THERE has been nothing crestfallen about a cast of nearly 50 pupils who are staging an ambitious show for their school’s Christmas production this year.

St Albans School is putting on six performances of Les Miserables, based on Victor Hugo’s epic 19th century novel, this week.

The musical, by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, is considered the school’s most ambitious production to date.

Director Chris Bhantoa, himself a former pupil of the School, and music director Mick Stout, have worked tirelessly for months with the enthusiastic cast, who have been supported in the production by a band of over 20 players as well as the school choir.