MEET THE CAST OF LES MISERABLÉS  (Part 3) 

 

With Asia’s first amateur production of Les Miserablés coming to theatres on the 1st of October, it’s time to meet the cast. 

Here’s what they had to say about their character and what it’s like to play the role. 

 

 

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Marius - Dino Corera, Gyles Dharmaratne  and Nicole Liyanage

 

 

Who is he?

 

Dino : He’s an upper middle class man who’s into the revolution. He’s known as one of the leaders. Where Enjolras is the one who thinks with his mind, Marius is the one  who thinks from his heart. But he’s also sort of naïve in a way to not get that Eponine liked him.

 

 

How do your’ll try to portray the same character with the 3 of you playing the same person?

 

Gyles : We all work together and we collaborate and fast track the character journey. We all have different backgrounds and strengths so it’s interesting to get together and decide where to take the character. 

 

Do you think Marius could have handled the situation with Cossette and Eponine in a better way?

Nicole : Definitely yes! If he was more sensitive he could have understood the love of Eponine. Though he was blinded by his first love he definitely shouldn’t have used Eponine to do his work even if Eponine wasn’t in love with him!

 

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Valjean  : Rehan Almeida and Jehan Aloysius  

 

What does his character represent in the story?

 

Rehan : He represents unconditional love and the good in all of us. The story is about how he truly finds redemption.  He’s helped by the Bishop who grants him a gift by buying his soul for God’s Work and Cossette and Fantine play a huge role as well in his road to redemption.

 

 

Is it difficult to portray the difference in him in prison and after he meets M.Myriel?

 

Jehan : So after he meets the Bishop, Valjean's violent passion is more subdued and even his songs and vocal style becomes more lyrical. This physical and vocal shift is gradual, till he morphs from the guttural belting tones of the convict into the aged classical tenor who sings 'Bring Him Home' . For me, the task of this character journey is like taming the beast within me as the show progresses. This is a challenge but it makes the character exciting.

 

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Inspector Javert : Gehan Blok, Kanishka Herat  and Mario De Soyza

 

Would you say he’s the bad guy in the play?

 

Gehan : Well, he’s not really a bad guy. He’s just a proper policemen. He only sees black and white, knows only right and wrong. That’s his background from birth so it’s difficult for him to comprehend anything else - which is why he despises Valjean.  

 

 

What’s it like to get into the character of a man with such strict principles and beliefs?

 

Kanishka : Well, you think to yourself that Javert is this proper, rule abiding person with a no nonsense attitude. Actually, being a prefect in school helps! Going through these thoughts and Javert’s back story and having a better understanding helps get into character.

 

 

How important is his suicide in the whole plot of the play?

 

Mario : If you think about it, the only personal relationship he has is with Valjean so the part before his suicide is the moment where everything changes. The switch is pretty fast and important. Valjean has the opportunity to kill him but he doesn’t and he can’t deal with someone being good whilst having done something bad. 

 

 

 

Interviewed by Panchali Illankoon

Photo credits - Indraratne Balasuriya