Les Misérables (Noir Cast) - 8.5 out of 10
Adelaide Youth Theatre
Tickets: Les Misérables Tickets
Adelaide Youth Theatre’s production of Les Misérables is an ambitious, emotionally resonant staging that showcases a disciplined young cast, guided by a strong creative and technical team, including Matt Smith (Director), Matthew Rumley (Musical Director), Lucy Newman (Choreographer), and Catherine Breugelmans (Production Assistant).
Newman has crafted as much choreography as the material allows, and as the cast can confidently achieve, particularly in the larger numbers. The standout sequence is One Day More, with synchronised flag work that, combined with the lighting design, creates a magnificent visual to end Act 1.
The vocal quality across the cast is consistently high, reflecting the disciplined work undertaken by Rumley in the rehearsal room. His orchestra supports the on-stage performers without ever overpowering them, allowing the text and emotion of the score to remain front and centre.
With standout vocal performances, thoughtful staging of complex themes, and cohesive design elements, they strike a balance between the scale of the material and the sensitivity required when working with a youthful ensemble. Choreography and blocking handle the confronting content with care, ensuring that intimacy, violence, and despair are approached responsibly and respectfully for the cast.
Jean Valjean (Mat Monti) demonstrates impressive vocal range and power, particularly in his early anger at the social order in Act 1, before softening into a tender, believable father figure as he commits to caring for Cosette. A major vocal highlight is Bring Him Home, where Monti sustains the emotional and musical line with poise and control.
On the opposite side of the moral divide, Javert (Andrew Crispe) offers a strong, grounded performance, building a character who wrestles convincingly with duty, obsession, and inner conflict as the rebellion looms.
Grace Sexton as Fantine more than meets the inevitable audience expectations, particularly in her searing rendition of I Dreamed a Dream. Her appearance in the Epilogue helps ensure the production’s final moments land with emotional force.
NOIR CAST, reviewed by Andrew Broadbent
Young Cosette (Indie Tunnah) and Young Eponine (Bethany Swift) appear comfortable on stage, playing their scenes with purpose and a fitting sense of naivety. Tunnah’s rapport with Monti’s Valjean is especially engaging. The Thénardiers, played by Archer Broomhall and Taylah Knight, deliver a crowd-pleasing performance that earns extended applause, and they maintain their comedic energy through to Beggars at the Feast, providing just enough levity to puncture the story’s tension without undermining it.
Gavroche (Nemanja Ilic) quickly establishes himself with natural stage presence, speaking clearly with a consistent accent and charming the audience before his attempted heroics lead to his tragic fate in Act 2. Eponine (Zoe Waters) brings emotional intensity to her unrequited love for Marius, and her powerful performance of On My Own becomes another vocal peak of the evening.
Enjolras (Josh Curtis) leads the revolution with conviction and courage, anchoring the barricade scenes with a commanding voice and presence, even when some individual movements feel slightly unclear in purpose.
Marius (Ethan Joy) presents a solidly developed character whose relationships with both Eponine and Cosette are compelling, and Empty Chairs at Empty Tables is staged with particularly effective symbolic blocking that signals the beginning of the story’s emotional endgame.
The prompt-side spotlight operation is consistently precise, often forming a key part of the lighting look, and projections are used effectively in Act 1 to suggest locations in place of large set pieces, despite a distracting flicker that ultimately prevents their use in Act 2.
The lighting design and execution are impressive overall, and microphone operation is notably consistent, with only minor improvements needed in synchronising sound and lighting with gunfire effects. These elements, combined with the strength of the performances and creative leadership, result in a Les Misérables that feels both polished and deeply heartfelt, affirming Adelaide Youth Theatre’s capacity to tackle major musical theatre repertoire with care and confidence.
ROUGE CAST, reviewed by Georjette Mercer
Bethany Swift’s sweet voice introduces Young Cosette as a
timid, unloved dreamer, cowering into Valjean’s (Monti’s) side. Young Eponine
(Indie Tunnah) is Cosette’s confident opposite.
Thénardier (Asher Gordon) is larger-than-life, depicted with
playful physicality that turns menacing during Dog Eats Dog. Madame
Thénardier (Rebecca Etienne) is dynamic in Master of the House,
captivating the audience with whispered asides before belting out bawdy
criticisms of her husband. The pair provides much-needed comic relief,
skilfully avoiding abrupt tonal shifts.
Alyssa Faranda as Eponine delivers an exceptional rendition
of On My Own, with powerful vocals that expresses Eponine’s
vulnerability and longing, hidden beneath her tough exterior. Poised and
aristocratic Cosette (Iris Nissen) is Eponine’s contrast, depicted as kind,
caring, and a little naive. Nissen’s angelic voice soars in A Heart Full of
Love.
Jack Keukenmeester as Marius is a standout, delivering an
authentic portrayal of young love, brotherhood and grief. Through his beautiful
vocals and expressive acting, the audience sees Marius’ hope for a better life
after the revolution, and his devastation after the barricade falls.
Enjolras (Riley Mobbs), leader of the rebellion, and
Gavroche (Mia Khairul), streetsmart rebel kid, are charismatic with strong
stage presence. The rebels (Josh Roberts, Ewan Pugh, Mat Preston, Elliott
Purdie, Daniel Whitehead, Kyle Mobbs and Noah Magourilos) deliver strong vocals
that depict the camaraderie, grief and terror of the barricade.
Unfortunately, some bizarre blocking meant that in key
climactic scenes - deaths, battles and emotional confessions - characters were
hidden from some sections of the audience. The movement of set pieces during
Fantine’s devastatingly beautiful I Dreamed A Dream and Marius’ haunting
Empty Chairs and Empty Tables distracted the audience despite the best
efforts of the crew, who perhaps would have been less obtrusive in costume
rather than all-black. A technically difficult venue let down what was an
otherwise compelling production.
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