N E W S L E T T E R - Radley College
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Radley THE N E W S L E T T E R | The Education of Boys | Hall | First Impressions | | The Next Generation | Les Misérables |
<strong>Radley</strong><br />
THE<br />
N E W S L E T T E R<br />
| The Education of Boys | Hall | First Impressions |<br />
| The Next Generation | Les Misérables |
Les Misérables<br />
10 10 THE THE RADLEIAN RADLEY NEWSLETTER<br />
NEWSLETTER THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER 11<br />
THE RADLEY NEWSLETTER 11
Les Misérables<br />
Around 2000 people over six performances witnessed something special in late November<br />
at <strong>Radley</strong>, a school play which was about as far removed from standard examples of the<br />
genre as it is possible to be. Spontaneous standing ovations occurred every evening; and<br />
milling audiences afterwards talked of being emotionally drained, but also exhilarated,<br />
by an exceptional production. A packed and enthusiastic matinee performance for Prep<br />
and Primary school children showed that the appeal was universal.<br />
What made Robert Lowe’s production so<br />
special? Above all it was the teamwork;<br />
over 140 people were involved and they<br />
worked together to the highest professional<br />
standards. Overcoming difficulties of<br />
aligning orchestra (behind the stage) with<br />
singers out front; unobtrusive miking of<br />
all the lead singers; the sophistication of<br />
the lighting so that no two scenes were<br />
ever the same; a stage set which involved<br />
a wonderful barricade of mountainous<br />
proportions; costumes which were<br />
colourful and rich. All these were the<br />
technical casters on which the show<br />
smoothly ran. And with these in place the<br />
actors could perform to their best, and they<br />
certainly did. What impressed most was<br />
the consistency, from the character with<br />
but one line through to those playing major<br />
roles – all acted in part every moment they<br />
were on stage. Everyone who sang a solo<br />
line was spot on – powerful, confident,<br />
convincing, and the choreographed big<br />
numbers showcased that discipline and<br />
focus. Some of those routines – ‘Master of<br />
the House’, ‘Red and Black’, ‘Do You Hear<br />
the People Sing?’ – were superb, being<br />
inventive, colourful, varied and witty.<br />
Of course there were even brighter stars<br />
shining out, those leading players taking<br />
central roles: Natasha Edwards as Fantine<br />
importantly set the tone and the standards<br />
for the rest of the show with the early<br />
brilliance of her ‘I Dreamed a Dream’. The<br />
girls had come from thirteen different<br />
schools and colleges, and played a key part<br />
in the success of Les Misérables. Charlotte<br />
Smith as Eponine, Hetty Gullifer as Cosette<br />
and a rumbustious Lucy Hole as Madame<br />
Thénardier all sang and acted beautifully.<br />
Of the boys, Piers Saich (Papplewick, K<br />
Social) as Javert was wonderfully sinister<br />
and dangerous, a powerful, terrifying, yet<br />
tortured figure. Tom Milligan (Caldicott,<br />
K Social), fresh from starring with the<br />
National Youth Music Theatre in the<br />
summer, was consistently excellent in the<br />
major part of Jean Valjean, Ali Maxwell<br />
(Cothill, A Social) was a dynamic Enjolras,<br />
leader of the revolutionary uprising,<br />
Jonathan Tarcy (Shrewsbury House,<br />
G Social) ensured that his Marius was<br />
charming and winning, where in others’<br />
hands it might have been merely soppy, and<br />
Owen Petty (Elstree, C Social) as Monsieur<br />
Thénardier was the living incarnation of a<br />
burlesque figure from a Gillray cartoon –<br />
simply larger than life, a scene stealer.<br />
Perhaps even more impressive than the<br />
quality of the leading players was that<br />
so many of the supporting actors were<br />
involved elsewhere in <strong>Radley</strong> life. For<br />
example: Fred Ahern (Sussex House,<br />
F Social) acted but was also a member<br />
of a successful 1st XV, Head of Chapel<br />
Choir and Head of F Social; Jamie Bruce-<br />
Crampton (Winchester House, F Social),<br />
1st XV, top oarsman, and Chapel Choir<br />
member; Owen Petty and Jack Emmett<br />
(Moulsford, H Social) rehearsing and<br />
acting, but also playing for the 2nd XV,<br />
and Tommy Siman (Abingdon Prep, H<br />
Social) lighting up the students’ routine and<br />
playing – and defeating – Harrow Colts<br />
1st XV in the afternoon of the Saturday<br />
performance. <strong>Radley</strong> expects boys to multitask....<br />
Putting on such a show requires stamina;<br />
rehearsals started in April, seven months<br />
before the performance. It relies on real<br />
talent in Common Room. Stephen Clarke,<br />
Musical Director is also Precentor and<br />
his skill in training singers and choirs<br />
was at the heart of this strong musical<br />
performance. Matt Barker (lighting and<br />
stage manager), and Lianne Oakley-<br />
Rowland (costumes) are exceptional,<br />
giving hours of expertise to getting things<br />
just right. Finally, Robert Lowe, Director,<br />
had a clear vision of what Les Misérables<br />
could be, and his energy and drive, his skill<br />
at drawing performances from his cast,<br />
his persistence, and insistence on only the<br />
best, brought this great enterprise to its<br />
triumphant conclusion.<br />
12 12 THE THE RADLEIAN RADLEY NEWSLETTER Website: www.radley.org.uk . Admissions enquiries: 01235 543174 . admissions@radley.org.uk