N E W S L E T T E R - Radley College

Les Misérables
Around 2000 people over six performances witnessed something special in late November
at Radley, a school play which was about as far removed from standard examples of the
genre as it is possible to be. Spontaneous standing ovations occurred every evening; and
milling audiences afterwards talked of being emotionally drained, but also exhilarated,
by an exceptional production. A packed and enthusiastic matinee performance for Prep
and Primary school children showed that the appeal was universal.
What made Robert Lowe’s production so
special? Above all it was the teamwork;
over 140 people were involved and they
worked together to the highest professional
standards. Overcoming difficulties of
aligning orchestra (behind the stage) with
singers out front; unobtrusive miking of
all the lead singers; the sophistication of
the lighting so that no two scenes were
ever the same; a stage set which involved
a wonderful barricade of mountainous
proportions; costumes which were
colourful and rich. All these were the
technical casters on which the show
smoothly ran. And with these in place the
actors could perform to their best, and they
certainly did. What impressed most was
the consistency, from the character with
but one line through to those playing major
roles – all acted in part every moment they
were on stage. Everyone who sang a solo
line was spot on – powerful, confident,
convincing, and the choreographed big
numbers showcased that discipline and
focus. Some of those routines – ‘Master of
the House’, ‘Red and Black’, ‘Do You Hear
the People Sing?’ – were superb, being
inventive, colourful, varied and witty.
Of course there were even brighter stars
shining out, those leading players taking
central roles: Natasha Edwards as Fantine
importantly set the tone and the standards
for the rest of the show with the early
brilliance of her ‘I Dreamed a Dream’. The
girls had come from thirteen different
schools and colleges, and played a key part
in the success of Les Misérables. Charlotte
Smith as Eponine, Hetty Gullifer as Cosette
and a rumbustious Lucy Hole as Madame
Thénardier all sang and acted beautifully.
Of the boys, Piers Saich (Papplewick, K
Social) as Javert was wonderfully sinister
and dangerous, a powerful, terrifying, yet
tortured figure. Tom Milligan (Caldicott,
K Social), fresh from starring with the
National Youth Music Theatre in the
summer, was consistently excellent in the
major part of Jean Valjean, Ali Maxwell
(Cothill, A Social) was a dynamic Enjolras,
leader of the revolutionary uprising,
Jonathan Tarcy (Shrewsbury House,
G Social) ensured that his Marius was
charming and winning, where in others’
hands it might have been merely soppy, and
Owen Petty (Elstree, C Social) as Monsieur
Thénardier was the living incarnation of a
burlesque figure from a Gillray cartoon –
simply larger than life, a scene stealer.
Perhaps even more impressive than the
quality of the leading players was that
so many of the supporting actors were
involved elsewhere in Radley life. For
example: Fred Ahern (Sussex House,
F Social) acted but was also a member
of a successful 1st XV, Head of Chapel
Choir and Head of F Social; Jamie Bruce-
Crampton (Winchester House, F Social),
1st XV, top oarsman, and Chapel Choir
member; Owen Petty and Jack Emmett
(Moulsford, H Social) rehearsing and
acting, but also playing for the 2nd XV,
and Tommy Siman (Abingdon Prep, H
Social) lighting up the students’ routine and
playing – and defeating – Harrow Colts
1st XV in the afternoon of the Saturday
performance. Radley expects boys to multitask....
Putting on such a show requires stamina;
rehearsals started in April, seven months
before the performance. It relies on real
talent in Common Room. Stephen Clarke,
Musical Director is also Precentor and
his skill in training singers and choirs
was at the heart of this strong musical
performance. Matt Barker (lighting and
stage manager), and Lianne Oakley-
Rowland (costumes) are exceptional,
giving hours of expertise to getting things
just right. Finally, Robert Lowe, Director,
had a clear vision of what Les Misérables
could be, and his energy and drive, his skill
at drawing performances from his cast,
his persistence, and insistence on only the
best, brought this great enterprise to its
triumphant conclusion.
12 12 THE THE RADLEIAN RADLEY NEWSLETTER Website: www.radley.org.uk . Admissions enquiries: 01235 543174 . admissions@radley.org.uk