#* con cosette.

[wanliangzhen]

Hi everyone!

Me and my friend Angel Chiu are going to sell our stickers and postcards at Musical CON in London on 21-22 Oct.

I will post the details in these recent days, and I hope I can see you guys at CON.

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liangzhenwan_art/

[barricadescon]

Barricades is looking for panelists!

We're looking for fans with opinions on femme/butch dynamics and gender presentation in Les Miserables, especially the dynamic between Marius, Cosette, and Eponine! This panel is focused on the original text, with room for discussion of headcanons and fan interpretation.

If you'd like to participate, please email programming@barricadescon.com or join our planning server !

[havrvey]

#              ‘ nadie me dijo que haría tanto calor. ’ ft @cosettengㅤׁㅤㅤ𝅄ㅤ♡

"nadie me dijo que no tendríamos señal telefónica."

[giantkillerjack]

Catholicism.

[.... oops I accidentally wrote real analysis in the tags lol]

why is he like this

[omarfor-orchestra]

Comunque è un vizio che la rai sta prendendo vedete Eros e Fabio

[r3dheadream]

Avevo un paio di cosette da comunicarvi, soprattutto per chi ha appena approcciato il mio blog:

• Tumblr negli ultimi tempi è molto meno tollerante, dal momento in cui va facilmente ad eliminare i blog, vi consiglio di non pubblicare cose molto spinte. Mi è dispiaciuto perdere molti di voi, persone con cui mi trovavo bene a parlare e confrontarmi.

• Siate rispettosi ed educati quando mi contattate, e non mandatemi i vostri nudini perché non me ne può fregare niente, altrimenti tendo a bloccare.

• Se vi va, attivate le notifiche in alto a destra sul mio blog, così da poter essere aggiornati su tutto ciò che andrò a pubblicare (trovate tutto con l'hashtag #r3dheadream). Buona visione! ❤️‍🔥

[barricadescon]

“Cosette is the central figure around which the men in the show are organized”

Feminist Perspectives on Les Miserables by Professor Stacy Wolf, Leila Abou-Jaoude (featured here), Paige Allen, Molly Bremer, and Elliot Lee for Barricades: A Les Mis Convention 2022

Transcription:

[sung] Just a whisper away waiting for me. Does he know I’m alive, do I know if he’s real? Did he see what I saw, does he feel what I feel? 

[spoken] And so, in that excerpt, we hear that we're no longer in D major. We're actually - we move to F. And so F is a good ways away from D major. As you can see the little picture that just popped up on screen, it has one B flat, whereas D major has two sharps, F sharp and C sharp.

And so, her music, therefore, seems to suggest that while she is comfortable in her secure situation, she also finds it incredibly stifling, and we hear her comfort and security sound in the song's major key and relative confidence. However, the music mirrors her desire to experience what lies beyond Valjean's garden, as it expands upwards and outwards and resists strict even rhythms and a central total center. Now, while we're kind of talking about F major, I think it's also worth noting that F major is the same key that Cosette travels to when fantasizing in “Castle on a Cloud.” She sings an F major in the section that starts:

[sung] There was a lady all in white…

[spoken] That's all in F major that little B-section there. And this harmonic similarity connects kind of the young traumatized Cosette to her adult self. So, the music arguably also identifies Cosette as a singular character. This is a standalone song, which means we haven't previously heard this musical material, and in a musical that's constantly recycling melodies and drawing connections between characters as they share musical material, I think this is pretty significant. And I believe it asks us to reconsider Cosette’s relationships, and so Cosette is the central figure around which the men in the show are organized. While she is reliant on the protection of Valjean though, and Marius’ affections, she's also arguably what motivates them. Valjean makes it his mission to protect her. And Marius’ decision to fight at the barricades, his willingness to live or to die, are all based on whether or not he thinks Cosette will remember him. So in summary, in this presentation, I've proposed how we could read “In My Life” as a piece that nuances Cosette’s character.

To conclude, I'd like to close with a question: does Cosette's music allow her autonomy that her situation otherwise forbids?

This video is from a series of excerpts shared with the permission of presenters from Barricades 2022. If you have an idea for programming for Barricades 2023, please submit it on our website. Submissions for both academic and fan track programming close February 15.

