Les Misérables

The novel written by Victor Hugo is considered to be one of the greatest works of the 19th century, but it wasn't performed on the stage as a musical until 24th September 1980, in Paris.

That's not to say the novel hadn't been performed in other formats before then, as the radio pioneer, Orson Welles, adapted the story for radio, which we heard in the 1937 series.

This production of Victor Hugo's dramatic masterpiece was the radio equivalent of a TV mini-series today. In seven thirty-minute shows it followed the trials and tribulations of Jean Val Jean played by the rapidly rising star, Orson Welles, who also doubled up as the narrator for the passages that are read directly from the book.

For anyone who hasn't ever watched, listened or attended a performance of Les Misérables, the story is set at the end of the 18th century, and is a tale populated with unforgettable characters like Javert, Fantine, Cosette, the Thenardiers, Marius, and Jean Val Jean, who spent nineteen years of his life in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. 

As the story progresses, Val Jean transforms himself from a petty thief into an honest, resourceful, and valuable man who helps other victims of poverty and social injustice, but I will say no more for fear of spoiling what is an extraordinary story and one the world's greatest literary works.

The series from Orson Welles has been available on RUSC for some time, but I recently discovered that another radio series had thrown their cap into the ring with another radio adaptation of Victor Hugo's powerful picture of good and evil - and it's from one of the most popular radio series - CBS Radio Mystery Theater. 

The first episode, The Thief and the Bishop, begins when Jean Val Jean is finally released from prison, where he sadly finds that no-one will help him because of his prior convictions. Then he meets a Bishop who tries to help put him on the path of the straight and narrow.

There are five, forty minute episodes in total, which I will add to RUSC to entertain you this week. When you've listened to them all, I'd love to know what your thoughts are, which you can share in the comments below.

Happy listening my friends,