Ad disclosure: We were provided with press tickets for the purpose of this post.
In 2025, Les Misérables, the world-famous Cameron Mackintosh musical based on Victor Hugo’s novel, celebrates its 40th anniversary. To mark this Ruby Anniversary, eleven amateur theatre groups across the UK were invited to stage their own productions, bringing the musical to life in their local communities.
This is the first time in four decades that Les Misérables has been licensed for production by amateur theatre groups in the UK, and what a wonderful job BMOS have done in Birmingham of the project. I have loved the music of Les Misérables since I was a young girl listening to my parents’ CD album, and I feel privileged to have been invited along to see this special anniversary staging of the show.
Alongside Bilston Operatic Company, Bournville Musical Theatre Company, and West Bromwich Operatic Society, BMOS Musical Theatre Company put on what felt like a professional performance at The Alexandra. It was better than some of the touring theatre shows I’ve seen, and the talent on display would not be out of place on a West End stage.
Set in an early 1800s France, Les Misérables tells the story of an ex-convict Jean Valjean and his journey of redemption, whilst being hunted by the single-minded police inspector Javert. He eventually becomes wealthy and adopts an orphan child, and she then falls in love with a student that is involved in an attempted revolution in Paris. Act One spans several decades, introducing all the characters and telling the story of Fantine’s downfall, that leaves her daughter Cosette in Valjean’s care.
The entire second act, which covers the attempted rebellion and the resulting deaths of several characters, was an emotional rollercoaster. It began with “On My Own” and “A Little Fall of Rain”, both of which brought tears to my eyes. The rest of the numbers gave me a lump in my throat, and by the time the show finished, I had tears streaming down my face.
Last night’s press night of the show was nothing short of phenomenal. Wil Neale’s portrayal of the lead character Jean Valjean was particularly impressive, while Beth Dickson’s Éponine was simply perfect. Other standout performances included Robbie Love, who wowed us a year ago as Willy Wonka, as Javert.
Tim Jones and Sophie Grogan delivered outstanding performances as the baddies you love to hate, Monsieur and Madame Thénardier. Jason Lewis-Haynes was the perfect cheeky French urchin, Gavroche. Annabel Pilcher’s performance of Fantine was hauntingly beautiful, and her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream”, one of the show’s most memorable songs, was simply wonderful.
The staging and lighting were expertly done, with versatile set pieces that transformed from one building to another. Of course, the infamous barricade made its appearance in the second act. The costumes were fantastic throughout the show, helping to beautifully illustrate Fantine’s fall from grace and Valjean’s rise from convict to wealthy gentleman.
If I were to nitpick the show, the most noticeable issues would be the slightly jarring sight of ‘too nice’ shoes on a few of the chain gang prisoners in the opening number, an odd mic or prop hiccup, and the staging of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” in the wrong location. This felt a bit off to me, and was presumably because they wouldn’t have been able to switch the sets fast enough. However, these minor issues were no worse than I’ve seen in many professional shows and didn’t detract from the wonderful show for more than a tiny moment.
Overall, we were both very impressed by the performance. I’m so glad I was able to experience this special anniversary project. My parents have seen Les Mis a number of times, and as I grew up listening to the wonderful music, it’s been on my theatre wish list for a long time. While I admit I still want to see the West End show at the Sondheim, I can’t imagine a touring production could have done a better job than BMOS did last night.
Les Misérables is arguably one of the best musicals of all time. It’s filled with brilliant and emotional songs, including “One Day More,” “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” and “Bring Him Home.” As a girl, I particularly enjoyed the amusing “Master of the House.” The timeless story of love, redemption, and conflict never fails to touch audiences around the world. BMOS have truly done it proud.
It is a long show, coming in at just under 3 hours including the interval, and tickets are available from just £17.50 on the ATG website.
I highly recommend this musical theatre production to anyone who loves it, especially if you’re already a fan of the score. It’s on until Saturday at the Alex, with two performances on Friday and Saturday. This is a great opportunity to see this global phenomenon performed to a professional standard, despite it being an ‘amateur theatre’ production.
