LES MISERABLES Teacher Guide 2020, Slides of Theatre

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Theatre De La Salle presents

SCHOOL EDITION

TEACHER

RESOURCE

GUIDE

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 1–8 |^ The Arts

10

A. DANCE

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 1, students will:

A1. Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process (see pag dance phrases, using the elements of dance to communicate A2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical a communicate their feelings, ideas, and understandings in re and experiences; A3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an un and styles from the past and present, and their social and/or

66

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 1–

| The Arts

GRADE 1

FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS FOR GRADE 1

Students in Grade 1 will develop understanding of the following various dance experiences (e.g., connecting and altering familiar on body and space.

ELEMENTS OF DANCE

- body: body awareness (e.g., awareness of where one is in space of position), use of body zones (e.g., whole body [versus variou body only), use of body parts (e.g., arms, legs, head), body sha curved, straight, closed), locomotor movements (e.g., galloping, s ments (e.g., arm movements such as swimming/waving, hopp kicking, bending knees, melting to the ground, stretching, grow bases (e.g., feet as body base, hands and knees as body base) - space: levels (e.g., low to high by reaching; high to low by fallin backwards, sideways), general and personal - time: tempo (e.g., fast/slow, movement versus freeze), rhythm - energy: quality (e.g., melting, twitching, slumping, percussive, - relationship: with a partner (e.g., slow-motion mirroring)

By the end of Grade 1, students will:

A1.1 use movements that are part of their daily experience in a variety of ways in dance phrases (e.g., alter and exaggerate movements based on even rhythms such as walking, galloping, and swimming, and on uneven rhythms such as skipping and jumping; amplify and modify percussive movements such as the movement of a clock ticking or the sustained hold of a cat stretching) Teacher prompts: “What everyday movements do you do throughout the day?” “When you

wave wave far aw wavin or fast the mo or sm

A1.2 use and id poem particu [crouch head]

A1. Creating and Presenting

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

B. DRAMA

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 1, students w

B1. Creating and Presenting: app drama, using the elements an

B2. Reflecting, Responding, and communicate feelings, ideas, experiences; B3. Exploring Forms and Cultur theatre forms and styles from

By the end of Grade 1, students w

B1.1 engage in dramatic play and a focus on exploring a variety diverse communities, times, an retell and enact nursery and othe rhymes, stories, or narratives fro use movement and voice to explor familiar folk tale character in a va

B1. Creating and Presentin

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS

1–

|^ The Arts

GRADE 1

FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS FOR GR

Students in Grade 1 will develop various drama experiences.

ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

- role/character: adopting the att - relationship: listening and resp - time and place: pretending to b - tension: being aware of a sense - focus and emphasis: being awa

21st century skills of creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration are embedded in the process of bringing the page to the stage. Seeing live theatre encourages students to read, develop critical and creative thinking, and to be curious about the world around them.

This Teacher Resource Guide includes background information, questions, and activities that can stand alone or work as building blocks toward the creation of a complete unit of classroom work.

THEATRE DE LA SALLE presents LES MISÉRABLES!

“Will you join in our crusade,

who will be strong and stand with me?

To celebrate our 70th anniversary, Theatre De La Salle is proud to present Les Misérables — the world’s longest- running musical! A true modern classic based on Victor Hugo's novel and featuring one of the most memorable scores of all time, this multi-award-winning musical is as groundbreaking today as it was when it first premiered in London in 1985. Composed by Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schönberg, the School Edition was specially adapted by Cameron Mackintosh and Music Theatre International.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice, and redemption — a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Featuring the beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “Bring Him Home,” “Stars," “On My Own,” “Master of the House,” “One Day More,” and many more, Les Misérables has been seen by more than 70 million people in 44 countries and in 22 languages around the globe, breaking box office records for 35 years. Epic, grand, and uplifting, Les Misérables: School Edition packs an emotional wallop that has thrilled audiences all over the world.

In this brand new production presented entirely by students, producer Michael Luchka and directors Glenn Cherny and Lisa Pollock will be joined again by guest director and TheatreDLS alum Johnny McGroarty , choreographer Melissa Jane Shaw , Musical Director Chris Tsujiuchi , and Set Designers Michael Bailey and Jerry McGroarty , to bring you “the world’s most popular musical.” Scenic design, lighting and sound design, costume design, set and prop construction, stage management, and marketing and promotion will all be done by the students enrolled in De La Salle’s inaugural Musical Theatre Production course with help from industry professionals.

TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDE:

LES MISÉRABLES: School Edition

➤ De La Salle College is an exciting venue to see live theatre! The school opened in 1951 and included an auditorium that became the home to Theatre De La Salle. During its 70-year history, Theatre De La Salle has staged 28 dramatic productions, 46 musicals, and three musical revue shows.

➤ Brother Andrew spent his first year at Del (1950-1951) developing a glee club and an orchestra before staging the first of his five annual Gilbert and Sullivan musical productions. The female chorus was made up of soprano-voiced boys from the grade school dressed up as girls. The female leads were played by young ladies from local Catholic high schools.

