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Les Misérables ( /leɪ ˈmɪzərɑːb/ or /leɪ ˌmɪzəˈrɑːb/; French pronunciation: [le mizeˈʁablə]), colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz /leɪ ˈmɪz/, is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel by Victor Hugo.

The music was composed by Schönberg, and the lyrics were written by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, with an English-language libretto by Herbert Kretzmer. Set in early 19th-century France, the plot follows the stories of many characters as they struggle for redemption and revolution. An ensemble that includes prostitutes, student revolutionaries, factory workers, and others joins the lead characters.

The musical opened at the Barbican Centre in London, England on 8 October 1985. It is the second longest-running musical in the world after The Fantasticks,^[1] the second longest-running West End show after The Mousetrap,^[2] and the third longest-running show in Broadway history. It is currently the longest-running musical on West End followed by The Phantom of the Opera. In January 2010, it played its ten-thousandth performance in London, at Queen's Theatre in London's West End.^[3] On 3 October 2010, the show celebrated its 25th anniversary with three productions running in the same city: the original show at London's West End; the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary touring production at the original home of the show, the Barbican Centre; and the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary concert at London's O2 Arena.^[3]

Background[link]

Originally released as a French-language concept album, the first musical-stage adaptation of Les Misérables was presented at a Paris sports arena, the Palais des Sports, in 1980.^[4] However, the first production closed after three months when the booking contract expired.

In 1982, about six months after producer Cameron Mackintosh had opened Cats in London, he received a copy of the French concept album from director Peter Farago. Farago had been impressed by the work and asked Mackintosh to produce an English-language version of the show. Initially reluctant, Mackintosh eventually agreed.

Mackintosh assembled a production team to adapt the French musical for a British audience. After two years in development, the English-language version opened in London on 8 October 1985, at the Barbican Centre.

Reception[link]

At the opening of the London production, critical reviews were negative, and literary scholars condemned the project for converting classic literature into a mere musical. Public opinion differed—the box office received record orders. This three-month engagement sold out and reviews improved.

The Broadway production opened 12 March 1987, and ran until 18 May 2003, closing after 6,680 performances. It is the third longest running Broadway show in history and was the second-longest at the time.^[5] A fully re-orchestrated Broadway revival opened on 9 November 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre.

The show was nominated for 12 Tony Awards and won eight, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. It placed first in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals" in June 2005, receiving more than forty percent of the votes.^[6]

It was one of several British musicals on Broadway in the 1980s along with Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, and Miss Saigon.

Emblem[link]

The illustration on which the musical's emblem is based.

The musical's emblem is a picture of the waif Cosette sweeping the Thénardier's Inn, usually shown cropped to a head-and-shoulders portrait with the French national flag superimposed. The picture is based on the illustration by Émile Bayard that appeared in the novel's original 1862 edition.

Synopsis[link]

Act I[link]

Sung-through, Les Misérables opens in Bagne prison in Toulon, France, in 1815, where the prisoners work at hard labour ("Work Song"). After 19 years of imprisonment (five for stealing bread for his starving sister and her family, and the rest for trying to escape), Jean Valjean—"prisoner 24601"—is released on parole by the policeman Javert. By law, Valjean must display a yellow ticket-of-leave, which condemns him as an outcast ("On Parole"). He then meets the Bishop of Digne, who offers him food and shelter. Valjean steals silver from the bishop and the police catch him shortly afterwards. The bishop, however, lies to save Valjean and helps him begin a new life ("Valjean Arrested, Valjean Forgiven"). Humbled by the bishop's mercy and kindness, Valjean decides to follow the bishop's advice and breaks his parole. ("Valjean’s Soliloquy" / "What Have I Done?").

Eight years later, Valjean, having assumed a new identity as Monsieur Madeleine, is a wealthy factory owner and mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. One of his workers, Fantine, has a fight when the other workers discover she is sending money to her secret illegitimate child. The girl is living with an innkeeper and his wife ("At the End of the Day"). The Mayor breaks up the conflict, but asks his factory foreman to resolve it. The other women demand Fantine's dismissal, and because she had previously rejected his advances, the foreman agrees and throws Fantine out.

Fantine sings about her broken dreams and about her lover, who left her to care for her daughter alone ("I Dreamed a Dream"). Desperate for money, she sells her locket, and her hair, before becoming a prostitute ("Lovely Ladies"). When she fights back against an abusive customer, Javert, now stationed in Montreuil-sur-Mer, arrests her ("Fantine's Arrest"). Jean Valjean (who is revealed to be the mayor) soon arrives, and realising his part in the ruination of Fantine, orders Javert to let her go and takes her to a hospital.

Soon after, the Mayor rescues Fauchelevant, who is pinned by a runaway cart ("The Runaway Cart"), reminding Javert of Jean Valjean (who was abnormally strong), whom he has sought for years for breaking parole. However, Javert assures the mayor that Valjean has been arrested recently and will be in court later in the day. Unwilling to see an innocent man go to prison in his place, Valjean confesses his identity to the court—that he is the prisoner 24601—revealing the convict's brand on his chest as proof ("Who Am I?—The Trial").

Before returning to prison, Valjean visits the dying Fantine and promises to find and look after her daughter Cosette. ("Come to Me" / "Fantine's Death"). When Javert arrives to arrest him, Valjean asks three more days to fetch Cosette, but Javert refuses to believe his honest intentions ("The Confrontation"). Valjean eventually knocks Javert out and escapes.

The next scene occurs in an inn at Montfermeil run by the Thénardiers, where Cosette has been living. The Thénardiers have been abusing the little girl, while indulging their own daughter, Éponine. Cosette dreams of a better life ("Castle on a Cloud") before Madame Thénardier sends her to fetch water in the dark. As the inn fills for the evening, the Thénardiers cheat their customers in various ways ("Master of the House"). Valjean finds Cosette fetching water ("The Bargain") and pays the Thénardiers 1,500 Francs to let him take her away ("The Waltz of Treachery").

Nine years later, Paris is in upheaval because General Lamarque, the only man in the government who shows mercy to the poor, is ill and may soon die. The young street urchin Gavroche mingles with the prostitutes and beggars on the street, while students Marius Pontmercy and Enjolras discuss the general's imminent demise ("Look Down").

A street gang led by the Thénardiers prepares to ambush Valjean, whom Thénardier recognizes as the man who took Cosette ("The Robbery"). Éponine sees Marius, whom she secretly loves, and warns him to stay away, but Marius accidentally bumps into Cosette and immediately falls in love. Javert thwarts the Thénardiers' attempt to rob Valjean and Cosette, not recognising Valjean until after he escapes ("Javert's Intervention"). Javert gazes at the night sky, comparing his hunt of Valjean and justice to the order of the stars ("Stars"). Meanwhile, Marius, although he does not know Cosette's name, persuades a reluctant Éponine to help him find her ("Éponine's Errand").

The scene shifts to a political meeting in a small café where Enjolras leads a group of idealistic students to prepare for a revolution that they believe will materialise after General Lamarque's death, ("The ABC Café—Red and Black"). Marius arrives late and when Gavroche brings the news of the General's death, the students march into the streets ("Do You Hear the People Sing?").

Cosette is infatuated with Marius, and although Valjean realises that she has grown up, he refuses to tell her about his past or her mother. ("Rue Plumet—In My Life"). In spite of her own feelings, Éponine leads Marius to Cosette ("A Heart Full of Love"), and then prevents her father's gang from robbing Valjean's house ("The Attack on Rue Plumet"). Valjean, convinced that Javert was lurking outside his house, tells Cosette that they must prepare to flee the country.

On the eve of the 1832 Paris Uprising, Valjean prepares to go into exile; Cosette and Marius part in despair; Éponine mourns the loss of Marius; Enjolras encourages all of Paris to join the revolution; Marius decides to join the other students as they prepare for the upcoming conflict; Javert briefs the soldiers under his command while he reveals his plans to spy on the students; and the Thénardiers look forward to robbing the corpses of those who will be killed during the coming battle. Along with the students, the inhabitants of the town, Javert, Valjean, Cosette, Éponine, Gavroche, and Marius ponder what this "tomorrow" will bring ("One Day More").^[3]

Act II[link]

As the students begin a barricade ("At the Barricade—Upon These Stones"), Javert, disguised as one of the rebels, volunteers to "spy" on the government troops. Marius notices that Éponine has disguised herself as a boy and has joined the revolutionaries. He sends her with a letter to Cosette, also carrying Éponine to safety. Valjean intercepts the letter, promising Éponine he will tell Cosette about the letter. After Éponine leaves, Valjean reads the letter, learning about Marius and Cosette's relationship. While walking the streets of Paris, Éponine laments how her love for Marius will never be reciprocated and decides that despite what he had said to her, she'll rejoin Marius at the barricade ("On My Own").

("At the Barricade") After the students defy an army warning that they surrender or die, Javert returns and tells the students that the government will attack ("Javert's Arrival"). However, Gavroche exposes him as a spy ("Little People"), and the students proceed to arrest him. Éponine is shot as she returns to the barricades and dies in Marius's arms ("A Little Fall of Rain"), leaving Marius devastated at the loss of his best friend. Valjean arrives at the barricades in search of Marius as the first battle erupts, and he saves Enjolras by shooting a sniper ("The First Attack"). As a reward, he asks to be the one to kill the imprisoned Javert, but instead Valjean releases Javert and even gives him his address. As the students settle down for the night and reminisce ("Drink with Me"), Valjean prays to God to save Marius from the onslaught that is to come ("Bring Him Home").

As dawn approaches, Enjolras realises that the people of Paris have abandoned them. He sends away women and fathers of children, but resolves to fight on ("Dawn of Anguish"). With ammunition running low during the second attack, Gavroche scurries in front of the barricade to collect more cartridges. As he runs back behind the barricade, he is shot three times and dies ("The Second Attack / Death of Gavroche"). Enjolras and the students realise that they will likely die. The army gives a final warning for surrender, but the rebels refuse, and as they continue to fight, all are killed except Valjean and Marius ("The Final Battle").

Carrying a wounded Marius on his back, Valjean escapes into the sewers. Meanwhile, Thénardier, also in the sewers, is looting valuables from bodies, laughing that he is performing a "service to the town" ("Dog Eats Dog"). Thénardier takes a ring off Marius's "corpse" as Valjean is resting, and then escapes when he sees Valjean getting up. When Valjean reaches the sewer's exit, he runs into Javert, who has been waiting for him. Valjean begs Javert to give him one more hour to bring Marius to a doctor, and Javert reluctantly agrees. After Valjean leaves, Javert finds that because Valjean saved his life, he can't bring himself to turn Valjean in. Torn between the mercy that Valjean has shown him and his duty to the law, Javert commits suicide by throwing himself into the Seine ("Soliloquy - Javert's Suicide)".

Back on the streets, several women mourn the deaths of the young students ("Turning"). Marius also mourns for his friends ("Empty Chairs at Empty Tables"). As he wonders who saved him from the barricades, Cosette comforts him, declaring that she will never go away ("Every Day") and they reaffirm their love. Valjean then confesses to Marius that he is an escaped convict and tells him that he must go away because his presence endangers Cosette ("Valjean's Confession"). Valjean makes Marius promise never to tell Cosette, and Marius makes only a half-hearted attempt to hold him back.

