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.
