LES MISERABLES: DEATH OF VALJEAN
(SBIT-1B – SCRIPT)
Valjean prays in the chapel, on his knees. He’s very weak. Next to the crucifix on the altar are
Valjean’s two silver candlesticks, in which two candles burn.
VALJEAN: 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
Bring me home!
Valjean is joined by the ghost of Fantine. She takes his hand as he prays.
FANTINE: M’sieur I bless your name...
VALJEAN: I am ready, Fantine...
FANTINE: M’sieur lay down your burden...
VALJEAN: At the end of my days...
FANTINE: You raised my child in love,
VALJEAN: She’s the best of my life...
FANTINE: And you will be with God.
Cosette and Marius rush round the cloisters and enter the chapel in the middle of the
cloisters.
The sound of the door opening. Valjean looks round. It’s Cosette entering, followed by
Marius.
VALJEAN: Cosette?
Tears form in his eyes. Cosette goes to him, kneels before him, and takes him in her arms.
COSETTE: Papa, papa, I do not understand –
Are you all right? Why did you go away?
VALJEAN: Cosette, my child! Am I forgiven now?
Thank God, thank God, I’ve lived to see this day!
Marius comes to him.
MARIUS: 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!
VALJEAN: Now you are here
Again beside me
Now I can die in peace
For now my life is blessed...
COSETTE: You will live, papa
You’re going to live
It’s too soon
Too soon to say goodbye.
VALJEAN: Yes, Cosette, forbid me now to die!
I’ll obey
I will try...
He holds out a letter for her.
VALJEAN: 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 love you
Your mother gave her life for you,
Then gave you to my keeping.
Cosette takes the letter and kisses it.
COSETTE: I know it, papa.
Valjean turns back, face shining, towards the table where the candles burn in the silver
candlesticks. There he sees two ghosts waiting for him. Bishop’s ghost and Fantine’s ghost.
Fantine comes towards him, reaching out her hands.
FANTINE: Come with me
Where chains will never bind you-
VALJEAN: I’m ready now, Fantine.
FANTINE: All your grief
At last, at last behind you
Lord in heaven
Look down on him in mercy -
VALJEAN: Forgive me all my trespasses
And take me to your glory!
Cosette embraces Valjean, weeping. Valjean reaches up his hands, and lets the ghost of
Fantine take them.
FANTINE: Take my hand
I’ll lead you to salvation
Take my love
For love is everlasting...
VALJEAN/FANTINE/BISHOP:
And remember
The truth that once was spoken:
To love another person
Is to see the face of God...
Led by Fantine, Valjean walks out of the Chapel towards the cloister. What remains is Cosette,
her head cradled in the lap of the man who has just died. The walls of the cloisters are covered
in votive candles. The Bishop of Digne waits in front of the candles. Now Valjean’s strong and
young again. Before they reach the wall of candles, all three are gone. As they disappear we
CRANE UP, high over the cloister, high over the walls of the Convent and we see the Paris
streets outside. Fires are burning and debris is scattered in the streets. Dawn is breaking.
From far away, the sound of an approaching crowd -
The light of the rising sun reveals the devastation left by a bitter street battle. Past the
remains of a barricade. The distant sound of an approaching march.
MARCHERS: 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.
As the curtain slowly open we see we’re in the Place de la Bastille. The triumphal column has
long been completed. Down all the streets that converge on the square we now see the multiple
victory marches approaching. They cheer and beat drums as they climb up to the top of the
barricade.
MARCHERS: They will live again in freedom
In the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the ploughshare
They will put away the sword
The chain will be broken
And all men will have their reward!
As the curtain opens wider we begin to realize how many there are: thousand upon thousand.
And there marching among them we see ghosts from the past .
MARCHERS: 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?
MARCHERS: Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes!
Now among the marchers we see the ghost of Valjean, singing with the rest atop the barricade,
amongst the waving red flags.
MARCHERS: 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...
Tomorrow comes!
Cast:
Valjean – Glenn Inciso
Fantine – Lorenz Joy Sajol
Cosette – Jane Francisco
Marius – Edgar Alcantara
Bishop – Brendon Navia
Marhchers:
- Shanaia Perlas
- Cyden Llanto
- Erly Joy Bordones
- RV Cuadra
- Johhny Sagun
