Bermuda has scored a big theatrical coup with the news that the Gilbert & Sullivan Society (G&S) has been granted special permission to stage the blockbuster hit musical, `Les Miserables'.

It will be the first time, in the West, that performing rights for one of the most successful musicals of recent years, have been given to an amateur group.

Based on Victor Hugo's famous story of the French Revolution, it was adapted for the musical stage by Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg. It became another big winner for legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh.

"We have just heard that Cameron Mackintosh Limited has very kindly given us permission to perform `Les Mis','' says Society president Marjorie Stanton.

"They did allow some productions to be staged in Australasia and it turned out to be bigger than any other musical in history. Societies that normally run for two weeks, ran for eight.'' The surprise nod of approval for Bermuda's G&S Society has come about largely as a result of musician Kate Ross's friendship with musical director Mark Dorell during their Cambridge University days. They remained friends and he has been a regular visitor to Bermuda ever since where he has seen rehearsals or performances of most of the G&S productions. Mr. Morrell, whose engagement as guest musical director for the projected show is also an honour for Bermuda as he is famous for his work with the Royal National Theatre in London (`Peter Pan', `Guys and Dolls', `A Little Night Music' are just some of his productions), was in Bermuda recently. "I was aware that he knew Cameron Mackintosh very well,'' says Mrs. Stanton, "so I asked him to approach him personally -- and it worked! Katherine Winter went to see him about it when she was in London. When he was back here on holiday last week, he handed me the letter of permission personally! "I read it, but was so surprised I couldn't take it in and said `what does this mean?' and he said, `It means you can go ahead!' So, as long as we are able to cast it with people who will do it justice, `Les Mis' will be staged as our annual production in October. I booked City Hall two and a half years ago, hoping that permission would come through Music Theatre International and we kept applying but there was no reaction at all to our requests until Mark talked to Cameron. He has seen some of our work and must have felt that we had the ability to pull it off.'' Auditions will be held early in February for the show which will run at City Hall from October 5-17.

Very much a hands-on president who has produced a show every year since 1986, as well as producing Marjorie Pettit's Heritage and Festival concerts, Mrs.

Stanton began her long list of productions in 1986 with `Camelot'. She arrived here with her late husband, Keith, in 1970 when he was appointed senior government statistician, and has two children, David and Julie.

"I suppose I really got involved through Julie because she was in a lot of BMDS pantomimes and I was one of the `house mothers' and then I started helping with the wardrobe for both BMDS and the Gilbert & Sullivan Society -- and got the theatre bug! It was a total shock when I was elected president.

Since then I have done 12 shows,'' she says.

Mrs. Stanton acquired her reputation as a bona fide `trouper' in 1989 when she appeared to take the showbiz expression of good luck (`Break a leg') rather too seriously: after a rehearsal at City Hall she fell off the stage and into the orchestra pit, breaking her ankle. She was seen, however, hobbling about the theatre for the rest of the run of that year's show, `Irene'.

Auditions for `Les Miserables' will be held on February 4, 5 and 6 (Wednesday through Friday) from 7 to 10 p.m. and on Saturday, February 7 from 1 to 6 p.m.

at Saltus Grammar School. To reserve a time, please telephone 295-3218.

G&S PRESIDENT -- Marjorie Stanton