[serenitybyeol]

' ¿es tu primera vez en francia? ' pregunta tras verla tan emocionada con la sopa, expresión ajena provoca que ella misma sonría, hasta algo enternecida con la imagen. le recuerda los inviernos en los que aún eran una familia y su madre ' por supuesto que sí, estudio cocina y he tenido varios trabajos relacionados al tema, sobre todo con la repostería. ' contesta naturalmente y dando detalles, cuando se trata de su pasión no teme compartir información. vuelve a concentrarse en su comida antes de responder, otra vez, sin tapujos. ' bien, aunque fue muy rápido, solo una hora, me gustaría haber podido hablar muchas cosas con él, más… profundas. ' siente que es otra persona desde que llegó a la isla y fue imposible resumirlo en tan poco tiempo. @cosetteng

' ah, si, soupe — ay sabrá dios como se pronuncia. está deliciosa y eso es lo que importa. ' siente mucho faltarle al respeto al idioma pero si el mandarín (su lengua natal) se le complica, no pueden esperar mucho de su francés. ' eso es lo que veo. ¿sabes de gastronomía, ser? ' la cuestiona con sincera curiosidad, tildando su cabeza a un costado mientras termina de saborear cucharada. ' oh, tu papá vino. ¿como salió todo? ' espera que haya salido tan bien como la visita de su propio progenitor. aunque, ahora que lo piensa, quizá debió guardarse esa duda pues no sabe como están las cosas entre la pelirosa y su familia. ( @serenitybyeol )

[lenievi]

something I've been thinking about for a while in regards to Valjean/Javert as a ship

Often, when you have a ship, the dynamic is pretty clear, but with Valjean/Javert, because of different "eras" they interact in, that dynamic actually changes and you have several of them and they can be very different from each other

the most popular one is obviously the post-Seine one - it's soft and healing and domestic. It's very much fanon based because it's a fix-it, and when you ask a valvert shipper why they ship them, you often get a variation of "soft old men learning to love"

then you have valvert in Toulon - which is also very much made up fanon, because there's nothing in the book. You can have a younger man x older man dynamic where the younger man has more power. You can have Valjean who resents the world and is angry and reacts based on his instinct. Valjean in his 30s is a very different man from Valjean at 60. When you base it on the musical, you can have Javert at 35 be in Toulon. And the late years in Toulon again brings forward a different valvert dynamic very different from the "soft old men".

If the Toulon dynamic is full of messed up things, non-con, torture, violence that is all very much compatible with valvert as a ship. The age gap can also play a bigger role in this early Toulon period. In later periods, it literally doesn't matter.

Another period is the Montreuil-sur-Mer period when Valjean is called Madeleine and is the mayor of the town. Valvert in this period is about pretending, about being someone you are not. Both Madeleine and Javert have to pretend, both need to choose their words carefully. In the book, Javert knows there's something wrong with the mayor, he is almost certain that he is "Jean Valjean", but as long as he doesn't have any proof, he needs to be respectful because that man is the mayor, is the authority. This period is good for cat and mouse chase, even though it's rarely written like that. The characters, if we stayed as close to canon as possible, would not be sincere when interacting with each other. And this type of valvert dynamic is extremely compelling and working out how the two could work during this era, what would it take for Javert to change and derail, how would Valjean react can be a lot of fun. But it's still very very different from the post-Seine dynamic. Because Valjean is still a different character (he changes after he meets Cosette).

The issue with M-s-M is that a lot of people base it on "When Jean can become Champ" chapter, but that is not how Javert would normally act with Madeleine (since he pretty much avoided him after Madeleine became the mayor lol). That's him making serious amends and making explanations because he believes he's failed, that he's been so wrong for almost five years.

The Fauchelevent's cart scene is better. That's how Javert wanted to act, but the moment Madeleine became the mayor (he wasn't the mayor when the cart incident happened), Javert could not because that would be insubordinate.

The M-s-M dynamic is honestly so interesting.

And now, we have a short instance of usually unexplored period for valvert. It's the time between Arras and Valjean's arrest (which can be prolonged to the chase in Paris a year later). This Javert is vindictive, mean, cruel. He's drunk on "Valjean is here and he is in my grasp" (literally; he grasps Valjean's collar). He refuses to listen, he's driven by his blind righteousness that only wants to arrest Valjean and doesn't care about anybody else. If one should write a post Arras valvert, it would take even more work to make Javert change than during the M-s-M era proper, because Javert is the fierce archangel that won't be satisfied until he can see Valjean behind the bars. Valjean, stripped of his title, is suddenly the one who doesn't have any power (and you can play around with that in fanfics and create interesting things).

