Les Misérables (, ), colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz (), is a sung-through musical based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo. It is one of the most popular and highest-grossing stage musicals of all time. Set in early 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean, a French convict, and his journey of redemption. After stealing a loaf of bread for his sister's starving child, Valjean is imprisoned for 19 years and released in 1815. When a bishop inspires him with a tremendous act of mercy, Valjean breaks his parole, changes his name and starts his life anew. He becomes wealthy and adopts an orphan, Cosette. A police inspector named Javert pursues Valjean over the decades in a single-minded quest for "justice." The plot leads the characters to Paris, where they are swept up in the events of a revolutionary period in France, as a group of young idealists attempts to overthrow the government from a street barricade.
The musical was conceived in the late 1970s by French librettist Alain Boublil, and the original French work features music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, and a book by Boublil and Schönberg. The show was recorded as a concept album, which was released in 1980, and then presented on stage for four months at the Palais des Sports. In 1983 it was adapted into an English-language version by producer Cameron Mackintosh and Royal Shakespeare Company directors Trevor Nunn and John Caird. This version, expanded and reorganized from the original, opened in London in 1985, and despite mixed reviews, met with great success with audiences. Les Miserables has been running in London continuously since then, making it the longest-running musical in West End history and the second longest-running musical in the world after the original off-Broadway run of The Fantasticks. Many long-running revivals followed on Broadway and around the world. A film adaptation was released in 2012.
Background Alain Boublil's initial idea to adapt Victor Hugo's novel into a musical came while at a performance of the musical Oliver! in London: As soon as the Artful Dodger came onstage, Gavroche came to mind. It was like a blow to the solar plexus. I started seeing all the characters of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables—Valjean, Javert, Gavroche, Cosette, Marius, and Éponine—in my mind's eye, laughing, crying, and singing onstage.
He shared the idea with his collaborator, the French composer Claude-Michel Schönberg, and the two developed a rough synopsis and analysis of each character's mental and emotional state, as well as that of an audience. Schönberg then began work on the music, while Boublil started writing the text. According to Boublil, "I [began] work on the words ... after myself deciding on the subject and title of every song—in collaboration with my friend, poet Jean-Marc Natel." Two years later, a two-hour demo tape of Schönberg accompanying himself on the piano and singing every role was completed. An album of this collaboration was recorded at CTS Studios in Wembley and was released in 1980, selling 260,000 copies.
The Les Misérables concept album was released in French in 1980. It starred Maurice Barrier as Jean Valjean, with Jacques Mercier as Javert, Rose Laurens as Fantine, Yvan Dautin and Marie-France Roussel as the Thénardiers, Richard Dewitte as Marius, Fabienne Guyon as Cosette, Marie-France Dufour as Éponine, Michel Sardou as Enjolras, Schönberg as Courfeyrac and Salvatore Adamo as Combeferre. The first stage adaptation was presented at the Palais des Sports in September of that year with many of the same cast, including Barrier, Laurens, Dautin, Roussel, and Guyon; Jean Vallée played Javert.
In 1983, about six months after producer Cameron Mackintosh had opened Cats on Broadway, he received a copy of the French concept album from director Peter Farago. Farago had asked Mackintosh to produce an English-language version of the show. Initially reluctant, Mackintosh eventually agreed. In conjunction with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Mackintosh assembled a production team to adapt the French musical for a British audience. After two years in development, the English-language version, translated by Herbert Kretzmer (lyrics) and Siobhan Bracke (book), and expanded with additional material by James Fenton, opened in London in October 1985 at the Barbican Centre, then the London home of the RSC. The production was shaped and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, then both senior directors with the RSC. It then transferred to the West End.
Reception and milestones
Critical reviews for Les Misérables were initially negative. At the opening of the London production, The Sunday Telegraphs Francis King described the musical as "a lurid Victorian melodrama produced with Victorian lavishness", and Michael Ratcliffe of The Observer considered the show "a witless and synthetic entertainment", while literary scholars condemned the project for converting classic literature into a musical. Irving Wardle of The Times dissented, calling the musical's book a bold and ingenious abridgement of Hugo's plot. Public opinion differed from the critical consensus: the box office received record orders. The three-month engagement sold out, and reviews improved. The show placed first in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of Britain's "Number One Essential Musicals" in 2005, receiving more than forty percent of the votes. On 3 October 2010, the show celebrated its 25th anniversary with three productions running in London: the original production at the Queen's Theatre; the 25th Anniversary touring production at the Barbican Centre; and a concert at London's O2 Arena. The London production has played more than 16,000 performances and is the second longest-running musical in the world after The Fantasticks, the second longest-running West End show after The Mousetrap.
The first Broadway production opened on 12 March 1987 and ran until 18 May 2003, closing after 6,680 performances. At the time of its closing, it was the second-longest-running musical in Broadway history. The show was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, winning eight, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
Emblem
The musical's emblem is a picture of the waif Cosette sweeping the Thénardiers' inn, usually cropped to a head-and-shoulders portrait, superimposed on the French flag. The image is modeled on an 1879 illustration of Cosette by Émile Bayard, which appeared in early French editions of Victor Hugo's novel.