➤ Brother Walter replaced Brother Andrew as musical director, and in 1958 produced the first of his ten musicals. The popular scores of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein counted for eight well-received productions. In 1960, the Toronto Star reviewed Oklahoma with these words: The hardest thing to keep in mind is that it is a high school show. The quality is consistently far beyond what might be expected; better, in fact, than any university musical.

➤ By 1961, boys no longer took female parts as 35 young women took their place with 41 boys from Del to make up the cast of Carousel. That year, the leads accompanied Brother Walter to the backstage of the O’Keefe Centre (now the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts) to meet the composer, Richard Rodgers, who was in Toronto on a promotional tour.

➤ Between 1969 and 1987, Theatre De La Salle presented both a drama and a musical in almost every school year.

➤ During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, Theatre De La Salle thrived under the direction of Ben Cekuta. Memorable productions of West Side Story (1980), Jesus Christ Superstar (1983), Man of La Mancha (1985), and The Mousetrap (cemented Del productions among Toronto’s finest. The school flood of 1989 damaged the auditorium so badly that the theatre was closed for three years. It wasn’t until 1993 that the theatre reopened its doors and the stage was put to use again.

➤ Del’s theatrical tradition was continued by the private school which opened in

1994. In 1998, DELTA (Del Theatre Arts) was established and gave students the opportunity to take a leadership role in the theatre production process. Student directors Luke Arnott and Robert Kim went on to direct some of the private school’s more memorable productions, including Little Shop of Horrors (1999) and Twelve Angry Men (2002). Classically-trained drama teacher Glenn Cherny directed several dramas, including The Importance of Being Earnest (2006) and Pygmalion (2008). Musical productions included The Sound of Music (2001) and Annie (2003).

➤ In 2010, Del alumnus Michael Luchka (Class of ’93) revived the original Theatre De La Salle which saw its final curtain come down in 1993. With unprecedented support from the Administration, Parents Association, and Del Alumni, Theatre De La Salle launched a new era with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2012) and continues to showcase the many talents of the school’s students and staff. The Theatre marked its 65th anniversary with Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in 2016.

➤ In 2017, Theatre De La Salle staged a 65th anniversary revival of the first musical performed at the College - The Pirates of Penzance. Cast members from the original 1951 production joined current cast members on stage for well-deserved cameos.

➤ To mark its 70th anniversary, Theatre De La Salle will proudly present the world’s most popular musical - Les Misérables: School Edition in April 2020.

THEATRE DE LA SALLE

A COURSE for STUDENTS

in Grades 10, 11, and 12 interested in being ON the STAGE or BEHIND the SCENES!

MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

̣^ SINGING, ACTING, DANCING ̣^ SET DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION ̣^ COSTUME & MAKE-UP DESIGN ̣^ LIGHTING & SOUND TECHNOLOGY ̣^ SPECIAL EFFECTS ̣^ MARKETING & PROMOTION ̣^ MASTER CLASSES WITH GUEST ARTISTS

. WHO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY

MAKE THE STAGE YOUR CLASSROOM!

NEW for 2019/2020! Facts & Figures

In 2017, The Pirates of Penzance , led by the Pirate King (Calum Slapnicar) moved in “with cat-like tread” on the Major General (Max Gibson).

Grease was the word in 2014 as Danny Zuko (Daniel Grandilli) and Sandy Dombrowski (Elizabeth Frangos) recalled their days of summer lovin’

For more information, contact the Student Services Department

2020/

Students of the first-ever Musical Theatre Production class perform their original Midterm Musical Monologues in January, 2020

COMING TO THE THEATER!

PlayhouseSquare is an exciting venue to see live theater! As

the country’s largest performing arts center outside of New

York, the not-for-profit performing arts center utilizes the

arts to engage individuals and attract more than one million

guests per year to 1,000+ annual events. PlayhouseSquare

thus acts as a catalyst for economic growth and vitality

within the region.

As audience members, you and your students play a vital

role in the success of the performances. You are part of a

community that creates the theater experience. For many

students, this may be their first time viewing a live theater

production. We encourage teachers to discuss some of the

differences between watching a television show, attending

a sporting event or viewing a movie at the cinema. Here are

a few examples to start the discussion:

Students are led into the theater and seated by an usher.

Theaters are built to magnify sound. Even the slightest

whisper can be heard throughout the theater. Remember

that not only can those around you hear you, the

performers can too.

Appropriate responses such as laughing or applauding

are appreciated. Pay attention to the artists on stage;

they will let you know what is appropriate.

There is no food, drink or gum permitted in the theater.

Photography and videotaping of performances is not

permitted.

When the houselights dim, the performance is about to

begin. Please turn your attention toward the stage.

After the performance, you will be dismissed by bus

number. Check around your seat to make sure you have

all of your personal belongings.

Teacher Resource Guide playhousesquare.org/eduresources

De La Salle College is an exciting venue to see live theatre!

