Without him the world around me changes
The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers
I love him, but every day I'm learning
All my life, I've only been pretending
Without me, his world will go on turning
A world that's full of happiness that I have never known
I love him
But only
on my own
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)
ALL: (SINGING) Now we pledge ourselves to hold this barricade!
Let them come in their legions and they will be met
Have faith in yourselves and do not be afraid
Let's give 'em a screwing they'll never forget!
This is where it begins
And if I should die in the fight to be free
Where the fighting is hardest there will I be
Let them come if they dare
We'll be there!
He's back!
Listen, my friends I have done as I said
I have been to their lines I have counted each man
I will tell what I can
Better be warned They have armies to spare
and our danger is real
We will need all our cunning to bring them to heel!
Have faith!
If you know what their movements are we'll spoil their game
There are ways that our people can fight
We shall overcome their power!
I overheard their plans There will be no attack tonight
They intend to starve us out before they start a proper fight
Concentrate their force Hit us from the right
Liar!
(SINGING) Good evening, dear Inspector Lovely evening, my dear!
I know this man, my friends His name's Inspector Javert!
So don't believe a word he says 'cause none of it's true
This only goes to show what little people can do!
Bravo, little Gavroche! You're the top of the class!
So what are we going to do with this snake in the grass?
Tie this man and take him to the tavern in there!
The people will decide your fate Inspector Javert!
Shoot me now or shoot me later Every schoolboy to his sport!
Death to each and every traitor! I renounce your people's court!
Take this man Bring him through
There is work we have to do
There's a boy climbing the barricade!
Good God! What are you doing? 'Ponine! Have you no fear?
Have you seen my beloved? Why have you come back here?
Took the letter, like you said I met her father at the door
He said he would give it I don't think I can stand any more
Eponine, what's wrong? There's something wet upon your hair
Eponine, you're hurt! You need some help!
Oh, God, it's everywhere!
Don't you fret, Monsieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
can hardly hurt me now
You're here That's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain will make the flowers grow
But you will live 'Ponine Dear God above!
If I could close your wounds with words of love
Just hold me now, and let it be
Shelter me Comfort me
You will live 100 years if I could show you how
I won't desert you now
The rain can't hurt me now
This rain will wash away what's past
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
I'll sleep in your embrace at last
The rain that brings you here is heaven blessed!
The skies begin to clear and I'm at rest
A breath away from where you are
I've come home from so far
-So don't you fret, Monsieur Marius -Hush-a-bye, dear Eponine
-I don't feel any pain -You won't feel any pain
-A little fall of rain -A little fall of rain
-Can hardly hurt me now -Can hardly hurt you now
(GASPING)
I'm here!
That's all I need to know
-And you will keep me safe -I will stay with you...
-And you will keep me close -...till you are sleeping
-And rain... -And rain...
-... will make the flowers... -... will make the flowers...
...grow
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(SINGING) She is the first to fall
The first of us to fall upon this barricade
Her name was Eponine!
Her life was cold and dark yet she was unafraid!
We fight here in her name
She will not die in vain
She will not be betrayed
JOLY: (SINGING) Here comes a man in uniform!
What brings you to this place?
I come here as a volunteer!
Approach, and show your face!
You wear an army uniform!
That's why they let me through!
JOLY: You've got some years behind you, sir!
There's much that I can do
You see that prisoner over there?
A volunteer like you!
A spy who calls himself Javert!
GRANTAIRE: He's going to get it, too!
MAN: They're getting ready to attack!
Take this, and use it well!
But if you shoot us in the back You'll never live to tell
MAN: PIatoon of sappers advancing towards the barricade!
Troops behind them! Fifty men or more!
Hold!
Fire!
(GUNSHOTS)
(SINGING) Look how they turn and run!
And so the war was won!
They will be back again Make an attack again
For your presence of mind For the deed you have done
I will thank you, monsieur when our battle is won
Give me no thanks, monsieur There's something you can do
If it is in my power
Give me the spy Javert! Let me take care of him!
The law is inside out The world is upside down!
Do what you have to do! The man belongs to you!
The enemy may be regrouping! Hold yourself in readiness!
Come, my friends Back to your positions
The night is falling fast!
We meet again
You've hungered for this all your life
Take your revenge How right you should kill with a knife!