Marius and Cosette marry ("Wedding Chorale"). The Thénardiers crash the reception in disguise as "The Baron and Baroness du Thénard". They tell Marius that Valjean is a murderer, saying that they saw him carrying a corpse in the sewers after the barricades fell. When Thénardier shows him the ring that he took from the corpse, Marius realises that he was the "corpse" and that Valjean saved his life. Marius punches Thénardier, the newlyweds leave, and the Thénardiers enjoy the party and celebrate their survival ("Beggars at the Feast").

Meanwhile, Valjean prepares for his death, having nothing left for which to live. Just as the spirit of Fantine arrives to take him to heaven, Cosette and Marius rush in, in time to bid farewell and for Marius to thank him for saving his life ("Epilogue - Valjean's Death"). Valjean gives Cosette his confession to read, and the souls of Fantine and Éponine guide him to Paradise, where everyone who died at the barricades ask once more: "Do You Hear the People Sing?" ("Finale").

Musical numbers[link]

Characters[link]

Listed in the order in which they appear.

Original casts[link]

Productions[link]

Original French production[link]

French songwriter Alain Boublil had the idea to adapt Victor Hugo's novel into a musical 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.^[9]

He pitched the idea to French composer Claude-Michel Schönberg, and the two developed a rough synopsis. They worked up an analysis of each character's mental and emotional state, as well as that of an audience. Schönberg then began to write the music, while Alain Boublil began work on the text. According to Alain Boublil, "...I could begin work on the words. This I did—after myself deciding on the subject and title of every song—in collaboration with my friend, poet Jean-Marc Natel."^[10] Two years later, a two-hour demo tape with 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 concept album includes Maurice Barrier as Jean Valjean, Jacques Mercier as Javert, Rose Laurens as Fantine, Yvan Dautin as Thénardier, Marie-France Roussel as Mme. Thénardier, Richard Dewitte as Marius, Fabienne Guyon as Cosette, Marie as Éponine, Michel Sardou as Enjolras, Fabrice Bernard as Gavroche, Maryse Cédolin as Young Cosette, Claude-Michel Schönberg as Courfeyrac, Salvatore Adamo as Combeferre, Michel Delpech as Feuilly, Dominique Tirmont as M. Gillenormand, and Mireille as the hair buyer.

That year, in September 1980, a stage version directed by veteran French film director Robert Hossein was produced at the Palais des Sports in Paris. The show was a success, with 100 performances seen by over 500,000 people.^[11][12][13]

Most of the cast from the concept album performed in the production.^[11][14] The cast included Maurice Barrier as Valjean, Jean Vallée as Javert, Rose Laurens as Fantine, Maryse Cédolin and Sylvie Camacho and Priscilla Patron as Young Cosette, Marie-France Roussel as Mme. Thénardier, Yvan Dautin as M. Thénardier, Florence Davis and Fabrice Ploquin and Cyrille Dupont as Gavroche, Marianne Mille as Éponine, Gilles Buhlmann as Marius, Christian Ratellin as Enjolras, Fabienne Guyon as Cosette, René-Louis Baron as Combeferre, Dominique Tirmont as M. Gillenormand, and Anne Forrez as Mlle. Gillenormand.^{[11][14][15][16]}

Original London production[link]

Les Misérables at Queen's Theatre in London

The English language version, with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and additional material by James Fenton, was substantially expanded and reworked from a literal translation by Siobhan Bracke of the original Paris version, in particular adding a prologue to tell Jean Valjean's backstory. Kretzmer's work is not a direct "translation" of the French, a term that Kretzmer refused to use. A third of the English lyrics were a "rough" translation, another third were adapted from the French lyrics and the final third consisted of new material.

The first production in English, produced by Cameron Mackintosh and adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, opened on 8 October 1985 (five years after the original production) at the Barbican Arts Centre, London. It was billed in the RSC Barbican Theatre programme as "The Royal Shakespeare Company presentation of the RSC/Cameron Mackintosh production", and played to preview performances beginning on 28 September 1985.

The set was designed by John Napier, costumes by Andreane Neofitou and lighting by David Hersey. Musical supervision and orchestrations were by John Cameron, who had been involved with the show since Claude-Michel and Alain hired him to orchestrate the original French concept album. Musical staging was by Kate Flatt with musical direction by Martin Koch.

The original London cast included Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, Roger Allam as Javert, Ken Caswell as the Bishop of Digne, Patti LuPone as Fantine, Zoë Hart, Jayne O'Mahony and Joanne Woodcock as Young Cosette, Danielle Akers, Gillian Brander and Juliette Caton as Young Éponine, Susan Jane Tanner as Madame Thénardier, Alun Armstrong as Thénardier, Frances Ruffelle as Éponine, Rebecca Caine as Cosette, Michael Ball as Marius, David Burt as Enjolras, with Ian Tucker, Oliver Spencer and Liza Hayden sharing the role of Gavroche.^[17][18]

On 4 December 1985, the show transferred to the Palace Theatre, London and moved again on 3 April 2004, to the much more intimate Queen's Theatre, with some revisions of staging and where it is still playing. It celebrated its ten-thousandth performance on 5 January 2010.^[19] The drummer from the original cast album, Peter Boita, stayed with the show for the first 25 years of its history.

The co-production has generated valuable income for the Royal Shakespeare Company.^[20]

Les Misérables in the Imperial Theatre, 2003

Original Broadway production[link]

The musical had its out-of-town tryout at the Kennedy Center's Opera House in Washington D.C., in December 1986 for eight weeks, through 14 February 1987.^[21]

The musical then premiered on Broadway on 12 March 1987 at The Broadway Theatre. Colm Wilkinson and Frances Ruffelle reprised their roles from the London production.^[22] The $4.5 million production had a more than $4 million advance sale prior to its New York opening.^[23]

The show underwent further tightening and an improved sewer lighting and Javert suicide scene effect was incorporated.^[24] Boublil explained: "The transfer from London to the United States has prompted further modifications. 'We are taking this opportunity to rethink and perfect, to rewrite some details which probably no one else will see, but which for us are still long nights of work,' Mr. Boublil says. 'There are things that nobody had time to do in London, and here we have a wonderful opportunity to fix a few things. No one will notice, perhaps, but for us, it will make us so happy if we can better this show. We would like this to be the final version.'"^[23] Two songs were deleted—the complete version of Gavroche's song "Little People" and the adult Cosette's "I Saw Him Once". A short section at the beginning of "In My Life" replaced "I Saw Him Once". The lyrics in Javert's "Stars" were changed. It now ended with the line, "This I swear by the stars!", while the London production and cast recording ended with the repeated line, "Keeping watch in the night".

The original Broadway cast included Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, David Bryant as Marius, Judy Kuhn as Cosette, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, Frances Ruffelle as Éponine, Braden Danner as Gavroche, Donna Vivino as Young Cosette, Jennifer Butt as Madame Thénardier, Leo Burmester as Thénardier, Randy Graff as Fantine, Terrence Mann as Javert, Chrissie McDonald as Young Éponine, and Norman Large as the Bishop of Digne.^[22]

Other members of the original Broadway cast included: Kevin Marcum, Paul Harman, Anthony Crivello, John Dewar, Joseph Kolinski, Alex Santoriello, Jesse Corti, Susan Goodman, John Norman, Norman Large, Marcus Lovett, Steve Shocket, Cindy Benson, Marcie Shaw, Jane Bodle, Joanna Glushak, Ann Crumb, Kelli James, Gretchen Kingsley-Weihe, Chrissie McDonald. Michael Hinton was the original drummer and credited on the cast album.^[22]

The musical ran at the Broadway Theatre through 10 October 1990, when it moved to the Imperial Theatre.^[22] It was scheduled to close on 15 March 2003, but the closing was postponed by a surge in public interest.^[25] According to an article in The Scotsman, "Sales picked up last October, when Sir Cameron made the announcement that the show would be closing on 15 March...its closure postponed to 18 May because of an unexpected increase in business."^[26] After 6,680 performances in sixteen years,^[26] when it closed on 18 May 2003,^[22] it was the second-longest-running Broadway musical after Cats.^[27] In 2006, its position fell to the third after The Phantom of the Opera surpassed it.^[28]

This Broadway production of Les Misérables and its advertising in New York City is a reoccurring theme in American Psycho. The reviewer for the Financial Times wrote that Les Misérables is "the book's hilarious main cultural compass-point".^[29]

2006 Broadway revival[link]

Only three years after the original run closed, Les Misérables began a limited return to Broadway on 9 November 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre for a limited run that was subsequently made open-ended.

Using the set, costumes, performers, and other resources from the recently closed third U.S. national touring production, the production was only slightly altered. Minor changes included colourful projections blended into its existing lighting design, and a proscenium that extended out into the first two boxes on either side of the stage.

Some cuts made to the show's prologue during its original Broadway run were restored, lyrics for Gavroche's death scene (known in the revival as "Ten Little Bullets") cut during the development of the original London production were restored, and much of the show was re-orchestrated by Christopher Jahnke, introducing a snare and timpani-heavy sound played by a 14 member band, a reduction of about 8 musicians from the original production's 22 musician orchestration.

The original 2006 Broadway revival cast included Alexander Gemignani as Jean Valjean, Norm Lewis as Javert, Daphne Rubin-Vega as Fantine, Celia Keenan-Bolger as Éponine, Aaron Lazar as Enjolras, Adam Jacobs as Marius, Ali Ewoldt as Cosette, Gary Beach as Thénardier, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier, Brian D’Addario and Jacob Levine and Austyn Myers as Gavroche, James Chip Leonard as The Bishop of Digne, Drew Sarich as Grantaire, and Tess Adams and Kylie Liya Goldstein and Carly Rose Sonenclar as Young Cosette/Young Éponine.^[30]

Fantine was played by Lea Salonga, who previously played the role of Éponine, beginning on 2 March 2007. Zach Rand replaced Jacob Levine as Gavroche on 15 March 2007. Ann Harada replaced Jenny Galloway as Mme. Thénardier on 24 April 2007. Ben Davis joined playing Javert, and Max von Essen playing Enjolras. Ben Crawford and Mandy Bruno joined the cast that day too, playing Brujon and Éponine respectively. On 23 July 2007, Drew Sarich took over the role of Jean Valjean, following Alexander Gemignani's departure. On 5 September 2007, it was announced that John Owen-Jones (who played Valjean in London) was to join the Broadway cast. In return, Sarich would join the London cast in Owen-Jones' place. Judy Kuhn, who originated the role of Cosette, returned to the show after twenty years as Fantine, succeeding Lea Salonga.

The revival closed on 6 January 2008. Combined with the original production's 6,680 performances, Les Misérables has played 7,176 performances on Broadway.^[31]

Concert productions[link]

10th Anniversary Concert[link]

On 8 October 1995, the show celebrated its tenth anniversary with a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. This 10th Anniversary Concert was nearly "complete," missing only a handful of scenes, including "The Death of Gavroche" and the confrontation between Marius and the Thénardiers at the wedding feast. Sir Cameron Mackintosh hand-selected the cast, which became known as the Les Misérables Dream Cast, assembled from around the world. The concert concluded with seventeen Valjeans from various international productions singing, "Do You Hear the People Sing?" in their native languages. The concert cast included Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, Philip Quast as Javert, Paul Monaghan as the Bishop of Digne, Ruthie Henshall as Fantine, Hannah Chick as Young Cosette, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier, Alun Armstrong as Thénardier, Adam Searles as Gavroche, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, Michael Ball as Marius, Judy Kuhn as Cosette, Lea Salonga as Éponine, and Anthony Crivello as Grantaire.The concert was staged by Ken Caswell.

