Review Roundup: World Premiere of AMELIE Musical, Starring Samantha Barks, at Berkeley Rep

Berkeley Rep opened the theatrical world premiere presentation of AMÉLIE, A NEW MUSICAL, starring LES MISERABLES' Samantha Barks on September 11. The show runs through Sunday, October 4, 2015.

The cast of AMÉLIE also features David Andino (Blind Beggar/Garden Gnome), Randy Blair (Hipoloto), Adam Chanler-Berat (Nino), AlisonCimmet (Amandine/Philomene),Savvy Crawford (Young Amélie), Carla Duren (Gina), John Hickok (Raphael/Bretodeaux), Alyse Alan Louis(Georgette), Maria-Christina Oliveras (Suzanne), Tony Sheldon (Dufayel/Colignon), Perry Sherman (Lucien), Paul Whitty (Joseph), Shannon O'Boyle (Swing), and Jacob Keith Watson (Swing).

The creative team for AMÉLIE includes David Zinn (scenic and costume designer), Jane Cox (lighting designer), Kai Harada (sound designer), Peter Nigrini(projection designer), Kimberly Grigsby and Daniel Messé (vocal arrangers), and Bruce Coughlin (orchestrator).

Let's see what the critics had to say:

Karen D'Souza, Contra Costa Times: Samantha Barks plays the title waif, a gamin beauty in combat boots traipsing all over the streets of Montmartre in search of true love. Barks, who bewitched many as Eponine in the "Les Miserables" movie, delights as a bohemian pixie finding herself in the city of lights. It's no easy feat filling Audrey Tautou's ethereal shoes, but Barks is up to the task.

Robert Hurwitt, SF Gate: A dreamy movie becomes a dream of a stage musical in "Amélie, A New Musical," the blithe experiment in theatrical magic that opened Friday atBerkeley Repertory Theatre. Wit crackles and charm fills the house, emanating from the book, lyrics and melodies. Director Pam MacKinnoncreates a seamless blend of visual, narrative and performance delights. AndSamantha Barks inhabits the title role so luminously she might make you forget there was anyone else onstage - if the rest of the cast weren't perfectly brilliant in turn.

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