You talk too much Your life is safe in my hands
-Don't understand -Get out of here
-Valjean, take care! I'm warning you -Clear out of here!
Once a thief, forever a thief What you want, you always steal!
You would trade your life for mine Yes, Valjean, you want a deal!
Shoot me now for all I care If you let me go, beware!
You'll still answer to Javert!
You are wrong and always have been wrong
I'm a man no worse than any man
You are free and there are no conditions
No bargains or petitions
There's nothing that I blame you for
You've done your duty
Nothing more
If I come out of this alive
You'll find me at number 55 Rue Plumet
No doubt our paths will cross again!
Go!
(GUNSHOT)
(SINGING) Courfeyrac, you take the watch They won't attack until it's light
Everybody keep the faith
For certain as the eagle flies we are not alone
The people too must rise
Marius! Rest.
(SINGING) Drink with me
to days gone by!
Sing with me
the songs we knew!
Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads!
Here's to witty girls who went to our beds!
Here's to them and here's to you!
Drink with me
to days gone by!
Can it be you fear to die?
Will the world remember you when you fall?
Can it be your death means nothing at all?
Is your life just one more lie?
Drink with me
to days gone by!
To the life
that used to be!
At the shrine of friendship never say die
Let the wine of friendship never run dry
Here's to you!
And here's to me!
Do I care if I should die now she goes across the sea?
Life without Cosette means nothing at all
Would you weep, Cosette should Marius fall?
Will you weep
Cosette
for me?
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(SINGING) God on high
Hear my prayer
In my need
you have always been there
He is young
He's afraid
Let him rest
heaven blessed
Bring him home!
Bring him home
He's like the son I might have known
if God had granted me a son
The summers die one by one
How soon they fly on and on
And I am old
and will be gone
Bring him peace
Bring him joy
He is young
He is only a boy
You can take!
You can give!
Let him be
Let him live!
If I die
Iet me die!
Let him live
Bring him home
Bring him home!
Bring him
home!
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(SINGING) You at the barricade listen to this!
The people of Paris sleep in their beds!
You have no chance No chance at all!
Why throw your lives away?
Let us die facing our foes! Make them bleed while we can!
Make them pay through the nose!
Make them pay for every man!
Let others rise
to take our place until the earth is free!
Here's a hint of gold Stuck into a tooth
Pardon me, monsieur You won't be needing it no more!
Shouldn't be too hard to sell
Add it to the pile! Add it to the stock!
Here among the sewer rats A breath away from hell
You get accustomed to the smell
Well, someone's got to clean 'em up, my friends
Before the little harvest disappears into the mud
Someone's got to collect their odds and ends
When the gutters run with blood
It's a world where the dog eats the dog
Where they kill for the bones in the street
And God in his heaven you don't interfere
'Cos he's dead as the stiffs at me feet!
I raise my eyes to see the heavens
And only the moon looks down!
The harvest moon shines down!
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(SINGING) It's you, Javert I knew you wouldn't wait too long
The faithful servant at his post once more!
This man's done no wrong and he needs a doctor's care!
I warned you I would not give in! I won't be swayed!
Another hour yet and then I'm yours
And all our debts are paid!
The man of mercy comes again and talks of justice!
Come, time is running short
Look down, Javert! He's standing in his grave!
Take him, Valjean
Before I change my mind!
I will be waiting, 24601!
Who is this man? What sort of devil is he?
To have me caught in a trap and choose to let me go free?
It was his hour at last to put a seal on my fate!
Wipe out the past and wash me clean off the slate!
All it would take was a flick of his knife!
Vengeance was his and he gave me back my life!
Damned if I live in the debt of a thief!
Damned if I yield at the end of the chase!
I am the law, and the law is not mocked! I'll spit his pity right back in his face!
There is nothing on earth that we share!
It is either Valjean or Javert!
How can I now allow this man
to hold dominion over me?
This desperate man whom I have hunted
He gave me my life! He gave me freedom!
I should have perished by his hand
It was his right
It was my right to die as well
Instead, I live, but live in hell
And my thoughts fly apart
Can this man be believed?
Shall his sins be forgiven?
Shall his crimes be reprieved?
And must I now begin to doubt who never doubted all these years?
My heart is stone and still it trembles
The world I have known is lost in shadow
Is he from heaven or from hell? And does he know
that, granting me my life today
this man has killed me even so?
