Les Misérables fans will be disappointed to discover that this show not in fact a musical revue of the West End hit. Instead a compilation of musical numbers from various shows is unnecessarily shoe-horned into a storyline, in an unsuccessful attempt to mask what is basically a talent showcase. The scenario presented in this show by Dysart Productions is that the young hopefuls on stage are all competing for a part in the musical, and must take it in turns to sing to the unseen casting director.It is ironic that the programme should state "the tension steadily mounts through reality-style auditions". One of the main obstacles this production faces is the fact it is so heavily staged, and far removed from the reality of the theatre. The show itself opens with the company sat uniformly on chairs looking out to the audience as they 'warm up'. The opening sequence is not their actual rituals as performers, but exaggerated gestures. The performers are not being themselves, but stereotypical characters; the desperate actor who never gets to finish their audition, the method actor who comes in full costume etc. The result is something unoriginal - an exhausted cliché which failed to raise a laugh with the audience.Another major disadvantage of the production is the lack of preparation, which left the show looking amateurish. The quality of the sound recordings is a disappointment and undermined the performance given by the company, who had to sing along to synthesised backing tracks. It also detracted from the delivery of the songs. The lack of real instruments disjoints the emotional connection, resulting in the communication of the music being lost. The company as a whole are technically accomplished, although at times different songs could have been chosen to showcase their voices which strained with such demanding material. A standout performance came from Brad Clapson with his turn as Thénardier with 'Master of the House'. He gave an accomplished performance displaying natural talent, strong vocal ability and great comic timing. He has the potential to be a great character actor. Other performances of note came from Matt Ronchetti and Sam Nunn who both confidently showcased the beautiful voices, and executed the emotional connection and storytelling of the songs.Despite some good performers, the company is let down by the concept of the production, which hinders the enjoyment of the show. The production advertised would have provided greater entertainment than the one presented.