The school was built in 1951 and included an auditorium

that became the home of Theatre De La Salle. During its

70-year history, Theatre De La Salle has staged 28

dramatic productions, 45 musicals, and three musical

revue shows.

THE THEATRE!

Refreshments will be distributed during the Intermission.

Theatres

theatre

theatre

theatre

theatre.

TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDE:

Grade 7 student Audrey Cheng (left) and Grade 5 student Vasili Prangikos (right) gave inspired performances as Jane and Michael Banks in 2019’s MARY POPPINS.

“Let’s go fly a kite, up to the highest height!” The cast and crew proved that “anything can happen if you let it!”

Stepping BACK in Time with the cast of Theatre De La Salle’s 2019 practically-perfect production of MARY POPPINS!

LES MISÉRABLES: School Edition

PRE-SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Ask students:

• Have you ever had anything stolen from you? How did it make you feel? Would it have mattered if someone had stolen from you to feed his/her family?

•Jean Valjean spends 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. Does this punishment seem to fit the crime? How do we decide what is just?

• More than 130 years later, "huge sores" still litter the world, and Hugo's words still describe the undying message of his novel. What are some of these "huge sores" that you might hear about in the news of our country and the world?

THE STORY and its THEMES

• The students in Les Misérables believe that there are things worth fighting for. Do you agree with them? Why?
• The students are taking the law into their own hands. Do you think they are right or wrong? Is such action ever justified?
• Did the students at the barricade die in vain? How do you measure whether the death of a young person in such a circumstance is “worthwhile?”
• Can you imagine ever taking the law into your own hands? Why or why not? If you can envision such a possibility, describe the circumstances.
• What is a value or a belief that you might fight for? How would you go about it?
• Research a 20th or 21st Century student rebellion, such as the American student movement of the1960s or the Chinese pro-democracy movement of May/June 1989 in Beijing, the Orange Revolution in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2004-2005 or the student protests in Hong Kong in 2019. Compare the motivations of the students - and the outcome - to the experience of the student rebels in Les Misérables.
• Think^ back^ through^ the^ whole^ performance^ and^ find^ the character you are most like. In a journal entry, explain why you are similar to this particular character. What types of problems do they get into? Could you see yourself getting into a similar position? Write about how you would handle the situation differently, or why you would do the same.

THE THEATRE

• Name three things you noticed about the set. Did the set help tell the story? What sort of set would you have designed?
• What did you like about the costumes? Did the costumes help tell the story? What sort of costumes would you have designed?
• What role did lighting play in telling the story? How did the lights enhance what you were seeing?
• Talk about the actors. Were there moments you were so caught up in the story you forgot you were watching a play?
• Were there any actors who played more than one character? What are some ways you can be the same person but play different characters?

POST-SHOW ACTIVITIES

College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards

for Speaking and Listening

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 4

College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards

for Language

Conventions of Standard English 1

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use 5, 6

BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP

In Beauty and the Beast , Belle discovers that the Beast is

not a beast at all. Rather, he is a kind and caring soul and

she eventually falls in love with him. Form groups of 3-

people. Act out a scene showing people befriending and

accepting someone whose looks or behaviors are different

from the rest of the group.

CRITICAL RESPONSE

Students develop their comprehension when they reflect

upon what they noticed, wondered about and felt. Engage

your students in a discussion by posing the following

questions:

1. Think about a character in Beauty and the Beast.

TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDE: Teacher Resource Guide

LES MISÉRABLES: School Edition

I was overwhelmed with joy... and horror, and

all the right people around me to help bringLes

–Excerpted from the MTI study guide on Les Misérables.

In a letter to one of his publishers, Victor Hugo said that he wrote Les Misérables for a universal audience. He added:

“... social problems do not have frontiers. Humankind’s wounds, those huge sores that litter the world, do not stop at the red and blue lines drawn on maps. Wherever men go in ignorance or despair, wherever women sell themselves for bread, wherever children lack a book to learn from or a warm hearth, Les Misérables knocks at the door and says, ‘Open up. I am here for you.’”

More than 130 years later, “huge sores” still litter the world, and Hugo’s words still describe the undying message of his novel.

Les Misérables reminds us that we are each part of the same human family, and that whatever our outward differences may be, our longings for individual liberty and peace are the same.

Around the world, performers and audience members alike have been deeply moved by their exposure to Les Misérables. With each new cast and each new audience, the power and the magic of the show continues to grow.

Background | 1

ABOUT VICTOR HUGO

Victor was an excellent student who excelled in mathematics, physics, philosophy, French literature, Latin, and Greek. He won first place in a national poetry contest when he was 17. As a teenager, he fell in love with a neighbour’s daughter, Adele Foucher. However, his mother discouraged the romance, believing that her son should marry into a finer family. When his mother died in 1821, Victor refused to accept financial help from his father. He lived in abject poverty for a year, but then won a pension of 1,000 francs a year from Louis XVIII for his first volume of verse. Barely out of his teens, Hugo became a hero to the common people as well as a favourite of heads of state. Throughout his lifetime, he played a major role in France’s political evolution from dictatorship to democracy.

