opening night. To be fair to both casts of principals, I am reviewing on the second night too. C’est une vie difficile mais quelqu’un doit le faire.

So, right from the off, that thrilling opening orchestral prologue has us lovers of musicals hearts a-racing and this potent and fantastic production already proves itself visually and orally stunning. Et, mes amis dans le public, we are hardly a few minutes into le spectacle. If you want to know the whole storyline blow-by-blow by musical number by life-changing brutal and romantic engagements this isn’t the type of review for you. We like to keep it short and tease you with the highlights. And buy a programme you blumming cheapskates. It’s all in there.

One thing that is absolutely key to this Nottingham Theatre Royal production is the way that the gloriously talented ensemble are used throughout the whole show and often in creative ways that are quite different from the West End production. The big choral pieces like “Lovely Ladies”, “One Day More”, “End of The Day”, “Do You Hear The People Sing?” “Master of The House”, and “Look Down” are acted and sung with astonishingly powerful emotion and voices. Other more tender songs such as “Turning”, break one’s heart and get the tears flowing. The singing throughout is incredibly good and technically perfect – big numbers- solos, two and three part harmonies – the works. Morven Harrison’s musical direction is superb and her orchestra are musical perfection in their handling and playing of the score.

Morgan Brind’s scenic design is visually bold and smart enough to allow all sorts of imaginative entrances and exits and boy does this production utilise the creative nature of the main set. The costumes are period perfection. The show is graced with terrific lighting (Tom Mowat), acoustically spot on sound by Michael Donoghue the sound designer and operator. David Birt is wig master. The wig work is brilliant and most convincing on stage.

Leading the cast are Ollie Last (Jean Valjean) and Dan Armstrong (Inspector Javert). Both are two very talented actor/singers and excellent in the entirety of their demanding roles. The physical confrontation at the bedside of the dead Fantine is convincingly fought and each actor’s well known songs such as “Stars” and “Bring Him Home” gain rapturous applause from tonight’s audience.

M. and Madame Thénardier (Simon Theobold and Hilary Leam) are a well anticipated fun but scary aspect of any Les Mis fan watching the show, and this daft dynamic duo do not disappoint. Full of frantic and cunning energy Theobold and Leam light up the stage with their character personalities and on off criminal relationship.

Francesca Lewis’ portrayal of the lovelorn Éponine is sweet and vulnerable yet tough, perfection both in her desires to be with the charming Marius (excellently played and beautifully sung by Craig Youngman) and in her singing. “A Little Fall Of Rain” never sounded so good as Lewis does it here.

Cosette’s ill fated mother Fantine (Ella Greenwood) needs to switch from giddy romance to deeply felt tragedy within a short space of stage time and Greenwood does socially neglected grief stricken woman tremendously well. We feel her pain and her dying concerns for her little daughter. Little Cosette is played by Caitlin tonight. Her singing of the poignant “Castle On A Cloud” is a reminder of abused childhood innocence and very well executed by Miss Leighton.

Laurel Jones, as the young adult Cosette, is much more affecting than is sometimes the case. We really feel her desires for Marius and especially in the scene with her aging father, Jean Valjean, as she pleads with him for her independence. Her “A Heart Full of Love” is an unparalleled vocal triumph.

Harley Butler makes for a cheeky Gavroche and is well liked by tonight’s audience.

This production is musical theatre perfection throughout the whole show. Whether we are appalled by the brutality of the prison slavery of Jean Valjean and the other prisoners or uplifted by the bravery of Enjolras (Harri Evans) and the courageous students or amused by the gross Thénardiers this amateur production is professionalism writ large. Every soul on this stage tonight shows 100% total commitment. Yet one character has been given much more stage time than is usually the case. And it works very effectively. This is the extension of the part of The Bishop of Digne (Christopher Grantham). After he has told Jean Valjean that his life journey now belongs to God, the Bishop then becomes a spiritual guide appearing silently in the shadows as Jean Valjean tries to do good in his life and during historical moments of great danger and deadly insurrection. I can’t wait to see it all again on Wednesday night!

This production will go down in local amateur musicals as a stand alone landmark production.

EAST MIDLANDS THEATRE - SECOND REVIEW

So here I am once again at the Nottingham Theatre Royal for the Wednesday night performance of Les Misérables: Let The People Sing! with a new cast of principals in the roles of Jean Valjean, Inspector Javert, Éponine, the Thénardiers and new children playing Gavroche and Little Cosette and Young Éponine. This review is not meant to compare the fine acting and singing demonstrated last night but just us supporting this theatrical endeavour and the companies involved. East Midlands Theatre thank you all for the gracious second press invite. Phil Lowe

This is one of those brilliantly done shows that I could happily watch for every one of the eight performances this week. C’est une vie difficile mais quelqu’un doit le faire.

