The many forms of Les Miserablés: From page, to stage, to movie screen

They say the book is always better than the movie, and in the case of Les Miserablés it’s also better than the stage musical. With Melbourne now host to the musical and the original manuscript of the book, the time was ripe for making comparisons. 

 By JORDANA DE VALLE

If you're a fan, Melbourne currently offers the rare opportunity to immerse yourself in all things Les Misérables, Victor Hugo's classic novel of Paris in the early 1800s.

Cameron Mackintosh’s new stage production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables is now showing at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

And the world-first exhibition Victor Hugo: Les Misérables – From Page to Stage – which features the original 1862 manuscript of the novel – is on at the State Library of Victoria until Sunday, November 9.

The  exhibition is a sweet reminder to fans that the worldwide phenomenon began in the humble form of a novel, which makes it the perfect time to take a trip to your local bookstore and pick up a copy.

I’ll be honest; it took me a long time to come to the conclusion that the book far surpasses both the play and movie.

The movie

I was first swept away by the passion of Les Misérables when I saw Tom Hooper’s adaptation at the cinemas. For me, watching the movie was one of those rare moments where it feels like you’re the only person in the cinema.

I was wholly captivated by the story. Never mind that even the dialogue was sung, I was one of those lucky people who managed to look past the two-and-a-half-hour "musical movie" and saw Les Misérables for what it truly is – a story of love, sacrifice, forgiveness and hope.

I walked out of the cinema with a tear-stained face, having fallen in love with Hugh Jackman all over again. I honestly thought the movie was excellent, but the main thing I took away from it was the storyline. This is what inspired me to read the book.

The book

I have to admit with much embarrassment that when I saw Les Misérables at the cinema, I knew it was a stage production but I didn’t know it was a book. So when I found out I felt guilty, as all readers do, for seeing the movie first. That was until I saw the size of the novel.

I read the version translated by Julie Rose and was completely overwhelmed with the 1194 pages ahead of me,  but I was determined to read it. It’s been suggested Les Misérables is one of the greatest novels of the 19^th century and I soon found out why.

The book is a masterpiece and the incredible detail of the characters, the comprehensive background and poetic language amazed me. I enjoyed the language so much I used excerpts for a reading at my sister’s wedding.

I’ll admit it was a struggle to get through the history of the Paris sewers and I got lost in the battle plans of Waterloo, but I also learned so much history from reading it. And although it’s not a page-turner, I soon realised this was the sort of book that could change lives. It truly is a timeless story of courage, justice and redemption.

The stage musical

In essence the stage musical is a simplified version of the book and I’m in awe of how they could turn a 1000 page-plus book into less than 100 songs. I understand not many people have read Hugo’s iconic novel, and probably never will, so I believe the stage version is an excellent adaptation for people who don’t want to tackle a huge novel.

The play is very emotive and I found it was a fantastic way to bring the book to life after reading it.

Overall I my only criticism of the stage production is to say it offers so much less than the book in the way of detail and life lessons. I’m still a huge fan, though, and the From Page to Stage exhibition helped me truly appreciate the process of turning Hugo's words  into a musical that has been viewed by more than 65 million people worldwide.

So if you’re a fan, Melbourne's the place to be. But before you rush off to see the classic work in all its glory, I suggest first picking up a copy of the novel that started the whole worldwide phenomenon, because only then will you truly be able to appreciate the real Les Misérables.