Photo Coverage: 6 Days Left to Catch The Exhibition LES MISERABLES: FROM PAGE TO STAGE

Brisbane, Australia--After a 19-month run across Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane), amassing 588 performances, Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed reimagined production of Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil's 30-year-old megamusical LES MISERABLES closes today, January 17, at Queensland Performing Arts Centre's (QPAC) 2,000-seat Lyric Theatre. Spearheaded by Mr Mackintosh and Michael Cassel, Mr Mackintosh's representative and executive producer of LES MISERABLES in Australia, the production will soon embark on an Asian Tour, starting with Manila at the Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort and Casino, which begins performances on Friday, March 11 (Tickets are sold at TicketWorld.com.ph).

In the meantime, fans of the musical can still catch the free supplementary exhibition titled "Les Miserables: From Page to Stage" at QPAC's Tony Gould Gallery until this Friday, January 23.

Curated by QPAC Museum Curator Christopher Smith, the exhibition--similar to the exhibition in Melbourne in 2014--gives a glimpse into the early beginning and the global success of the stage musical version of LES MISERABLES, arguably the most popular adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 French novel of the same name. The highlights of the exhibition, which opened last October, include original posters from the various productions of LES MISERABLES around the world; costumes and photographs from the original Paris, London, and Australian productions of LES MISERABLES (1980-1987), and behind-the-scenes documentary of the new Australian production.

Mr Smith told BroadwayWorld.com: "They have come from the Cameron Mackintosh archives in London.What makes this exhibition interesting is its intimacy--the fact that it gives you a sense of the people involved in those first productions of LES MISERABLES, the team behind the work that will run for at least 30 years!

"We have some pieces from the original French version: the original concept album and the programme from the1980 production in Paris; memorabilia from various productions around the world in the last 30 years, and a collection of 'Cosettes' because Cosette is sort of the 'poster image' we know of LES MISERABLES."

Part of the collection of "Cosettes," is the original costume that was worn by Zoe Hart ("Aspects of Love"), the young Cosette in the first production of LES MISERABLES at the Barbican Theatre and Palace Theatre in London in 1985. Andreane Neofitou ("Jane Eyre," "Miss Saigon") designed all the costumes in the production based on the period dresses at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and various collaborations with the original London cast members of LES MISERABLES. This particular costume was also worn by subsequent actors who played the young Cosette.

Other costumes in the exhibition include those of Jean Valjean, Inspector Javert, Fantine, and the "Lovely Ladies" prostitutes in the original 1987 Australian production and that of Gavroche in the original London production.

LES MISERABLES follows the epic and uplifting story of ex-convict Jean Valjean, played by Helpmann Award winner Simon Gleeson ("Love Never Dies"). Its popular score includes musical numbers "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Stars," "Bring Him Home," "Do You Hear the People Sing?," "One Day More," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," and "Master of the House." The reimagined production features a modern staging, updated orchestrations, and a scenic design inspired by the actual paintings of Mr Hugo.

Photos: Oliver Oliveros

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