page_title: Les Misérables (musical)
section_title: Act II
hierarchical_section_title: Les Misérables (musical) / Synopsis / Act II
caption_attribution_description: English: John Owen-Jones (born 1971), a Welsh musical theatre actor and singer as Jean Valjean in Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's musical Les Misérables. Extracted from the album cover artwork of Adre'n ôl.
context_page_description: Les Misérables, colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz, is a sung-through musical adapted from French poet and novelist Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, and Herbert Kretzmer. The original French musical premiered in Paris in 1980 with direction by Robert Hossein. Its English-language adaptation by producer Cameron Mackintosh has been running in London since October 1985, making it the longest-running musical in the West End and the second longest-running musical in the world after the original Off-Broadway run of The Fantasticks.
  Set in early 19th-century France, Les Misérables is the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his desire for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his sister's starving child. Valjean decides to break his parole and start his life anew after a bishop inspires him by a tremendous act of mercy, but he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector named Javert.
context_section_description: As the students build a barricade to serve as their rally point, Javert, disguised as a rebel, volunteers to "spy" on the government troops. Marius discovers that Éponine has disguised herself as a boy to join the rebels and, wanting to keep her away from the impending violence, he sends her to deliver a farewell letter to Cosette. ("Building the Barricade (Upon These Stones)") Valjean intercepts the letter and learns about Marius and Cosette's romance. Éponine walks the streets of Paris alone, imagining that Marius is there with her, but laments that her love for Marius will never be reciprocated ("On My Own").
  The French army arrives at the barricade and demands that the students surrender ("At the Barricade"). Though Javert tells the students that the government will not attack that night ("Javert's Arrival"), Gavroche recognises him and quickly exposes him as a spy, and the students detain Javert ("Little People"). Their plan is to spark a general uprising with their act of defiance, hoping that all the people of Paris will side with them and overwhelm the army. Éponine returns to find Marius but is shot by the soldiers crossing the barricade. As Marius holds her, she assures him that she feels no pain and reveals her love for him before dying in his arms ("A Little Fall of Rain"). The students mourn this first loss of life at the barricades and resolve to fight in her name. Enjolras attempts to comfort Marius, who is heartbroken over the death of his best friend. Valjean arrives at the barricade, crossing the government lines, disguised as a soldier ("Night of Anguish"), hoping that he might somehow protect Marius in the coming battle for Cosette's sake. The rebels are suspicious of him at first, but when the army attacks, Valjean saves Enjolras by shooting at a sniper and scaring him off, and they accept him as one of them. In return, he asks Enjolras to allow him to be the one to execute the imprisoned Javert, which Enjolras grants. But as soon as Valjean and Javert are alone, Valjean frees Javert. Javert warns Valjean that he will not give up his pursuit and rejects what he perceives as a bargain for Valjean's freedom. Valjean says there are no conditions to his release, and holds no grudges toward Javert for doing his duty ("The First Attack").
  The students settle down for the night and reminisce about the past while also expressing anxiety about the battle to come. Enjolras tells the other students to stay awake in case the enemy strikes unexpectedly in the night, but he tells Marius to get some sleep, knowing Marius is still much too devastated over losing Éponine to stay awake. Grantaire gets angry and asks the students if they fear to die. Marius wonders if Cosette will remember him if he does ("Drink with Me"). As Marius sleeps, Valjean prays to God to protect Marius, even if the cost for Marius' safety is his own life ("Bring Him Home"). As dawn approaches, Enjolras realises that the people of Paris have not risen up with them, but resolves to fight on in spite of the impossible odds ("Dawn of Anguish"). Their resolve is fired even further when the army kills Gavroche, who snuck out to collect ammunition from bodies on the other side of the barricade ("The Second Attack (Death of Gavroche)"). The army gives a final warning, but the rebels fight to the last man with Enjolras exhorting "Let others rise to take our place, until the Earth is free!". Everyone at the barricade is killed except Valjean and a gravely wounded Marius, who escape into the sewers ("The Final Battle"). Javert returns to the barricade, searching for Valjean amongst the bodies, and finds the open sewer grating.
  Valjean carries Marius through the sewers but collapses in exhaustion. While he is unconscious, Thénardier, who has been looting bodies, comes upon them and takes a ring from the unconscious Marius, but flees when Valjean (whom he again recognises) regains consciousness ("Dog Eats Dog"). When Valjean carries Marius to the sewer's exit, he finds Javert waiting for him. Valjean begs Javert for one hour to bring Marius to a doctor, a
caption: John Owen-Jones as Jean Valjean
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