Les Misérables Performs at the Bushnell in Current National Tour
This October, Les Misérables, a musical based off of the novel of the same name by esteemed French author Victor Hugo, performed at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford. The play was created in 1980 by French musicians Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, and Jean-Marc Natel, and was later translated to English, becoming the longest-running musical in London’s West-End to this day. Several productions have been performed worldwide, including three Broadway runs and numerous national and international tours, and in 2012, the play was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, and Eddie Redmayne. While Les Mis has always been a favorite amongst musical theater enthusiasts, this film introduced the story to a whole new range of people, allowing for it to continue to grow in popularity, even after over 30 years of existence.
This timeless piece follows ex convict Jean Valjean through his escape from the parole system of early 19th century France. As he continuously escapes a policeman named Javert, who has been hunting him down ever since he originally left his parole, Valjean rescues a recently orphaned child, Cosette, and raises her as his own. Several years later, when Cosette is grown up, she falls in love with Marius, a student and leader of a rebellion against the aristocratic French government. The climax of the story shows the battle between the rebels, known as Les Amis de l’ABC, and the French government, as well as a love triangle between Marius, Cosette, and Cosette’s childhood companion, Eponine. While much of the story includes intense battle scenes and clashes between Valjean and Javert, there are plenty of genuine laugh-out-loud moments as well.
The current national tour began in Rhode Island in late September, and will be traveling across the country until June of 2018. Musical theater lovers and French fanatics alike have been thrilled to have the chance to hear theater classics such as “Do You Hear the People Sing?” and “One Day More” in front of a live cast consisting of some of the most incredible performers in the industry. Seeing Les Misérables performed live is a once in a lifetime opportunity; the creativity put into the choreography, set design, and lighting of each revival is beyond comparison and allows for an absolutely stunning and unforgettable musical experience.
