Thoughts on Les Miserables
San Juan Hills High School performed Les Miserables (Student Version) in April 2025.
Review: 10/10! The show was fantastic.
Obviously I am quite biased because Frances & Cal were performing in the pit orchestra and many of their friends were on stage.
Other notes about Les Miserables:
- I was impressed the student playing Jean Valjean could carry Marius (190 pounds). I attempted to carry him after one of the shows and could not. I dropped him and fell down in the attempt.
- This version had Fantine appear in the final scene with her hair intact. I only remember seeing it in the past with her hair still cut. I prefer hair is cut.
- I noticed the candlesticks next to Valjean in the final scene. I did some research and found that in the book those are indeed the candlesticks the bishop gives him. He hasn't sold those pieces of silver. He kept them.
- The school did the show in 2018. The young actor that played Gavroche in 2018 is a highschool senior and played Javert in this one.
- I was informed they didn't keep anything from the 2018 version except for the bench from Rue Plumet. All costumes and set pieces were created fresh.
- Valjean is a liar. How many times does he promise Javert something and not live up to it? Lots of times.
- The student version ran 1 hour 20 minutes for act one and one hour for act two. Great pace! There are cuts from the original broadway show. The two cuts that I think should not be cut are the entire confrontation song between Valjean and Javert and Javert climbing the barricade to look for Valjean before heading into the sewers.
- ChatGPT can do a decent job at creating Les Mis style posters.