One can prefer a version of valvert over others, but it's so weird to pretend that there is only "one true valvert" when the dynamics are very complex and change as the years go by.

[cosetteng]

' no te conozco bien. ' se encoge de hombros. ' podrías hacerlo con facilidad... por eso no puedo confiarme tan fácil, tendrás que perdonarme si me pongo un poco paranoica. ' si bien palabras son ligeras, no por eso dejan de ser verdad. todo es risa y diversión hasta que si termine encerrada en algún lugar y no pueda salir ni pedir ayuda. desaloja esos pensamientos tan pronto la habitación prohibida se extiende ante sus ojos, hay tantas cosas aquí adentro que no sabe por donde empezar a curiosear. ' es justo lo que quería. ' contesta, yendo de inmediato a un estante lleno de lo que parecen ser decoraciones estacionales. sus dedos de inmediato toman unas calabazas de halloween, parecen ser parte de una tira de luces que no se encuentra por ninguna parte. (todo esto es distracción suficiente para que el otro pueda hacer y deshacer lo que se le antoja) ' ¿corona? ' se voltea a él, emocionada. ' ¡no puede ser! es preciosa, me encanta. ' sin pensarlo la coloca sobre su ondas de color rosa, acomodando las flores artificiales para que se sienten de manera linda entre sus cabellos. ' ¿que piensas? ¿se ve linda? ¿debería llevarla por el resto de la noche? '

'por esta noche, quizás~ ' le responde, en un canturreo. no era el caso, porque habían razones a las que claramente se negaría. ' siempre y cuando se alineen con lo que yo también quiero' porque no va a negar que le da curiosidad inmiscuirse en sitios como este, prohibidos, donde la entrada estaba regulada pero aun así desprotegida. era demasiado tentador. ' ¿como voy a dejarte encerrada? solo una bestia haría eso, y esta noche soy un caballero' dramatiza, llevándose la mano al pecho, como si recitase unas líneas. lo cierto es que es una mera exageración. introduciendo las manos en sus bolsillos, camina y contempla lo que hay allí dentro, sin que haya algo que consiga captar su interés. ' ¿esto querías, princesa? ¿ver un montón de estropajos y cachivaches inútiles?' luego, sostiene lo que parece un mantel blanquecino. debajo hay alguna vajilla de plata que no duda en meterse en los bolsillos, disimuladamente y sin que la otra lo noté. ' mira, te encontré una corona' afirma, sosteniendo lo que parece ser un viejo adorno floral. ' la reina de las hadas~'

[cliozaur]

When you run out of your canon-era fanfics, you start looking for AUs and crossovers. And it’s such an enormous topic to discuss! I would like to start with some recs (we're talking Valvert fanfics, of course). Some authors are just so good and creative when it comes to AUs.

A Change of a Bizarre Kind by M_Moonshade (set in MsM) – I will never shut up about it! It’s a crossover of Les Mis and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It’s written amazingly well and has a non-linear narrative. Javert fighting for control and losing it is breathtaking. One of my favourite fanfic Javerts! Caring and overprotective Valjean is what most of us love. Fantine survives and is the only reasonable person around those two. And they have adventures! Dr. Jekyll is, of course, a perfect villain! One of my favourite Valvert fanfics.

What Sort of Devil also by M_Moonshade (set in Paris). This time Valjean is a vampire, self-sacrificing and caring. Javert is exercising and excelling in self-deception. They have even more adventures, and this time Thénardier is the villain. The author’s style is, as always, excellent, and the author’s comments are hilarious.

The next three fics took me time to dare to read. AUs and descriptions can make you dumbstruck, but they turned out to be excellent pieces: well-written, thoroughly thought out. The AUs are well-designed, logical, and well-explained. Javert and Valjean both have recognizable characters, excellent at teasing each other. Their dialogues are highly entertaining and amusing. These fics are good from the point of view of historical details – if the author decides to be anachronistic, it’s for a reason, and it’s explained.