25th Anniversary Concert[link]

The 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables was held at The O2 in North Greenwich on Sunday, 3 October 2010 at 1:30 pm and 7:00 pm.

It featured Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Norm Lewis as Javert, Lea Salonga as Fantine, Nick Jonas as Marius, Katie Hall as Cosette, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier, Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras, Samantha Barks as Éponine, Matt Lucas as Thénardier, Mia Jenkins as Young Cosette, Robert Madge as Gavroche and Earl Carpenter as the Bishop of Digne. (Originally, Camilla Kerslake had been selected to perform as Cosette, however she was unable to attend. Katie Hall was selected in her place. Hall had previously acted as Cosette at the Queen's Theatre from 2009, and was playing Cosette in the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Tour production at the Barbican.) Casts of the current London, international tour and original 1985 London productions took part, comprising an ensemble of three hundred performers and musicians.The concert was staged by Ken Caswell who had been an original cast member in 1985.

Other concert performances[link]

The musical has also been performed in concert at Cardiff Castle and several venues in southern England, produced by Earl Carpenter Concerts. A concert version starring Jeff Leyton was also performed at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast. In 1989, a one-night concert performance was performed at SkyDome, Toronto, and the largest concert production attracted an audience of approximately 125,000 as part of the Australia Day celebrations in Sydney's Domain Park. The Scandinavian concert tour, produced by Cameron Mackintosh in association with Noble Art, starred Danish musical icon Stig Rossen in the leading role and commemorated author Victor Hugo's 200th birthday. Venues on the tour included the Stockholm Globen, Oslo Spektrum, the Helsinki Hartwell Areena, and the Gothenburg Scandinavium, with audiences totalling over 150,000 for the complete tour.

In February 2008, Les Misérables was performed at the Bournemouth International Centre, England with a cast of West End stars accompanied by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. In August 2008, a concert version, directed by Richard Jay-Alexander, was performed at the Hollywood Bowl. The cast included veteran Les Misérables star J. Mark McVey as Valjean, The Office star Melora Hardin as Fantine, Broadway star and Bowl veteran Brian Stokes Mitchell as Javert, Spring Awakening and Glee star Lea Michele as Éponine, Tony-winning Jersey Boys star John Lloyd Young as Marius, West End star Tom Lowe as Enjolras, Michael McCormick as Thénardier, Ruth Williamson as Madame Thénardier, Michele Maika as Cosette, Maddie Levy as Young Cosette, and Sage Ryan as Gavroche.

In September 2008, it was performed at the St John Loveridge Hall in Guernsey with a cast of West End performers—the first time that it had been professionally performed on the Island where Victor Hugo wrote the novel. Former London Valjean Phil Cavill reprised his role alongside Les Misérables veteran Michael McCarthy as Javert. In March 2009, the Guernsey production was remounted at Fort Regent in Jersey; and in July 2009, the musical was performed in concert at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

In November 2004, to celebrate the centennial of the Entente Cordiale, the Queen invited the cast of Les Miserables in the West End to perform for French President Jacques Chirac at Windsor Castle. It was the first time the cast of a West End musical had performed at a Royal residence. The cast was the same as in the West End, supplemented by several guest singers and a choir of former performers. Notably the part of Enjolras was played by Ramin Karimloo, The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables veteran; the role of Jean Valjean was played by Michael Ball – the original 1985 London and 1995 Dream Cast Marius.

Touring productions[link]

National U.S. tours[link]

The show had three national touring productions in the U.S., all of which shared the Broadway producer and manager, cast, creative teams, sets, costumes, and lighting. While the touring production and the New York production were running simultaneously, the staff, cast members, crew, and musicians of the two productions interchanged often, which contributed to keeping both companies of the show in form. When the New York production closed in 2003, the Third National Tour continued for another three years, and enjoyed the influx of many members from the original and subsequent New York companies.

The First National Tour opened at Boston's Shubert Theatre on 12 December 1987, and continued to play major cities until late 1991. The Second National Tour (called "The Fantine Company") opened at Los Angeles' Shubert Theatre on 1 June 1988. The production played for fourteen months then transferred to San Francisco's Curran Theatre where it enjoyed a similar run. The Third National Tour of Les Misérables (called "The Marius Company") was one of the longest running American touring musical productions. Opening on 28 November 1988, at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Florida, and closing on 23 July 2006, at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri, the tour ran for seventeen years and 7,061 performances. The tour played in 145 cities in 43 states. The same touring company also frequently performed in Canada, made a 1994 diversion to Singapore, and another diversion in 2002 to be the first Western musical production to visit China, opening in Shanghai's Grand Theatre for a three week engagement.

All U.S. productions (including Broadway and its revival) were visually identical in scale and design but the third national tour was notable for its portability without sacrificing the Broadway-caliber experience. Thanks to innovative touring techniques borrowed from the pop/rock concert industry, the 4.5 million dollar production was adaptable to smaller and larger venues and traveled complete in all of 8 semi tractor trailers. It was set up and ready to go in less than 24 hours and broken down and packed up in about 16 hours. This allowed it to reach many cities and venues in its acclaimed, original Broadway form.

The final company of the Third National Broadway Tour included Randal Keith as Valjean (Keith also played Valjean in the final company of the original Broadway engagement), Robert Hunt as Javert, Joan Almedilla as Fantine, Daniel Bogart as Marius, Norman Large (from Original Broadway Cast) as Monsieur Thénardier, Jennifer Butt (from Original Broadway Cast) as Madame Thénardier, Melissa Lyons as Éponine, Ali Ewoldt as Cosette, Victor Wallace as Enjolras, Meg Guzulescu and Rachel Schier alternating as Young Cosette and Young Éponine, and Austyn Myers and Anthony Skillman alternating as Gavroche.

In the fall of 2010, a fourth US tour company embarked on a national tour presented by Broadway Across America to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the show. The tour had its opening on 19 November 2010 at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, running until 19 December 2010. This fourth tour features new set/lighting designs and new direction which doesn't require a revolve. It has different and slimmer orchestrations by three additional orchestrators based on John Cameron's original work. This tour originally starred Lawrence Clayton as Valjean, Andrew Valera as Javert, Betsy Morgan as Fantine, Jenny Latimer as Cosette, Justin Scott Brown as Marius, Chasten Harmon as Éponine, Michael Kostroff as Thénardier, Shawna Hamic as Madame Thénardier, Jeremy Hays as Enjolras, Josh Caggiano and Ethan Paul Khusidman as Gavroche, Maya Jade Frank and Juliana Simone alternating as Young Cosette and Young Éponine. J. Mark McVey's daughter, Kylie McVey is the understudy for Young Cosette and Young Éponine. Clayton left the tour in April 2011. Ron Sharpe later took over as Valjean until June 2011. J. Mark McVey is the current Valjean. McVey and his daughter left the tour on April 1, 2012. Peter Lockyer replaces him as Valjean. The tour is scheduled to run through 2012, though it is expected to run until 2013 as more cities are added. ^[32][33] The tour is currently one of six US national Broadway tours that are grossing over $1,000,000 per week.^[34]

25th Anniversary International Tour[link]

A new tour to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the show began performances on 12 December 2009, at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. Differences from the original production included a new set, new costumes, new direction and alterations to the original orchestrations. The new tour also did not use a revolving stage and the scenery was inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. Locations have included Manchester, Norwich, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol, Salford, and Southhampton. The tour also played a special engagement in Paris. From September through October, the show returned to the Barbican Centre, London, where the original 1985 production commenced. The tour cast features John Owen-Jones as Valjean, Earl Carpenter as Javert, Gareth Gates as Marius, Ashley Artus as Thénardier, Lynne Wilmot as Madame Thénardier, Madalena Alberto as Fantine, Rosalind James as Éponine, Jon Robyns as Enjolras, Katie Hall as Cosette, and David Lawrence as the Bishop of Digne. The tour ended 2 October 2010, at the Barbican.

International productions[link]

The show has been produced in thirty-eight countries and translated into 21 languages: English, French, German (Austria and Germany), Spanish (four versions: two from Spain, one version each from Argentina and Mexico), Japanese, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian (Bokmål and Nynorsk), Polish, Swedish (in Sweden and in Finland), Dutch (Netherlands and Belgium), Danish, Finnish, Brazilian Portuguese, Estonian, Czech, Mauritian Creole, Basque, and Catalan. Including singles and promos, there have been over seventy official recordings from worldwide productions.^[35]

Regional productions[link]

In 1997, the Royal Shakespeare Company performed at the Colonial Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The production starred Gregory Calvin Stone (Jean Valjean), Rich Affannato (Marius), Lisa Capps (Fantine), J.P. Dougherty (Monsieur Thenardier), Rona Figueroa (Éponine), Kate Fisher (Cosette), Brian Herriott (Enjolras), Todd Alan Johnson (Javert), and Tregoney Shepherd (Madame Thenardier).

The USAREUR Roadside Theater in Heidelberg, Germany hosted the American Community Theater World Premiere of Les Misérables.^[36] The premiere took place 11 May 2001 and closed on 10 June 2001.^[37] Beginning in 2007, a limited number of regional productions (five in the US, two in Canada) of Les Misérables have been staged. The California Musical Theatre (CMT) (Sacramento, California) in its Music Circus summer series (production ran from 10 July through 22 July 2007) staged the show as theater in the round. Glenn Casale, choreographed by Bob Richard, with music directed by Andrew Bryan, directed the production that featured Ivan Rutherford who gave over one thousand eight hundred performances as Jean Valjean on Broadway as well as performing in the Tenth Anniversary Company.^{[citation needed]}

Other regional productions of Les Misérables include the Pioneer Theatre Company (PTC) of Salt Lake City which was the first regional production. This production ran from 27 April 2007 to 7 July 2007, making it the longest-running production in PTC's history. It was directed by PTC artistic director Charles Morey and brought both William Solo as Jean Valjean and Merwin Foard as Inspector Javert to the PTC, reprising roles both men played previously on Broadway.^{[citation needed]}

The first independent regional theatre production of the musical in Canada was directed by Linda Moore at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, starring Frank Mackay as Jean Valjean in 1994.^{[citation needed]}

An outdoor production played at The Muny, the nation's oldest and largest outdoor theatre, which seats 12,000 people. The theatre is located in Saint Louis, Missouri. Directed by Fred Hanson, Les Misérables was the final production of the Muny's 89th season, playing 6–15 August 2007. Ivan Rutherford, who was a Valjean in the original Broadway production, reprised his role in the production. Kevin Kern and Diana Kaarina, who played Marius and Éponine in the closing cast of the original Broadway production, reprised their roles.^{[citation needed]}

Another outdoor production was staged at Tuacahn Center for the Arts in Ivins, Utah, and ran June through mid-October 2008.^{[citation needed]}

