Scotch College

The ’world’s most popular musical’ comes to Scotch

Les Misérables comes to Scotch in October and it promises to be impressive, astounding and inspiring.

Words: RICHARD BEVERIDGE

By Friday 17 October the stage of the Geoffrey McComas theatre will have been transformed into the streets and buildings of 19th century France, ready for the OSCA production of Les Misérables – ‘the world’s most popular musical’.

As the story unfolds, it will be clear that while Paris may now be known as the ‘City of Light’, in the early 1800s many of France’s downtrodden citizens were cold, hungry and angry and subject to the hardship and misery of poverty. Nevertheless, there is companionship to be had at the inn, humour to lift the spirits, and love in the air throughout the struggle for redemption and revolution.

This epic story with its magnificent music will be told over eight emotion-charged performances between Friday 17 and Friday 24 October.

The cast has been drawn from Melbourne’s amateur theatre community. More than 140 eager and hopeful performers auditioned. The cast, while amateur, will not ask you to make any allowances for their amateurism: this is a full adult production, not a school musical. We’re supremely confident the performances will be impressive, astounding and inspiring.

Musical quality is assured under the baton and leadership of John Ferguson, Director of Music at Scotch. The orchestra will be as good as any pit orchestra for musicals in Melbourne. The director is Alan Burrows, Music Theatre Guild director of the year, the technical director is John Colvin, and the set designer is Ben Shearer.

The connection with Scotch is clearly a major advantage in providing excellent technical facilities and resources. The Geoffrey McComas Theatre is a state-of-the art forum in terms of the resources necessary to create a technically perfect show. In this light, the staging will be dramatic and remarkable.

See www.oscanet.com.au for tickets or further details, or phone (03) 9639 0096.