Beyond the Barricade

It is a poignant adaptation of the unashamedly political Victor Hugo novel.  – Meera, 2024

Spoiler-free review: 

Rating: 10 out of 10 

Likes: casting, acting, costuming and set choices, and the music. 

Critiques: Often diverges from the source material in favour of what is lyrical rather than is in character, also I wish Cosette could be permitted her brunette hair just once – as Hugo intended to critic the brunette equates to morally ambiguous or ‘evil.’ 

Spoiler review (contains musical spoilers and allusions to the Victor Hugo Novel): 

Les Misérables: the musical is one of the most popular musicals of all time, and with good reason. The music is well composed, the story is streamlined from its novel counterpart, and its messages like the Victor Hugo 1862 novel of the same name of social progress, empathy to the downtrodden “Miserables” largely progressive (in modern terms) message and text and subtext of social change via the June Rebellion with allusions to at even in its day, politically contentious and ‘radical’ French revolution (1789–1799 or 1800), still holds up today. In the song, Lovely Ladies, we are presented with Fantine’s ‘descent’ into social ruin and disgrace as she sells parts of herself starting with her teeth and hair. Then eventually is forced by a pimp to sell her body. In the 2012 adaptation of the musical they treat sex workers and victims of sex trafficking (there is a substantial difference), less than kindly however, the edition of a pimp in this production makes it all the more tragic, true to novel canon and logical and heartbreaking to watch. Additionally, both Fantine and Eponine Thenadier who are “miserables” in their own right in the novel, were played brilliantly by black women of mixed origins. In Fantine’s case, this can read as an ever-present commentary on the abuse and selling of black bodies. In Eponine’s case, she is not deemed “beautiful” as an adult in the Hugo novel, she is called the “Jondrette girl”, jondrette in French meaning a very modest and grateful beggar or thief. As in the show is very street-smart and cleverly “knows her way around.” Eponine Thenadier could be read as many things from not subscribing to traditional “feminity” like her mother, to colourism levelled at Eponine which negates her chances of being seen as ‘beautiful,’ whilst due to malnutrition and parental abuse in the novel I rather like this casting choice and change. Lastly, ever so poignantly the June Rebellion as in the novel and actual history is led by students and people driven to action. In the novel, it is described as a “tragic adventure” in Hugo’s words and indeed it is. But, these students are just that, students with ideals. Enjolras, “capable of being terrible” who is the head of the revolt in all versions of this story flirts with the girls who frequent the Les Amis de ABC in this production and in the song Drink with Me, he almost kisses Grantaire who embodies the cynicism of the revolt. Whilst in the novel this relationship is… complicated this change is an important reminder of queer people’s place in history and social movements of the past and present. 

Is there a world you long to see? 

Me at Les Misérables: the musical in Toronto.