Crime & punishment
Les Misérables isn’t a dusty “classic”, it’s the prison redemption story to beat them all.
Les Misérables Season 1 Wednesdays (from 13 February) BBC First (*119) 20:00
Les Misérables (2018- current), Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel about post-Revolutionary France, is one of those sprawling 19th- century affairs with as many side characters as Game Of Thrones (2011- current). In its simplest terms, escaped convict Jean Valjean turns his life around, changes his identity and becomes a successful factory owner. As the factory owner, he fires Fantine for hiding the fact that she has had a child out of wedlock after being seduced. Fantine falls into degradation and prostitution while trying to raise money to support, then reclaim her secret daughter Cosette from the cruel Thénardiers, who she was paying to raise Cosette but who ended up enslaving the child. And when Valjean finds out, he rescues Cosette, all the while pursued throughout the story by his former prison warden Javert, who, believing that Valjean is inherently evil, is determined to expose him. That’s a lot of plot for a miniseries!
THE HAVE NOTS
Bethan Jones, executive producer of the BBC’s new six-part adaptation, insists that it’s a tale that thoroughly relatable for modern audiences who’re watching the economic divide widen under their feet. “We felt it was timely. It’s a classic text that deals with division of rich and poor but through the eyes of brilliant characters.” And director Tom Shankland adds, “Victor Hugo’s novel is fascinated by the highest and lowest of humanity. But no matter how low you go, you always find a sense of beauty.” Viewers can also expect love, fun and humour – which will be a relief to anyone who watched the exhaustingly tear-jerking 2012 musical. Without humour, Tom says that Les Misérables would live up to its name far too well as “a story of characters going through unbearable events and then dying”.
WHO’S WHO
JEAN VALJEAN/MONSIEUR MADELEINE (Dominic West, Noah in drama series The Affair 2014-current) The ex-con-turned-mayor. “Valjean is like the best, baddest, strongest superhero. He did 19 years hard labour in jail for stealing bread. After being freed, he dedicates his life to being good,” says Dominic. “But he always believes that he doesn’t deserve good in spite of being a great hero.” INSPECTOR JAVERT (David Oyelowo, Judge Edward in The Good Wife, 2009-2016) The self-righteous cop with a grudge. “If Valjean represents redemption, Javert is the opposite end of the moral scale. He grew up poor, born in prison and could have gone down a criminal path but he chooses the path of righteousness,” says David. FANTINE (Lily Collins, Cecilia in The Last Tycoon, 2016-2017) The tragic innocent-turned-prostitute. “She is quite naïve and thinks that she finds the man of her dreams. He is a wealthy young man who tricks her,” says Lily. But she winds up selling her teeth and hair, then her body, to rescue her illegitimate daughter Cosette from the Thénardiers’ cruelty. COSETTE (Ellie Bamber, Martine in The Musketeers, 2014-2016) The beloved daughter. “She is a representation of hope and the future. Her journey is the story of becoming a woman, but one from a really tough past,” says Ellie. “The relationship between Cosette and Valjean is wonderful. It’s a father holding onto his daughter, but also letting her go.” THE THÉNARDIERS The looter-turned-incompetent inn boss. Monsieur (Adeel Akhtar, Casper in Counterpart, 2018- current): “He is terrible with money and responsibility so it goes down the pan. The role is funny and quite dark at times,” says Adeel. Monsieur’s spiteful wife Madame (Olivia Colman, Angela in The Night Manager, 2016- current). “Les Misérables highlights the cavernous space between the very rich and very poor. The poor have an awful time,” says Olivia. “She is deeply unpleasant in every way and Cosette is left with them in good faith but treated like a slave.” MARIUS PONTMERCY (Josh O’Connor, Prince Charles in The Crown, 2016-current) The political idealist. “Marius is a young, upper- class French chap. He has this ongoing battle about where he lies politically. He must pick: the love of his life Cosette or his social and political conscience,” says Josh.