He lived in abject poverty for a year, but then won a pension of 1,000 francs a year from Louis XVIII.

In 1822, he married Adele Foucher, who became the mother of his children, Leopold-Victor, Charles- Victor, Francois-Victor, Adele, and Leopoldine.

In 1830, Victor became one of the leaders of a group of Romantic rebels who were trying to loosen the hold of classical literature in France. His play Hernani, whose premiere was interrupted by fist- fights between Hugo’s admirers and detractors, took a large step towards a more realistic theatre and made him a rich man.

VICTOR HUGO’S enormously successful career covered most of the nineteenth century and spanned both the Romantic and Realistic movements. A great poet, novelist, playwright, essayist, pamphleteer, diarist, politician and moralist, Hugo was a man of immense passion and endless contradictions.

Hugo was born on February 26,

1802. His father, General Joseph Leopold Hugo, was the son of a carpenter who rose through the ranks of Napoleon’s citizen army. However, Victor’s mother decided not to subject her three sons to the difficulties of army life, and settled in Paris to raise them. Madame Hugo became the mistress of her husband’s commanding officer, General Lahorie, who was a father figure to Hugo and his brothers until the General’s execution in 1812.

During the next 15 years he produced six plays, four volumes of verse, and the romantic historical novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame , establishing his reputation as the greatest writer in France.

In 1831, Adele Hugo became romantically involved with a well known critic and good friend of Victor’s named Sainte-Beuve. Victor became involved with the actress Juliette Drouet, who became his mistress in 1833. Supported by a small pension from Hugo, Drouet became his unpaid secretary and travelling companion for the next fifty years.

After losing one of his daughters in a drowning accident and experiencing the failure of his play Les Burgraves in 1843, Hugo decided to focus on the growing social problems in France. He was joined in his increasing interest in politics by a number of other Romantic writers, marking the beginning of the Realistic- Naturalistic era in French literature.

Victor Hugo’s enormously successful career covered most of the 19

th^ century

and spanned both the Romantic and Realistic movements. A great writer,artist, and moralist, Hugo was a man of many talents, high passion, andunwavering conviction.Hugo was born on February 26, 1802. His father, General Joseph LeopoldHugo, was the son of a carpenter who rose through the ranks of Napoleon’scitizen army. However, Victor’s mother decided not to subject her three sonsto the difficulties of army life, and settled in Paris to raise them. MadameHugo became the mistress of her husband’s commanding officer, GeneralLahorie, who was a father figure to Hugo and his brothers until the General’sexecution in 1812.Victor was an excellent student and excelled in the arts, sciences, andlanguages. He won first place in a national poetry contest when he was 17.When his mother died in 1821, Victor refused to accept financial help from hisfather. He lived in abject poverty for a year, but then won a pension of 1,000francs a year from King Louis XVIII for his first volume of verse. Throughouthis lifetime, Hugo played a major role in France’s political evolution fromdictatorship to democracy and became a hero to the common people. In 1822, he married his teenage sweetheart, Adele Foucher, who became themother of his four children: Leopold-Victor, Charles-Victor, Francois-Victor,Adele, and Leopoldine.In 1830, Victor became one of the leaders of a group of Romantic rebelswho were trying to loosen the hold of classical literature in France. Hisplay,

Hernani,

whose premiere was interrupted by fistfights between Hugo’s

admirers and detractors, took a large step towards a more realistic genre oftheatre and made Hugo a rich man.During the next 15 years, he produced six plays, four volumes of verse, andthe romantic historical novel,

The Hunchback of Notre Dame,

establishing

his reputation as the greatest writer in France.Hugo was also an accomplished artist and his body of work includes morethan 4000 drawings. He worked in small scale, only on paper, and usuallyin pen-and-ink wash with little color. His artistry was “modern,” employingtechniques of Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. He originally pursuedhis artwork as a casual hobby but in his later years, this artistic expressionbecame more important to him.In 1831, Victor’s wife, Adele, became romantically involved with a well-known critic named Sainte-Beuve. At the same time, Victor also becameinvolved with an actress named Juliette Drouet, who later became hismistress in 1833. Supported by a small pension from Hugo, Drouet servedas his secretary and travelling companion for the next 50 years.In 1843, after losing one of his daughters in a drowning accident andexperiencing the failure of his play,

Les Burgraves

, Hugo decided to focus

on the growing social problems in France. He was joined in his increasedinterest in politics by a number of other Romantic writers, marking thebeginning of the Realistic-Naturalistic era in French literature.After the Revolution of 1848 and the founding of the Second Republic, Hugowas elected a deputy to the Constitutional Assembly. Three years later,when Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (Napoléon III) abolished the Republic andreestablished the Empire, Hugo risked execution trying to rally the workersof Paris against the new Emperor. However, his efforts failed, and he wasforced to flee to Brussels.As a result, Hugo spent the next decade in exile with his family and Mme.Drouet on the islands of Jersey and Guernsey off the French coast of

Normandy. During these years, he wrote satires about Napoleon III and publishedseveral novels including

Les Misérables

, which he had begun years earlier.