Zak Charlesworth (Jean Valjean) and Kirt Hammonds (Inspector Javert) play fantastically strong leading protagonists. Charlesworth every inch the angry broken member of Javert’s chain gang redeemed through God’s blessing; a man who eventually learns through many hardships and sacrifices the true meaning of love. Tonight’s audience certainly feel the power and beauty of his acting and singing.

Kirt Hammond’s daunting Inspector Javert is a officer of the law you wouldn’t want to mess with and Hammond infuses his character with a short fuse, an imposing gait, impenetrable attitudes on the law and justice as he sees it and a super strong voice to die for. His dramatic interactions with Charlesworth’s Jean Valjean make for incredible musical theatre.

Victor Hugo describes M. and Madame Thénardier (Daniel Bogod and Siân Scattergood-Grantham ) thus: a small skinny untrustworthy swallow faced man who smiled constantly as a matter of precaution. Madame Thénardier: Everything trembled at the sound of her voice, window panes, furniture, people. They were an ugly and dreadful pair, the Thénardiers, a marriage of cunning and fury. Bogod and Scattergood-Grantham’s excellent characterizations are much more geared towards the villainous uncaring Thénardiers; a serious pair of fraudsters and thieves. Occasionally we get a glimpse of dark humour and malicious glee predominantly in the wedding scene. As they sing and propose – “We’re the ones who make it in the end.”

Jenna Hancock’ portrayal of the lovelorn Éponine steers away from sugary inclinations and, whilst periodically vulnerable, Hancock portrays her as a tougher streetwise girl who secretly desires to be with the charming Marius (excellently played and beautifully sung by Craig Youngman). Her singing of “A Little Fall Of Rain” is exquisite.

Cosette’s ill fated mother Fantine (Ella Greenwood) needs to switch from giddy romance to deeply felt tragedy within a short space of stage time and Greenwood does socially neglected grief stricken woman tremendously well. We feel her pain and her dying concerns for her little daughter. Little Cosette is played by Mabel Kay tonight. Her singing of the poignant “Castle On A Cloud” is a sad reminder of abused childhood hiding in a veil of innocence and very well executed by Miss Kay.

Henri Reynolds is a confident clearly spoken lovable Gavroche and is well liked by tonight’s audience. Betty Barnes is Young Éponine.

REVIEW BY DARREN PATTERSON - NOTTINGHAMLIVE.CO.UK

When it comes to musicals I have a bit of a love hate relationship, however one of the ones that I REALLY love is the adaptation of Hugo Victor’s novel Les Miserables, as a huge fan of the Hugh Jackman led movie, I was very excited to finally get to see this classic on stage, and what’s more it was a brand new amateur adaptation of the musical celebrating 40 years of the show.

Led by Nottingham Operatic Society – themselves celebrating their centenary – this was a thrilling performance that had me gripped from the first notes of ‘Look Down’ to the crashing crescendo of ‘Do you hear the people sing’ that had the audience on their feet. The amateur cast, made up of over a 100 (though some roles are split over multiple actors) were in fine form, throwing their all into every number.

It would be difficult, given the space, to do justice to everyone in this wonderful cast, but it would be remiss not to point out a few of my favourites, Dan Armstrong’s Javert was wonderfully intimidating and powerful, proving an erstwhile “villain” through the show, and his sparring with Ollie Last’s Jean Valjean was delightful. Last, as the defecto lead carried the show wonderfully as a sympathetic former prisoner looking to make good and Ella Greenwood was an excellent Fantine, and gave a stunning rendition of ‘I Dream a Dream’.

For me though, the best part of this show has always been the middle section when focus turns to the revolution and the young men and women fighting for freedom and I am pleased to say this did not disappoint. All the performers excelled here, in particular I thoroughly enjoyed the performances of Harri Evans as revolution leader Enjolras and young Henry Armstrong as the cheeky, resolute and brave Gavroche, while Craig Youngman carried the role of Marius well, giving a wonderful rendition of ‘Empty Chairs’ that was one of the stand out moments of the show.

Francesca Lewis was absolutely outstanding as Eponine, probably my favourite character in the whole show, delivering a stunning, heartbreaking performance, while Laurel Jones was a much more likeable Cosette than the first person and made me actually care for the relationship between her and Marius (which the film does not).

Word must also go to Hilary Leam and Simon Theobald as Madame and Mr Thenardier who added much needed levity and laughter to the show, not least with a wonderful wedding dance, while Christopher Grantham’s Bishop of Digne was a powerful, if mostly silent, presence throughout.

