Les Miserables
Les Miserables is playing at the Queens Theatre. Running time 3 hours including interval. The longest running show is now extended until at least February 26th, 2011
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The New Phantom of The Opera
The New Phantom of the Opera – David Shannon
David Shannon is the actor who replaces Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom Of The Opera on November 9th 2009. Ramin Karimloo will do his last show as the Phantom on the 7th, until he plays another phantom role next year in Love Never Dies.
David Shannon from Les Miserables
David Shannon recently completed a run in Les Misérables as Jean Valjean.
( audio only )
From the evening show of the 10th October, which was the last day of David Shannon (Valjean), Earl Carpenter (Javert) and Katie Hall (Cosette) in the 09/10 West End cast, so some passages might be a bit emotional.
Spine tingling stuff and a great choice for the Phantom I think!
His other stage credits include Miss Saigon, Whistle Down The Wind, Cats, Martin Guerre and The Beautiful Game.
Other Cast Changes in the Phantom of the Opera
Other new faces to The Phantom Of The Opera cast include Rebecca Lock, Nicky Adams and Tabitha Webb.
Rebecca Lock, most recently of Avenue Q who takes over as the awful Carlotta. Nicky Adams, joins as Madame Giry and Tabitha Webb will alternate in the role of Christine with Gina Beck.
Les Miserables International Tour
Les Miserables on Tour
If you’ve ever been on a London Theatre Break to see Les Miserables then here’s a chance to see the world’s longest running musical at a venue closer to home perhaps. Of course if you haven’t ever seen it properly in London then what are you waiting for?
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Cameron Mackintosh announced recently that John Owen Jones will star as ‘Jean Valjean’, Earl Carpenter as ‘Javert’ and Gareth Gates as ‘Marius’ in the exciting new 25th anniversary production of “LES MISÉRABLES,”. This new production has spectacular new designs inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo and embarks on a major international tour starting in Wales.
Les Miserables Stars
John Owen Jones has been hailed as the best Jean Valjean since Colm Wilkinson. As well as starring in “Les Misérables” in both the West End and on Broadway he has also appeared as ‘The Phantom’ in “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London. Earl Carpenter who is currently playing ‘Javert’ in the West End production of “Les Misérables” has also starred as ‘The Phantom’ in West End.
Gareth Gates of course, is the multi million selling popstar who had the 2nd best selling single this decade. He played the title role of ‘Joseph’ in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre and was a semi finalist in ‘Dancing on Ice’ 2008.
Les Miserables Score
The score of “LES MISÉRABLES” includes the songs, ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ (currently the world’s most popular song thanks to Susan Boyle), ‘On My Own’, ‘Stars’, ‘Bring Him Home’, ‘Do You Hear the People Sing’, ‘One Day More’, ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’, ‘Master Of The House’ and many more.
Les Miserables Amazing History
Les Miserables
“LES MISÉRABLES” originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on 8 October 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on 4 December 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on 3 April 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When “LES MISÉRABLES” celebrated its 21st London birthday on 8 October 2006, it became the World’s Longest Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by “Cats” in London’s West End.
- Seen by over 56 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages
- 34 cast recordings of Les Miz,
- Multi-platinum London cast recording
- Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast album.
- 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert album sold nearly two million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK.
- There are over 2,000 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 100,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools.
Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Les Miserables is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. The original London production of “LES MISÉRABLES” was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.
This new production will be directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell and designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the works of Victor Hugo and John Napier. Original costumes by Andreane Neofitou, lighting by Paule Constable and sound by Mick Potter.
Les Miserables International Tour Dates
LES MISÉRABLES International Tour 2009/2010
11 December 2009 – 16 January 2010
WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE CARDIFF
19 January – 13 February 2010
MANCHESTER PALACE THEATRE
16 February – 20 March 2010
NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL
23 March – 17 April 2010
BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME
20 April – 15 May 2010
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
26 May – 4 July 2010
PARIS – THE CHATELET
Les Misérables theatre breaks review
Les Misérables theatre breaks
Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a major production in the same league as The Phantom of the Opera. The musical tells of the story of Jean Val Jean, an ex-convict who could not escape his past. Like the Phantom, Les Mis has been conducting a couple of world tours off and on over the years. I’ve never seen the play elsewhere but I have been told that the travelling cast is nowhere as good as the one based in London, not sure how true that is though. Well, when we finally got to experience it for ourselves last Saturday, it totally blew us away.
Les Miserables Cast
Being a large scale production, they can boast a cast of more than two dozen, probably many. Having many recognizable characters, it’s not really possible to recycle actors and actresses to take on more than one role so the cast is very much a full one.
Though the main characters generally possesses well endowed voices, the main actor to look out for is the one who take on the role of Javert, a policeman who was bent on capturing Jean Val Jean. His baritone voice carried through the theatre magnificently and you could feel his anguish when faced with the dilemma towards the end of the play.
Also look out for a boy who acts as Gavroche, a young street urchin. His clear and cheeky voice captures the hopes of the youths in the chaotic situation that engulfed 19th century France.
Staging Les Miserables
Something that really distinguishes Les Miserables out from other shows is the use of the circular stage. By rotating the stage and the clever use of lights, props and settings can be changed while causing absolutely no disruptions to the unfolding of the drama.
In fact, scenes that depict people walking across distances were done seamlessly. Look out for the scene when Jean Val Jean carried an injured Marius through the sewers and you’ll know what I mean.
Les Miz – My conclusions
Les Miserables , without a doubt is worth the full ticket price and perfect for the best theatre breaks in London.
