TOP songs from the shows production Beyond The Barricade heads back to Bournemouth later this month for the first of two summer appearances.

The production, featuring leading performers from the box-office busting musical Les Miserables, plays a Bank Holiday Special at the town's Pavilion Theatre on Sunday August 27 and then makes a return visit on Sunday September 10.

Although the nation's touring schedules seem awash with songs from the shows, Beyond The Bar-ricade was one of the first.

It was originally conceived a decade ago. Its two principal cast members, David Fawcett and Andy Reiss, had just left Les Miserables after appearing in both the Manchester and London productions and were looking for ideas for a charity fundraiser.

"It suddenly dawned on us that there were some great musical theatre numbers out there and we knew as well as anyone the best way of presenting them."

The charity show was a huge success and David and Andy decided to take the idea on the road.

The trick, they say, is in maintaining the highest production standards and quality of sound while keeping the shows fresh and relevent the latest production includes new numbers from shows like Billy Elliott, Spamalot and Wicked.

"There are plenty of songs from the musicals style shows around but they're often put on by people who have only ever been to the West End in a taxi," says David. "The public expect high standards and if you don't deliver you very quickly get found out."

Needless to say, Beyond the Barricade, which features David, Andy, Natalie Hope and Kate Leeming, does deliver.

  • The Daily Echo has got together with the show to offer five pairs of tickets for the August 27 performance. All you have to do is answer the following simple question: who wrote the original novel Les Miserables?

Put your answer on a postcard with your name, address and a daytime phone number and send it to: Beyond the Barricades Competition, c/o Jeremy Miles, Entertainments Editor, The Daily Echo, Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 6HH. Entries must arrive by first post on Friday August 18. Usual competition rules apply.