After the Franco-Prussian War and the fall of the Empire in 1870, Hugo made atriumphant return to Paris. In 1876, he was elected to the Senate and, despitehis failing health, continued to be active in political affairs.Around this time, Hugo suffered many personal trials: a mild stroke; the mentalillness of his daughter who was eventually placed in an insane asylum; hiswife’s death in 1868 followed by his two sons in 1871 then 1873; and thedeath of his mistress, Juliet Drouet, in 1883. Hugo died in 1885 at the age of83. In accordance with his wishes, his funeral was simple, but over 3 millionspectators followed his funeral procession to the Pantheon in Paris where hewas buried amid France’s great men.Because of his belief in the triumph of good over evil and his pleading fortolerance and non-violence, Victor Hugo was considered a herald of the newdemocratic spirit. Hugo’s death came at the end of a century of war, civilconflict, social injustice, and brutally repressed insurrectionssuch as the student rebellion portrayed in

Les Misérables.

The Man, The Artist

VICTOR HUGO

DID YOUKNOW? Victor

Hugo

began

to^

think

about

his

novel,

Les Misérables

, as early as 1829. On the streets of Paris in

1845, he observed an impoverished man being arrested for stealing aloaf of bread, which triggered the novel’s action. As the years passed,

Les

Misérables

evolved as Hugo’s own life experiences shaped his philosophy.

To give the story a sense of journalistic truth, he incorporated personalmemories of all kinds, For example, in 1841, he saved a prostitutefrom arrest for assault. Part of his dialogue with police made its wayinto the novel when Valjean rescues Fantine. By the time Hugo’s novelwas published in 1862, it had become an epic story within a strongframework of history, philosophy, and political theory.In spite of negative reaction by critics and the government, whobanned it,

Les Misérables

was an instant success and generated more

excitement than any other book in the history of publishing. “All thereviews,” wrote Hugo, “are reactionary and more or less hostile.” Likethe musical, critical opinion had absolutely no e

ffect on public interest

and bookshop owners literally battled to buy copies for their customers. Th is phenomenon was echoed in 1985, when the musical version of Hugo’s novel opened in London to mostly poor reviews.When producer, Cameron Mackintosh, discouraged by the adversecritical response, called the box o

ffice, he was greeted by a happily

busy ticket salesman. “I’m amazed you managed to get through,”Mackintosh was told, “the phones haven’t stopped ringing.”Hugo wrote about his book, “I don’t know if it will be read by everyone,but it is meant for everyone.”

Th

e initial French language success was

copied worldwide as soon as the book became available in translation.As with any work of art, which makes a case for social change, the novelacquired many enemies. Conservatives feared the social impact of thestory, and the Vatican banned the novel for several years. A Frenchnewspaper wrote that if the ideas of the novel were acknowledged, “nopart of the social order would remain standing.”Nonetheless,

Les Misérables

has been translated into nearly every

language and, during the past century, has become one of the best-selling books in history.

1

2

Quick Activity for further exploration of "background information."

1. Have students read the information, “History/background of Victor Hugo's France.”

Then in small groups prepare brief (5 minutes) reports to the rest of the class that give examples of these historical events. Perhaps they have read books, plays, or poetry about some of these things.

They could also look up examples of things happening in the U.S. during this same time period as a way of comparing these events.

They could also simply respond to the events, comparing them with our current political struggles concerning the “working poor.”

2. Combine the above activity with work from the quotes below.

Have students choose a quote they like and explain it in their own words.

Then ask students to go to either side of the room to “agree" or "disagree” with the quote.

Follow with discussion.

3. Play the beginning music from a soundtrack of the play. Ask students to visualize what is happening as

they listen to the music.

Victor Hugo Quotes

On Revolution and the Republic

What makes a riot? Nothing and everything. Electricity released a little at a time, a flame suddenly shooting out, a roving force, a momentary breath of wind. This breath of wind meets beings that think, brains that dream, souls that suffer, passions that burn, howling torments, and carries them away.

... For a long time, I thought the Republic was only a political vehicle... I didn’t realize that it partook of that essential, absolute truth of which all principles are composed. The Republic is a principle. The Republic is a right. The Republic is the very embodiment of progress.

When dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right.

On Les Misérables :

You are right, Sir, when you say Les Misérables is written for a universal audience. I do not know whether it will be read by everyone but it is meant for everyone.... Social problems go beyond frontiers. Humankind’s wounds, those huge sores that litter the world, do not stop at the blue and red lines drawn on maps. Wherever men go in ignorance or despair, wherever women sell themselves for bread, wherever children lack a book to learn from or a warm hearth, Les Misérables knocks at the door and says: “open up, I am here for you.” —Victor Hugo, in a letter to a publisher

I F Y OU HAVE 3-5 D AYS TO P REPARE

T EACHER PREPARATION G UIDE : LES M ISÉRABLES ן

Background | 3

ABOUT THE NOVEL

him. Inside there was a dazzlingly beautiful woman dressed in velvet, playing with a child hidden under ribbons, embroidery and furs. The impoverished man stared at the woman in the carriage, but she was totally unaware of him. Hugo wrote that he saw this man as, “the spectre of misery, the ghostly forewarning in full light of day, in the sunshine, of the revolution still plunged in the shadows of darkness, but emerging from them. The moment he become aware of her existence, while she remained unaware of his, a catastrophe was inevitable.”

