Les Miserables: The Memoirs of Jean Valjean

Les Miserables: The Memoirs of Jean Valjean is a 3 hour stage drama (not the musical!) bringing Victor Hugo’s famous novel to life.

This is a show suitable for all ages, and is a classic tale of redemption, compassion and revolution; set between 1815 and 1832 in France.

Jean Valjean, a workman who is jailed for stealing a loaf of bread, turns thief after his release, but is saved from an ongoing life of crime and hate by a kindly bishop. Valjean changes his identity and breaks parole; committing himself to a life of compassion for others. Pursued across France by a police officer, Javert; Valjean rescues the daughter of a woman who had been forced into prostitution, and brings her to Paris, bringing her up as his daughter. Years later, the young girl, Cosette, falls in love with a young revolutionary; Marius. Javert, however, is still hunting Jean Valjean, who decides to move his household to England, to escape once and for all. Faced with the prospect of never seeing his love again, Marius rejoins his revolutionary friends, who face their fate on the streets of Paris; and Valjean, learning of this, once more, intervenes.

Students may find our educational content linked to this show of use for further study. This will be updated throughout the rehearsal process and performance tour; and can be found here. We are also pleased to hear from you if you have requests for additional educational content, and will do our best to help!

The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company is a professional, female-led touring theatre company based in Brixham in South Devon.

SDP specialises in dramas based on researched history, and classical literature (and Shakespeare); creating inclusive, and empathic opportunities for people of all ages, demographics, and experience, to launch, or further, their careers in theatre and performing arts, as well as related disciplines.

The South Devon Players also value the educational and social benefits of theatre, extremely highly, running training classes and providing educational materials alongside the shows.

The South Devon Players Theatre And Film Company was founded by Laura Jury in 2005, and has gone on to win several regional, national and international arts awards.