Do You Hear the People Sing?

Les Misérables, the 2012 musical film directed by Tom Hooper, received a long standing ovation worldwide. It grossed $442.8 million worldwide against a production budget of $61 million. At the 85th Academy Awards, it has won 3 out of 8 nominations, in the categories “Best Supporting Actress” for Anne Hathaway, “Best Makeup and Hairstyling” and “Best Sound Mixing”.

I dreamed a dream in time gone by

When hope was high and life worth living

I dreamed that love would never die

I dreamed that God would be forgiving

—— I Dreamed A Dream

This musical adopted “Les Misérables” (1831) by Victor Hugo, which was considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. Insteading of focusing on the French Revolution of 1789, it tells an expansive story of Jean Valjean’s journey to salvation from 1815 to 1832, from a prisoner of stealing bread to a respected mayor of Montreuil, Pas-de-Calais. Fleeing from the prison guard Javert, Jean promised the dying prostitute Fantine to care for her illegitimate daughter Cosette.

Do you hear the people sing?

Singing the song of angry men?

It is the music of the people

Who will not be slaves again!

—— Do You Hear the People Sing?

There is nothing quite like seeing Les Misérables, the West End's longest-running musical, in London. The revolutionist Friends of the ABC plot against the monarchy. Revolt began during the funeral of General Lamarque, the only official sympathetic to the poor. Soldiers stormed the barricade and killed everyone. Javert let Marius Pontmercy and Jean leave the sewers, but killed himself by throwing himself in the Seine, morally disturbed by the mercy of his nemesis.

There's a grief that can't be spoken

There's a pain goes on and on

Empty chairs at empty tables

Now my friends are dead and gone

—— Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

Falling in love with Cosette, Marius asks his friend Éponine to find Cosette while not realizing the heartbreaking Éponine. During the skirmish against the soldiers, she took a bullet for him and died in his arms. Traumatized by the death of the group, Marius reunited with Cosette. Jean made plans to leave under the concern of his past threatening their happiness. Still, Marius and Cosette found Jean and received his letters of confession before he died peacefully.

God on high, hear my prayer.

In my need, you have always been there.

He is young. He is afraid.

Let him rest. Heaven blessed.

—— Bring Him Home

Blue, white and red on the national flag brings to life French’s motto of liberty, equality and fraternity. The musical reminds me of the “​​Liberty Leading the People”, a painting by Eugène Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution. Marianne, the personification of liberty, still leads the whole world forward over the bodies of the fallen, with tricolor assimilates in the sky.

Title: Les Misérables

Director: Trevor Nunn, John Caird

Year: 2021-2025

Region: UK (Sondheim Theatre)

Genre: Musical

Score: 6.5/10

IMG: https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/300-les-miserables-tickets