INTERVIEW WITH PHILIP HERNANDEZ FROM TheCelebrityCafe.com ARCHIVES
DM) Philip, I understand that you have played both of the male leads in Les Miz. How did it come about that you had this opportunity?
PH) Well, Fred Inkley had originally been doing the tour for about two and a half years, and he planned to come and play on Broadway. But about that time, he was asked to play the beast in Beauty and the Beast, so he asked to be freed from his Les Miz contract, and his request was granted. Another actor, Craig Schulman, was then signed to replace Fred for the remaining four months of the run. Since Craig was unable to start that early, they got in touch with me, and I played the part of Valjean for those four months. Craig then came on board and completed the contract. About that time, the play reached its tenth anniversary.I was doing "Capeman" and "La Mancha" in Papermill and running my company. By this time, Fred was back in the show, and--to my surprise--there was an opening for Javert , and that was the role that I had originally auditioned for. I was really pleased to have the chance to play both Valjean and Javert; my favorite of the two turned out to be Javert.
DM) That leads me to my second question: To me, the character of Javert doesn't seem like the nicest person in the world. He has spent 20 years diligently searching for this man, just for the "crime" of stealing bread. So, tell me, what do you like about Javert?
PH) Well, there is actually a lot to like about him. First, he is a man of honor, and he believes strongly in God; so I see him as a good man who does his job very well. The world is a dangerous and unstable place, but Javert sees himself as the force that keeps order. He feels that without him and his work, all would be utter chaos. His intentions are the best, but he has a tragic flaw: Pride.The Bible reminds us that Lucifer, once an angel in Heaven, fell from grace because of the very same thing: Pride. In Les Miz, the story is fully developed, and there is lots of intense action. There are many positives about Javert. The bad thing is, he becomes a little too full of himself and then realizes what he's become. When he finally realizes the fact that Valjean has changed his very nature, that he has transformed himself into a force for good, then Javert realizes all the things he's been doing in the pursuit of Valjean, and the destruction he has caused as a result, so his good nature kicks in and he realizes that he simply cannot live with the consequences of what he has done. He does the right thing and lets Valjean go. Ultimately, Javert kills himself because he can't continue living with the memory of what he's done. He is a very interesting character. And he is, basically, a good man. I've seen it done where he sings "Stars", it is a challenge, as "You know I'm going to get this guy, no matter what." And I see the stars as being what brings him home. It is his prayer to God. Just as the stars are fixed in the firmament, they are immovable and unshakeable, and they return all the time. He says, "That's what I will be in the pursuit of this man, this force of evil that's out in the world. That's my job and I swear to God, I swear by these stars that is what I'm going to do." And that's all very good. It is a prayer, a private moment with God.He makes a pact, but unfortunately he just keeps on going, in the face of irrefutable evidence. Because he is with a fellow who says, "Look, there's a woman, and she has a child...first of all, with the runaway cart. Valjean saves this man's life when nobody else will. And then with Fantine, Javert's about to throw her into jail, and then he says, "No, no, she's okay. He takes little Cossette, and Javert figures out that this is the same woman. And yet, despite all the things that are happening, he just can't change. Finally, Valjean lets Javert go...he saves Javert's life. So things turn around, and he looks back at all those people who die on the barricade trying to save those two boys. And he puts two and two together, a little too late, but he's already caused a whole lot of destruction and he does the right thing. He frees Valjean and commits suicide. All in all, it is pretty intense. There really is, I feel, a lot to like about Javert..
DM) That was what struck me while I was watching it. I couldn't help but want to grab him and say, "You're going a little too far now!"
PH) Well, that's exactly what happens. At first, it's easy to understand. Here's this man of class and station, saying the prostitute has attacked him. And he says, "Don't worry, sir, we will leave it to the court. She must answer to the court." And she says, "Please, sir, please." And he says no, that he has been doing this for 20 years. "I've heard this story over and over. Honest work, just reward, that's the way to please the Lord." Javert symbolizes the Old Testament, and Valjean the New Testament.
DM) You mention a lot of religious themes.
PH) That's what Les Miz is all about. It's all about God; one of the last things said is that "to love another person is to see the face of God." This religious theme is evident all through the novel. There's lots of light and dark imagery: People are on their knees, praying to God. That's what the show is about, right?
