Programme
Kingdown Community School
– A Sports College –
presents
Les Miserables
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13th – 16th October 2004
by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg
based on the novel by Victor Hugo.
Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg.
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.
Original text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel.
Additional material by James Fenton.
School Edition specially adapted and licensed by
Music Theatre International
and
Cameron Mackintosh.
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Les Miserables: A synopsis
Act 1
Digne: 1815. The convict Jean Valjean is released from
the chain gang. He steals some of the Bishop’s silver.
The Bishop lies to save him. Valjean starts a new life.
Montreuil-sur Mer: 1823. Valjean, now ‘Monsieur Madelene’
is a respected factory owner and Mayor of the town.
Fantine, one of his workers, has an illegitimate child.
She goes onto the streets with the town whores. She is
arrested by Javert. Valjean demands that she is sent to
hospital. Valjean rescues a man trapped under a cart.
Javert tells him the ex-convict Valjean has been
re-captured. Valjean reveals his true identity. Valjean
promises the dying Fantine that he will find and care for
her daughter, Cosette. He escapes.
Montfermel: 1823. Cosette is living with the Thenardieres
and their daughter Eponine. Cosette is badly treated, so
Valjean pays the Thenardieres to let her go. He takes Cosette
to Paris.
Paris: 1832. There is unrest amongst the students and the
poor. Javert rescues Cosette and Valjean from Thenardiere’s
gang. He does not recognise Valjean. Marius, a student, has
fallen in love with Cosette. Eponine, who is in love with
Marius, agrees to help him find Cosette. Lamarque, a
popular leader, is killed. The students take to the streets.
Eponine brings Marius to Cosette. She prevents an attempt
to rob Valjean’s house by her father’s gang. Valjean tells
Cosette that they must leave the country.
Interval
Act 2
The students build the barricade. Marius sends Eponine with
a letter for Cosette. Valjean intercepts it. Eponine returns to the
barricade. There is a battle. Javert is exposed as a police spy.
Eponine is killed. Valjean arrives looking for Marius; he
refuses to kill Javert. The rebels are killed, and Valjean escapes
into the sewers with Marius. He meets Thenardiere, who is
robbing corpses, and then Javert. Javert agrees to let Valjean
take Marius to hospital. Javert commits suicide. Unaware of
the identity of his rescuer, Marius recovers, nursed by Cosette.
Valjean confesses his past to Marius. Marius and Cosette are
married. Thenardiere tries to blackmail Marius: he produces a
stolen ring, telling him that it belonged to Cosette’s father, a
murderer. Marius recognises his own ring, and realises that it
was Valjean who rescued him. Marius and Cosette go to Valjean.
He tells Cosette about her family history, and dies.
France, 1830
Conditions for the urban poor in nineteenth century France
were unimaginably bad. Working up to 18 hours a day in
appalling conditions for low wages, their plight was ignored.
When the barricades went up in Paris in July 1830, the
monarchy was overthrown. The rising middle class reaped
the benefit: the poor gained nothing. Much needed social
reform to help the urban poor failed to happen. Whenever
the dispossessed under-classes of Paris rebelled they were
crushed by the full force of the state. This is the setting
for Les Miserables.
Victor Hugo, author of the novel on which this musical is
based, was very aware of the plight of the urban poor. He
wrote: ‘People reduced to the extremity of need are driven
to the utmost limits of their resources . . . and darkness
enters their hearts. Within this darkness, they appear
utterly depraved, corrupt, and vile . . . and there comes a
point where the unfortunate and the infamous are grouped
together, merged in a single fateful world. They are
les miserables – the outcasts, the underdogs.’
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Liberty Leading The People 1830
102″ x 128″ Louvre, Paris.
This picture was inspired by the July Revolution
of 1830. Delacroix had not taken part in the fighting
and felt that the least he could do was ‘paint for his
country’. The red, white and blue of the French national
flag dominate the composition.
CAST
Jean Valjean : Olly Wright
Javert : Charles Taylor
The Bishop of Digne : Paul Barnes
Factory Foreman : Paul Barnes
Fantine : Philippa Griffiths
Bamatabois : Tom Hiscocks
Pimp : Michael Sides
Young Cosette : Sophie Hall
Thenardier : Michael Sides
Madame Thenardier : Gemma Carroll
Young Eponine : Rebecca Thomas
Gavroche : Alex Williams
Eponine : Lucy Ross
Cosette – Laura Hopkins
Montparnasse : Kyle Taylor
Brujon : Paul Barnes
STUDENTS
Enjolras : Tom Hiscocks
Marius : Craig Rees
Combeferre : Kyle Taylor
Feuilly : David Gale
Courferac : Paul Barnes
Joly : Jack Baker
Grantaire : Kyle Taylor
Lesgles / Fauchelevant /
Claquesous / injured man under cart : Luke Williams
Girl 1 : Hannah Shuttleworth
Girl 2 / Whore 3 / Street Urchin : Emily Davis
Girl 3 / Whore 1 / Woman : Laura Steer
Girl 4 / Girl 5 / Whore 2 : Kayleigh Spyers
Onlooker : Laura Brooks
Chain Gang / Constables / the Poor / Factory Workers /
Sailors / Whores / Drinkers / Wedding Guests
played by
Shaun Hurren, Chris Thomas, Rachel Freeman, Jess McCarthy,
Kim Blair, Alison Kimberley, Annie Jessop, Vicki Syrett,
Hannah Johnson, Jess Herring, Alisha Shah, Lauren Edgar,
Rachel Arthur, and members of the cast.
MUSICIANS
Piano : James Brown
Keyboard : Graham Savage
Reed 1 : Michelle Krawiec
Reed 2 : Peter Rees
Trumpet : Mary Kestell
Horn : Sophie Letheren
Guitar / Bass : Kevin Rowe
Percussion / Drums : Steve Jobbins
Les Miserables is produced and directed by
the Creative Arts Department.
Lighting / Sound :
Ben Griffiths, Andrew Quick,
Simon Quick, Matthew Notley, Jenny Weston.
Backstage:
Jeremy Lane, Lotta Welpton, Jenny Weston,
Natalie Williams, Kelly Wilson, Jess Wright.
Special Thanks to:
Andrew Forbes-Lane, David Thomas, John Roberts,
The Site Managers, The Design Department,
Yvonne Syrett, Coral Pickles.
Acknowledgements:
For the loan of furniture – The Top Shop,
Warminster High Street (behind the Old Bell);
The Gorge Inn, Shrewton.
For costume hire – Zenith Youth Theatre Company.
For additional lighting – Enlightened Lighting.