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Lyrics - Alain Boublil
Opened - 1985
Main Characters - Valjean, Marius, Javert, Cosette, Fantine, Eponine, the Thenardiers
Plot - It is France, 1815. Jean Valjean is released from prison after a sentence of 19 years
only for a petty crime. He escapes parole and 8 years later Javert, the head of police, is still
on the lookout for him. Valjean has changed his name and owns a factory and is also Mayor.
One of his factory workers, Fantine, has a child living with Inn keepers, the Thenardiers, and when she dies
Valjean takes the young girl, Cosette, into his care. Javert has discovered his true identity
and he goes into hiding.
9 years later a group of students are preparing for a revolution they are sure will happen
soon. One of these, Marius, has fallen in love with Cosette. Eponine, the daughter of the Thenardiers,
is secretly in love with Marius, but agrees to help him find Cosette. The students build a
barricade and are confronted by Javert and the police. A battle is fought, and Eponine is killed
delivering a message. The students are defeated and most of them are killed. Valjean rescues
an injured Marius. Javert, who's life had been in Valjeans hands, but was let off, cannot live
with this fact and kills himself. Marius, unaware of who saved him, recovers in Cosettes care.
Thenardier gives away who saved Marius, and he and Cosette visit Valjean. He tells Cosette about
her past before joing the spirits of the others who died.
Songs (With marks out of 10) -
1.At the end of the day (10)
2.I dreamed a dream (10)
3.Who am I? (8)
4.Come to me (10)
5.Confrontation (8)
6.Castle on a cloud (9)
7.Master of the house (8)
8.Stars (10)
9.Little people (8)
10.Red and Black (10)
11.Do you hear the people sing? (9)
12.I saw him once/In my life (10)
13.A heart full of love (10)
14.One day more (10)
15.On my own (10)
16.A little fall of rain (10)
17.Drink with me (8)
18.Bring him home (10)
19.Javerts suicide (9)
20.Turning (9)
21.Empty chairs at empty tables (10)
Favourite song - On my own
Favourite character - Eponine
Favourite lyrics -
"But the tigers come at night, with their voices soft as thunder, as they tear your
hope apart, and they turn your dream to shame. He slept a summer by my side, he filled my
days with endless wonder, he took my childhood in his stride, but he was gone when autumn came."
- Fantine, remembering her past, 'I dreamed a dream'
"In the rain, the pavement shines like silver. All the lights are misty in the river.
In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight, and all I see is him and me for ever and forever."
- Eponine, imagining that Marius is really hers, 'On my own'
"Phantom faces at the window, phantom shadows on the floor, empty chairs at empty tables,
where my friends will meet no more. Oh my friends, my friends don't ask me what your sacrifice was for,
empty chairs at empty tables, where my friends will meet no more...."
- Marius, after the death of his friends at the barricade, 'Empty chairs at empty tables'
Comment - At first I didn't want to admit how good Les Miserable was because I blindly thought that being an ALW fan, I shouldn't like other musicals as much. The sheer number of good songs in Les Mis is amazing, even though it doesn't have quite as good an atmosphere as my other favourite musicals. Eponine is one of my favourite characters in any musical, and yet everything went wrong for her. If I was Marius I'd definitely have chosen 'Nine over Cosette! :)
UPDATE!
I have been to see the national touring production of Les Mis at the Mayflower theatre, Southampton. It was my first real experience of a large theatre, and my first ever big production musical. It was awesome, I never doubted it would be. The singing was superb, CD quality the whole way through. I can't judge against others yet, but the set seemed brilliant, especially the barricade. One Day More was the most enjoyable song of the performance, I just love it when the whole cast sings. Here are the songs and how much I enjoyed them:
1.At the end of the day (10)
2.I dreamed a dream (10)
3.Lovely Ladies (10)
4.Who am I? (9)
5.Come to me (10)
6.Confrontation (9)
7.Castle on a cloud (8)
8.Master of the house (10)
9.Stars (9)
10.Red and Black (9)
11.Do you hear the people sing? (10)
12.In my life (9)
13.A heart full of love (10)
14.One day more (10)
15.On my own (10)
16.A little fall of rain (10)
17.Drink with me (7)
18.Bring him home (9)
19.Javerts suicide (10)
20.Empty chairs at empty tables (10)
21.Finale (10)