DM) I was actually looking at it as a battle of good versus evil, but I didn't see the religious side as clearly as I do now since you explained it.
PH) Well, it is about good and evil, but it's about the good and evil that we each have in ourselves.
DM) It almost seems understandable in a way, considering how many problems he hadin the beginning. It wouldn't shock me if somebody arrested me for stealing a loaf of bread to feed someone, and then you go in that direction.
PH) But it's still a question of personal choice. It's a question of what do I want from Valjean's perspective. What do I want to become? Do I want to stay this animal I've become? There's a big recognition happening here. What have I done, sweet Jesus, become a thief in the night? The audience knows that Valjean is struggling and is constantly choosing good...but Javert doesn'tknow this. So, because the audience knows, they think he is a bad man, because he's chasing a good guy, but the only information Javert has is that this animal who has been in prison for five years and then kept constantly trying to escape, and he's a dangerous man, and I've got to get him back. That's all he sees. But the audience has the luxury of having that information.
DM) If he had that information, what would he have done differently?
PH) Well, based on what he actually does in the play, when he does get that information, he lets him go. Who can speculate as to what would have happened if he had gotten the information earlier? This is the way Victor Hugo wrote the novel.
DM) What do you feel you have learned about yourself from doing this play?
PH) I don't know; I'm a lot like both guys, and that's the luxury of having done both roles. And I think that one of the things that makes this piece so timeless is that, like any great literature, it deals with big themes, universal themes. These are themes that we all have to deal with--our own relationship with God...our own battle between good and evil within ourselves. So what I have learned about myself from this is how I'm like all of these people.
DM) Which character do you like the most?
PH) I like them both, but I like playing Javert better. I find him to be more interesting,from an actor's point of view.
DM) How so? What do you mean?
PH) With Valjean you have three hours (where you barely leave the story) to tell your story, which is pretty luxurious. If you can't tell your story in three hours, there is something wrong with you. But when you have far less time, and you have to tell the story just as effectively, that is a challenge. You have to make every moment count. You have to make your choices very, very specifically. You must use each moment on the stage to reveal something different about the character. It's a little more challenging from an actor's perspective.In physical terms, the role of Valjean is more demanding. The vocal range is wider. You carry people through the sewers, you're singing for three hours, and it's just more demanding physically. I enjoy doing Javert more.
DM) When did you first read the novel?
PH) Oh, a long time ago.
DM) Before the play?
PH) Yeah.
DM) So once you heard about the play, is this something you wanted to go after?
PH) I wanted to play Javert first.
DM) After discussing the play with you today, I feel you've added a new light on how I originally looked at the play.
PH) It's deep, really deep. You're talking about very elementary things, such as how you want to live in the world, and what your relationship is to God? What do you believe? Do you just accept things, or do you question? Is it right to question? The play is really deep, which is one reason people keep coming back. Sure, it has great music and singing, and it is beautifully staged, but the essential source material is something you can always think about and read about and go to see again. A lot of people come up to me and say, "I finally got Javert for the first time. I finally understood what the heck was going on." If that didn't happen, I would be really worried. It is nice when they get it. He does the right thing; everybody forgets that. He lets Valjean go. He doesn't have to, and then kills himself. He could just say, "No, you're coming with me, back to jail, and this kid Marius is probably going to die because we can't get him to a doctor in time, but that's not my problem. He's bad and he's got to go to jail, so that's it." He doesn't do that. He lets them go, he does the right thing, so there's got to be some kind of good guy in there somewhere. And he has that scene on the bridge where he questions...There's a lot of good stuff in there. And audiences do get it, at least some do, but it's like when you read a great play when as a child, and then you read it again when you're thirty, you say "Wow!"
DM) (filling in) That's what they meant!
PH) Exactly! When you see the play for the first time, and you go back and read it again, it's different because it is so deep, it's layered, and things are more important to you at different points of your life. That is kind of what hits you. If I play these roles 20 years from now, it will be different because I will be different. It will resonate differently for me and for the audience.
DM) I have to say "thank you." I really appreciate your explaining it to me.
PH) No problem. That's just the way I see it.
DM) I can see what you're talking about. I want to go see the play again right now!
PH) Well, there you go; you can do that, I'm sure.
DM) Thank you so much again.
PH) It was a pleasure talking to you.