I am reaching, but I fall
And the stars are black and cold
As I stare into the void of a world that cannot hold
I'll escape now from that world From the world of Jean Valjean
There is nowhere I can turn
There is no way to go on
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(SINGING) Did you see them going off to fight?
Children of the barricade that didn't last the night?
They were school boys Never held a gun
Fighting for a new world that would rise up like the sun
Where's that new world now the fighting's done?
-Who will wake them? -No one ever will
No one ever told them that a summer day can kill
Same old story What's the use of tears?
What's the use of praying if there's nobody who hears?
Turning, turning
Turning, turning, turning through the years
Minutes into hours and the hours into years
Nothing changes, nothing ever can
Rounding round the roundabout and back where you began
Round and round and back where you began!
There's a grief that can't be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on
Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are dead and gone
Here they talked of revolution
Here it was they lit the flame
Here they sang about tomorrow
And tomorrow never came
From the table in the corner
They could see a world reborn
And they rose with voices ringing
And I can hear them now!
The very words that they had sung
became their last communion
On the lonely barricade at dawn
Oh, my friends, my friends, forgive me
That I live and you are gone
There's a grief that can't be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on
Phantom faces at the window!
Phantom shadows on the floor!
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will meet no more
Oh, my friends, my friends, don't ask me
What your sacrifice was for
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will meet
no more
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(SINGING) Every day, you walk with stronger step
You walk with longer step The worst is over
Every day, I wonder, every day
who it was brought me here from the barricade
Don't think about it, Marius!
With all the years ahead of us I will never go away
and we will be together every day
Every day
we'll remember that night
and the vow that we made
A heart full of love
She was never mine to keep
A night full of you
-She is youthful, she is free -The words are old, but always true
Cosette, Cosette!
-Love is the garden of the young -I saw you waiting and I knew
Waiting for you
-Let it be! -At your feet!
-Let it be! -At your call!
-And it wasn't a dream -A heart full of love
-Not a dream... -This I give you...
-...after all -... this day
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(SINGING) Monsieur, this is a day I never can forget
Is gratitude enough for giving me Cosette?
Your home shall be with us and not a day shall pass
But we will prove our love to you, whom we shall call
a father to us both a father to us all
Not another word, my son!
There's something now that must be done
There lived a man whose name was Jean Valjean
He stole some bread to save his sister's son
For 19 winters served his time
In sweat he washed away his crime!
Years ago
he broke parole and lived a life apart
How could he tell Cosette and break her heart?
It's for Cosette this must be faced If he is caught, she is disgraced
The time has come to journey on
and from this day he must be gone!
Who am I?
You're Jean Valjean!
What can I do to turn you from this? Monsieur, you cannot leave
Whatever I tell my beloved Cosette she will never believe
Make her believe I have gone on a journey a long way away
Tell her my heart was too full for farewells It is better this way
Promise me, monsieur Cosette will never know
I give my word
What I have spoken, why I must go!
For the sake of Cosette, it must be so
CHORUS: (SINGING) Ring out the bells upon this day of days!
May all the angels of the Lord above
In jubilation sing their songs of praise
And crown this blessed time with peace and love!
The Baron and Baroness de Thenard wish to pay their respects to the groom!
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
I forget where we met
Was it not at the Chateau Lafarge?
Where the Duke did that puke
down the Duchess's decolletage?
No, Baron de Thenard
The circles I move in are humbler by far
Go away, Thenardier
Do you think I don't know who you are?
He's not fooled! Told you so!
Show monsieur what you've come here to show
Tell the boy what you know!
Pity to disturb you at a feast like this
But 500 francs surely wouldn't come amiss
In God's name, say what you have to say!
But first you pay!
What I saw, clear as light
Jean Valjean in the sewers that night
Had this corpse on his back hanging there like a bloody great sack
I was there, never fear!
Even found me this fine souvenir!
I know this! This was mine!
This is surely some heavenly sign!
One thing more, mark this well
It was the night that the barricade fell!
Then it's true! Then I'm right!
Jean Valjean was my saviour that night!
As for you, take this, too!
God forgive us the things that we do!
Come, my love, come, Cosette
This day's blessings are not over yet!
(LAUGHING)
Ain't it a laugh? Ain't it a treat?
