Adam Searles (born 1 June 1981) is a British

stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

, film, and television actor. He has portrayed

Gavroche Gavroche () is a fictional character in the 1862 novel ''Les Misérables'' by Victor Hugo. He is a boy who lives on the streets of Paris. His name has become a synonym for an urchin or street child. Gavroche plays a short yet significant role i ...

in ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'' at the

Palace Theatre, London The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. Its red-brick facade dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus behind a small plaza near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road. The Palace ...

, and played the original

Artful Dodger Jack Dawkins, better known as the Artful Dodger, is a character in Charles Dickens's 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist''. The Dodger is a pickpocket, so called for his skill and cunning in that occupation. He is the leader of the gang of child criminal ...

Cameron Mackintosh Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "th ...

's 1994 production of '' Oliver!'' at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...

. Searles opened the show in 1994 with

Jonathan Pryce Sir Jonathan Pryce (born John Price; 1 June 1947) is a Welsh actor who is known for his performances on stage and in film and television. He has received numerous awards, including two Tony Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards. In 2021 he was ...

in the role of Fagin and was requested to close the show in 1998 with

Jim Dale Jim Dale (born James Smith; 15 August 1935) is an English actor, composer, director, narrator, singer and songwriter. In the United Kingdom he is known as a pop singer of the 1950s who became a leading actor at the National Theatre. In Britis ...

as Fagin. Searles studied at the

Sylvia Young Theatre School Sylvia Young Theatre School is an independent school in Marble Arch, London, England. It is a specialist performing arts school named after its founder and principal, Sylvia Young OBE. Outline The Sylvia Young Theatre School was founded in ...

in London and appeared in the original performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical '' Whistle Down The Wind'' at the

Sydmonton Festival The Sydmonton Festival is a summer arts festival presented in a deconsecrated 16th century chapel on the grounds of Sydmonton Court, the country estate of Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is in Hampshire, located approximately 85 kilometres southwest of Lo ...

held at Lloyd Webber's country house, Sydmonton Court, in 1995. He also featured in the

's Gala Concert. '' Hey Mr Producer'' and was part of the dream cast for Cameron Mackintosh's 10th Anniversary Concert of ''

''. He has since gone on to television work and in 2007 he appeared in ''Pantomime'' with Henry Winkler. In 2011, Searles graduated from the Royal Academy of Music's Musical Theatre course. He was also one of the 2010 recipients of the BBC Musical Theatre Bursary Award. Searles appeared in the film version of ''

'', released in 2012.

Recognition

Of Searles' opening night performance as the Artful Dodger in Cameron Mackintosh's 1994 production of '' Oliver!'', the ''

Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and pa ...

'' wrote "Adam Searles lit up the stage with his cocky, swaggering performance as Fagin's chief sidekick", while Matt Wolf of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote "Artful Dodger for opening night, Adam Searles, had Cockney panache and charm to spare," and the ''

Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' is an encyclopedia created in 1989 by Colin Larkin. It is the "modern man's" equivalent of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music'', which Larkin describes in less than flattering terms.''The Times'', ''The Know ...

'' wrote that Searle's performance "almost stole the show."

Discography

*
Hey Mr Producer
' *
Oliver: 1994 Original London Cast Recording
' *
Les Miserables: 10th Anniversary Concert
'

Filmography

* '' London's Burning'' (TV) * '' Dodgem'' (3 episodes, 1991) (TV) * '' B&B'' (1992) * ''

Great Performances ''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise theatrical performances such as plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is p ...

'' (1 episode, 1995) (TV) * ''

Noel's House Party ''Noel's House Party'' is a BBC light entertainment series that was hosted by Noel Edmonds. Set in a large house in the fictional village of Crinkley Bottom, leading to much innuendo, it ran from 23 November 1991 to 26 March 2000 on BBC One, a ...

'' (1 episode, 1997) (TV) * '' Hey Mr Producer'' (1998) (TV) * '' Sex 'n' Death'' (1999) (TV) * ''

Topsy-Turvy ''Topsy-Turvy'' is a 1999 British musical period drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh, starring Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan and Jim Broadbent as W.S. Gilbert, along with Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville and Ron Cook. The s ...

'' (1999) (Film) * ''

Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

'' (1 episode, 2001) (TV) * ''

Teachers A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. wh ...

'' (1 episode, 2001) (TV) * ''

The Bill ''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983. The programme focused o ...

'' (2 episodes, 2000–2001) (TV) * ''Goodbye, Mr Steadman'' (2001) (TV) * ''

'' (2012) (Film)

References

External links

*
BBC Performing Arts Fund Musical Theatre Bursary WinnersPersonal website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Searles, Adam English male musical theatre actors English male television actors Living people 1981 births Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music Alumni of the Sylvia Young Theatre School