Last night a friend and I went to see a local production of Les Misérables. I was to go with Son#2 but he stood me up! A while ago, at his enthusiastic suggestion, I bought tickets for the two of us to attend and then he turned around and took his fiance last Sunday! Not that I blame him. His fiance is far prettier and I suspect he prefers her company to mine! However because of the change in plans I was able to give his ticket to a colleague and we went together and had a wonderful night!
I can't post any photos as we were requested not to take photos. And anyway I was so engrossed in the musical that I didn't even have time to think of photos!
For those that have not yet had the fortune of seeing Les Misérables, it is a musical based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo. Set in early 19th-century France, it follows the intertwining stories of a cast of characters against a background of cheating, lying, despair, poverty, revolution, friendship and love. There is the paroled convict named Jean Valjean who on failing in his attempts to find work as an honest man, breaks his parole and steals from the hand that feeds him. However those whom he steals from refuse to turn him into the police, claiming instead that the silver he stole was a gift from them and then they turn around and give him the silver pieces that he had left behind! For the rest of the story he struggles to bring good to others while attempting to conceal his identity. He becomes quite respected however always lurking in the shadows is his past in the guise of the police inspector Javert who is obsessed with finding Valjean and seeing him once more incarcerated.
The climax of the story occurs when Valjean is in a position to harm the one that has sought him throughout a lifetime, yet he allows Javert to go free. The grace shown him is too much to bear and Javert commits suicide.
The themes of redemption and grace are woven beautifully throughout the whole musical, often taking the characters - and the audience - by surprise. One doesn't have to look hard to see the parallels to the Christian message. Undeserving, steeped in our sin, we have received grace and can be redeemed. And what an incredible picture that is!
I can't post any photos as we were requested not to take photos. And anyway I was so engrossed in the musical that I didn't even have time to think of photos!
For those that have not yet had the fortune of seeing Les Misérables, it is a musical based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo. Set in early 19th-century France, it follows the intertwining stories of a cast of characters against a background of cheating, lying, despair, poverty, revolution, friendship and love. There is the paroled convict named Jean Valjean who on failing in his attempts to find work as an honest man, breaks his parole and steals from the hand that feeds him. However those whom he steals from refuse to turn him into the police, claiming instead that the silver he stole was a gift from them and then they turn around and give him the silver pieces that he had left behind! For the rest of the story he struggles to bring good to others while attempting to conceal his identity. He becomes quite respected however always lurking in the shadows is his past in the guise of the police inspector Javert who is obsessed with finding Valjean and seeing him once more incarcerated.
The climax of the story occurs when Valjean is in a position to harm the one that has sought him throughout a lifetime, yet he allows Javert to go free. The grace shown him is too much to bear and Javert commits suicide.
The themes of redemption and grace are woven beautifully throughout the whole musical, often taking the characters - and the audience - by surprise. One doesn't have to look hard to see the parallels to the Christian message. Undeserving, steeped in our sin, we have received grace and can be redeemed. And what an incredible picture that is!
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