disappear. Hugo Bush (Year 11) admitted he felt daunted at first: “I didn’t really know what to expect … but every single person was so incredibly kind to me, supporting me on and off the stage.” That support transformed the cast and crew into what many described as “one big family”. Ollie summed it up as “a team environment … like one big whānau”. If you ask the boys what they will carry with them now that the set has been dismantled, the answer isn’t the applause – it’s each other. James Melhuish (Year 13), a five-year veteran of College
productions, reflected: “Being in a group of like-minded people all set on the same goal is so empowering and inspiring … Most of my best mates at College and at our sister schools have come from these shows.” Charlie de Costobadie (Year 13) captured the resilience built behind the scenes: “The many hours that the cast and crew spent together, while tired, stressed, and struggling with school lives, allowed deep relationships to form that would struggle to build in any other scenario.” If there is one message from the cast and crew of Les Misérables to the rest of the student body, it is this – give it a go. You do not need to be a seasoned performer to find your place in the theatre.
As Oscar Stove (Year 13) urges: “I would strongly encourage any students to give it a try, even if you have never been involved before; there is no better place to start!” To sum it up in Charlie de Costobadie’s words: “If all my schooling was cut away and I could only take one memory or repeat one event, it would undoubtedly be this show.” Thank you to the phenomenal staff, crew, and cast who poured their hearts into the barricades this year. You didn’t just put on a show; you built a community.
COLLEGE 2026
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