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Storyline
The story of the fall and redemption of Jean Valjean, arrested for stealing some bread for his starving family. In prison he's constantly bothered by the hard-nosed lawman Javert. Valjean is paroled, but runs away and becomes the mayor of a small town. He meets a dying woman named Fantine and swears to raise her daughter. Javert catches up to him, but Valjean escapes. The daughter, Cosette, grows up and falls in love with Marius, a student. An ill-fated, student-led revolution makes the mother of all climaxes for this beauty of a production. And the end with the 50 or so Valjeans is pretty impressive! Written by
Kevin Gillease <gillease@scf.usc.edu>
Plot Summary
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The 200-member choir were former Les Miserables cast members.
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Goofs
During Young Cosette's solo "Castle on a Cloud", A loud BANG is heard off-camera. The noise has been attributed to the premature popping of one among many balloons secured at the time in nets against the ceiling. They were intended to be dropped into the concert hall along with confetti at the show's finale. To her credit, Hannah Chick, the child actress playing Cosette managed to stay in character, flinching visibly as a scared little child should, but continuing her solo without missing a beat.
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Quotes
Madame Thenardier:
I used to dream that I would meet a prince, but God almighty, have you seen what's happened since? Master of the House? Isn't worth my spit! Comforter, philosopher, and lifelong shit. Cunning little brain, regular Voltaire; thinks he's quite a lover but *there's not much there*. What a cruel trick of nature, landing me with such a louse! God knows how I've lasted living with this bastard in the house.
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Connections
Version of
Kyojin-den (1938)
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Soundtracks
"Stars"
Music by
Claude-Michel Schönberg
Original French lyrics by
Alain Boublil and
Jean-Marc Natel
English lyrics by
Herbert Kretzmer
Performed by
Philip Quast See more »
Seeing Les Miz on stage is a breathtaking experience, as it really has the atmosphere, the heart, the energy and the songs to do justice to Victor Hugo's great French novel. So it was no surprise that the Tenth Anniversary Concert really worked - it assembled perhaps the best group of singers (Colm Wilkinson, who created the role of Valjean; Philip Quast, Javert in Australia and on the UK tour (fabulous); Ruthie Henshall as a brittle Fantine; Lea Salonga as Eponine; Michael Ball recreating his role as Marius (and few people can sing Empty Chairs and Empty Tables as well as he does); and from the US, Judy Kuhn as Cosette).
I don't feel that we have been cheated out of a full film version; and in fact I hope they don't attempt it. This semi-dramatised concert does the job and keeps this fantastic musical on record for future generations. Roll on the 20th anniversary, and long may the production run in its London home, where the giant Cosette has become a landmark for tourists getting lost on Piccadilly!