Review: CLOC presents LES MISERABLES at The National Theatre, St Kilda

Filling the National Theatre to its very brim, both on and off the stage, CLOC's production of Les Miserables is remarkable.

Not a stranger to the Boublil and Schönberg musical, director Chris Bradtke shows no fear in staging this production. With a talented cast and an impressive set, the show will delight lovers of this timeless musical.

Leading the talented cast is Mark Doran as Jean Valjean, a man tormented and thrown into action by his past. With remarkable control and soaring range, Doran commands the stage from open to close. His light and shade in the role is engaging and his transformation throughout the close to 3 hour production is wonderful to watch.

Kirra Young is lovely as the down trodden Fantine, delivery an honest and heart wrenching performance. Daniel Mottau is impeccable as Marius. With powerful vocals and committed acting, he is a highlight of the show, driving the second act with aplomb.

Opposite Mottau, is Emily Morris as Cosette. With soaring vocals and angelic notes, her singing is incredible. Some of the scenes between Marius and Cosette wanted for more subtlty in the acting approach but the young lovers are a beacon in the second act.

What Matthew Green lacks in vocal control, he makes up for in energy and intensity as he leads the students as Enjolras. India Morris is a powerhouse as Éponine, with acting and singing ability beyong her years. Similar to Cosette in this production, she is a little held back by the direction (for example, sitting upon a moving set for the beginning of the usually raw and rich On My Own) but she is truly a voice and force to be reckoned with. Definitely one to watch.

Melanie Ott is deliciously disgusting as Madame Thénardier, delivery a stand out performance for the night. Her counterpart, Scott Hili's Thénardier, is not quite as wonderfully vile as she but Hili is a comedic relief throughout.

Shaun Kingma unequivocally delivers the standout performance of the show. Playing the fixated and obsessed rival of Valjean, Kingma brought the production to the most professional level. A sincerely masterful and commanding portrayal with a stunning voice to match. His end of act one moment "Stars" was the ultimate highlight of the show.

Rounding out the cast are a group of incredible ensemble performers with standout performances from factory women to prisoners. Note must be made of wonderful featured voices and appearances of Owen Clarke and Ian Andrew.

The impressive set, designed by Brenton Staples, was wonderfully unexpected and is everchanging. Expertly manouvered by cast and crew, each change is a brilliant aid in the complex story telling of the piece. The sound design is mostly wonderful, but could do without sound effects of flowing water, rain, and birds.

Costume designer Victoria Horne has done well to recreate iconic costumes for the production, despite missing a few key elements in the story (Fantine's factory uniform and Javert's jacket at the barricade). The quality of each costume is impeccable and adds to the ultimately incredibly professional production by an amateur company.

Andy McCalman's orchestra and musical direction is exquisite, richly filling the auditorium with robust and moving sound.

Fans of the classic musical will not be disappointed with this truly masterful production that secures CLOC as a high quality producer of theatre in Melbourne.

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