Guard’s Law, Con’s Heart by Xythia (set in Toulon, but it’s 1823). To be honest, I only risked reading it because of Toulon. It’s described as a BDSM universe, which initially did not inspire me. But I gave it a chance and never regretted it. This universe has its rules, and they are not what you expect. They influence social structure and traditions, and it’s all explained and well-used for the plot. Something bad starts happening at the beginning, but Javert arrives on time to stop and prevent it. He takes responsibilities he himself did not expect. Then Javert and Valjean interact and communicate with each other, and it’s such a pleasure and entertainment to follow their exchanges! And I usually do not appreciate OCs, but here I enjoyed them.

Winter Wolf also by Xythia (set in MsM). I already knew what to expect from the author, so even the obscure AU of Sentinels and Guides did not stop me. I had never heard of this AU, but it was not difficult to figure out what it is. A bit slow at the beginning, but then it gets excellent. Signature dialogues, development of relationships, adventures. And one of the best young Cosettes ever written. She is really an amazing little creature.

Eggy series also by Xythia (set in Toulon, and it’s again 1823). This time, one of them (Valjean) is a dragon-shapeshifter. But even as a dragon, he is unmistakably recognizable as Valjean. The world of people and dragons has its history and rules, and they are very well explained. Signature dialogues, good OCs. It really may sound strange as an AU, but it’s worth reading.

[hailzerox]

Hecho para @nev-nara como regalo de Santa Secreto 💚 Si bien lo terminé en diciembre se me pasó subirlo por aca por múltiples trabajos sin terminar, srry.

Su hermosa oc junto con Cosette de @tiny-chiro y mi bebé Halara. Nenas de HPMA ✨

[zainc]

' ¿segura? el grito que soltaste me hizo pensar que te había atropellado con un camión. ' exagera solo para que su distracción no sea el tópico del momento, no tiene ganas de hablar de eso. ' estoy bien. ' físicamente, pero son detalles que se guarda. ' hm, ¿de casualidad viste en donde cayó mi patineta? ' ( @hcrinj )

gritito sale de su boca cuando siente el peligro tan cercano. todo sucede en cuestión de segundos, pero harin ya se imagina sobre el suelo con mil malestares. terror por accidente la desvía de la realidad y no sabe cómo acaba librándose de milagro, supone que fue por obra de la chica porque ella sólo pudo quedar estática, esperando ser atropellada. "estoy bien, no ha pasado nada." le toma un par de segundos responder, esos en que su cerebro busca reconectar con lo que le rodea, pero agradece estar en una sola pieza. "¿tú estás bien?" @zainc

[transrevolutions]

got any Marius headcanons? also I promise the college AU will be out in like a week

god this is so incredibly late I'm so sorry. with that being said:

(these are modern au, I'm in that kind of mood rn)

-marius likes classical music more than any other genre. he enjoys going to local orchestra concerts.

-marius and enjolras are actually really good friends, especially once marius has been around courfeyrac/the rest of the abc enough to get some Coherent Political Stances. they don't see eye to eye 100% of the time but they always have interesting conversations over coffee. autism-to-autism communication, etc.

-he's the sole Token Straight of the abc/abc adjacent folks (I'm sorry bi marius enjoyers, I see you, for me he just exudes confused ally token straight vibes. he has two gfs tho if that counts).

-on the subject of the two girlfriends: in my head there is a very funny dynamic where, at least to start, marius has a massive crush on cosette, who has a massive crush on eponine, who has a massive crush on... marius. this goes on for quite some time before any of them actually realize.

-he's generally a very stay-off-to-the-side, let-others-take-the-lead sort of person, except for some very specific moments where there'll be some sort of crisis and he'll just. come up with the wildest fucking idea that somehow ends up working (i.e. canon era blowing up the barricade). if enjolras has "occasional outbursts of eloquence", marius has occasional outbursts of tactical brilliance.

-he's on the prelaw track. bahorel (ex-law student from way back when, hates the subject on principle), bossuet (in a casual situationship with the idea of being a lawyer), and courfeyrac (almost did law school but last-minute switched to education and never looked back) constantly bother and tease him about it.

-one time very early on he was at a small rally and struck up a long and cordial-ish conversation with javert. enjolras rarely gets visibly angry with marius (he saves it for The System), but he just about bit his head off that time. (for context: do not fucking talk to cops, and especially not at a protest.)

