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February 4, 2026 | 8:29am
MANILA, Philippines — The story of a man incarcerated for 19 years all because he stole a loaf of bread or a rigidly upright inspector who relentlessly haunts him is a Victor Hugo masterpiece, and for years, the stage has seen multiple versions of this tragic story that resonates well with many audiences, including Filipinos.
Lea Salonga, who played the first Asian Eponine on Broadway in 1993, returns to the popular musical in her very first “Les Miserables” show in Manila.
This time, she plays Madame Thenardier, one half of the antagonistic pair. The other is fellow Filipino stage actor, Red Concepcion, who gives a delightfully comic performance of the unscrupulous Monsier Thenardier.
Lea, whose decades with the Cameron Mackintosh musical, makes a sound argument about her softer stance on Inspector Javert’s rigid morality. For her, Javert is not entirely a villain.
Despite the polarizing issue on Javert, Jean Valjean, and the other equally enigmatic characters in the musical, “Les Miserables” is familiar because it tackles the same trials and tribulations in real life.
The very same themes of social justice and redemption remain true even after more than a century since Hugo wrote his novel in 1862. In the Philippines, these themes are recurring — even elusive for many most of the time.
“I think, you know, as a younger person, you tend to see yourself in any of the younger characters. You have these young idealists, these academics who, you know, want to see a better, brighter world for everyone,” Lea noted.
Same themes, different times
In the novel and the show, young idealists led by Enjolras and Marius Pontmercy are fighting for better social conditions during the revolutionary era of France.
The students are not the only ones who have their agenda; even the women are fighting their own battles, including surviving on turbulent times.
The Thenardiers, as incorrigible as they are, make an impression to the audience, even to Lea. They were once middle class who had to find the means to live on after losing their inn to bankruptcy.
“You have these two characters. I mean, yes, they are comic, but there's also something dark about these two because of the things they are also willing to do to survive. They're like 'survival is what we need to do,' and we understand that in a country like this, that there are people who will do literally some of the most… You know, they will debase themselves to make a buck,” Lea said.
She cited Monsieur Thenadier who robs valuables from corpses under the Paris sewers. Even Jean Valjean, the convict who finds new lease in life under a new identity, elicits understanding and pity for his plight.
“It's a little complicated, but yeah, I think it's lasted this long because there is someone, something about a character that you just latch onto and hang on to and relate to,” Lea said.
Red added his own insight that many Filipinos would probably agree with.
“I think also, as a people, we relate to the theme of what I call ‘righteous revolution,’ like, you know, of people standing up for what is right against, you know, against oppression or against an injustice. I think that is just, you know, ingrained in us Filipinos, and I think we see ourselves up there with the students,” Red said.
He returns home after eight or so years playing abroad.
But also, like many theater habitues, Red gushed that “Les Miserables” is just a “fantastically written piece of theater.”
“Les Miserables: World Tour Spectacular” is currently running at The Theater at Solaire in Parañaque City unitl March 1.
RELATED: Lea Salonga graduates from playing ‘dead girls’ in ‘Les Miserables Spectacular’ Manila run
