Clear-Com’s FreeSpeak II Goes On The Road With Les Miserables

Now into its fourth decade, Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Les Miserables is the world’s longest-running musical and continues to enthral theatre-goers as it has since it opened in London in 1985.

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic 19th-century novel, the stage show has already been performed in 52 countries and 22 languages, while the Academy Award-winning film is one of the 10 biggest movie musical box office hits of all time.

Brian James Leys ‘The Bishop’ and Killian Donnelly ‘Jean Valjean’. Image by Matthew Murphy

The current UK and Ireland tour opened to rave reviews in Leicester and continues into 2020, visiting Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Plymouth, Southampton, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Bradford, Newcastle and Liverpool, with most dates already sold out.

London’s Autograph Sound are continuing their long association with Sir Cameron’s organisation by providing a complete audio package for the touring production, working closely with award-winning sound designer Mick Potter. As with most major musical touring productions, offstage communications are vital and for this this project the choice was Clear-Com.

Killian Donnelly ‘Jean Valjean’. Image by Johann Persson

Autograph deployed a composite system of wired and wireless Clear-Com products, combining established designs with the very latest in digital wireless systems: analogue Encore and Partyline units (including 14 RS601 and RS602 belt packs, 2 x remote stations, 7 x speaker stations, a main station and matrix master station) integrated seamlessly with units from Clear-Com’s latest FreeSpeak II digital wireless intercoms system, including 6 x antennae, 3 x antenna splitters, 13 x wireless digital belt packs and a Base Station.

Amongst other advantages, Autograph’s design allows placement of multiple antennae which provide coverage wherever it is most needed.

Andy Brown is Autograph’s Senior Production Sound Engineer for the show and commented, ‘Being able to freely combine units from disparate ranges of Clear-Com equipment works exceptionally well for us.”

Katie Hall ‘Fantine’. Image by Helen Maybanks

“It allows us to provide a comms system which is perfectly tailored to the project, using the very best of both new and established technologies, which gives the required coverage at every venue on the itinerary. In-show crew communication is critical for any modern theatrical production on this scale and once again Clear-Com equipment has helped us to deliver exactly what was needed.’