Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of participating in Cheshire Academy’s production of “Les Miserables” (student edition), originally written by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, translated to English by Herbert Kretzmer, and directed by Jennifer Guarino. The show opened on Friday February 23 with an evening performance that day and Saturday, as well as an afternoon showing that Sunday. Adapted from the classic novel by Victor Hugo, “Les Miserables” is a story set in early nineteenth century France that spans two decades, culminating with the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris. There are many characters with their own entangling plot lines, but the focal point is Jean Valjean, an unusually strong man who broke parol after serving nineteen years of jail time. A kind bishop opens his heart to forgiveness, and Valjean spends the rest of the play trying to be an honest and generous man while avoiding the clutches of the very dedicated and deeply religious inspector Javert.
From the corrupted innocent Fantine to her orphaned daughter Cosette to her lover Marius Pontmercy, Valjean’s simple desire to do good changes lives and saves souls. This plays into one of the major themes highlighted by this production of the play: redemption. It is the main idea that puts the protagonist and the antagonist at odds; Valjean believes in redemption and acts to earn it, where Javert does not, and when forced to face it, it overwhelms and disorients him to the point that he kills himself. Yet at the end, when the souls of the dead come onstage to welcome Valjean into heaven, both Javert and the Thénardiers (dastardly thieves/cons who lack empathy and would do anything for money) are standing on the sides of the stage, showing that there is always hope for penance and healing, no matter who you are.
Considering how large of a production Les Miserables is, a skeptic who stepped into our little Black Box theater might start questioning if it would even be possible to pull it off in such a small space. However, considering the limitations, the set ended up drastically exceeding expectations. The painted backdrop of the city at night was beautiful and set the perfect atmosphere. For when another background would be more appropriate, the triangles from last year’s production of “School of Rock” were repainted to have two plain-color sides, one a warm orange and one a cold grey, and one side that, when put together, formed a lovely garden. Then there’s the surprisingly realistic-looking bridge, looming over the action from the back at all times. These few elements, along with some tables, chairs, benches, and various other props. come together to set each scene more than sufficiently. However, the star of the set design is the three-part barricade that gets pulled out in Act II, built out of assorted furniture covered in splatters of painted blood, with multiple levels to make it feel even more real. It awed me the first time I saw it and has continued to do so ever since.
The lighting did well at setting the mood and commanding the audience’s attention, with some of the stand-out moments being the wild splashes of color that swirl around during the end of “Master of the House” and the flashing lights during the gun battles at the barricade. The costumes were equally well done. The poor wore drab colored clothes to play into the misery of their lives, while giving the prostitutes sparkly masquerade masks and colorful feather boas really made them attract the eye. The audio was well balanced, and the gunshots were realistic, though sometimes they seemed to come in either a bit late or too quiet to start.
There were a ton of strong performances in this show, but the ones that stood out the most were Mousier and Madame Thénardier, portrayed by Sam Weed and Gianna respectively. These two characters are the main source of comedy and levity in the show while also being the most truly evil out of the whole cast. These two manage to sell that perfectly. Both are entirely comfortable in their own skin, full of confidence as they move across the stage, always in character. You cringe in fear at the harshness Gianna shows to young Cosette, but then she gets perhaps the biggest laughs of the whole show in her crass solo during “Master of the House”. Sam is lovably sleazy all the way through, stealing every scene she’s in. Not only that, but the two of them have amazing chemistry, best portrayed in their hilarious interactions during “The Bargain” as they haggle for Collette-Cosette-Corvette and “The Wedding”, where they end it by cheerfully exclaiming to the audience “won’t we see you all in hell!”
What impressed me the most about Cheshire Academy’s production of Les Miserables was the effort that was put into it. The heart of this show shines in the gorgeous visuals, in the booming music, and the breathtaking performances. Every time I heard one of the actors seemingly on the brink of tears, which was more often than I had initially expected, I felt a pang in my heart and had a proud smile on my face. I knew from the start that this show was going to be special, but the final product still blew me away. This is an experience I will not forget.
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