In September 2008, a mini-tour produced by Atlanta's Theater of the Stars played Eisenhower Hall at the United States Military Academy,^[38] in West Point, New York; the Filene Center at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Vienna, Virginia; Kansas City Starlight Theatre; and the Fox Theater in Atlanta. The show featured a new set of original pictures painted by Victor Hugo himself. Robert Evan played Valjean, returning to the role he played in the mid-nineties on Broadway. Also featured were Nikki Rene Daniels as Fantine and Robert Hunt as Javert, both reprising their roles from the Broadway revival. Fred Hanson directed the production. The creative team included Matt Kinley as Scenic Designer, Ken Billington as Lighting Designer, Peter Fitzgerald and Erich Bechtel as Sound Designers, Zachary Borovay as Projection Designer, and Dan Riddle as Musical Director and Conductor.^[39]

In 2008, the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia staged a small venue "black box" version of the play. Signature received Mackintosh's special permission for the production: "One of the great pleasures of being involved with the creation of Les Misérables is seeing this marvelous musical being done in a completely different and original way. Having seen many shows brilliantly reimagined at Signature I have no doubt that Eric and his team will come up with a revolutionary new take on Les Miz unlike anything anyone has seen before. Viva la différence!"^[40] This production earned Signature the 2009 Regional Theater Tony Award. The production officially opened on 14 December 2008 (after previews from 2 December), and ran through 22 February 2009 (extended from 25 January 2009).^[41][42]

Northern Stage, a regional theatre company in White River Junction, Vermont, also staged a production on a small stage, in December 2008; in their case, it was a three-quarter-thrust stage in a 245-seat house. This production featured Timothy Shew as Jean Valjean, Mary Gutzi as Madame Thénardier and Kevin David Thomas as Marius, all of whom appeared in the Broadway production (where Shew starred as Valjean, Gutzi as Fantine and Thomas as Marius). The production also featured Broadway veterans Dan Sharkey (The Music Man) and David DeWitt (Phantom of the Opera). Northern Stage Artistic Director Brooke Ciardelli directed the production.^{[citation needed]}

In July 2009, the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (CLO) staged Les Misérables as part of their summer show collection.

In May 2012, the Calpe Rooke Band will be staging Les Misérables based on the 10th anniversary version in St Michael's Cave. The show will be made up of local singers and musicians^[43]. It is expected to last for over two hours. Tickets for the event sold out within three days of going on sale.

[edit] Les Misérables school edition

The school edition cuts a considerable amount of material from the original show. It is divided into thirty scenes and, although no "critical" scenes or songs have been removed, it runs 25–30 minutes shorter than the "official" version making the total running time about 2 1/2 hours long.^[44] A few subtle changes of vocal pitch have been made: "What Have I Done?", Valjean's Soliloquy, "Stars" by Javert, "A Little Fall of Rain" by Éponine and Marius, "Turning", and "Castle on a Cloud" lose a verse each. During "Fantine's Arrest" Bamatabois loses two verses. The song "Fantine's Death/Confrontation" is edited, and the counterpoint duel between Javert and Valjean is lost, as well as a verse by Fantine. "Dog Eats Dog" by Thénardier is heavily truncated."Beggars at the Feast", is shortened, with Thénardier losing a verse, and the song before it, "Wedding Chorale", is excluded entirely although the rest of the wedding remains in place. Also, the drinker's introduction to "Master of the House" is cut completely.^{[citation needed]}

After The King's Theatre, The King's School and Tara Anglican School for Girls, in Sydney, Australia, gained rights for the full production in late 2000 from Cameron Mackintosh to perform the show. Music Theatre International developed a school version, available only to productions with an entirely amateur cast aged under 19. Hundreds of schools worldwide have purchased the rights and staged performances, and it was the best-selling production for high schools in the year 2006.^{[citation needed]}

In November 2001, Harry S Truman High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania piloted the school version under director Lou Volpe. Cameron Mackintosh attended closing night of the performance and shared how impressed he was with the adaptation. The show was met with rave reviews.

The Woodlands School, located in Mississauga, Ontario, marked the first presentation of the Les Misérables school edition in the Canada.^[45]

Film adaptation[link]

Although numerous films of the Les Misérables story have been made, no film adaptation of the stage musical was produced for many years. A film adaptation has been in development several times since the late 1980s. Alan Parker was reported to be connected to an adaptation at an early stage.^[46] In 1992 Mackintosh announced planning for a film to be directed by Bruce Beresford and co-produced by Tri-Star Pictures,^[47] but the project was later abandoned.^[48]

The 2010 DVD/Blu-ray release of Les Misérables: 25th Anniversary Concert included an announcement of revised plans for a film adaptation^[49] which was later confirmed by Mackintosh. Tom Hooper signed on in March 2011 to direct the Mackintosh-produced film from a screenplay by William Nicholson.^[50] In June 2011 Working Title and Mackintosh announced that the film is scheduled to begin principal photography in early 2012 for a tentative December release date.^[51] Principal cast members include Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert,^[52] Anne Hathaway as Fantine,^[53], Eddie Redmayne as Marius Pontmercy,^[54] and Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as the Thénardiers.^[55][56] Other actors who have signed on for the film include Aaron Tveit as Enjolras, Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, Samantha Barks as Éponine, Colm Wilkinson as the Bishop of Digne and Frances Ruffelle as a prostitute.^[57][58]

Cast recordings[link]

English[link]

The following recordings of Les Misérables are available in the English: the Original London Cast, the Original Broadway Cast, the Complete Symphonic Recording, the 10th Anniversary London Concert, The 25th Anniversary UK Tour Cast and the 25th Anniversary London Concert.

Original London Cast recording[link]

The Original London Cast recording was the first English language album of the musical. Recorded in 1985, when the show premiered, it is closest to the original French concept album. For example, "Stars" appears before "Look Down" and shortly after, the original version of "Little People" plays, which was later incorporated into the revealing of Javert. It also features a song entitled "I Saw Him Once", sung by Cosette, which was later incorporated into the first part of "In My Life".

The cast includes Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Roger Allam as Javert, Patti LuPone as Fantine, Alun Armstrong as Thénardier, Susan Jane Tanner as Mme. Thénardier, Frances Ruffelle as Éponine, Ian Tucker as Gavroche, Michael Ball as Marius, David Burt as Enjolras, and Rebecca Caine as Cosette.

Original Broadway Cast recording[link]

The Original Broadway Cast recording was produced in 1987. It included several changes to the songs that are still evident in today's performances. As with its predecessor, it is incomplete, and leaves out songs or parts that are more important narratively than musically (e.g., "Fantine's Arrest", "The Runaway Cart", "The Final Battle").

The cast includes Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Terrence Mann as Javert, Randy Graff as Fantine, Leo Burmester as Thénardier, Jennifer Butt as Madame Thénardier, Frances Ruffelle as Éponine, Braden Danner as Gavroche, David Bryant as Marius, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, and Judy Kuhn as Cosette.

Complete Symphonic Recording[link]

Recorded in 1988 and released in 1989, the Complete Symphonic Recording features the entire score. (The Czech Revival Recording is the only other album, in any language, to feature the entire score; on the other hand, the four 2003 Japanese recordings feature the entire score after the cuts first made on Broadway at the end of 2000.) Cameron Mackintosh's original plan was to use the Australian cast,^[59] but the scope was expanded to create an international cast featuring performers from the major performances of the musical. The cast was recorded in three different places.^[60]

The album, produced by David Caddick and conducted by Martin Koch, won the Best Musical Cast Show Album Grammy Award in 1991. The cast includes Gary Morris as Valjean, Philip Quast as Javert, Debra Byrne as Fantine, Gay Soper as Mme. Thénardier, Barry James as Thénardier, Kaho Shimada as Éponine, Michael Ball as Marius, Anthony Warlow as Enjolras, and Tracy Shayne as Cosette.

10th Anniversary Concert[link]

The 10th Anniversary recording was of a concert version of Les Misérables, performed at the Royal Albert Hall in October 1995, featuring full orchestra and choir. All the parts were sung live, giving the performance a different mood from other recordings. The score was recorded consecutively without pauses or multiple recordings. The concert's encores are also included. As with the original recordings, this edition omitted certain parts; however, they differed from those missing from the original (e.g., those vital to plot such as "Fantine's Arrest" and "The Runaway Cart" were kept, while unnecessary or complex songs, such as "At the Barricade", were left out).

The cast includes Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Philip Quast as Javert, Ruthie Henshall as Fantine, Alun Armstrong as Thénardier, Jenny Galloway as Mme. Thénardier, Lea Salonga as Éponine, Adam Searles as Gavroche, Hannah Chick as Young Cosette, Michael Ball as Marius, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, Judy Kuhn as Cosette and Anthony Crivello as Grantaire.

Manchester Highlights[link]

A five-track album featuring members of the UK national tour was released in 1992 and includes "I Dreamed a Dream" (Ria Jones); "Stars" (Philip Quast); "On My Own" (Meredith Braun); "Bring Him Home" (Jeff Leyton); and "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" (Mike Sterling). The version of "Stars" is the same as that on the Complete Symphonic Recording.

25th Anniversary UK Tour Cast[link]

Recorded live at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, this recording was released to commemorate 25 years of Les Misérables in English. This recording featured new arrangements and reinspired orchestrations, and included John Owen-Jones as Valjean, Earl Carpenter as Javert, Madalena Alberto as Fantine, Ashley Artus as M. Thénardier, Lynne Wilmot as Mme. Thénardier, Gareth Gates as Marius, Katie Hall as Cosette, Jon Robyns as Enjolras, and Rosalind James as Éponine.

25th Anniversary Concert[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

The 25th Anniversary Concert concert was recorded live at The O2 (London) on October 3rd 2010 and is available on DVD in the UK while the Blu-ray was released worldwide. It was shown in select US theaters via NCM Fathom Events. The release for the DVD in the United States was 22 February 2011. A CD single of the 'Valjean Quartet' singing "Bring Him Home" was also recorded and released with proceeds going to the charity "Tickets For Troops." The cast included Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Norm Lewis as Javert, Nick Jonas as Marius, Samantha Barks as Éponine, Katie Hall as Cosette, Ramin Karimloo as Enjolras, Lea Salonga as Fantine, Matt Lucas as Monsieur Thénardier and Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier.

Other languages[link]

There are also various non-English language cast albums of the musical.

