Les Miserables

Victor Hugo’s sprawling, tragic novel was an instant sensation when it was first published in 1862, and its star has never really dimmed. It’s been put on film many times, as early as 1909. But its greatest popular success came in the 1980s, when Parisian songwriters Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg decided to break out of the pop-song ghetto and get into musical theater. Les Mis did that in a big way, its sweeping tale of poverty, injustice, and rebellion perfectly suited to grand reinvention on the stage. The story centers on Jean Valjean, sent to prison for stealing a loaf of bread, who escapes and stays on the lam for years, struggling to find peace and redemption. He’s hunted by implacable policeman Javert, who’s heard of forgiveness but thinks the whole concept is a mistake. Meanwhile, Paris’ coffeehouse radicals, street gangs, and desperate poor are getting restless, and the city is about to blow—the French love their revolutions. Critics have often sneered that this is all sentimental hogwash, but Broadway frequently works best when it’s over-the-top melodramatic. And with 40 million people having seen it already, it’s clear that Miserables loves company. Ordway Theater, (651) 224-4222


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