-harbored some not-so-great preconceived notions about criminals/the justice system that were leftovers from being raised by his grandfather. this ended up being a sticking point in his relationship with cosette (valjean being her dad and an ex-con) and with eponine (career criminal parents). eventually comes around on this matter, but it takes a while.

I actually had a lot of fun making these! thanks for the ask!

[artzychic27]

Can we see this: https://youtu.be/Nb7sgIAuECQ?si=w3auY1tDtEVJmDzB, but with the DC AU couples? Like Bat!Zoe and Static!Cosette, Bane!Ivan and Scarecrow!Mylene, Cat!Juleka and Ivy!Rose, etc?

Zoé: So… Cosette and I… We never imagined that we’d meet up and then eventually… Couple up.

Cosette: Our dads know each other. Justice League, and stuff, you know? But, we didn’t exactly meet through them. See, I was on a class trip to Gotham.

Zoé: Terrible idea.

Cosette: Aw, it worked out.

Zoé: It did. Anyway, the Hero Class- total accident, by the way- helped dad and me battle the Joker and his guys. And Cosette-

Cosette: Don’t! Please, no!

Zoé: *Giggles* Cosette saw the Joker pointing a gun at me, got in front of me, and yelled, “DON’T HURT HER!” But… It turns out- *Snickers*

Cosette: Don’t even!

Zoé: It was one of his ‘POW!’ guns! With the little flag? You know those ones.

Cosette: It was so embarrassing!

Zoé: It was sweet, and you were very brave.

Cosette: … Thank you.

—

Nathaniel: So, um... No one thought this would last. I’m a size-shifting villain who gets angrier as he grows, he’s an alien hero who’s able to fly when he thinks positive thoughts.

Marc: *Takes Nathaniel’s hand* But, we proved everyone wrong.

Nathaniel: As to how we met, I was robbing the bank, literally holding a few people hostage in my fist. And as I was tearing the vault door open, this one bursts in and ties a lamppost around my wrist like handcuffs

Marc: And after that, I kept stopping more of his crimes… Tell them why.

Nathaniel: *Blushing* Starlight, quit it.

Marc: Come on…

Nathaniel: … I wanted a reason to see and talk to you.

Marc: He even stopped right in the middle of causing some chaos downtown because Denise came instead of me. It was adorable! He eventually worked up the nerve to ask me out. And, baby, you didn’t have to commit all those crimes just to get me to notice you.

Nathaniel: Can you blame me? I couldn’t exactly talk to you during school hours with your friends watching my every move.

Marc: And yet, here we are.

—

Jesse: When I first laid eyes on Anthony, it was during the DC kids’ weekly Villains versus Heroes battle near the Eiffel Tower. All I wanted to do was belt a myriad of love songs to the heavens when I saw my dark angel!

Anthony: I talked him out of it. Though, I was surprised he picked me out of… Literally anyone. I mean, who wants a Demon for a boyfriend, you know?

Jesse: *Takes his hand* I do. And I always will, my love.

Anthony: You weren’t even the least bit terrified when you found out who my grandfather was?

Jesse: You mean Trigon? Enslaver of worlds? Devourer of a million souls? The most feared tyrant in the universe who could easily wipe out all existence as we know it?… Nope. Not at all.

Anthony: Aaw. *Kisses him on the cheek* You're sweet.

Jesse: Yes, and a bit terrified.

—

Alya: So, Nino and I had just been transferred to DuPont after the... Incidents at our last schools.

Nino: I was in the middle of conning a few idiots out of their lunch money when she walked by, her hair just smelling like lavender.

Alya: You got so distracted that you shifted into several forms until you were just this cluster of different people. It was a mess! And, frankly, kind of cute.

Nino: Only because I had Adrien's dimples, Kim's abs, and Chloé's aerobicized ass, right?

Alya: No, I meant it was cute how you got all flustered over me, idiot.

Nino: Well, who wouldn't? Now, here's the kicker. She asked me out by trapping me in an escape room for three days.

Alya: With food and water, of course. In the end, there was a riddle waiting for him, and he got it on the first go.

Nino: 'There is a fruit, so very sweet! From a palm, it's very neat! A yea or nay sometime today. Palm to palm is just the gate for the fruit is a-'

Alya/Nino: Date.