1980 Original French Concept Album 1987 Original Israeli Cast 1988 Original Hungarian Cast 1988 Original Vienna Cast 1990 Original Swedish Cast 1991 Original Dutch Cast 1991 Paris Revival Cast 1992 Original Danish Cast 1992 Original Czech Cast 1993 Original Korean Cast 1993 Original Spanish Cast 1994 Japanese "Blue" Cast 1994 Japanese "Red" Cast

1996 Original Duisburg Cast 1996 Swedish Värmland Cast 1998 Original Antwerp Cast 2003 Japanese "Orange" Cast 2003 Japanese "Green" Cast 2003 Japanese "Light Blue" Cast 2003 Japanese "Violet" Cast 2003 Czech Revival Cast 2008 Dutch Revival Cast 2008 Le Capitole de Québec Cast 2010 Polish Revival Cast 2010 Spanish 25th Anniversary Production Cast 2011 Czech Cast

Awards and nominations[link]

Original London production[link]

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result
1985	Laurence Olivier Award	Best New Musical		Nominated
		Best Actor in a Musical	Colm Wilkinson	Nominated
			Alun Armstrong	Nominated
		Best Actress in a Musical	Patti LuPone	Won
2012	Laurence Olivier Award[61]	Audience Award for Most Popular Show		Won

Original Broadway production[link]

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result
1987	Tony Award	Best Musical		Won
		Best Book of a Musical	Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg	Won
		Best Original Score	Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer	Won
		Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical	Colm Wilkinson	Nominated
			Terrence Mann	Nominated
		Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical	Michael Maguire	Won
		Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical	Judy Kuhn	Nominated
			Frances Ruffelle	Won
		Best Direction of a Musical	Trevor Nunn and John Caird	Won
		Best Scenic Design	John Napier	Won
		Best Costume Design	Andreane Neofitou	Nominated
		Best Lighting Design	David Hersey	Won
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Musical		Won
		Outstanding Actor in a Musical	Colm Wilkinson	Nominated
		Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical	Michael Maguire	Won
		Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	Judy Kuhn	Nominated
		Outstanding Orchestrations	John Cameron	Won
		Outstanding Music	Claude-Michel Schönberg	Won
		Outstanding Set Design	John Napier	Won

See also[link]

Musical Theatre portal

• Lists of musicals

References[link]

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2. ^ Londonist.com: Longest-running London theatre shows
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54. ^ Eddie Redmayne lands 'Les Miserables' role
55. ^ Mistress of the House: Helena Bonham Carter Will Be Madame Thénardier in Les Miz Movie
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58. ^ Breaking News: Samantha Barks To Play Eponine In Les Miserables Movie
59. ^ "angelfire.com". http://www.angelfire.com/musicals/rentlm/csr.html. Retrieved 7 July 2007. 
60. ^ "Les Misérables (Relativity Complete Symphonic Recording)." Popular Albums. All Media Guide, 2006. Answers.com 24 March 2007.
61. ^ Matilda - the Musical Sweeps Olivier Awards; Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller Are Also Winners

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Les Misérables (musical)

• Les Misérables at the Internet Broadway Database
• Cameron Mackintosh: Les Misérables (Worldwide)
• Cameron Mackintosh: Les Misérables (Broadway)
• An Archive of Performers from the Original Broadway Run of Les Mis
• An Archive of Performers from the London Run of Les Mis
• Les Misérables in I Dreamed A Dream: The Susan Boyle Story^{[dead link]}
• Les Miserables London
• Les Mis 25th Anniversary Production running in Barcelona, 2011

v t e Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical (1975–2000) The Wiz (1975) A Chorus Line (1976) Annie (1977) Ain't Misbehavin' (1978) Sweeney Todd (1979) Evita (1980) The Pirates of Penzance (1981) Nine (1982) Little Shop of Horrors (1983) Sunday in the Park with George (1984) The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1986) Les Miserables (1987) Into the Woods (1988) Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989) City of Angels (1990) The Secret Garden (1991) Crazy for You (1992) Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993) Passion (1994) Show Boat (1995) Rent (1996) The Life (1997) Ragtime (1998) Parade (1999) Contact (2000) Complete list (1975–2000) (2001–2025)

v t e Tony Award for Best Musical (1976–2000) A Chorus Line (1976) Annie (1977) Ain't Misbehavin' (1978) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979) Evita (1980) 42nd Street (1981) Nine (1982) Cats (1983) La Cage aux Folles (1984) Big River (1985) Drood (1986) Les Misérables (1987) The Phantom of the Opera (1988) Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989) City of Angels (1990) The Will Rogers Follies (1991) Crazy for You (1992) Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993) Passion (1994) Sunset Boulevard (1995) Rent (1996) Titanic (1997) The Lion King (1998) Fosse (1999) Contact (2000) Complete list (1949–1975) (1976–2000) (2001–2025)

v t e Tony Award for Best Original Score (1976–2000) A Chorus Line by Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban (1976) Annie by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin (1977) On the Twentieth Century by Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green (1978) Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim (1979) Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice (1980) Woman of the Year by John Kander and Fred Ebb (1981) Nine by Maury Yeston (1982) Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T. S. Eliot (1983) La Cage aux Folles by Jerry Herman (1984) Big River by Roger Miller (1985) Drood by Rupert Holmes (1986) Les Misérables by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer (1987) Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim (1988) City of Angels by Cy Coleman and David Zippel (1990) The Will Rogers Follies by Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green (1991) Falsettos by William Finn (1992) Kiss of the Spider Woman by John Kander and Fred Ebb / The Who's Tommy by Pete Townshend (1993) Passion by Stephen Sondheim (1994) Sunset Boulevard by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black, and Christopher Hampton (1995) Rent by Jonathan Larson (1996) Titanic by Maury Yeston (1997) Ragtime by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (1998) Parade by Jason Robert Brown (1999) Aida by Elton John and Tim Rice (2000) Complete list (1947–1975) (1976–2000) (2001–2025)

v t e Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical (1976–2000) A Chorus Line (1976) Annie (1977) On the Twentieth Century (1978) Sweeney Todd (1979) Evita (1980) Woman of the Year (1981) Dreamgirls (1982) Cats (1983) La Cage aux Folles (1984) Big River (1985) Drood (1986) Les Misérables (1987) Phantom of the Opera (1988) Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989) City of Angels (1990) The Secret Garden (1991) Falsettos (1992) Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993) Passion (1994) Sunset Boulevard (1995) Rent (1996) Titanic (1997) Ragtime (1998) Parade (1999) James Joyce's The Dead (2000) Complete list (1950–1975) (1976–2000) (2001–2025)

v t e Les Misérables by Victor Hugo Characters Jean Valjean · Javert · Fantine · Marius · Cosette · Thénardiers · Éponine · Gavroche · Bishop Myriel · Enjolras · Patron-Minette Film adaptations 1909 · 1925 · 1934 · 1935 · 1948 · 1952 · 1958 · 1978 · 1982 · 1995 · 1995 (TV) · 1998 · 2000 (TV) · 2010 (TV) · 2012 Other adaptations Les Misérables (musical) · Les Misérables (radio) · Les Misérables: Shōjo Cosette · Jean Val Jean Songs Songs from Les Misérables · "I Dreamed a Dream"

This article consists almost entirely of a plot summary and should be expanded to provide more balanced coverage that includes real-world context. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. (February 2011)

Les Misérables
Portrait of "Cosette" by Emile Bayard, from the original edition of Les Misérables (1862)
Author(s)	Victor Hugo
Illustrator	Emile Bayard
Country	France
Language	French
Genre(s)	Novel
Publisher	A. Lacroix, Verboeckhoven & Cie.
Publication date	1862

Les Misérables (usually  /leɪ ˌmɪzəˈrɑːb/; French pronunciation: [le mizeʁabl(ə)]), is an 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo that is widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. The title is variously translated from the French as The Miserable, The Wretched, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, or The Victims. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion, the novel follows the lives and interactions of several French characters, focusing on the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption.^[1]

Examining the nature of law and grace, the novel elaborates upon the history of France, architecture of Paris, politics, moral philosophy, antimonarchism, justice, religion, and the types and nature of romantic and familial love. The story is historical fiction because it contains factual and historic events.

Les Misérables is known to many through its numerous stage and screen adaptations, most notably the stage musical of the same name.

Novel form[link]

Upton Sinclair remarked that Hugo set forth the purpose of Les Misérables, "one of the half-dozen greatest novels of the world", in the Preface:^[2]

So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation, which, in the face of civilization, artificially creates hells on earth, and complicates a destiny that is divine, with human fatality; so long as the three problems of the age—the degradation of man by poverty, the ruin of women by starvation, and the dwarfing of childhood by physical and spiritual night—are not solved; so long as, in certain regions, social asphyxia shall be possible; in other words, and from a yet more extended point of view, so long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this cannot be useless.

The novel contains many plots, but the main thread is the story of ex-convict, Jean Valjean (known by his prison number, 24601), who becomes a force for good in the world, but cannot escape his dark past. The novel is divided into five volumes, each volume divided into books, and subdivided into chapters (for a total of three hundred sixty-five chapters). Each chapter is relatively short, usually no longer than a few pages. Nevertheless, the novel as a whole is quite lengthy by modern standards, exceeding fourteen hundred pages in unabridged editions (1900 pages in French).

It also contains what has been incorrectly claimed to be the longest sentence in a published novel.^[3] Within the borders of the novel's story, Hugo fills many pages with his thoughts on religion, politics, and society, including several lengthy digressions, one being a discussion on enclosed religious orders, one on the construction of the Paris sewers, another being on argot, and most famously, his retelling of the Battle of Waterloo.

Plot[link]

Volume I – Fantine[link]

The story starts in 1815 in Digne. The peasant Jean Valjean has just been released from imprisonment in the Bagne of Toulon after nineteen years (five for stealing bread for his starving sister and her family, and fourteen more for numerous escape attempts). Upon being released, he is required to carry a yellow passport that marks him as a prisoner, despite having already paid his debt to society by serving his time in prison. Rejected by innkeepers, who do not want to take in a convict, Valjean sleeps on the street. This makes him even angrier and more bitter.

However, the benevolent Bishop Myriel, the bishop of Digne, takes him in and gives him shelter. In the middle of the night, Valjean steals Bishop Myriel’s silverware and runs away. He is caught and brought back by the police, but Bishop Myriel rescues him by claiming that the silverware was a gift and at that point gives him his two silver candlesticks as well, chastising him to the police for leaving in such a rush that he forgot these most valuable pieces. After the police leave, Bishop Myriel then "reminds" him of the promise, which Valjean has no memory of making, to use the silver candlesticks to make an honest man of himself.

Valjean broods over the Bishop's words. Purely out of habit, he steals a 40-sous coin from chimney-sweep Petit Gervais and chases the boy away. Soon afterwards, he repents and decides to follow Bishop Myriel's advice. He searches the city in panic for the child whose money he stole. At the same time, his theft is reported to the authorities, who now look for him as a repeat offender. If Valjean is caught, he will be forced to spend the rest of his life in prison, so he hides from the police.

Six years pass and Valjean, having adopted the alias of Monsieur Madeleine to avoid capture, has become a wealthy factory owner and is appointed mayor of his adopted town of Montreuil-sur-Mer (referred to as "M--- Sur M---" in the unabridged version). While walking down the street one day, he sees a gentleman named Fauchelevent pinned under the wheels of his cart. When no one volunteers to lift the cart, even for pay, he decides to rescue Old Fauchelevent himself. He crawls underneath the cart and manages to lift it, freeing him. The town's police inspector, Inspector Javert, who was an adjutant guard at the Bagne of Toulon during Valjean's incarceration, becomes suspicious of the mayor after witnessing his heroics. He knows the ex-prisoner Jean Valjean is also capable of such strength.

Years earlier in Paris, a grisette named Fantine was very much in love with a gentleman named Félix Tholomyès. His friends, Listolier, Fameuil, and Blachevelle were also paired with Fantine’s friends Dahlia, Zéphine, and Favourite. The men later abandon the women as a joke, leaving Fantine to care for Tholomyès' daughter, Cosette, by herself. When Fantine arrives at Montfermeil, she leaves Cosette in the care of the Thénardiers, a corrupt innkeeper and his selfish, cruel wife.

Fantine is unaware that they abuse her daughter and use her as forced labor for their inn, and continues to try to pay their growing, extortionate and fictitious demands for Cosette's "upkeep." She is later fired from her job at Jean Valjean's factory, due to the discovery of her daughter, who was born out of wedlock. Meanwhile, the Thénardiers' letters and monetary demands continue to grow. In desperation, Fantine sells her hair, her two front teeth, and is forced to resort to prostitution to pay for her daughter's "care." Fantine is also slowly dying from an unnamed disease (probably tuberculosis).