I could gush on for much much longer about how wonderful this performance was, and it is fair to say there were few dry eyes left in the house by the end as the cast performed the magnificent closing rendition of ‘Do you here the people sing’ (perhaps the best musical song of all time).

Overall this was a fantastic performance of a classic stage show performed by an excellent cast and I have been singing (internally because I DO NOT have a performers voice) ‘Do you people sing’ almost none stop since.

I highly recommend you get down and do indeed HERE THE PEOPLE SING.

REVIEW BY ALL THINGS THEATRE - allthingstheatre.uk

In a landmark moment for both the venue and the company, Les Misérables makes its long-awaited amateur debut at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal – and Nottingham Operatic Society’s production (in conjunction with Carlton Operatic Society and TheCast) rises superbly to the occasion. Directed by David Covey and staged as part of the society’s centenary year celebrations, this is a heartfelt, visually sumptuous and vocally thrilling rendition of one of the world’s most beloved musicals.

From the first rousing chords of the overture under Morven Harrison’s assured musical direction, the production strikes a bold and confident tone. With a cast of 100 drawn from across the East Midlands, the scale and ambition are immediately apparent - yet this is no bloated spectacle. Every ensemble member earns their place in the story’s tumultuous sweep through post-revolutionary France, from chain gang to barricade.

At its emotional core is Ollie Last’s towering performance as Jean Valjean. His voice is rich and expressive, handling the demanding vocal range of the role with astonishing ease. But it’s the emotional nuance - the inner turmoil, quiet resolve, and profound transformation - that makes his performance so compelling. His rendition of “Bring Him Home” is a true show-stopper, tenderly delivered with aching sincerity.

Opposite him, Dan Armstrong’s Javert is equally impressive – cold, authoritative, and rigidly moral, with a steely vocal command that heightens the tension in every confrontation. His “Stars” is a brooding, beautifully controlled number that captures the character’s obsession with justice. Armstrong’s downfall, when it comes, is played with gut-wrenching fragility.

In the romantic subplot, Craig Youngman brings youthful sincerity to Marius, and his chemistry with Laurel Jones’ radiant Cosette is endearing. Youngman is an exceptional Marius - his vocals are faultless and the power behind his voice is a wonder to behold. Jones sings with clarity and elegance, making the most of her lyrical moments. Despite being a severely underwritten role in the show, Jones’ performance is a definite highlight. Francesca Lewis is an excellent Éponine - raw, grounded and emotionally exposed. Her “On My Own” is delivered with heartbreaking understatement and control, never veering into melodrama.

A special mention must go to Hilary Leam’s scene-stealing Madame Thénardier. Vocally assured and comically menacing in all the right ways, she dominates every scene she’s in. Simon Theobald as her grotesque partner is gleefully repellent, with good timing and vocal grit. Their “Master of the House” is a riotous, brilliantly choreographed highlight.

Harrie Evans leads the revolutionary students with stirring fervour as Enjolras, commanding the stage with strength and purpose. The student ensemble – notably Jonah Williams, Jack Lawrence, Nathan Curzon, Owen Patten, Louis Chadburn, David Hass and Jonathan Jaycock – all impress, contributing powerful harmonies and a sense of camaraderie that makes the barricade scenes utterly convincing.

Three young performers also shine in this production. Harley Butler deserves applause as Gavroche – charismatic, cheeky, and vocally confident. Caitlin Leighton and Betty Barnes also do excellent jobs as Young Cosette and Young Eponine respectively.

Visually, the production is a triumph. Scenic design by Morgan Brind conjures Hugo’s world with grandeur and authenticity, moving slickly between locations thanks to clever set transitions. The barricade is particularly striking – both as a physical structure and a metaphorical symbol. David Birt’s wigs and the sumptuous period costumes complete the aesthetic, helping to root the story in time while allowing the characters to shine. Credit must also go to Justine Lee’s movement direction, which ensures the large ensemble moves with energy and purpose, never crowding or distracting.

There’s a palpable sense of occasion throughout this production. More than just a local staging of a global phenomenon, Nottingham Operatic Society’s Les Misérables is a testament to what can be achieved with talent, vision and community spirit. Every note, every costume detail, every ensemble movement reflects the care and commitment poured into this once-in-a-lifetime production.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the musical or a newcomer to its sweeping story of redemption, this production is not to be missed. It’s an extraordinary achievement – one that affirms the power of local theatre and leaves its audience, quite rightly, in tears and on their feet.

Les Misérables – Let the People Sing plays at the Theatre Royal Nottingham until Saturday 31st May 2025. Tickets are currently sold out (unsurprisingly)