'Les Misérables' is regarded as being in the upper echelons of the world's 'must see' musicals, along with 'Phantom of the Opera', 'Cats' and 'Chicago'. Based on the famous Victor Hugo novel written in 1862, the story tells of the tragedy and human sacrifice of the people of Paris as they are confronted with long years of famine and hardship following the French Revolution and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars. The musical was written initially in French by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg in 1980 (later translated into English with additional material by Herbert Kretzmer and James Fenton) and holds the record for being the longest running musical in the West End (originally opening in 1985). One of the Royal Shakespeare Company's most valuable productions in the United Kingdom, the show originally opened at the RSC Barbican Theatre, later transferred to the Palace Theatre, and then to the Queen's Theatre where it remains today. After opening on Broadway in 1987, the musical was awarded eight Tony Awards (including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book) and has gone on to be performed all over the world.
'Les Misérables' opens with Jean Valjean, one of the musical's main characters, being released on parole from a prison in Toulon in 1815. Having been jailed for nineteen years for stealing bread to feed his starving family, Valjean decides to start a new, honest life, breaks his parole and leaves Toulon, earning himself the hatred of his parole police offer Javert. The story picks up eight years later, and Valjean is now known as Monsieur Madeleine, a successful factory owner and the town mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. One of Valjean's factory workers, Fantine, is fired after a fight between her and the other workers, who have been mocking and abusing her for sending money to her illegitimate child Cosette. Fantine is left jobless and turns to prostitution, only to be arrested by police-officer Javert for fighting with a client. Valjean, as the town Mayor, steps in and has Fantine released and sent to hospital, unwittingly gaining the attention of Javert who has been trying to trace Valjean in the years following his escape from parole. Javert tricks Valjean into revealing his true identity, discrediting the Mayor in front of his townspeople and causing Valjean to be given a jail sentence. Valjean, having promised Fantine on her death-bed that she would find and care for her daughter, flees from Javert's custody by knocking the policeman out cold. On the run, Valjean eventually locates Cosette boarding with the Thenadier family and gives them money for her release.
Almost ten years pass, and Valjean and Cosette have relocated to Paris where life is tough for those living on the street. Cosette's ex-carers the Thenadiers plot to attack Valjean and kidnap Cosette, believing Valjean to be wealthy; policeman Javert is still hunting for Valjean; and revolutionary Parisian student Marius Pontmercy meets Cosette and falls in love. In the confusion of the days that follow, Marius and Cosette are united in their love for one another; whilst Eponine, the daughter of the Thenadiers, also falls in love with Marius. Valjean believes he is being followed by Javert and decides he and Cosette must leave the country, and the whole of Paris gets ready to fight the government. In the ensuing skirmishes between the revolutionary students and street people and the military, most of the rebels are killed. Valjean, having returned to rescue Marius for the sake of his daughter, finds Marius gravely injured. Carrying Marius through the sewers, Valjean is confronted by Javert and begs the policeman to let him continue in his escape so that he can save the life of the man his daughter loves. Javert agrees, realizing that his judgement of Valjean had been incorrect, and in a depression he commits suicide. Marius and Cosette are reunited and upon Marius' recovery they decide to marry. Valjean, having admitted his past to Marius and made peace with the world, quietly passes away, guided to heaven by the ghosts of Fantine and Eponine.
'Les Misérables' is famous for it's score, containing songs such as 'Do You Hear the People Sing?', 'I Dreamed a Dream', and 'Upon These Stones - Building a Barricade'. The current West End musical cast includes Drew Sarich, Jon Robyns, Leanne Dobinson and Earl Carpenter, and has received incredibly complimentary reviews from the press. At present, tickets are available for purchase up until the show date of the 25th of April 2009, though it is expected the show will continue to renew it's season on the West End due to it's incredible popularity with audiences.