Les Misérables : Let the People Sing

UK Amateur Premières of LES MISERABLES “LET THE PEOPLE SING”

40th Anniversary Community Production to be staged at the Minack in 2025

 Cameron Mackintosh and Music Theatre International (MTI) have announced a new UK-wide amateur theatre project, “Let the People Sing,” to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Boublil and Schönberg’s musical Les Misérables.

The initiative, running from March to August 2025, will feature 11 community-wide productions across the country. The selected cities include Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Norwich, Swansea and the Minack Theatre, Porthcurno.

Mackintosh explained: “The phenomenon of Les Misérables continues to break new ground, just as Victor Hugo’s novel has since it was first published in 1862.

“The world’s longest running musical was first made available to students under 19 (in an edited schools’ edition) in 2002, to mark the bicentennial of Victor Hugo’s birth. As we approach the extraordinary landmark of the 40th record-breaking year of the iconic musical’s London run, alongside countless productions around the world, we are delighted to invite 11 of our leading amateur companies in the UK to stage, for the first time, the entire show in their own productions. This will involve many hundreds of amateur performers around the country, becoming part of our own yearlong celebrations.

“The success of this much-loved musical was famously made by the public – not the early critics – so what better way to enjoy this unprecedented event, than Let the People Sing!”

Leading the Minack production will be Helston Theatre Company, who will be collaborating with other Cornish societies to bring it to the stage.

A spokesperson for Helston Theatre Company said, “Performing at the Minack is always a huge privilege, but we are also honoured to announce that we have been asked to be one of 11 national leading societies invited to produce this event in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary musical.”

Rebecca Thomas, Director of the Minack Theatre, said, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to stage this iconic musical in our equally iconic venue. The Minack is a fabulous space for large scale musical productions, and they don’t get much bigger than this. We’re delighted to be a part of such a special celebration of community theatre and to be supporting some of the best Cornish musical theatre societies to create this very special production.”

Les Miserables: Let the People Sing will take place from 25th - 30th May 2025 at the Minack, with 9 performances in total. Helston Theatre Company will be launching the production on Saturday 7th September. The date tickets will be released for sale has not yet been announced.

It's no secret that journalists are often in the privileged position to get free tickets for shows in return for a review.

This is not one of those occasions.

Not because I was refused, but simply because when I heard four Cornish theatre companies had won the rights to stage a collaborative 40th anniversary production of Les Miserables, under the Let The People Sing project - and at the Minack Theatre no less - I wasn't prepared to take the risk of missing out.

It's probably just as well, as tickets sold out within an hour of going on general sale - which is hardly surprising given that Les Mis is the longest running musical in the West End and continues to fill theatres every night. I was in fact lucky enough to see the London stage production two years ago and this was my third time seeing it live, alongside multiple recorded concerts.

So I could have been forgiven for just sitting back and enjoying, but occasionally a production moves you in a way that you want to give due recognition - and Helston Theatre Company as lead company, joined by Redruth Amateur Musical and Pantomime Society, St Austell Amateur Operatic Society and Truro Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society deserve just that.

Every Les Mis fan has their 'ultimate cast' (don't they? Is that just me?) and in mine Ruthie Henshall is THE Fantine. Let me say straight off the bat that Charlotte Laity is up there with her. 

It's a rare talent to get across such emotion but she did so beautifully and without the need to shout or shriek, which so many singers these days seem to think passes for emotion. Her voice just moved me to tears every time she sang.

And while we're on strong female leads with iconic songs, Grace Wallen as Eponine also didn't disappoint. Even with some microphone issues in Little Fall of Rain (cleverly overcome with some quick-thinking singing into Marius's microphone instead, as she clutched him closely) it was a really tender moment, and thankfully there were no technical issues in her powerhouse performance of On My Own. 