—

Denise: I first met Simon while trying to stop a bus full of passengers. The brakes just snapped, and it was going all over the road at top speed.

Simon: I was chasing after the bus, but, you know, I’m not strong enough to stop like a… What? A ton?

Denise: Twenty to thirty, actually. So, I’m flying by to help, and then this one- *Snickers* He flew into a stop sign the very second he saw me.

Simon: I was face to face with a literal goddex! A gorgeous one at that.

Denise: Aw, come on. After we managed to stop the bus and save everyone, we just started hanging out more, stopping the DC villain kids together, and one thing lead to another. We started dating.

—

Jean: I had just given the performance of a life time. I had gotten the usual red roses, but then someone tosses me a bouquet of green roses. Guess who it was.

Austin T: I think they know, dear.

Jean: *Giggles* Yeah. But, the first time we met officially was when I was helping Zoé stop Marinette and Adrien from releasing laughing gas out into the city.

Austin T: I lent some assistance.

Jean: He trapped them in a cage that his ring made, and I was like, “What sorcery is this?!” And he went, “No sorcery, just space tech. Hi, I’m Emerald Lantern.”

Austin T: If you think I’m about to choose the most predictable name, you have another thing coming. Anyway, he didn’t know I was the one who threw the green bouquet until he saw the cage.

Jean: I was swooning!

Austin T: It was adorable how his eyes lit up.

—

Rose: The first time we met, we were thirteen, and we tried to kill each other.

Juleka: Nah, you didn’t try to kill me; I tried to kill you. I thought she was stepping on my turf, trying to steal the stuff I was going to steal. Turns out, she was just poisoning a few guys down at some club who have been harassing some poor girl.

Rose: She’s okay now, but anyway, Juleka wanted in on the action, and scratched their faces!

Juleka: Respect women, idiots.

Rose: It was amazing! I had them tied up in my vines, and we both took turns beating them with her sack full of cash!

Juleka: I like to consider that our first date.

Rose: *Kisses her on the cheek* And what a date it was.

—

Ivan: I was bashing a corrupt official’s head against the pavement one night, after I found out he’d done unspeakable things to lycée students behind closed doors, when I saw her hollow eyes from across the street. I was then plagued with the grimmest of hallucinations of that prison. And after a dreadful ten minutes, I found the bastard of a man writhing and screaming as if he were in even more pain. I knew I wanted her to cull pathetic whelps like that man with me.

Myléne: He asked, then I gave him another dose of my fear toxin. When he snapped out of it and didn’t run away, that’s when I knew he was the one I wanted to spend my life with.

—

Brecken: Lemme tell ya, it ain’t all easy being a hero-villain couple. I always gotta act polite ‘n stuff when I’m around her hero pals.

Genevieve: And I must endure his friends’ brash behavior from time to time.

Brecken: Aw, you love ‘em!

Genevieve: Not as much as I love you… And, I guess your clones.

Brecken: Hoo, doggies! I love this gal! Anyway, as to how we met, so me and the fellas, as in my clones, were robbing the bank, and after we cleaned it out, we stopped for a bite as this great diner. And if you’re American, they got some great burgers there, makes you feel right at home!

Genevieve: As he was saying, he and his clones barged in as I was ordering. Seeing as we were in a public space, and we both had not eaten yet, the seven of us occupied a table, and just began to talk.

Brecken: I never seen the fellas so engaged. My darlin’s just got that something, you know?

—

Aurore: Uh, a little about us. My bio dad’s Aquaman, allowing me to breathe underwater and communicate with fish.

Mireille: My bio mom is Black Canary, and I inherited her sonic scream. It’s nice, but I gotta be careful not to scream when I get angry.

Aurore: She’s broken a lot of windows. So, as for how we got together. We were both new to DuPont, and got placed in the Hero Class. It was sort of a program made so we, as the second generation of heroes, could keep an eye on the Villain Class.

Mireille: They’re more chaotic neutral than chaotic evil, but we still keep tabs.

Aurore: Anyway, she had no idea who my dad was yet, so when she saw me at the bottom of the pool one day, she, without hesitation, jumped in, and brought me up for air.

Mireille: I was embarrassed.