Hob-nobbin' here among the elite?
(VOCALISING)
Here comes a prince There goes a Jew
This one's a queer But what can you do?
Paris at my feet!
Paris in the dust!
And here's me, breaking bread with the upper crust
Beggar at the feast! Master of the dance!
Life is easy pickings if you grab your chance
Everywhere you go law-abiding folk
doing what is decent but they're mostly broke!
Singing to the Lord on Sundays praying for the gifts he'll send
But we're the ones who take it We're the ones who make it in the end!
Watch the buggers dance! Watch them till they drop!
Keep your wits about you And you stand on top!
Masters of the land! Always get our share!
Clear away the barricades and we're still there!
We know where the wind is blowing Money is the stuff we smell
And when we're rich as Croesus Jesus! Won't we see you all in hell?
(BOTH LAUGHING)
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(SINGING) Alone I wait in the shadows
I count the hours till I can sleep
I dreamed a dream Cosette stood by
It made her weep to know I die
Alone at the end of the day
Upon this wedding night I pray
Take these children, my Lord to thy embrace
And show them grace
God on high
Hear my prayer
Take me now
to thy care
Where you are
Let me be
Take me now!
Take me there!
Bring me home!
Monsieur, I bless your name
I am ready, Fantine
Monsieur, lay down your burden
At the end of my days
-You raised my child in love -She's the best of my life
And you will be with God
Papa, papa, I do not understand!
Are you alright? They said you'd gone away!
Cosette, my child! Am I forgiven now?
Thank God, thank God I lived to see this day!
It's you who must forgive a thoughtless fool!
It's you who must forgive a thankless man!
It's thanks to you that I am living
and again I lay down my life at your feet
Cosette, your father is a saint!
When they wounded me he took me from the barricade
Carried like a babe and brought me home to you!
Now you are here
again beside me
Now I can die in peace
for now my life is blessed
You will live, papa, you're going to live!
It's too soon too soon to say goodbye!
Yes, Cosette, forbid me now to die!
I'll obey
I will try
On this page I write my last confession
Read it well when I, at last, am sleeping
It's the story of those who always loved you
Your mother gave her life for you then gave you to my keeping
Come with me
where chains will never bind you
All your grief at last, at last, behind you
Lord in heaven
Iook down on him in mercy
Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to your glory!
Take my hand
I lead you to salvation
Take my love
For love is everlasting
And remember
the truth that once was spoken
To love another person is to see the face of God
CHOIR: Do you hear the people sing lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light
For the wretched of the earth there is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the plough-share They will put away the sword
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward
Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!
Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes
(ALL VOCALISING)
Tomorrow comes!
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING LOUDLY)
(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(SINGING) God on high
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Hear my prayer
In my need
you have always been there
He is young
He's afraid
Let him rest
heaven blessed
Bring him home!
Bring him home
He's like the son I might have known
if God had granted me a son
The summers die one by one
How soon they fly on and on
And I am old
and will be gone
Bring him peace
Bring him joy
He is young
He is only a boy
You can take!
You can give!
Let him be
Let him live!
If I die
Iet me die!
Let him live
Bring him home
Bring him
home!
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(SINGING) One day more!
Another day, another destiny
This never-ending road to Calvary
These men who seem to know my crime will surely come a second time
-One day more! -I did not live until today
How can I live when we are parted?
One day more!
Tomorrow you'll be worlds away
And yet with you my world has started!
One more day all on my own
Will we ever meet again?
One more day with him not caring
I was born to be with you!
What a life I might have known
And I swear I will be true!
But he never saw me there!
One more day before the storm!
Do I follow where she goes?
At the barricades of freedom!
Shall I join my brothers there?
When our ranks begin to form
Do I stay, and do I dare?
Will you take your place with me?
ALL: The time is now! The day is here!
One day more!
One day more to revolution We will nip it in the bud
We'll be ready for these schoolboys They will wet themselves with blood!
One day more!
Watch 'em run amuck Catch 'em as they fall
Never know your luck when there's a free-for-all
Here a little dip There a little touch
Most of them are goners So they won't miss much!
One day to a new beginning! Raise the flag of freedom high!
Every man will be a king! Every man will be a king!
There's a new world for the winning! There's a new world to be won!
Do you hear the people sing?
My place is here! I fight with you!
One day more!