When Les Misérables was published in 1862, it generated more excitement than any book in the history of publishing.

As the years passed, Les Misérables evolved as Hugo’s own life experiences shaped his philosophy. He incorporated personal memories of all kinds in the novel, often mixing everyday trivial fact with fiction to give the story a sense of journalistic truth. By the time it was published in 1862, it had become an epic novel, expressed in rich prose within a strong framework of history, philosophy, and political theory. “This is a leviathan I am about to ship out to sea,” he said before publishing.

When Les Misérables was published in 1862, it generated more excitement than any book in the history of publishing. It was widely advertised in Paris with giant sketched portraits of Cosette, Fantine, Marius and Jean Valjean.

LES MISÉRABLES is a melodramatic novel written from the premise that any man can rise above his circumstances to reach perfection. The plot of the novel is suspenseful from start to finish; it follows both Jean Valjean’s and society’s struggles with good and evil.

Hugo began to think about Les Misérables as early as 1829. He observed the specific incident that triggers the novel’s action on the streets of Paris in 1845. On a sunny but cold day, he saw an impoverished man being arrested for stealing a loaf of bread. As the man stood on the street, an ornate carriage pulled up beside

Foreshadowing the success story of the musical, over one hundred years later, the novel Les Misérables was, initially, a popular, rather than a critical, triumph. “All the reviews,” wrote Hugo, “are reactionary and more or less hostile.”

Like the musical, critical opinion had absolutely no effect on public interest in Les Misérables. Bookshop owners and other vendors literally battled to buy copies of the book for their customers. Long lines and traffic jams were observed all over the city as people fought to buy one of the 48,000 copies put on sale the first day.

This phenomenon was echoed in 1985, when the musical version of Hugo’s novel opened in London to mostly poor reviews. When Cameron Mackintosh, discouraged by the adverse critical response, called the box office, he was greeted by a happily busy ticket salesman.

Background | 4

ABOUT THE NOVEL

The book was a sensation in America, whose own civil unrest at the time seemed to many to mirror the events and feelings of the novel.

The initial French language success was copied all over the world as soon as the book became available in translation. The book was a sensation in America, whose own civil unrest at the time seemed to many to mirror the events and feelings of the novel. Indeed, Confederate soldiers read the novel voraciously, calling themselves “Lee’s Miserables.” As with any work of art pleading

“I’m amazed you managed to get through,” Mackintosh was told, “the phones haven’t stopped ringing.” As with the novel, the story of Les Misérables had touched a common chord, and its great success was built on word of mouth.

Hugo wrote about his book, “I don’t know if it will be read by everyone, but it is meant for everyone. It addresses England as well as Spain, Italy as well as France, Germany as well as Ireland, the republics that harbour slaves as well as empires that have serfs. Social problems go beyond frontiers...” To further his goal of presenting the ideas of Les Misérables to as wide an audience as possible, Hugo urged his publishers to bring out cheaper editions of the book in small print to make it available to ordinary people.

for social change, the novel Les Misérables acquired many enemies. Conservatives feared the social impact of the novel, and the Vatican banned it for several years. A theatrical version, written by Hugo’s son Charles, was banned in France, opening instead in Brussels. The French newspaper The Constitutionnel wrote that if the ideas of the novel were acknowledged, “no part of the social order would remain standing.”

Nonetheless, Les Misérables has been translated into nearly every language and, during the past century, has become one of the best- selling books in history.

Audience members attending

Les Misérables

often assume that the

rebellion in the musical is part of the great French Revolution; however,this is not true. What incited the students and workers to the ParisBarricades in 1832 (the year and event that Victor Hugo used as theclimax in his novel,

Les Misérables

) was, in fact, due to the country’s

economic hardships and a cholera epidemic (1827-1832), which createddiscontent between the socio-economic classes.By 1832, the poor people of Paris were deeply affected by the outbreakof disease, namely cholera, which killed many. Among those whodied was Jean Maximilien Lamarque, an influential French militarycommander during the Napoleonic Wars who later became a member ofFrench Parliament. General Lamarque was considered an enemy of theroyalists and friend of the common people and his funeral provoked theuprising and the building of the Paris Barricades. During the uprising,approximately 1000 people were injured or killed. Disorder in the countrycontinued through to the mid-1800s and by 1848, fear of revolutionthroughout Europe became a grave threat.At the time of the Paris Barricades (June 5, 1832), Victor Hugo was inParis writing a play. When the battle began, rebel students and workerswere on one side and government troops on the other, while Hugo,himself, was trapped in a nearby alley. Hugo stayed out of harm’s way

against a wall between the fronts of two shops while gunfire ensued.After the battle, Hugo entered in his diary, that the uprising was a “follydrowned in blood,” and that a republic should result from “its own freewill.” (Benedict Nightingale & Martyn Palmer,

Les Misérables From Stage

to Screen

, p. 12.)