Aurore: I was flattered, and I wouldn’t mind her saving me again. You know, from something that can actually kill me. The gesture was sweet, though.

Mireille: I got my favorite top wet.

Aurore: All in the name of love.

@msweebyness @imsparky2002

[barricadescon]

Barricades 2024: Schedule for Sunday, July 14

Welcome to the final day of Barricades 2024!

All times are in UTC, and can be converted to your local time zone at this link.

Key to types of Panels:

Convention Administration panels: Panels run by the Con Committee, to open and end the convention.

Guest of Honor: Special panels from our guests of honor. This year, our guests of honor are Jean Baptiste Hugo, a descendant of Victor Hugo who will discuss his project photograph his ancestor’s house; Christina Soontornvat, the author of the award-winning Les Mis retelling “A Wish in the Dark;” and Luciano Muriel, playwright of the 2018 musical play “Grantaire.” 

Fan/Academic Panel Presentations: Panels on history, fandom, or analysis of Les Mis. Scholars will share historical research, fans will share hobby projects, and the audience may get an opportunity to ask questions. 

Social Meetups: Casual unstructured time to meet up over video call and chat!

Social Games: Games and activities.

Publishing, Podcasting, and Promotion

Saturday, 15:00-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation Presented by: David Mongomery, Alexiel de Ravenswood, Nemo Martin Recorded: Yes

Whether it’s fanart, Tiktok videos or deep historical analysis, lots of us have THOUGHTS about Les Mis we’d like to share with the world. This panel discussion features creators sharing their advice on how to share your work with the world in a range of mediums.

Femme/butch: Dynamics of Gender and Attraction in Les Mis

Saturday, 15:00-15:30 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation Presented by: Eléna Recorded: Yes

In Eléna’s words: “This is a presentation about parallels between femme/butch dynamics and les mis! The focus is on Marius, Cosette and Eponine and their individual gender presentation and attraction. There will be a focus on the original text, but I will also talk about headcanons & representation in the fandom space! I’m a femme myself, but I’ll try to incorporate butch and transmasculine viewpoints!”

Lee’s Misérables: Jean Valjean, Confederate Hero

Saturday, 15:30-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation Presented by: Sarah C. Maza Recorded: Yes

Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables (1862) was as big a success in the United States as elsewhere in the world upon publication, hailed throughout the young nation as the commanding masterpiece of modern French literature. Why would a novel that celebrates violent insurrection and radical republican ideals be so warmly received in America? One of the (many) answers to that question is that the novel appeared in the midst of the Civil War, and that it provided engrossing reading to the many soldiers stuck in place for weeks or months in camp, hospitals, and prisons. Most surprising, though, is the evidence of Les Misérables’ appeal to Confederate soldiers (who jokingly called themselves “Lee’s Misérables”), as Hugo was on record as an ardent abolitionist. My paper will illustrate and explain the paradoxical appeal of Hugo’s novel in the South in two contexts: first, I will draw attention to the ways in which Confederate nationalists likened their cause to the European Revolutions of 1848; and second, I will explain the novel’s resonance within what Wolfgang Schievelbusch has called the “culture of defeat,” the emotional resonance, in some historical contexts, of narratives of doomed causes and heroic failure.

Guest of Honor: Luciano Muriel, playwright of “Grantaire”

Sunday, 16:00-17:00 UTC 

Session Type: Guest of Honor Presented by: Luciano Muriel Recorded: Yes

Panel about the details of the creative process behind the show Grantaire, from the discovery of the character during the playwright’s first reading of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables to the opening night of the staging at the Teatro Pradillo of Madrid. Why Grantaire? Why a dramatic monologue? Why include Amaral songs? What did the awards and subventions entail? All the answers to these and many other questions.