I did not live until today
One more day on my own
How can I live when we are parted?
One day more!
Tomorrow you'll be worlds away!
Never know your luck When there's a free-for-all
And yet with you my world has started
Tomorrow we'll be far away Tomorrow is the judgement day
Tomorrow we'll discover what our God in heaven has in store
One more dawn!
One more day!
One day more!
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
Well, Les Miserables is 25 years young!
What a remarkable evening.
This is going to be one of the greatest nights of my Iife.
We are all very Iucky to be here in front of such an incredible, stellar, amazing cast.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
I realised, over the Iast few days,
seeing the original cast here,
the two wonderful London companies at the moment,
and our extraordinary cast tonight,
that I've not only shared Les Miserables with them,
I've shared most of my professional Iife with them.
And everyone, including the choir, the ensemble, everyone,
they're all the stars of the West End
that have kept the British musical theatre thriving.
And they're here for the same reason I'm here
and the same reason you're here.
We Iove Les Miserables. There's something extraordinary about this musical.
And ever since it opened, 25 years ago, at the Barbican
it is you, the public, that have grasped it
and embraced it in the most personal way. And that's how we all feel.
I watched the second act backstage.
It was as electrifying as it was for you outside,
just because the embrace between us,
and seeing everybody just Iove this material so much,
and Iove their fellow performers,
is something I have never encountered in the theatre,
and I never will for the rest of my Iife.
The inspiration, of course, belongs to Victor Hugo,
and Victor Hugo inspired two Frenchmen, they had to be French, of course,
AIain Boublil and CIaude-Michel Schonberg, to write the show,
with the wonderful, uplifting words of Herbert Kretzmer.
Ladies and gentlemen, the authors of Les Miserables.
(ALL CHEERING)
Just a few words on such an emotional evening,
in front of such a huge and warm crowd.
I must remember that 32 years ago I was asking myself one question.
Would Les Miserables make a good subject for a musical?
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
And I was unconscious enough to think it was,
and CIaude-Michel crazy enough to agree with me.
So tonight is a celebration of obviously the genius of Victor Hugo,
of nearly 40 years of collaboration and friendship between CIaude-Michel and me,
(ALL APPLAUDING)
and 27 years of collaboration and friendship with Cameron Mackintosh.
It's also the celebration of incredible talents that we met through Cameron.
Namely they are the people who have helped him to reshape our work.
They are James Fenton, Trevor Nunn, John Caird,
and master Iyricist Herbert Kretzmer.
(ALL APPLAUDING)
Well, it's an evening... It's hard to speak, but...
An evening which I will remember for all my Iife, obviously.
Seeing this company of companies perform this night, this incredible evening,
and the 1985 evening, with whom we share so many fond memories,
is something that we'II carry with us for the rest of our Iives.
I want to thank you, Cameron, again, for making us
such an incredible and overwhelming birthday present.
(ALL APPLAUDING)
It's an incredible evening for us.
We are privileged to attend such a concert.
But I am wondering what we are doing here, really,
because, generally, when you have a tribute for a show Iike that
it means that the authors, they are dead for a Iong time.
(ALL LAUGHING)
And we are still here.
And they are not very happy every day, those two gents
and Laurence, the director of the show, that we are here
because we are always Iooking what they are doing with our baby.
But anyway, as AIain said,
it's 40 years of brothership between me and AIain,
27 years of friendship and collaboration with Cameron.
Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's very tough,
but it's always a Iot of fun.
And I wish that it will Iast a very Iong time.
Thank you very much, everyone. Thank you!
(ALL CHEERING)
I've just realised
that I'II be nearly 90 for the 50th anniversary. What shall I do?
I intend to be here, though.
(ALL LAUGHING)
Now, in 2002, it was Victor Hugo's bicentennial,
and we decided that we would do a school's edition,
so that under-19-year-olds could perform the show.
They've been extraordinary doing it.
Hundreds and thousands of students
and tens of thousands of productions have done it.
And now, here, just a few of them are going to be here
to take part in our celebration as we come to an end tonight.
They are the future.
They will be doing Les Miserables when tomorrow comes.
(SINGING) Do you hear the people sing lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light
For the wretched of the earth there is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the plough-share They will put away the sword
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward
Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!
Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes
(ALL VOCALISING)
Tomorrow comes!
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)