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (1789-1799) included a series of violent timesand periods of unrest resulting in the declarationof France’s first republic and the beheading ofthousands. The revolution drastically changedFrance’s culture, government, and military. Forexample, France went from a largely feudal stateunder the absolute authority of the monarchy to arepublic (a state in which the head of governmentis not a monarch or other hereditary head ofstate). The change of authority saw the executionof France’s King Louis XVI and, in 1799, the newleadership of the French military – the politicalleader, Napoléon Bonaparte (1769 –1821). Outsideof France, the revolution resulted in a ripple effectof war throughout Europe.

THE PARIS BARRICADES Also known as the June Rebellion and the Paris Uprising of 1832, theParis Barricades was an unsuccessful, anti-monarchist rebellion ofParisian republicans, mostly comprised of students. It was a small-scalerevolt, but was made famous by Hugo’s account in

Les Misérables

. The

insurrection took place in 1832 over two days: June 5 – 6, and was theresult of mounting turmoil over living conditions between classes as wellas the reverse of the 1830 establishment of the July Monarchy under KingLouis-Philippe I’s rule (1830 – 1848). These events occurred shortly afterthe death of the King Louis-Philippe I’s leading supporter, President ofthe Council, Casimir Pierre Périer, who died on May 16, 1832. Adding tothe June Rebellion was the recent death of Jean Maximilien Lamarque(1770 – 1832) who was a French commander during the Napoleonic Warsand later became a member of French Parliament. The June Rebellionwas the last eruption of violence associated with the July Revolution.Victor Hugo described the rebellion in his novel

Les Misérables

and,

subsequently, this pinnacle event is highlighted in the musical and filmsbased on the book ‘TO BARRICADE OR NOT TO BARRICADE’(A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE.) Documented use of French barricades dates back as early as 1569;however, the technique did not become publicly well-known until anuprising in Paris in 1588. The event involved supporters of the Duke ofGuise and the Catholic Holy League who successfully challenged theauthority of King Henry III.

During the French Revolution, (1789 – 1799) barricades were usedat various times, but they never played a central role in battle. In the1800s, barricades were highly visible and became a consequentialelement in many of France’s insurrections, for example, the revolutionsof 1830 (the July Days) and 1848 (in both February and June.); theParis insurrection of June 1832; and the combat that ended the ParisCommune in May 1871. The implementation of barricades began its spread from France duringthe 1780s and in 1830, it was an integral technique used in theBelgian Revolution. By 1848, barricades were being incorporated on aninternational scale. By the middle of the 19th century, the barricadehad become a worldwide symbol of the revolutionary tradition for manystudents, workers, and political refugees. Its symbolic reference appearsin many songs and stories that pay homage to the power of political andsocial movements.

BUILDING THEBARRICADE

DID YOU KNOW?^ Th

e traditional English translation of the French phrase, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche,” is, “Let them eat cake.”

Th

is phrase has become a famous quote attributed

to King Louis XVI’s wife, Queen Marie Antoinette. It is believed by some that theQueen made this statement after being told that the French people were su

ffering due to

a widespread bread famine.Although there is no evidence that this anecdote actually happened, it has sustained a strong symbolicimportance in history because it illustrates the ignorance of the French aristocracy during the period of timein which the French Revolution occurred. Interestingly, a biographer of Marie Antoinette mentioned that,during this time, this phrase was particularly useful because

the staple food of the French peasantry and the

working class was bread, absorbing 50 percent of their income, as opposed to 5 percent on fuel; the wholetopic of bread was therefore the result of obsessional national interest.(Lady Antonia Fraser,

Marie Antoinette:

Th

e Journey

, p. 124.)

Barricade

[bar-i-keyd]

derives from the French word barrique (barrel) and is a military term denoting a defensivebarrier used in urban warfare. Barricades areusually hastily constructed,

as

in

a^ street,

and

aim to stop an enemy or obstruct a passage in

order to shut

in

and

defend.

Louis the XVI

The June Revolition of 1832

Napoléon Bonaparte

13

14

2017 National Tour. Photo: Matthew Murphy

13

THE JUNE REBELLION

T EACHER PREPARATION G UIDE : LES M ISÉRABLES ן

The book Les Misérables was first published in France in 1862. Written by famed poet and social activist Victor Hugo, Les Misérables is considered by literary scholars as one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century.

The history behind Les Misérables , however, is often misunderstood despite the widespread popularity of the musical and now the movie in present-day America. Given the epic scale of the story and its rousing nature, one of the most common misconceptions about Les Misérables is that it takes place during the French Revolution of 1789, known for figures such as Robespierre and Marie-Antoinette. In reality, however, Les Misérables is set against the backdrop of the June Rebellion of 1832–a small Parisian uprising not even considered a revolution. The June Rebellion lasted two days. The confusion is, in a sense, understandable. In both cases, people, often led by republicans, rose up against monarchies which oppressed them.

