As a rule I don’t like musicals - I just don’t see the point most of the time. No story, characters I don’t care about, doing things I can’t believe in. Why bother?
Les Miserables is the exception that proves the rule - with one caveat. The book by Victor Hugo is a moving tale of redemption through forgiveness for Valjean contrasted with the cursed life of Javert, the man who cannot forgive. God intervenes in the life of Valjean when a Christian Bishop forgives him without conditions. But Javert cannot forgive the man Valjean and pursues him relentlessly through the book. Javert commits suicide in the end when fate (providence?) conspires to have Valjean save his life. At the start of the story Valjean accepts forgiveness and creates a new life for himself and his family. At the end of the story Javert rejects forgiveness and at the same time rejects life altogether. In response he drowns himself in the Seine, a man utterly alone.
Les Miserables, the musical, has but one flaw and that is the ground of the redemptive power in Valjean’s life is not really evident in the musical. On the other hand there is song after song that are at the same time beautiful, powerful, and moving. The best is ”I dreamed a dream”, or at least it is my favorite. Which brings me to the incontestable proof that there is a God and he is gracious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
The above is Susan Boyle from Bathgate in Scotland, who looks like a bad version of my mum, but who sings like an angel. The YouTube version of this has now 7 million hits and counting (make that 13 million - April 16th; total web views 66 million in a week - the most ever http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/19/AR2009041900508.html?hpid=topnews ). Completely unbelievable. Apparently she is an unemployed church volunteer. Perhaps a new soloist for Crosspoint? Over to you, Frank ……….