St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary, Brampton: Les Misérables, March 2016

St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School, Brampton, Ontario

Les Misérables: Act 1
March 8, 2016

St. Thomas Aquinas presented what some might say, and Dr. J would be one of them, the best Broadway/London musical ever - Les Misérables - based on the 19th century French novel written by Victor Hugo. It is the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his quest for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for stealing a loaf of bread. Yeah, I know, seems excessive. Valjean gets out and decides to break his parole and start his life over after an empathetic bishop inspires him by an act of mercy, but he is relentlessly tracked down by the relentless police inspector Javert. Along the way, Valjean makes good, becomes a respectable businessman, and he and many characters are swept into a revolutionary period in France, where a group of young idealists make their last stand at a street barricade in Paris.

But forget that. It really is the story of the loyal and selfless Eponine, who survives growing up with very questionable parents, and who secretly yearns for the dashing Marius. But he only has eyes for the pretty rich girl, Cosette, who Jean Valjean takes care of in respect of her mother Fantine's dying wish. Eponine comes to accept her life alone, but dies tragically at the barricade in the arms of Marius. All other characters are secondary to Eponine. No, really.

Here are some pictures from Act 1 on opening night.