Members of the S10 Academy Theater course attended a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s most famous historical novel as the first performance of the autumn semester at the Madách Theatre. This three-hour musical faithfully replicated the production that was first premiered in Paris in 1980 and then brought to Broadway in English in 1985. The cast was impeccable, the set design was astonishingly well-crafted, and the songs were filled with emotion, evoking—and surpassing—the English adaptation!
Of course, Hugo’s 1,000-page novel cannot be fully translated to stage or screen with all its nuances, but we still gained significant insight into the plight of the lower classes in 19th-century French society.
The story showcases French society from Waterloo to the Paris uprising of 1832 through its extreme characters. Jean Valjean, a former criminal, escapes from parole and, through superhuman efforts, tries to reintegrate into a prejudiced society and make morally good decisions. For two decades, he is pursued by Inspector Javert, who idealizes appearances and seeks to capture the escaped convict at all costs. Their cat-and-mouse game leads them to the barricades of the June Rebellion, culminating in a final clash between the two protagonists and serving as the climax of the story.
Image: From the Madách Theatre’s website.