Les Misérables is the longest running musical in the world, being on stage for almost 30 years until now. The edition in summer 2014 at Northcott Theatre in Exeter will be a special version for schools performed by the local company “Stage by Stage“.
The students of our Junior course 1 in Dartington will attend it this June. Here is a presentation of the musical written by Lise Platt, teacher of English and course coordinator in our Dartington courses, former class teacher, at the present advisor of the SWSF (Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowships).
“A spectacular world famous musical adapted from a story written by Victor Hugo, France’s best known author of the 19th century.
The story is set in the 1830’s, a time of turmoil in France, when Victor Hugo was an impressionable young man witnessing great poverty and social injustice among his fellow men.
It is an epic story, spanning thirty years or so, of a convict Jean Valjean sentenced to a life of forced labour for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving family.
Described as a ”classic” novel, it has been compulsory reading in French schools and has been adapted for the screen many times.
The musical version had its premiere in 1985, produced by Cameron Mackintosh, an instant hit, becoming an extremely popular show to travel the world for almost thirty years and still going strong!
[quote align=”left” color=”#5E96B0″]…a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit… strong characters, a poignant love story …[/quote] It is not difficult to see why this show has been so popular: a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit, it had all the important ingredients! Strong characters, a poignant love story, a chase that takes our hero across France but also down into the Paris sewers.
It includes a score of actors of all ages, tragedy and comedy, rousing revolutionary choruses but also tender love songs.
[quote align=”right” color=”#5E96B0″]…romantic, colourful, action-packed, very much a human story…[/quote] It is a feast for the senses: romantic, colourful, action-packed, very much a ‘human story‘ and still relevant today, especially enjoyed and appreciated by young people (often performed by young people in schools and colleges).
The recent screen adaptation of the musical won many awards drawing crowds to the cinema to watch it”
Seen by more than 65 million people in 42 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, it is still breaking box-office records everywhere in its 29th year. Featuring the songs “I Dreamed A Dream”, “Bring Him Home”, “One Day More” and “On My Own” – Les Misérables is the show of shows [to read more from the official website of Les Miserables, click here].
“Stage by Stage”, Exeter’s own theatre arts training centre, has built a formidable reputation for such Northcott shows as Annie, Beauty & the Beast and West Side Story – now the company of 75 return with the West End’s longest-running classic, featuring all the classics: Bring Him Home, Lovely Ladies and I Dreamed a Dream.
Don’t miss it!
Book now your Junior course 1 in Dartington and enjoy this performance too!