The musical Les Misérables, based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel and first performed in English in 1985 in London, holds at its heart two key conflicts which symbolise the best and worst in humankind.
One is an internal battle for morality, exemplified by rivals Inspector Javert and Jean Valjean; the other is an external battle between the rich and the poor, evident in the musical’s large, public scenes in emotional choral numbers like One Day More and Do You Hear the People Sing?
The latter, a paean to the power of the people against an autocratic government, was most recently and controversially sung to President Trump by the US Army Choir in February 2025, triggering much debate online over its political purpose. Chosen aptly by Director Lara Jakes, this musical clearly continues to resonate in this day and age with its grey shades of moral and political debate.
The strong cast built powerful connections
From the first moments of the play, with the band providing the dark and insistent strains of Look Down as a backdrop to the prison, members of the strong cast built powerful connections with the audience. We sympathised immediately with the convict Jean Valjean, played with gravitas and sympathy by a bearded Josh, as he tried to create a new life after prison and was flouted at every attempt. An angelic Dan, as the merciful Bishop who ultimately turns Valjean’s soul to God, made an impression with his rich and velvety tones as he convinced authorities to let Valjean go.
It was from this moment that the central moral conflict of the story took hold: Valjean’s God of forgiveness engaged in a lifelong battle against Javert’s God of punishment and righteousness. The audience was captivated by the complex harmonies in their aggressive duet The Confrontation, performed with passion by Josh and John. As Javert, John smouldered, his arm often raised with a gun, ever ready to punish Valjean for antique wrongs.
A standout performance was the beautiful Stars
A standout performance was the beautiful Stars, Javert’s tribute to his constricted worldview, which he then revises later after Valjean shows him mercy; this proves a bridge too far for his limited understanding, which ultimately results in his own tragic death, marked by a soaring final note from John. A counterpoint was Valjean’s beautiful prayer on the barricades, Bring Him Home, an appeal to a God of mercy, sung with raw simplicity and incredible vocal control by Josh.
The audience similarly thrilled to Fantine’s desperate story, almost too emotionally painful to watch at times due to the noble misery of Lucy’s arresting portrayal. Lucas as the sleazy foreman cut a nasty figure in prosecuting Fantine against Valjean’s wishes. There was nary a dry eye in the audience during her passionate, upsetting performance of I Dreamed a Dream, compounded by her death scene where she calls in vain for her daughter, Cosette. Young Cosette, singing Castle on a Cloud, was portrayed by Abi on Tuesday night with sweet and pure sincerity, on Wednesday night by the vulnerable yet powerful Genevieve, and by Honor on Thursday night with an air of exquisite simplicity.
We cheered for Valjean’s rescue
We cheered for Valjean’s rescue of Cosette from the mendacious and mercenary Monsieur and Madame Thénardier, played with comic menace by Will and Lucy. Lucy growled comically through her lines, hilariously embodying the put-upon, opportunistic innkeeper’s wife, whilst Will staggered and threatened, employing deft physical comedy in the set piece grift song Master of the House. Young Eponine, their spoilt child, portrayed with a smug sweetness by Jaiya, served a perfect counterpoint to the neglected Cosette.
As a love triangle, the trio of the vulnerable and conflicted adult Eponine (played by a vocally gripping Ananya), adult Cosette (the atmospheric soprano Ellie) and earnest Marius (nimble tenor Brandon) pulled at the audience’s heartstrings. Particularly outstanding was the trio’s harmonious A Heart Full of Love, initially a sincere declaration of love between Cosette and Marius, which takes a darker turn when Eponine joins them, symbolically from the opposite side of Valjean’s gate.
Cutting an aged figure after the barricades
We wept first with Eponine in the mystical On My Own, in which Ananya evoked the pure magic and loneliness of Paris after dark, then mourned as she and Brandon sweetly and harmonically sang A Little Fall of Rain, surely one of the most distressing death scenes in any musical. Brandon as Marius, cutting an aged figure after the barricades, similarly wrung tears from the audience in the gorgeously painful Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, powerfully sung and with beautiful staging featuring the ghosts of his friends symbolically extinguishing lanterns on stage.
‘ABC Society’, who dreamed of a more equal society
Some of the most heart wrenching and moving scenes in the musical were reserved for the young student anti-monarchist revolutionaries or ‘ABC Society’, who dreamed of a more equal society, but in the June Rebellion of 1832 (in which a young Victor Hugo himself had been trapped behind the barricades), were forcibly subdued by the monarchist armies.
