Les Miserables

I love musicals. I love Les Mis. I love Carrie Hope Fletcher. So, naturally seeing the production of Les Miserables at the theatre was one of my favourite ideas.

The buzz of London is one of the best things. I also associate a lot of the excitement with the shows that are on: Wicked, Grease, Billy Elliot. I would go to the theatre every day if I could and see musicals that I've seen a million times before because I love them oh so much. Most iconic shows, I've seen but other than the recent film, I'd never seen Les Mis. As I loved the film and one of my favourite people (Carrie Hope Fletcher) stars in it, it really only made sense to go and see it.


It is one of those classic "I knew I was going to be blown away" moments but I didn't know how much I would cry. As soon as it started I was sucked into the story. I love those moments: where something that's not really happening becomes completely real for a while. Daniel Koek, the man who plays Jean Valjean evoked my emotions from the very start. It was his voice. It sent shivers down my spine. It was also the passion he depicted when he sung that made my eyes moist.

The whole cast was that kind of fantastic that makes you elongate every syllable. The young Cosette broke my heart with her sweet voice, as did Fantine with her angelic voice. The older Cosette was mesmerising; Javert was spot on; Marius was everything you'd ever want. The boy who played Gavroche was heartbreakingly perfect. The students were also fabulous. The whole thing was a dream.

One of my favourite parts in the film is when, after The Bishop of Digne offers Jean Valjean a place to eat, a place to be warm and Jean Valjean steals from him, and the police soon catch him, The Bishop lies to save Valjean. I have never watched the film without crying like a toddler at this part. It gets me because of his goodness and because it's the start of Jean Valjean finding strength to become an amazing man. Therefore, I must write about how utterly emotional I was watching this part in the theatre. I was a mess. The Bishop of Digne was flawless.

Now onto Carrie. She plays the older Eponine in the production. It's genuinely quite difficult for me to attempt to put how amazing she was into words and although nothing will justify it, I can try. When it was the scene that I knew Carrie would be in, my eyes were darting around until I saw her. When she was on stage, she was all I was watching (I am a huge fan). I'd only ever, before that day really seen her sing and, well, speak. That day I saw her act and she was bloomin' great. I believed every word she said and I felt her lingering gazes at Marius and it was just perfect. When she sung On My Own, for a moment I took a look at the whole theatre focused on the person who I had watched on YouTube and watched her dream come true. After having appreciated her talent for so long, I was overwhelmed with emotion. The highlight was her singing On My Own and it brought me to tears. She is the perfect Eponine. It must also be mentioned that when she came out at the end to bow as I whooped my heart away, I, of course, felt my eyes dampen with a little fall of happiness. She was with her theatre family and she clearly appreciated everything. Like the fangirl I am, I was so proud.

It is such an amazing production and I had the most wonderful time.

Castles & Clouds,

The Girl in the Moonlight.