Ten weeks. That’s how long we dedicated our co-curricular activity time, committing hours upon hours of rehearsal to transform this ambitious idea into reality. Rehearsing Les Misérables was a crucible for something truly transformative, a whirlwind of intense focus, boundless fun, and pure creative energy—a testament to teamwork at its absolute best.

Every minute was maximized, whether working diligently backstage, commanding the onstage action, or holding the rhythm together in the pit. The process itself was an astounding demonstration of artistry, driven by the exceptional talent of our creatives and sixth form leaders from music, dance and drama departments.

We were fortunate to have a highly talented and reliable cast who embraced the scale of this show with total dedication. Critically, this cast is drawn from Year 9 through 13 and represents every house in the school, making this a genuine, whole-school effort. The result is a production featuring both incredible solo performances— moments of breathtaking emotional clarity—as well as truly stand out ensemble moments where the collective energy becomes overwhelming. It has simply been a joy to watch this growth.

This wasn’t an ‘off the peg’ show; everything—from the beautifully crafted, non-hired set pieces to the bespoke costumes—was brought together with such care and thought. The barricade scenes, in particular, demanded everything we had. They represented a massive technical and emotional challenge for all of us, but seeing them come together has been nothing short of a triumph.

"We watched the show for the first time last night and we are blown away! We cannot believe that a school production can be so professional! Congratulations!" - Audience member

"I have never seen anything like it. Just amazing. How you managed to create such a show I will never understand." - Audience member

"I just wanted to say thank you so so much for everything, It meant so much to me even being In the smallest part of the play was amazing, and the relationships I gained with everyone will stay with me. Just from being on stage for a short amount of time I am truly hooked, and I can tell you one hundred percent I will be auditioning for future plays, It was such an incredible memory and has been my best experience at Bede's so far" - Cast member

"I am so, so happy that she switched to Bede's. It’s taken all the chains off of her and allowed her to be who she wants to be and not be afraid/apologetic. It’s upped her game no end. I’m starting to see the girl I believe she’s meant to be." - Parent

"Thank you for creating such a wonderful show. Every moment was beautifully staged, acted and sung. It was incredibly moving and we were amazed by the commitment of everyone involved. It wasn’t just the best school production I’ve ever seen but one of the best productions full stop." - Audience member