While roaming the streets, a dandy named Bamatabois harasses Fantine and puts snow down her back. She reacts by attacking him. Javert sees this and arrests Fantine. She begs to be released so that she can provide for her daughter, but Javert sentences her to six months in prison. Valjean, hearing her story, intervenes and orders Javert to release her. Javert strongly refuses but Valjean persists and prevails. Valjean, feeling responsible because his factory turned her away, promises Fantine that he will bring Cosette to her. He takes her to a hospital.

Later, Javert comes to see Valjean again. Javert admits he had accused him of being Jean Valjean to the French authorities after Fantine was freed. However, he tells Valjean that he no longer suspects him because the authorities have announced that another man has been identified as the real Jean Valjean after being arrested and having noticeable similarities. This gentleman's name is Champmathieu. He is not guilty, but is mistaken. His trial is set the next day. At first, Valjean is torn whether to reveal himself, but decides to do so to save the innocent gentleman. He goes to the trial and reveals his true identity, but Javert does not arrest him. Valjean then returns to Montreuil-sur-Mer to see Fantine, followed by Javert, who confronts him at her hospital room.

After Javert grabs Valjean, Valjean asks for three days to bring Cosette to Fantine, but Javert refuses. Fantine discovers that Cosette is not at the hospital and fretfully asks where she is. Javert orders her to be quiet, and then reveals to her Valjean’s real identity. Shocked, and with the severity of her illness, she falls back in her bed and dies. Valjean goes to Fantine, speaks to her in an inaudible whisper, kisses her hand, and then leaves with Javert. Fantine's body is later cruelly thrown in a public grave.

Volume II – Cosette[link]

Valjean manages to escape, only to be recaptured and sentenced to death. This was commuted by the king to penal servitude for life. While being sent to the prison at Toulon, a military port, Valjean saves a sailor about to fall from the ship's rigging. The crowd begins to call "This man must be pardoned!" but when the authorities reject the crowd's pleas, Valjean fakes a slip and falls into the ocean to escape, relying on the belief that he has drowned.

Valjean arrives at Montfermeil on Christmas Eve. He finds Cosette fetching water in the woods alone and walks with her to the inn. After ordering a meal, he observes the Thénardiers’ abusive treatment of her. He also witnesses their pampered daughters Éponine and Azelma treating Cosette badly as well when they tell on her to their mother for holding their abandoned doll. Upon seeing this, Valjean goes out and returns a moment later holding an expensive new doll. He offers it to Cosette. At first, she is unable to comprehend that the doll really is for her, but then happily takes it. This results in Mme. Thénardier becoming furious with Valjean, while Thénardier dismisses it, informing her that he can do as he wishes as long as he pays them. It also causes Éponine and Azelma to become envious of Cosette.

The next morning on Christmas Day, Valjean informs the Thénardiers that he wants to take Cosette with him. Mme. Thénardier immediately accepts, while Thénardier pretends to have love and concern for Cosette and how reluctant he is to give her up. Valjean pays 1,500 francs to them, and he and Cosette leave the inn. However, Thénardier, hoping to swindle more out of Valjean, runs after them, holding the 1,500 francs, and tells Valjean he wants Cosette back.

He informs Valjean that he cannot release Cosette without a note from the mother. Valjean hands Thénardier a letter, which is signed by Fantine. Thénardier then orders Valjean to pay a thousand crowns, but Valjean and Cosette leave. Thénardier regrets to himself that he did not bring his gun, and turns back toward home.

Valjean and Cosette flee to Paris. Valjean rents new lodgings at Gorbeau House, and he and Cosette live there happily. However, Javert discovers Valjean's lodgings there a few months later. Valjean takes Cosette and they try to escape from Javert. They soon successfully find shelter in the Petit-Picpus convent with the help of Fauchelevent, the man whom Valjean rescued and who is a gardener for the convent. Valjean also becomes a gardener and Cosette becomes a student.

Volume III – Marius[link]

Eight years later, the Friends of the ABC, led by Enjolras, are preparing an act of anti-Orléanist civil unrest on the eve of the Paris uprising on 5–6 June 1832, following the death of General Lamarque, the only French leader who had sympathy towards the working class. They are also joined by the poor of the Cour des miracles, including the Thénardiers' oldest son Gavroche, who is a street urchin.

One of the students, Marius Pontmercy, has become alienated from his family (especially his grandfather M. Gillenormand) because of his liberal views. After the death of his father Colonel Georges Pontmercy, Marius discovers a note from him instructing his son to provide help to a sergeant named Thénardier who saved Pontmercy's life at Waterloo – in reality Thénardier was looting corpses and only saved Pontmercy's life by accident; he had called himself a sergeant under Napoleon to avoid exposing himself as a robber.

At the Luxembourg Gardens, Marius falls in love with the now grown and beautiful Cosette. The Thénardiers have also moved to Paris and now live in poverty after losing their inn. They live under the surname "Jondrette" at Gorbeau House (coincidentally, the same building Valjean and Cosette briefly lived in after leaving the Thénardiers' inn). Marius lives there as well, next door to the Thénardiers.

Éponine, now ragged and emaciated, visits Marius at his apartment to beg for money. To impress him, she tries to prove her literacy by reading aloud from a book and by writing "The Cops Are Here" on a sheet of paper. Marius pities her and gives her some money. After Éponine leaves, Marius observes the "Jondrettes" in their apartment through a crack in the wall. Éponine comes in and announces that a philanthropist and his daughter are arriving to visit them. In order to look poorer, Thénardier puts out the fire and breaks a chair. He also orders Azelma to punch out a window pane, which she does, resulting in cutting her hand (as Thénardier had hoped).

The philanthropist and his daughter enter—actually Valjean and Cosette. Marius immediately recognizes Cosette. After seeing them, Valjean promises them he will return with rent money for them. After he and Cosette leave, Marius asks Éponine to retrieve her address for him. Éponine, who is in love with Marius herself, reluctantly agrees to do so. The Thénardiers have also recognized Valjean and Cosette, and vow their revenge. Thénardier enlists the aid of the Patron-Minette, a well-known and feared gang of murderers and robbers.

Marius overhears Thénardier's plan and goes to Javert to report the crime. Javert gives Marius two pistols and instructs him to fire one into the air if things get dangerous. He then goes back home and waits for Javert and the police to arrive. Thénardier sends Éponine and Azelma outside to look out for the police. When Valjean returns with rent money, Thénardier, with Patron-Minette, ambushes him and he reveals his real identity to Valjean. Marius recognizes Thénardier as the man who "saved" his father's life at Waterloo and is caught in a dilemma.

He tries to find a way to save Valjean while not betraying Thénardier. Valjean denies knowing Thénardier and tells that they have never met. Valjean tries to escape through a window but is subdued and tied up. Thénardier orders Valjean to pay him 200,000 francs. He also orders Valjean to write a letter to Cosette to return to the apartment, and they would keep her with them until he delivers the money. After Valjean writes the letter and informs Thénardier his address, Thénardier sends out Mme. Thénardier to get Cosette. Mme. Thénardier comes back alone, and announces the address is a fake.

It was during this time that Valjean manages to free himself. Thénardier decides to kill Valjean. While he and Patron-Minette are about to do so, Marius is in desperation on what to do. He then remembers the scrap of paper that Éponine wrote on earlier. He throws it into the Thénardiers’ apartment through the wall crack. Thénardier reads it and thinks Éponine threw it inside. He, Mme. Thénardier and Patron-Minette try to escape, only to be stopped by Javert.

He arrests all the Thénardiers and Patron-Minette (except Claquesous, who escapes during his transportation to prison; Montparnasse, who stops to run off with Éponine instead of joining in on the robbery; and Gavroche, who was not present and rarely participates in his family's crimes, a notable exception being his part in breaking his father out of prison). Valjean manages to escape the scene before Javert sees him.

Volume IV – The Idyll in the Rue Plumet and the Epic in the Rue St. Denis[link]

After Éponine’s release from prison, she finds Marius at "The Field of the Lark" and sadly tells him that she found Cosette’s address. She leads him to Valjean and Cosette's house at Rue Plumet, and Marius watches the house for a few days. He and Cosette then finally meet and declare their love for one another. Thénardier, Patron-Minette and Brujon manage to escape from prison with the aid of Gavroche. One night, during one of Marius’ visits with Cosette, the six men attempt to raid Valjean and Cosette's house. However, Éponine, who was sitting by the gates of the house, threatens to scream and awaken the whole neighbourhood if the thieves do not leave. Hearing this, they reluctantly retire. Meanwhile, Cosette informs Marius that she and Valjean will be leaving for England in a week’s time, which greatly troubles the pair.

The next day, Valjean is sitting in the Champ de Mars. He is feeling troubled due to seeing Thénardier in the neighbourhood several times. Unexpectedly, a note lands in his lap, which says "Move Out." He sees a figure running away in the dim light. He goes back to his house, tells Cosette they will be staying at their other house at Rue de l'Homme Arme, and reconfirms with her about moving to England. Marius tries to get permission from M. Gillenormand to marry Cosette. His grandfather seems stern and angry, but has been longing for Marius' return. When tempers flare, he refuses, telling Marius to make Cosette his mistress instead. Insulted, Marius leaves.

The following day, the students revolt and erect barricades in the narrow streets of Paris. Gavroche spots Javert and informs Enjolras that Javert is a spy. When Enjolras confronts him of this, he admits his identity and his orders to spy on the students. Enjolras and the other students tie him up to a pole in the Corinth restaurant. Later that evening, Marius goes back to Valjean and Cosette’s house at Rue Plumet, but finds the house no longer occupied. He then hears a voice telling him that his friends are waiting for him at the barricade. Distraught over Cosette gone, he heeds the voice and goes.

When Marius arrives at the barricade, the "revolution" has already started. When he stoops down to pick up a powder keg, a soldier comes up to shoot Marius. After, a man covers the muzzle of the soldier's gun with his hand. The soldier fires, fatally shooting the man, while missing Marius. Meanwhile, the soldiers are closing in. Marius climbs to the top of the barricade, holding a torch in one hand, a powder keg in the other. He yells at the soldiers "Begone! Or I’ll blow up the barricade!" After confirming this, the soldiers retreat from the barricade.

Marius decides to go to the smaller barricade, which he finds empty. As he turns back, the man who took the fatal shot for Marius earlier calls Marius by his name. Marius, and the reader, discovers that it is actually Éponine, dressed in men's clothes. As she lies dying on his knees, she confesses that she was the one who told him to go to the barricade, in hoping that the two would die together. She also confesses to saving his life because she wanted to die first (although she does not provide further explanation to this).

The author also states to the reader that Éponine anonymously threw the note to Valjean. Éponine then tells Marius that she has a letter for him. She also confesses to have obtained the letter the day before, originally not planning to give it to him, but decides to do so in fear he would be angry at her in the afterlife. After Marius takes the letter, Éponine then asks him to kiss her on the forehead when she is dead, which he promises to do. With her last breath, she confesses that she was "a little bit in love" with him, and dies.

Marius fulfills her request and goes into a tavern to read the letter (in consideration that it would be inappropriate to read it beside her corpse). It is written by Cosette. He learns Cosette's new whereabouts and writes a farewell letter to her. The letter is delivered to Valjean by Gavroche. Valjean, learning that Cosette's lover is fighting, is at first relieved, but an hour later, he puts on a National Guard uniform, arms himself with a gun and ammunition, and leaves his home.

