On October 3rd 2011, Les Miserables celebrated its 26th anniversary making it
the longest running musical in the West End. With the show having been
performed in numerous places around the world it has also been translated into
twenty one languages and performed in thirty eight countries.
The story
follows Jean Valjean who is sentenced to 19 years in prison for stealing some
bread.
On his release he is taken in for the night by a Bishop who feeds him and provides him with shelter for the night,
Jean Valjean gets up in the night and steals from him. He gets caught but
the Bishop assures the authorities that they were a gift and he didn't steal
them. The Bishop then tells Jean Valjean that he will have to change his ways
because God has given him a second chance. Jean Valjean then takes on a new
name and makes a new life for himself; he becomes a very successful business man
and adopts a child, Cosette, who was given to him by her mother Fantine.
Fantine was fired from her job because she was supporting a child who lived
with two carers, she turns to prostitution but is saved by Jean Valjean and her
dying wish is to have Cosette taken in by Jean Valjean in his care. Jean
Valjean has to pay the two pub landlords who have used all the money they have
received from Fantine on their own daughter, Eponine, to take Cosette off their
hands.