Of course the main story centres around the two male leads of convict-made-good Jean Valjean and the highly principled officer of the law Javert, as they play a game of cat-and-mouse throughout, along with the moral conflicts that unfold. For the opening Sunday matinee the role of Jean Valjean was played by Jonathan Tucker who gave echos of Colm Wilkinson in his intonation. He bounced off well against Adam Nicholls's Javert, and the pair's verbal duelling in The Confrontation was edge-of-your-seat stuff. Stars is my favourite song in the whole show (no pressure) and with such icons as Philip Quast and Roger Allam to follow in the footsteps of it's a tall order, but Nicholls sang with power and depth, and as the show progressed you could feel the character's growing mental conflict.

Perhaps the two most popular characters after the leads - certainly they always get one of the biggest cheers at every production I've seen - are the innkeepers-come-petty thieves, the Thenardiers. Always just on the right side of roguish, they provide important light relief in an otherwise, let's face it, pretty sombre line-up. Bryony James as Madame Thenardier was simply perfection. Every line was clear and delivered as you would want for true comedy; it really was a delight to watch. Daniel Hargreaves as her weaseling husband was equally enjoyable and their well known song Master of the House was the rollicking good time everyone was hoping it would be.

Coming off the back of his stupendous directorial debut in The Railway Children last summer, Harry Charleston is back on stage this time, taking on Marius - the role Michael Ball is still probably most famous for (before moving on to Javert more recently).

Boy does he have some pipes, and he actually reminded me on occasions of a young Ball. His duet with Grace Benney as grown-up Cosette in A Heart Full of Love was particularly sweet and heartfelt.

Other brief but brilliantly executed performances included the Bishop, who clear diction and really pleasant, warm voice I appreciated, while Bamatabois, the 'customer of the night' who attacks and is attacked back by Fantine at her lowest, puts on a wonderful portrayal of an overly innocent and aggrieved dandy when questioned by Javert.

A special mention to the young actor William Bell as cheeky chappy Gavroche in Cast Hugo (Tyler Heyes playing the role in the other half of the shows with Cast Victor), who was a little star.

In fact the clarity and diction of the whole cast was arguably better than in the West End - I felt like I was hearing some of the lines for the first time. Of course the setting of the Minack is incredible but not without its challenges - not least the fact there is no stage curtain.

It's not giving anything away to say that the body count is sizeable in Les Mis, so exactly how do you get them off stage with no curtain to bring down? 

The solution found here is both beautiful and poignant, and while I'll let you discover it yourself I felt it even added to the experience.

Aside from that the set is kept relatively minimal, with some basic moving around of tables and chairs by the cast. The biggest 'set change' comes when Javert's bridge is switched around to become the barricade, and it's effective. 

The final word has to be given to director Ben Blaber, who took on a monster of a task, with the highest of expectations on his shoulders, and pulled off an absolute triumph of a production. 

Sadly every performance is sold out. Contacting the Minack box office to be added to the list for any returns is your best bet at this point. 

Ben is no stranger to the Minack having performed there first at only 9 months old. After various other appearances, including having an apple shot off his head in William Tell, he moved to London to train at LAMDA in Stage Management and Technical Theatre. Since coming back, he has worked on numerous lighting and set designs and directed two musicals in Porthcurno. He is very much looking forward to working on such an iconic show at such an iconic venue.

Millie is always pleased and proud to be working at the Minack Theatre. She has been teaching music for more than 30 years having trained with the National Youth Music Theatre, and studied music at Sheffield University. As a freelance musical director she regularly works with the Minack Musical Theatre Academy and their outreach group, Rising Stars. She has musically directed, conducted and played for many concerts and theatre productions with various companies over the last 12 Minack seasons. She is so excited about conducting this legendary show at her favourite theatre.

This will be Charlotte’s third production at the Minack, this time as a creative as well as performer. Her previous appearances were as Emma in the one woman musical Tell Me on a Sunday and as Eva Peron in Evita. Charlotte trained at the D&B Academy of Performing Arts in London, training in both stage and screen. Charlotte is proudly Cornish born and bred and is thrilled to be playing the role of Fantine as well as musically staging the production, alongside a very talented and experienced team.