Volume V – Jean Valjean[link]

Valjean arrives at the barricade and immediately saves a man's life, though he is still not certain if he wants to protect Marius or to kill him. Marius recognizes Valjean upon seeing him. Enjolras announces that they are almost out of cartridges. Overhearing this, Gavroche goes to the other side of the barricade to collect more from the dead National Guardsmen. While doing so, he is shot and killed by the soldiers.

Later, Valjean saves Javert from being killed by the students. He volunteers to execute Javert himself, and Enjolras grants permission. Valjean takes Javert out of sight, and then shoots into the air while letting him go. As the barricade falls, Valjean carries off the injured and unconscious Marius. All the other students, including Enjolras, are killed. Valjean escapes through the sewers, carrying Marius' body on his shoulders. He manages to evade a police patrol. He eventually finds a gate to exit the sewers, but to his disappointment, the gate is locked.

Valjean suddenly hears a voice behind him, and he turns and sees Thénardier. Valjean recognizes him but his composure is calm, for he perceives that Thénardier does not recognize him due to his dirty appearance. Thinking Valjean to be a simple murderer, Thénardier offers to open the gate for money. He then proceeds to search Valjean and Marius' pockets. While doing this, he secretly tears off a piece of Marius’ coat so he can later find out his identity. Finding only thirty francs, Thénardier reluctantly takes the money, opens the gate, and Valjean leaves.

At the exit, Valjean runs into Javert, whom he persuades to give him time to return Marius to his family. Javert grants this request. After leaving Marius at M. Gillenormand’s house, Valjean makes another request that he be permitted to go home shortly, which Javert also allows. They arrive at Rue de l'Homme Arme and Javert informs Valjean that he will wait for him. As Valjean walks upstairs, he looks out the landing window and finds Javert gone. Javert is walking down the street alone, realizing that he is caught between his strict belief in the law and the mercy Valjean has shown him. He feels he can no longer give Valjean up to the authorities but also cannot ignore his duty to the law. Unable to cope with this dilemma, Javert commits suicide by throwing himself into the Seine.

Marius slowly recovers from his injuries and he and Cosette are soon married.

Meanwhile, Thénardier and Azelma are attending the Mardi Gras as "masks." Thénardier spots Valjean among the wedding party heading the opposite direction and bids Azelma to follow them. After the wedding, Valjean confesses to Marius that he is an ex-convict. Marius is horrified by the revelation. Convinced that Valjean is of poor moral character, he steers Cosette away from him. Valjean loses the will to live and takes to his bed.

Later, Thénardier approaches Marius in a disguise, but Marius is not fooled and recognizes him. Thénardier attempts to blackmail Marius with what he knows of Valjean, but in doing so, he inadvertently corrects Marius' misconceptions about Valjean and reveals all of the good he has done. He tries to convince Marius that Valjean is actually a murderer, and presents the piece of coat he tore off as evidence. Stunned, Marius recognizes the fabric and realizes that it was Valjean who rescued him from the barricade. Marius pulls out a fistful of five hundred and one thousand franc notes and flings it at Thénardier's face. He then confronts Thénardier with his crimes and offers him an immense amount of money if he departs and promises never to return. Thénardier accepts the offer, and he and Azelma travel to America where he becomes a slave trader.

As Marius and Cosette rush to Valjean's house, he informs her that Valjean saved his life at the barricade. They arrive to see him, but the great man is dying. In his final moments, he realizes happiness with his adopted daughter and son-in-law by his side. He also reveals Cosette's past to her as well as her mother's name. Joined with them in love, he dies.

Characters[link]

Major[link]

• Jean Valjean (a.k.a. Monsieur Madeleine, a.k.a. Ultime Fauchelevent, a.k.a. Monsieur Leblanc, a.k.a. Urbain Fabre, a.k.a. 24601, a.k.a. 9430) – Main Protagonist,Convicted for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s seven starving children and sent to prison for five years, he is paroled from prison nineteen years later (after four unsuccessful escape attempts added twelve years and fighting back during the second escape attempt added two extra years). Rejected by society for being a former convict, he encounters Bishop Myriel, who turns his life around by showing him mercy and encouraging him to become a new man. While sitting and pondering what Bishop Myriel had said, he accidentally puts his shoe on a forty-sou piece dropped by a young wanderer. Valjean threatens the boy with his stick when the boy attempts to rouse Valjean from his reverie and recover his money. He tells a passing priest his name, and the name of the boy, and this allows the police to charge him with armed robbery – a sentence that, if he were caught again, would return him to prison for life. He manages to assume a new identity (Monsieur Madeleine) in order to pursue an honest life, after saving the two children of the (then) head police officer in Montreuil-sur-Mer, who thus does not feel motivated to inquire into Monsieur Madeleine's past. He introduces some new manufacturing techniques and eventually builds two factories and becomes one of the richest men in the area. By popular acclaim he is made mayor (after rejecting the offer once and rejecting the Legion of Honor award). He has a face off with Javert over Fantine's punishment, turns himself in to the police to save another man from prison for life (who the police think is Jean Valjean) and rescues Cosette from the Thénardiers. Discovered by Javert in Paris because of his habit of giving so much of his money to poor people, he manages to evade capture for the next several years in a convent – a man whose life he saved while mayor was employed there and wanted to return the favour and save Valjean's life. He saves Marius from imprisonment and probable death at the barricade, reveals his true identity to Marius and Cosette after their wedding, and is reunited with them just before his death, having kept his promise to the Bishop and to Fantine, the image of whom is the last thing he sees before dying.

• Javert – A fanatic police inspector. The main antagonist of the novel. Born in the prisons to a convict father and a gypsy mother, he renounces both of them and starts working as a guard in the prison, including one stint as the overseer for the chain gang of which Valjean is part (and here witnesses firsthand Valjean's enormous strength and just what he looks like). Eventually he joins the police force in the small village of Montreuil-sur-Mer. He arrests Fantine and butts heads with Valjean (as M. Madeleine, the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer), who orders him to release Fantine. Valjean dismisses Javert in front of his squad and Javert, seeking revenge, reports to the Police Inspector that he has discovered Jean Valjean. He is told that he must be incorrect, as a man mistakenly believed to be Jean Valjean was just arrested. He requests of M. Madeline that he be dismissed in disgrace, for he cannot be less harsh on himself than on others. When the real Jean Valjean turns himself in, Javert is promoted to the Paris police force where he arrests Valjean and sends him back to prison. After Valjean escapes again, Javert attempts one more arrest in vain. He then almost recaptures Valjean at 52–50 when he arrests the Thénardiers and Patron-Minette. Later, he goes undercover behind the barricade, but is discovered and unmasked. Valjean then has the chance to kill Javert, but lets him go, despite knowing that Javert now knows who he is, where he lives, and will be waiting to arrest him afterward. Later, Javert allows Valjean to escape. For the first time, Javert is in a situation in which he knows that the lawful course is immoral. His inner conflict leads him to take his own life by jumping into the River Seine.

• Fantine – A Beautiful Parisian grisette abandoned with a small child by her lover Félix Tholomyès. Fantine leaves her daughter Cosette in the care of the Thénardiers, innkeepers in a village called Montreuil-sur-Mer. Unfortunately, Mme. Thénardier spoils her own daughters and abuses Cosette. Fantine finds work at Monsieur Madeleine's factory, and being illiterate, has other people write her letters to the Thénardiers. A female supervisor who discovers that she is an unwed mother fires her. To meet repeated demands for money from the Thénardiers, she sells her hair, then her two front teeth, and finally turns to prostitution. She becomes ill with a disease that may be tuberculosis. Valjean learns of her plight when Javert arrests her for attacking a man who called her insulting names and threw snow down her back, and sends her to a hospital. As Javert confronts Valjean in her hospital room, because her illness has made her so weak, she dies of shock after Javert reveals that Valjean is a convict and hasn't brought her daughter Cosette to her (after the doctor encouraged that incorrect belief that Jean Valjean's recent absence was because he was bringing her daughter to her).

• Cosette (real name Euphrasie, a.k.a. the Lark, a.k.a. Mademoiselle Lanoire, a.k.a. Ursula) – The illegitimate daughter of Fantine and Tholomyès. From approximately the age of three to the age of eight, she is beaten and forced to be a drudge by the Thénardiers. After Fantine dies, Valjean ransoms her from the Thénardiers and she becomes his adopted daughter. Nuns in a convent in Paris educate her. She later grows up to become very beautiful. She falls in love with Marius Pontmercy, and marries him at the end of the novel.

• Marius Pontmercy – A second-generation baron (not recognized as such under the present régime because his father, Colonel Pontmercy, was ennobled by Napoleon Bonaparte) who fell out with his loyalist grandfather after discovering that Colonel Pontmercy was an officer under Napoleon. He studies law and later falls in love with Cosette. When Thénardier kidnaps Jean Valjean at 52–50, he hears Thénardier say that he mentioned a general or something at Waterloo, and from the description believes that Thénardier actually saved his father. After he marries Cosette, Thénardier comes to sell secrets to Marius (including the fact that it was Jean Valjean who saved Marius after the insurrection). Marius kicks Thénardier out of his house, but gives him several thousand francs and a draft for 20,000 francs payable from the Bank of New York for "saving" Colonel Pontmercy's life.

• Éponine (a.k.a. the Jondrette girl) – The Thénardiers' elder daughter. As a child, she is pampered and spoiled by her parents, but ends up a street urchin when she reaches adolescence. She participates in her father's crimes and begging schemes to obtain money. She is blindly in love with Marius. At Marius' request, she finds Valjean and Cosette's house for him and sadly leads him there. She also prevents her father, Patron-Minette and Brujon from robbing the house during one of Marius’ visits there to see Cosette. After disguising herself as a boy, she manipulates Marius into going to the barricades, hoping that they will die together. However, she saves Marius' life by reaching out her hand to stop a soldier's bullet heading for Marius; she is mortally wounded as the bullet goes through her hand and her back. As she is dying, her final request to Marius is that once she has passed, he will kiss her on the forehead. He fulfills her request not because of romantic feelings on his part, but out of pity for her hard life.

• Monsieur Thénardier and Madame Thénardier (a.k.a. the Jondrettes, a.k.a. M. Fabantou, a.k.a. M. Thénard, a.k.a. the Thenardiess) – A corrupt innkeeper and his wife. They have five children: two daughters (Éponine and Azelma) and three sons (Gavroche and two unnamed younger sons). They take in Cosette in her early years, mistreating and abusing her. They also write letters about fabricated events in Cosette's life to Fantine in order to extort money from her. After Valjean takes Cosette away, the family ends up losing the inn due to bankruptcy and moves to Paris, to a house called 52-50, changing their name to Jondrette. Thénardier is associated with an infamous villain group called "the Patron-Minette," but contrary to common belief he is not their head; both sides operate independently. The family also lives down the hall from Marius (see more under his entry). Inspector Javert arrests them after Marius thwarts their attempts to rob Valjean in their apartment. At the end of the novel, Mme. Thénardier has long since died in prison, whereas Thénardier and Azelma travel to America where Thénardier, with the money he receives from Marius, becomes a slave-trader.

