Jean Valjean; or, The Shadow of the Law


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.7 stars; 3 reviews)

A late 19th-century stage adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables in English, The Shadow of the Law dramatizes the struggles of Hugo's legendary characters: Jean Valjean, the former convict; his relentless pursuer, Javert; Fantine, the tragic mother; her daughter Cosette; the greedy Thenardiers; the doomed revolutionaries. (Summary by Elizabeth Barr)

Cast
Narrator/Prouvaire: Elizabeth Klett
Jean Valjean: Max Korlinge
Javert: drakaunus
Thenardier: Algy Pug
Father Fauchelevent/Grandfather Gillenormand: Todd
Monseigneur Bienvenu: Rick Rodstrom
Marius Pontmercy: Eden Rea-Hedrick
Enjolras: Larry Wilson
Petit Gervais: Frances Brown
Gavroche: Ernst Pattynama
Babit: Bob Neufeld
Doctor/Madame Magloire: Beth Thomas
Fantine: Amanda Friday
Cosette: Charlotte Duckett and Emily Jones
Eponine: Elizabeth Barr
Madame Thenardier: Arielle Lipshaw
Mlle. Gillenormande/Gendarme: Kristin Gjerløw
Mlle. Baptistine: Lynne Thompson
Simplice: Etel Buss
Nun: Sarah Parshall
Boy/Servant: Michele Eaton
Guardsman: David Olson
Insurgent: Rapunzelina

Audio edited by Elizabeth Barr (2 hr 42 min)

Chapters

Introduction 2:15 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act I 20:37 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act II 17:33 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act III 23:34 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act IV 52:21 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Act V 46:15 Read by LibriVox Volunteers

Reviews

Interesting Play


(4 stars)

Les Miserables contains too much in the way of plot, characters, ideas, philosophy and history to condense into a theatrical adaptation. And yet this play managed to stay remarkably true to the novel. The play is read by many excellent readers, who for the most part are well-suited to the role. If I might nitpick a little, I think it would have worked better if the readers for Gavroche and Marius had switched places. While I sincerely appreciate the great work that went into this production, I must admit that it fell a bit flat on my ears.