Les Misérables is a sensation on Broadway, in the West End and thanks to The Norfolk Youth Music Theatre (NYMT), a huge success in Norwich during April 2005. There is now a second chance to see the show, as the NYMT cast revive their sold out production of Les Misérables - at the King's Lynn Corn Exchange. Originally staged at the Norwich Playhouse in April, the show played to full houses for seven nights and earned critical acclaim. It has also been nominated for two awards. To prepare for the revived performance, much of the cast has been to London to watch the new West End production of the show, now starring ex-NYMT member David Thaxton from King's Lynn as Enjolras. Supporters of the theatre group will remember David's performance of Sweeney in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd by NYMT at the Corn Exchange last year. Songs from the show Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's score, filled with popular works such as On My Own and One Day More - combined with Victor Hugo's classic novel of a student uprising in pre-revolutionary France - provides a compelling tale that continues to thrill audiences. The story tells of one man's survival in the face of relentless persecution and the triumph of the human spirit.  | | Aftermath of fighting on the baracade |
Set amidst the social and political struggles of 19th century France, the musical sweeps its audience through a tale of passion and destruction against a backdrop of a nation in the grip of revolution. NYMT's artistic director, Adrian Connell, has wanted to stage Les Misérables for some time. "Right from the beginning the kids knew everything about the show. I've never seen a script in anyone's hand for rehearsals. The set and props are done and it's all ready to go into the theatre. I'm very pleased," he said. "We started with five weeks of music rehearsals, then we did the floor rehearsals around the beginning of March. We've been rehearsing three times a week for around 12 hours in total. That's a lot of rehearsal time," he added. The cast Aged between nine and 19 years old, the cast of more than 40 actors come from all over Norfolk. Back in January, more than 100 young people auditioned for a part in the show. Nineteen-year-old Joe Ringer from Costessey, takes the role of Jean Valjean, the reformed criminal teamed against his arch enemy Inspector Javert, played by 17-year-old Jack Ollett, from Beccles. Robert Heard, from Aldborough, and Becky Humphreys, from Norwich, both aged 18, play the wicked Thenardiers.  | | Cast perform Master Of The House |
"My character is so wicked, and so really great fun to do. I always seem to get these sort of parts, it's not typecasting I don't think! Overall, the rehearsals so far have been tough but fun," said Becky. Eloise Secker, from Brooke, is cast as the strong-willed Eponine. "I am really pleased to have got the role, it's something every female interested in musical theatre wants to play," she said. "I'm really enjoying it and feel very close to Eponine as a character. The whole production is going to be exciting and we have a super cast," she added. One more time Adrian Connell, the show's director, is delighted to present Les Misérables in west Norfolk. "We originally planned to have a rest this summer and get ready for the November show – doing another Les Misérables was never feasible. The Corn Exchange holds 700 and the restriction on the licence was not to use theatres with over 500 seats and not to use the town's principal theatre," he said. "However we decided we would like to give the show another airing in the summer and contacted the Cameron Mackintosh office to see if they would waive the restrictions. "Incredibly they did without any comment so we contacted the Corn Exchange and they had a date in August so suddenly we were back in business! Only one principal had to changed and the chorus has been recast and re-blocked to give the show some 'newness' which I felt was important. We have also enlarged the orchestra to a 16 piece," he added. Les Misérables is performed by the NYMT at the King's Lynn Corn Exchange from Saturday 6 - Sunday 7 August, 2005. For tickets call the box office on 01553 764864. | 
