AS the curtain falls at the end of Les Miserables, the stage is full of the ghosts of those who died on the barricades, fighting against oppression. Only two characters left on the stage are actually alive, which gives the musical one of the highest body counts of all time.
And yet, as they all sing of fighting for a new bright future for the ones left behind, there is a muted sense of triumph that, on a good night, sweeps contagiously through the audience.
Last week, at Singapore's Kallang Theatre, an entirely new cast of Les Miserables gave their fighting talk in front of an audience for the first time.
And, afterwards, backstage, the mood was one of quiet, exhausted triumph for the members of this company which was formed specifically for the Asian tour, that will be coming to Hong Kong for the first time next month.
When a show runs and runs, as Les Miserables has in London (11 years) Japan (nine years) New York (eight years) and many other places, casts live together for a very long time.
Singers and crew arrive as newcomers, become absorbed in the piece, accustomed to it, and then they leave.
But it is rare for any cast to find themselves all new together, to have to rehearse from the beginning.