France’s political structure also underwent a barrage of changes between 1789 and 1900. After the revolutionaries beheaded Bourbon King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette in 1793 and the First French Republic began, Napoleon Bonaparte swept in and established an empire in 1804. When he became too powerful, the monarchies and empires of Europe banded together and defeated Napoleon, sending him into exile. These states re-established the monarchy in France, sitting Louis XVIII on the throne. Napoleon escaped, chased Louis XVIII off the throne, and ruled France again as emperor for about one-hundred days. Europe ganged-up on Napoleon once again and took him down at the Battle of Waterloo. He was then exiled a second time.

Louis XVIII returned to the throne and ruled as a constitutional monarch. His younger brother Charles X took over after him. Charles X was not so keen on the idea of a constitutional monarchy and tried to restore the Bourbon monarchy to its former, less democratic glory. Needless to say, he was not very popular. The people rebelled in another revolution, the July Revolution of 1830. This revolution deposed Charles X. Rather than allowing the next descendent of the Bourbon family to become king, the Chamber of Deputies (a democratic body like the American House of Representatives) named a king from another, related family, the Orleans, Louis Philippe I. This new monarchy was a constitutional, more democratic monarchy–in a symbolic gesture, Louis Philippe I was named “king of the French” instead of “king of France” like his predecessors.

Many idealistic students and republicans, however, felt the Chamber of Deputies had betrayed them, only trading one king for another. So, they rebelled again in the June Uprising of 1832, as seen in Les Misérables.

They lost miserably and another revolution would not happen until 1848, when the monarchy would fall to the Second Republic. This republic, however, only lasted four years before its first real president named himself emperor. He would rule France until 1870, when the country finally established a durable Third Republic which lasted until the Nazi’s overtook France in World War II.

— Classic of the Month: Les Misérables in Historical Context by Michelle Gaesor https://themodernmanuscript.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/classic-of-the-month-les-miserables-in-historical-context/

E. Frère - wood engraving, designed by Beval

TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDE:

LES MISÉRABLES: School Edition

LES MISERABLES - The Musical (1985) The sung-through musical was adapted from French poet and novelist Victor Hugo's 1862 novel by Claude-Michel Schönberg (music), Alain Boublil and Jean- Marc Natel (original French lyrics), and Herbert Kretzmer (English lyrics). The original French musical premiered in Paris in 1 9 8 0. I t s E n g l i s h - l a n g u a g e adaptation by producer Cameron Mackintosh premiered in London i n O c t o b e r 1 9 8 5 a n d o n Broadway in 1986, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical. A 10th, 25th, and 30th Anniversary C o n c e r t s w e r e s t a g e d t o celebrate the second longest- running musical in the world.

LES MISERABLES - The Film (2012) Following the release of the 1985 musical, a film adaptation was mired in "development hell" for over ten years, as the rights were passed on to several major studios, and various directors and actors considered. In 2011, producer Cameron Mackintosh sold the film rights to Eric Fellner, who financed the film with a budget of $61 million. Directed by Tom Hooper, the film was distributed by Universal and featured an ensemble cast led by Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen. It grossed over $441 million worldwide. The film received generally favourable reviews, including 8 Academy Award nominations.

LES MISERABLES - The Miniseries (2019) Victor Hugo’s masterpiece Les Misérables arrived on television screens in a six-part adaptation by multi award-winning screenwriter Andrew Davies. This version hews much more closely to Victor Hugo’s book, a five-volume, 365-chapter novel that over the course of its complex plot explores history, law, politics, religion and ideas about justice, guilt and redemption. Fiduciary Bank. The New York Times hailed it as a “new version of Les Miserables” with “less singing, more misery”. Dominic West stars as fugitive Jean Valjean, with David Oyelowo as Inspector Javert and Lily Collins as the luckless single mother Fantine. Love, death, and the struggle for social justice in early 19th-century France feature in this beautifully faithful retelling of one of the world’s most beloved stories.

Do you hear the people sing? The London and Broadway premieres of Les Miserables in 1985 and 1986 broke box office records and immediately made the show “the world’s most popular musical.”

The star-studded 2012 film adaptation of Les Miserables earned 8 Academy Award nominations and won 3 Golden Globes, including one for Best Picture.

A powerful 6-part adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic novel was produced by the PBS and Masterpiece in partnership with the BBC and starred award-winning actress Olivia Colman as the villainous Madame Thenardier.

TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDE:

The Crusade Continues…

LES MISÉRABLES: School Edition

The Many Faces of Jean Valjean

Ramin Karimloo Michael Burgess Colm Wilkinson Hugh Jackman

(Broadway Revival, 2014) (Original Canadian Cast, 1989) (Original London and Broadway, 1985/86) (Motion Picture, 2012)