Synopsis
Prologue In 1815 France, Jean Valjean, "Prisoner 24601", is released on parole by guard Javert after 19 years of hard labor in prison for stealing bread ("Work Song (Look Down)"). Marked by his yellow ticket of leave ("On Parole"), Valjean is shunned and cannot find decent work until the Bishop of Digne offers him shelter. Valjean steals the Bishop's silver, but the Bishop pretends to have given it to him and also gives him a pair of silver candlesticks ("Valjean Arrested, Valjean Forgiven"). Valjean vows to start an honest life ("Valjean's Soliloquy (What Have I Done?)"). He tears up his ticket, breaking parole.
Act I By 1823, Valjean is living disguised as Monsieur Madeleine, a factory owner and the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. Fantine, a single mother working at Valjean's factory, is fired after a disagreement with the lustful foreman and sinks into poverty ("At the End of the Day"; "I Dreamed a Dream"), selling her locket and hair, and becoming a prostitute ("Lovely Ladies"). When she fights back against an abusive customer, Javert, now a police inspector, arrests her. Valjean intervenes and takes her to a hospital ("Fantine's Arrest").
When Valjean rescues a man pinned by a runaway cart, Javert, who has pursued him over the years, suspects his true identity. Learning an innocent man is about to be jailed in his place, Valjean confesses ("Who Am I?"). At the hospital, Fantine dies after Valjean promises to rescue her daughter Cosette from the thieving Thénardiers, innkeepers who are paid to raise her ("Fantine's Death (Come to Me)"). Valjean escapes Javert ("The Confrontation"). In Montfermeil, the Thénardiers use Cosette as a servant, treating her cruelly, while extorting money from Fantine ("Castle on a Cloud"; "Master of the House"). Valjean pays them 1,500 francs to release Cosette ("The Bargain") and takes her to Paris ("The Waltz of Treachery").
In 1832 Paris, unrest grows with the impending death of the merciful General Lamarque. Student revolutionaries Marius Pontmercy and Enjolras prepare for an uprising. The Thénardiers, who have lost their inn and now lead a gang of street criminals, plot scams. Their daughter Éponine befriends the streetwise urchin Gavroche ("Look Down"). She secretly loves Marius, but he falls instantly for Cosette when he meets her with Valjean, whom the Thénardiers attempt to rob ("The Robbery"). Valjean is recognized, but he and Cosette escape; Javert vows to recapture him ("Stars"). Marius persuades Éponine to help him find Cosette ("Éponine's Errand").
As Enjolras rallies the students ("The ABC Café/Red and Black"), Marius pines for Cosette. News of Lamarque's death sparks plans for revolution ("Do You Hear the People Sing?"). Cosette confronts Valjean about his secrets ("In My Life"). Éponine finds Cosette, and Marius and Cosette confess their love ("A Heart Full of Love"). Thénardier and his gang arrive to rob Valjean's house but are foiled by Éponine's warning ("The Attack on Rue Plumet"). Believing Javert has found him, Valjean plans to flee with Cosette. On the eve of the 1832 Paris Uprising, Enjolras exhorts all of Paris to join the revolution. Éponine acknowledges in anguish that Marius will never love her. Javert plans to spy on the students and rebels, who steel themselves for battle ("One Day More").
Act II
The students build a barricade; Marius discovers that Éponine has disguised herself as a boy to join the rebels ("Building the Barricade"). To keep her safe, he sends her to deliver a farewell letter to Cosette ("On My Own"). Valjean intercepts the letter and learns about Marius and Cosette's romance. The French army arrives, demanding surrender ("At the Barricade"). Javert, disguised as a rebel, is exposed as a spy by young Gavroche ("Little People"). Wounded during the fighting, Éponine, confessing her love for Marius, dies in his arms ("A Little Fall of Rain (Eponine's Death)").
Valjean arrives disguised as a soldier, hoping to protect Marius ("Night of Anguish"). He saves Enjolras from a soldier. Valjean releases Javert instead of executing him, shaking Javert's rigid view of God and justice ("The First Attack"). As dawn approaches, the students prepare for attack ("Drink with Me"). Valjean prays for Marius's safety, offering God his own life ("Bring Him Home"). Enjolras realizes the people of Paris have not risen up but resolves to fight on ("Dawn of Anguish"). The army attacks; Gavroche is killed ("The Second Attack (Death of Gavroche)"), and all the students but Marius die. Valjean carries a gravely wounded Marius through the sewers and collapses ("The Final Battle"). Thénardier, looting bodies, comes upon the unconscious Valjean and Marius, taking a ring from the latter and fleeing ("Dog Eats Dog"). At the sewer's exit, Valjean finds Javert waiting; he begs Javert for time to bring Marius to a doctor. Javert, unable to reconcile Valjean's mercy with his worldview, kills himself ("Javert's Suicide").