A Small Mind At The Theatre

The musical version of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables has been thrilling audiences for over 30 years, and in London is has run continuously since October 1985, so, it is safe to say that it comes to Milton Keynes Theatre on it's UK and Ireland tour will some pedigree. I don't need to sell the name to you, and I didn't need to sell it to myself, because despite never having seen the full version, it is still one of my favourite musicals, thanks to seeing two different School Edition productions and the 2012 film. However, how does this version, the 2009 reimagining of the original stage show stand up on this tour production? After 19 years as a prisoner, Jean Valjean, imprisoned for stealing bread, is freed by Javert, the officer in charge of the prison workforce. After Valjean promptly breaks parole, he uses the profit from stolen silver to reinvent himself as a mayor and factory owner, but Javert vows to recapture Valjean and is on his trail across the ye...

Up until seeing Les Misérables this week, I regarded it as the best musical that I had never seen live. It has without doubt in At The End Of The Day  and Master Of The House  two of my favourite musical songs, this coupled with several others, an interesting story and some real rich characters make it just the almost perfect show. I would personally say that the best of the music is done and dusted before the interval, however as a whole package it is one of the best. Therefore when I heard just a month or so that just up the road I could experience my first live production, I obviously jumped at the chance. Presented by Northampton School for Boys with a twenty-one strong orchestra and a massive cast of sixty to provide all the relevant roles of beggars convicts and prostitutes, this is clearly a very big enterprise. From the outset it is also obvious that a lot of work has got into the production with a lifting powerful opening, including the chain gangs appearance via th...