On June 11, President Donald Trump attended the musical Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Upon arriving at the theater, he was met with cheers of support and boos of disapproval. Some performers even went as far as to call out of the show in light of Trump’s attendance.
When asked to comment on these reactions, Trump simply claimed he “couldn’t care less.”
Trump’s attendance to the political musical is blatantly ironic when compared to his current actions and policies.
Les Mis is based on Victor Hugo’s nineteenth century novel of the same name. It follows an unsuccessful but nonetheless important Parisian revolt shortly after the French Revolution. The story portrays themes of oppression, power, social equality and love.
The show draws many parallels from 1832 France to the current day. The revolt started due to unequal wealth distribution in France. The poor kept getting hungrier while the rich filled their bellies. The wealth distribution of this era compared to our own is strikingly similar, as the top 1% (the wealthiest individuals in our global society) hold a significant portion of each country’s wealth.
The song “Do You Hear the People Sing” is the revolt’s battle cry. Revolutionaries beg the government to listen to them and force the government to acknowledge them.
“Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men. It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again,” the ensemble sings.
Trump watched for three hours as melodies sang about the struggle of the underprivileged and the corruption of the rich. He sat protected in his box listening to actors direct their songs at him, knowing that a week ago he federalized the National Guard to quell predominantly peaceful protests to his administration’s immigration policies in Los Angeles. He attempts to silence any whisper of disapproval using any means necessary.
Art reflects life, even if it was made hundreds of years ago. Les Mis tells a story all too familiar to its viewers. Art is protest. Les Mis is inherently political and democratic.
So, Donald Trump, I hope you enjoyed the show and I hope you learned something.