• Enjolras – The leader of the Friends of the ABC in the Paris uprising. Les Amis de l'ABC admire and believe in him. A charming and intimidating man with angelic beauty, he is passionately devoted to democracy, equality and justice. Enjolras is a man of principle that believes in a cause – creating a republic, liberating the poor – without any doubts. He is completely encompassed by the revolution. Enjolras claims that his mother is the republic and his mistress is Patria (motherland.) He and Grantaire are executed by the National Guards after the barricade falls.

• Gavroche – The unloved middle child and eldest son of the Thénardiers, younger than his sisters. He lives on his own and is a street urchin. He briefly takes care of his two younger brothers, unaware they are related to him. He takes part in the barricades and is killed while collecting bullets from dead National Guardsmen for the ABC students at the barricade.

• Bishop Myriel – the bishop of Digne (full name Charles-François-Bienvenu Myriel, a.k.a. Monseigneur Bienvenu) – A kindly old priest who is promoted to bishop by a chance encounter with Napoleon. He convinces Valjean to change his ways after Valjean steals some silver from him and saves Valjean from being arrested.

Friends of the ABC[link]

A revolutionary student club:

• Bahorel – A dandy and an idler from a peasant background, who is known well around the student cafes of Paris.

• Combeferre – A philosophical student who is second to Enjolras in the group.

• Courfeyrac – Courfeyrac is shown as Marius' closest friend in the book, and helps Marius financially when he is in need. Marius lodges in his room when he leaves the Gorbeau tenement after the raid. Courfeyrac is a charismatic member of the Friends of the ABC, and generally more enthusiastic than the other members of the group.

• Enjolras – (see Major characters)

• Feuilly – A fan maker who studies the subject of revolution deeply.

• Grantaire – Grantaire is an alcoholic student who has little interest of revolution or democracy (and at times scoffs at these ideas), but is part of the Friends of the ABC purely out of his admiration of Enjolras. Grantaire is cynical and believes in nothing, making him the opposite of Enjolras. This is emphasized in the novel, where their relationship is compared to that of Orestes and his pederastic companion Pylades. Enjolras, in return, thinks little of Grantaire. During the uprising Grantaire finds himself holed-up in a wine shop and drinks himself into a stupor. Upon awaking he finds Enjolras hiding in the shop. When the army eventually arrives, Grantaire requests to be executed alongside Enjolras.

• Jean Prouvaire – A well-spoken romantic.

• Joly – Student of medicine who has unusual theories about health.

• Lesgle [also Lègle or Laigle or L'Aigle (The Eagle) or Bossuet] – The oldest member of the group, Lesgle was granted a dukedom by Louis XVIII after helping him into a carriage. He is considered to be notoriously unlucky, a theory which he assumed when he started balding aged twenty-five. Lesgle is the one who introduced Marius to the Friends of the ABC, and saved him from expulsion by calling out Marius' name on the college register in his absence.

• Marius Pontmercy (see Major characters)

Minor[link]

• Azelma – The younger daughter of the Thénardiers. Along with her sister Éponine, she is spoiled as a child, and suffers the same ragged and impoverished fate with her family when she is older. She also takes part in her father’s crimes. Unlike her sister, Azelma is dependent and faint-hearted. She also does not show any defiance toward her father (this is evident when, before Valjean and Cosette’s charitable visit, he orders her to punch out a windowpane in their apartment in order to look poorer. Although hesitant, she does so, resulting in cutting her hand). After the failed robbery of Valjean, she is not seen again until Marius and Cosette’s wedding day, when she and her father are dressed up as "masks" for the Mardi Gras. At the end of the novel, Azelma is the only known Thénardier child who does not die and travels with her father to America.
• Bamatabois – An idler who harasses Fantine and puts snow down her back. He is also one of the jurors at Champmathieu’s trial.
• (Mlle) Baptistine Myriel – Bishop Myriel's sister. She loves and venerates her brother.
• Bougon, Madame (called Ma'am Burgon) – Housekeeper of Gorbeau House.
• Brevet – An ex-convict from Toulon who knew Valjean there; released one year after Valjean. In 1823, he is serving time in the prison in Arras for an unknown crime. He is the first to claim that Champmathieu is really Valjean. He used to wear knitted, checkered suspenders.
• Brujon – A robber and criminal. He participates in crimes with M. Thénardier and the Patron-Minette gang (such as the Gorbeau Robbery and the attempted robbery at the Rue Plumet). The author describes Brujon as being "a sprightly young fellow, very cunning and very adroit, with a flurried and plaintive appearance."
• Champmathieu – A vagabond who is mistakenly accused of being Valjean.
• Chenildieu – A lifer from Toulon. He and Valjean were chain mates for five years. He once tried to unsuccessfully remove his lifer's brand TFP ("travaux forcés à perpetuité", "forced labour for life") by putting his shoulder on a chafing dish full of embers. He is described as a small, wiry but energetic man.
• Cochepaille – Another lifer from Toulon. He used to be a shepherd from the Pyrenees who became a smuggler. He is described as stupid and has a tattoo on his arm, March 1, 1815.
• Colonel Georges Pontmercy – Marius's father, and an officer in Napoleon's army. Wounded at Waterloo, Pontmercy erroneously believes M. Thénardier saved his life. He tells Marius of this great debt. He loves Marius with his very heart, and although M. Gillenormand does not allow him to visit, he continually hid behind a pillar in the church on Sunday so that he could at least look at Marius from a distance). Napoleon made him a baron, but the next regime refused to recognize his barony or his status as a colonel, instead referring to him only as a commandant. The book usually calls him "The colonel."
• Fauchelevent – Valjean saves Fauchelevent’s life when Valjean (as M. Madeleine) lifts a carriage underneath which he is caught. This provides the final "proof" Javert wanted to demonstrate to his superiors that M. Madeleine is actually Jean Valjean. Fauchelevent later saves Jean Valjean's life by providing sanctuary for Valjean and Cosette at a convent. He also claims Valjean as a brother, providing his name for Valjean's use.
• Jean Valjean (elder) – The father of Jean Valjean, a tree pruner at Faverolles who was killed in a fall from a tree when the younger Jean was a boy. The story says he was called "Valjean" or "Vlajean" which is probably a nickname, a contraction of "Voila Jean."
• Jeanne Mathieu – Wife of Jean Valjean (elder) and mother of Jean Valjean and his older sister; she died of Milk Fever when he was a boy leaving him to be raised by his sister.
• Jeanne Valjean – Jean Valjean's older sister, a widow with seven children who takes care of Jean after their parents die. After Jean is imprisoned for several years he eventually hears that she has moved to Paris where she is working in a Print Shop and has only one child, the youngest boy, with her. The fate of her other six children is not mentioned. Valjean tries to find them after his release, but is unsuccessful.
• Mabeuf – An elderly churchwarden. He was friends with Colonel Pontmercy, and then befriends Marius after Colonel Pontmercy's death. He helps Marius realize the love that his father had for Marius. Mabeuf has a great love for plants and books, but ends up having to sell his books due to continually tougher economic times and his descent into poverty. Gavroche steals the purse that Jean Valjean gave to Montparnasse after Montparnasse attempted to rob Jean Valjean, and throws it into Mabeuf's yard after hearing Mabeuf's discussion with his housekeeper about how poor he is. Mabeuf takes the heavy purse to the police as a lost object where of course nobody ever claims it. After he sells his last book, feeling that all hope is lost, he joins the students in the insurrection. He is shot and killed at the top of the barricades when raising their flag. He has a brother who is a priest and died a few years before him.
• Mademoiselle Gillenormand – M. Gillenormand's surviving daughter, she lives with her father. Her half-sister (M. Gillenormand's daughter from another marriage), deceased, was Marius' mother.
• Magloire, Madame – Domestic servant for the Bishop and his sister. She is fearful that he leaves the door open to strangers.
• Magnon – Former servant of M. Gillenormand and friend of the Thénardiers. She had been receiving child support payments from M. Gillenormand for her two illegitimate sons, who she claimed were fathered by him. When her sons died in an epidemic, she had them replaced with the Thénardiers' two youngest sons so that she could protect her income. The Thénardiers get a portion of the payments. She is soon arrested due to being allegedly involved in the Gorbeau Robbery (she wasn't).
• Maubert Isabeau – The owner of a bakery in Faverolles, where Jean Valjean breaks the bakery window and steals a loaf a bread. The bakery is said to be on the Church Square in Faverolles.
• Monsieur Gillenormand – Marius' grandfather. A Monarchist, he disagrees sharply with Marius on political issues, and they have several arguments. He attempts to keep Marius from being influenced by his father, Colonel Georges Pontmercy. While in perpetual conflict over ideas, he does illustrate his love for his grandson.
• Mother Innocente (a.k.a. Marguerite de Blemeur) – The prioress of the Petit-Picpus convent.
• Patron-Minette – A quartet of bandits who assist in the Thénardiers' ambush of Valjean at Gorbeau House and the attempted robbery at the Rue Plumet. The gang consists of Montparnasse, Claquesous, Babet, and Gueulemer. Claquesous, who escaped from the carriage transporting him to prison after the Gorbeau Robbery, joins the revolution under the guise of "Le Cabuc" and is executed by Enjolras for firing on civilians.
• Petit Gervais – A small boy who drops a coin. There are two perspectives on Jean Valjean's encounter with him. According to one, Valjean, still a man of criminal mind, places his foot on the coin and refuses to return it to the boy, despite Gervais' protests. When the boy flees the scene and Valjean comes to his senses, remembering what the bishop had done for him, he is horribly ashamed of what he has done and searches for the boy in vain. Another interpretation of this scene is that Jean Valjean was not aware that he was stepping on the coin, and snarls at Petit Gervais, thinking he is just annoying him, but realizes later that the coin was under his foot and feels horrible. Either way, he was unresponsive to the boy's pleas.
• Sister Simplice – A nun who cares for Fantine on her sickbed. She lies to Javert twice to protect Valjean. Javert believes her because of her well known reputation for never having told a lie in her life (true, before Valjean and Javert).
• Tholomyès (first name Félix) – Fantine’s lover and Cosette’s biological father. A rich student, he puts his own happiness and well-being above anything else. He does not think much of his relationship with Fantine, considering it as "a passing affair." Two years after Fantine has had his child, he abandons her as a joke. Hugo then concludes Tholomyès’ involvement in the story by saying that "twenty years later, under King Louis Philippe, he was a fat provincial attorney, rich and influential, a wise elector and rigid juryman; always, however, a man of pleasure."
• Toussaint – Valjean and Cosette's servant in Paris. She has a slight stutter.
• Two little brothers – The two unnamed youngest sons of the Thénardiers. The Thénardiers send their sons to Magnon to replace her own two sons who died of illness. They were playing in the garden when everyone in the house was arrested and think that Magnon simply vanished on them. A cobbler gives the boys a note written by Magnon with an address to go to but unfortunately, it is torn away from them due to a strong wind. Unable to find it, they end up living on the streets. They soon run into their brother Gavroche, who gives them a bit of bread and a place to sleep the night before the insurrection and the barricade. The two boys and Gavroche are unaware they are related. Immediately after Gavroche's death at the barricade, the two boys are last seen at the Luxembourg Gardens retrieving and eating discarded bread from a fountain. Their fates are left unknown.
• Victor Hugo – The author claims that he was caught between rebels and soldiers during the insurrection in Paris but managed to take cover between two of the pilasters between buildings.