Joe as Enjolras embodied the motivational spirit of this rebellion, at every turn using his charisma and compelling baritone to lead the group. He was ably and movingly supported by the powerfully voiced Harlie as Combeferre, Lucas as Prouvaire, Alex as Courfeyrac, Dan as Joly, Sophia as Feuilly, and Polina as Lesgles.
The impressive George, as Grantaire, drew humour and then tears, drunkenly taunting Marius and later becoming the last to fall on the barricade, waving the flag. The revolutionary urchin Gavroche was played with exceptional spirit, verve and appropriate sassiness by Izzy. Livi stepped in with great confidence and bravery on Wednesday night to take over this role, showcasing her clear voice and well-aimed scrappy attitude in the face of extreme oppression.
The ensemble of this company was particularly strong and unified
The ensemble of this company was particularly strong and unified. At no moment was there a gap in the high quality of the soaring chorus, a testament to the quality of each individual singer. Ms Jakes’ choice to maximise the use of ‘multi-role’ meant the audience was treated to a real range from nearly every member of the chorus. From Alex, who memorably played the menacing, wealthy brothel customer Bamatabois who threatens Fantine and whose character Courfeyrac later fights nobly on the barricades, to Alicia, whose elegantly cold and selfish persecution of Fantine stood out in contrast to her later, saddened unity with the other women in Turning, to the impressive Josh, who played a constable, a sailor and a revolutionary with exceptionally melodic solo singing, every cast member showcased their acting talent in multiple key roles.
Memorable ‘mini-choruses’, each with their own character, included the nostalgic and tender Drink With Me before fighting, featuring the beautiful vocal stylings of Brooklyn, Lucinda, Melissa, Maja, Alicia, Tilly, Livi, Darda, Stein, Sarah, Josh, Siena, Maria, Lila, Imogen and Sophia. Likewise, the colourful, brash and heartbreaking Lovely Ladies, featuring many of the same performers, showcased two opposite vocal techniques, highlighting the tragic reality behind the prostitution in the story.
The impressive Wedding Chorus and dance featured a memorable Melissa, showcasing her humour as the Majordomo introducing the underhanded Thenardiers, alongside an energetic chorus including Sasha, who also had a comic turn as Thenardier’s blind guest earlier in the play. Despite the tragedy of Valjean’s death, heartbreakingly sung by Hadley and supported by Lucy and Ananya, the play left us with a key final message before the rousing chorus Do You Hear the People Sing? was reprised: “To love another person is to see the face of God.”
The majority of the band were pupils
The band, who played a complex 150 minutes of music with no gaps for spoken dialogue, was particularly extraordinary this year. The majority of the band were pupils, which, as Musical Director Mr Lodge has noted, has not happened for 25 years at Epsom College. The exceptionally talented ensemble consisted of Hattie on keys, Javis on horn, Daisy and Lea on reeds, Annabel and Scarlett on violin, Euna and Mara on cello, and the distinctively rhythmic Sophie on percussion. At every step, the band were in perfect time with the singers, an accomplished feat for such a complex set of songs and sung dialogue.
The student production team of Yasmin, Ned, Ana, Freddie, Amara, Lauren, Georgina, Edith, and Gege worked ceaselessly behind the scenes to ensure cues were met, lighting was correct, and numerous props delivered seamlessly on stage. The set was exceptionally powerful and simple, but numerous large mobile props, such as the symbolic gate to Valjean’s house, required a high degree of nimbleness from this backstage team – well done.
Showcased talented performers both on and off stage
This unusually emotional and intricate production highlighted students from throughout the senior school and showcased talented performers both on and off stage. They were of course guided by exceptional leaders: the directorial team of Ms Jakes, Mr Lodge and Miss Atkinson as Designer and Production Assistant, together with the tech and design team comprising of Mr Kerswell, Mr Bishop, Mr Brown and Mr Delaney.
Victor Hugo wrote of his own novel: ‘I don’t know whether it will be read by everyone, but it is meant for everyone. Wherever men go in ignorance or despair, wherever women sell themselves for bread, wherever children lack a book to learn from or a warm hearth, Les Misérables knocks at the door and says: “open up, I am here for you”.’ The unified company, band and production team, having opened this door for us the audience, communicated the spirit of this universal story entirely, with exquisite musicality and pathos.