Break

Sunday, 17:00-18:00 UTC

1848 in Chile: The Society of Equality and the Siege of La Serena

Sunday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academc Presentation Presented by: Duncan Riley Recorded: Yes

While the Revolutions of 1848 are traditionally seen as a European event, they had a powerful influence in Latin America. In Chile in particular, university students who studied in France during the revolutions would lead a movement to oust the conservative dictatorship that had ruled the country since the 1830s. Inspired by the poetry of Alphonse de Lamartine and the ideals of utopian socialism, a group of Chilean intellectuals and artisans founded “The Society of Equality,” a cross-class political club dedicated to creating a democratic and participatory republic. Inspired by these ideals, in 1851 the citizens of La Serena, a mining town in northern Chile, declared their independence from the central government. Members of the Society of Equality transformed La Serena into the torchbearer of their vision of a new “democratic republic” that would restore civil liberties and grant greater autonomy to Chile’s provinces and municipalities. In defense of these principles, La Serena endured a months-long siege by government forces. The conflict inscribed itself within broader international dynamics of revolution and empire, as the British Royal Navy Intervened on the side of the government, while French immigrants built barricades to defend La Serena from invasion. Ultimately, then, La Serena and the Chilean Revolution of 1851 provide a fascinating window into the transatlantic exchanges of ideas that drove movements of democratic reform in both Europe and Latin America during the Revolutions of 1848.

The Unknown Light Examined

Sunday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Presentation Presented by: Madeleine Recorded: Yes

In the tenth chapter of  Les Misérables, Bishop Myriel sets out to perform the last rights of Conventionnel G, a man reviled by all of Digne for having served on the body that voted to execute the king during the French Revolution. The bishop and the dying man debate the nature of equality, divine authority, and resistance to oppression. G’s fierce defense of the French revolution and Myriel’s staunch condemnation of political violence represent diametrically opposed philosophies, but the two men have more in common than first appears. They are both men of faith, in their own way, called to serve by their profound love for humanity. Intensely shaken by this realization, the bishop kneels before the dying sinner and asks his blessing.

What does this role reversal signify? How do Myriel and G’s conceptualizations of God and morality compare, and why does Hugo seek to reconcile them? To answer these questions, this panel investigates the thematic implications of this chapter. We’ll dissect the characters’ debate, discussing the historical and religious context that informs their moral frameworks—and Hugo’s depiction of them. Drawing on analysis by literary scholars, we’ll situate Hugo’s portrayal of the bishop and the conventionnel within this same context, evaluating the extent to which G is based on the Abbé Grégoire. We’ll also examine the impact of this chapter on Bishop Myriel’s characterization and symbolic role in the novel. Lastly, we’ll explore how “The Bishop in the Presence of an Unknown Light" serves as a political and philosophical thesis for Les Misérables.

Revolutionary Rants: “Les Misérables” Onstage from an International Perspective

Sunday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Presentation Presented by: Tessa, Anne, Kaja, Marie, Apollon Recorded: Yes

What started out as an open call online to gather fans from around the world to rant about the musical version of Les Mis has turned into a group of musical fans from four countries getting together to discuss our different perspectives of various international productions of the show. Topics include our favorite cast albums, how our favorite character interactions are staged in various productions we follow (including Enjoltaire), our favorite actors from the different productions, and our favorite memorable moments from the show. And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the major impact the 2012 movie had on us as well!

Paint & Sip

Sunday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game Presented by: Psalm, Potatosonnet Recorded: No

A short presentation on the artwork of Victor Hugo, his medium and subject matter, followed by crafting time inspired by Hugo’s work.

Les Mis Letters: Building a Book Club

Sunday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic presentation Presented by: Mellow, Eccentrichat Recorded: Yes

There are 365 chapters in Les Miserables. Les Mis Letters is an email subscription that sends you one chapter of Les Mis daily for a year.

Rachel and Mellow have been running the “Dracula-Daily” inspired Les Mis readalong since 2023! Mellow will speak to the behind the scenes process of setting up a Substack and discord server, while other readers will speak to the experience of reading Les Mis for the first time in this format or the small projects they’ve put together while following along.

Les Mis Singalong

Sunday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game Presented by: Megan Recorded: No

Let’s let loose by belting out our favorite Les Mis songs together! All singing abilities welcome and encouraged, it’s virtual after all 😀 It will be musical-heavy but we’ll be sure to throw in some other fan favorites!

Closing Session 

Sunday, 22:00-22:30 UTC

Session Type: Convention Administration Presented by: Convention Committee Recorded: No

Closing remarks by the convention committee, marking the official end of the convention.

Dead Dog

Sunday, 22:30-24:00

Session Type: Convention Administration Presented by: Convention Committee Recorded: No

 “Dead Dog” is a fandom slang term for a laidback “afterparty” that happens when a convention has officially ended.