March 10, 2015

Peak Players' production of Les Mis dazzles

Michael Lyday
Features Editor

Les Miserables is a very difficult play to put on. The need for a strong ensemble cast where every member must be proficient to a high extent and detailed sets and costumes make creating the play a daunting task for any theatre. Tag on missing nearly two full school weeks creating a lack of rehearsal time, and the degree of difficulty becomes even higher. Not to mention the high expectations set by the audience seeing a beloved classic.

Despite circumstance getting in the way of an already difficult production, Les Miserables was the greatest performance I have ever seen from the Apex Theatre Department. The production value was very high, with excellent costumes and set pieces giving the play plenty of believability. The cast gave a dynamic performance which featured many members of the ensemble playing four or five roles each. Every character, no matter if they were a minor role or a main character, was played with conviction and featured excellent singing. Highlights in the main roles included seniors Will Stapleton as Valjean and Josh Menzies as Javert, whose tension-filled rivalry propels the play to its climax. Other notable performances included senior David Flowers as Marius, the student revolutionary who falls in love with Valjean’s daughter, and freshman Daisy Bingham as Eponine, the tragic character whose love for Marius goes unrequited until it is too late.


The play was very cohesive and was performed flawlessly, making the thrilling story even more exciting. Les Mis is definitely not a play you want to miss.