FRENCH TWIST
DOMINIC WEST AND DAVID OYELOWO LEAD AN ALL-STAR CAST IN A NEW TELLING OF THE CLASSIC NOVEL…
Before you break out into a stirring rendition of I Dreamed A Dream, this isn’t the musical, but an adaptation of the original book by Victor Hugo that the West End smash-hit took as its inspiration.
There may be no songs, yet this six-part version of the tale set among the poor of
19th century France still makes for cracking drama, and boasts a starry cast including Lily Collins as Fantine, Adeel Akhtar and Olivia Colman as Monsieur and Madame Thénardier, and The Durrells’
Josh O’connor as Marius. Inside TV clambered over the barricades and headed to the set to chat to Dominic West (Jean Valjean) and David Oyelowo (Javert) to ask what we can expect from this interpretation…
What appealed to you about being in this show?
David I read the scripts first, and then the novel. It’s a ginormous book and it’s very impressive to walk around with – people give you a little nod! But what really made me want to do it is how deeply the book and our show explores sociopolitics, religion, culture, class – all things that are at the forefront of people’s minds.
Dominic I still haven’t seen the musical, so I didn’t really know about the part, although then I read the book and Jean Valjean is the best superhero that’s ever been written about! If he’s not saving kids or fighting villains, he’s running up buildings and climbing on the ship’s mast to save some sailor. He’s incredible.
Did you do all of the heroics yourself, or did you have a stunt double?
Dominic I did quite a bit – I climbed up a wall, that’s quite exciting, and then a very nice man took over a bit higher up! But I have been doing a bit of lifting carrying Josh O’connor – a slim but huge 6ft 4in guy – through the sewers. I was dreading it, yet we got through it. It’s all in the way you get him on your back, I discovered!
The rivalry between Javert and Valjean is a huge part
VALJEAN IS THE BEST HERO WHO'S EVER BEEN WRITTEN!”
DOMINIC
of the story – how would you say it plays out here?
Dominic We had a bit of trouble at first thinking, ‘What’s Javert’s problem? Why is he so obsessed with this dude?’ But it all became easier when David started doing Javert in a London accent and I started doing Jean Valjean in a Yorkshire accent, then it seemed completely clear to me what the problem they had with each other was!
David It’s tough, because Dominic’s a very lovely guy, but we are playing abject acrimony. Our characters do not like each other whatsoever, so I don’t want to get so close to him that I can’t be as mean as I would like to within the scenes. I’m glad to hear that he’s intimidated by me, though. It’s clearly working!