Les Miserables is Amazing!

The Ogunquit Playhouse's production of Les Miserables, based on the novel by Victor Hugo, was simply spectacular. The cast did a phenomenal job. In the play, when the french citizens sang about their outrage with the parliament and the royal family, the audience could feel the passion emanating from the actors/actresses. For those who are unfamiliar with the plot of Les Mis.:

The play opens with a middle-aged man, Jean Valjean, who was released from jail, after nineteen years, for stealing a loaf of bread. His release, however, doesn't truly bring him freedom because he must always present his papers (explaining his criminal record) in every town he travels to. Additionally, these papers give managers the right to reduced Valjean's pay; thus, he never receives a fair amount of payment for the hard labor that he does.

When spending a night in a bishops home, Valjean sneaks out in the middle of the night stealing silver from the premises. He is caught and brought back to the bishop, and Valjean is shocked to find the bishop has stated to the police that he gave the silver to Valjean.

Jean Valjean then decides to change his life. Valjean changes his name, makes use of the money (from the Bishop's silver) to become the owner of a factory, and eventually becomes the mayor of a distant town. All the while, Inspector Javert-- a prison guard-- suspects that the mayor is really Jean Valjean.

Jean Valjean meets a woman, Fantine, on the street one night. After losing her job at Valjean's factory, Fantine was forced to become a prostitute to help support her daughter. Fantine becomes ill and dies, but Valjean promises that he will take care of Fantine's daughter, Cosette.

Valjean attains custody of Cosette and raises her as they hide in a monastery for nearly a decade. Once again, after all these years, Valjean opens himself up to discovery by Javert when Cosette desires to see the world. Cosette meets and falls in love with a young student, Marius, who a rebel in the French Revolution.

Javert continues after Jean Valjean, Cosette is seeing Marius, the revolution has begun and the lives of all these inter-related characters are being torn apart. Yet, love manages to blossom, even in these dangerous times... while death comes to others.

The play is a musical.... at times the music is heart-wrenching... and at others, these pieces are the most beautiful compositions one has ever heard. The play is very serious, but comedic relief is provided by the Thenardiers (a bar owner and his wife). This play brings forth almost every emotion one can imagine. One can be laughing hysterically at Mr. Thenardiers thwarted sexual advances upon all of the women in the bar, when just five minutes earlier one was in tears because of Fantine's tragic demise.