(Tivdatsi)
“ATONEMENT”
A Theatrical Piece for One Actor
Adapted from segments of Volume 1
of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables
written by James J Hoegerl
Performed by Alexiel de Ravenswood
My challenge to James J Hoegerl about his ability to adapt certain stories well inspired this particular work, and I had mentioned in conversation that there were references to old stage adaptations that were two, or six-character plays, now lost in time. (It should be noted that in most cases, Hugo, Dumas, and Dickens are considered the banes of any writer.) As my solo version of "A Christmas Carol" has been quite successful in the past, I wondered if I could do the same for a story I find extremely meaningful: "Les Misérables"You see, Because of my connection to this story, I have a certain prison number tattooed on my arm. I had done the stage musical in high school, and always enjoyed it as a piece of theatre, but Hugo's story goes deeper than that for me. When my guardian passed away, I was placed in a very strict group home where CD players and iPods were prohibited. I was only allowed to choose one book, but everything else of mine was locked away. I chose the biggest book I had, which proved to be a true companion for me during those dark days. (Really, I didn't get them back until the day I left.)Here is what I would call a rough performance, with the script performed from memory, plus the underscoring and sound effects I intended for use in a stage presentation.