To those who have read the 1200-page original unabridged version of the story, this musical will bring to life those characters that have been so strongly portrayed in what was purported to be the story of the century even then. To those who are unfamiliar with the turmoil that swept 19th century France, Les Miserables will provide a strong introduction to the subject.
The Susan Boyle Effect and Les Miserables
According to yesterday’s Telegraph sales of tickets for Les Miserables have gone up by 46 per cent since Susan Boyle sang I Dreamed a Dream in the first round of Britain’s Got Talent.
It’s certainly true that tickets have become much scarcer and you need to book a few weeks ahead to be sure of getting them, even when you are booking a theatre break. At the moment you can’t just decide that you want to see Les Mis next week. Still if you can be patient and wait until July there does seem to be a bit more availability for mid week performances.
I Dreamed a Dream is a solo sung by Fantine in Act 1 in the musical. Susan Boyle’s version has attracted more hits than any other You Tube clip. It would be so easy to include that clip but I thought you might enjoy a more authentic taste of Les Miserables so here’s Gunilla Backman back in 1999, she was a gorgeous Fantine. Although it’s hard to be compared to stars like Ruthie Henshall ,current Fantine, Allyson Brown seems to be getting lots of praise.
Les Miserables – new cast member
Antony Hansen, who is only 19, has landed the part of Feuilly and will understudy the leading role of Marius in Les Misérables from June 22nd 2009.
Antony who comes from Steventon, near Didcot, is best known for his appearances in the BBC1 show Any Dream Will Do back in 2007. Although he was knocked out in the final live shows Anthony was not disheartened and has continued to pursue his dream of performing in the West End.
Antony said in an interview in his local paper
“The last two years have been a bit of a blur — from first auditioning for Any Dream Will Do, through to achieving my dream of appearing in London’s West End in my greatest musical of all time is just mind-blowing.
“Two years ago, I was at St Birinus School studying for my A-Levels and appearing in the school’s production of Les Misérables.
“Now I will be moving to London for 12 months to appear in Les Misérables, in the West End. You have to just go for it and become the best you can.”
After Any Dream Will Do, he joined the UK tour of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat in January last year as Napthali, moving to the lead role for the last 3 months of the tour.
I must do a round up post of where the other singers from Any Dream Will Do are soon as many of them have done very well, though few as well as Anthony as yet.
Les Miserables Theatre Breaks
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Les Miserables Theatre Breaks
Les Miserables theatre breaks are a great choice whether you’ve seen the show already or it’s your first visit. Les Miserables is the longest running musical in London (The Mousetrap is a play) and many of the audience have seen Les Miserables more than once. It’s a good choice for people who like a more sophisticated musical with lots of drama, and emotion. The longest-running West End musical ever, Les Miserables will now be running at The Queens Theatre until at least February 27th, 2010
Les Miserables – the musical story
Les Miserables is of course based on a classic French novel. Set in France in the early nineteenth century the story starts with Jean Valjean. Jean is released on parole after 19 years on the chain gang. He finds that the yellow ticket-of-leave which he must by law display, condemns him to be an outcast. One person, the Bishop of Digne, treats him kindly and Valjean, embittered by his experiences betrays his trust by stealing some silver. Valjean is caught and brought back by police, and is astonished when the Bishop lies to the police to save him, also giving him two precious candlesticks. Valjean decides to start his life anew. From this point the story sweeps on through more than 30 turbulent years to reach a devastating climax. It’s a story of love redemption and failed revolution. Les Miserables is full of powerful emotions with a score to match.
The performance starts at 7:30 pm and lasts for a full 3 hours. The last thing you want after that is a long journey home, which is why Les Miserables Theatre Breaks with inclusive overnight London hotel stays are usually the best way to plan and book tickets. When booking for whichever dates you have chosen, you will then be presented with the hotel options and here are some suggestions which may help:
Hotels for Les Miserables Theatre Breaks
Previous customers with London Theatre Breaks to see Les Miserables have booked the following excellent central London hotels:
London Theatre Breaks Hotels
- Crowne Plaza London St James
- Grosvenor House
- Holiday Inn Kensington Forum
- Grange City Hotel
- Copthorne Tara Hotel
- Jurys Inn Islington
- Holiday Inn Bloomsbury
- Travelodge City Road
- Hyatt Regency London The Churchill
- Strand Palace Hotel
- Ibis London Earls Court
Les Miserables Video Clips
One Day More – Les Miserables
From the Hey Mister Producer concert
Les Miserables Theatre Breaks
Jodie Prenger in Les Miz Chorus
If you book Les Miserables theatre breaks for anytime in the next few weeks there could be a star bonus in store.
As a preparation for her part in Oliver! Jodie Prenger will be playing a variety of small parts in the London production of Les Miserables. The Stage confirmed today in an exclusive that Jodie will be in the show for some performances from August the 26th for three or four weeks.
Rumours of Jodie’s West End debut have been rife in various online theatre forums for the last couple of weeks so it is good to have it confirmed. It will be Jodie’s first chance to see what it’s like to perform as part of a huge cast in a hit West End show. She’ll see how the ensemble works together on a daily basis and get a feel for the way cast members have to pace themselves. This should help her tremendously in her preparations for playing Nancy.
Of course Jodie Prenger isn’t a complete novice. Still, her experience working on Disney cruise ships and in shows in her native Blackpool are on a different level to day to day life in a West End production. It seems like a very sensible idea to let her experience it in a fairly quiet way first before the spotlight falls on her Nancy.
I know some of our readers are going in the next few weeks so if you do spot Jodie please leave us a comment. We’d love to hear from you! I only hope ‘Jodie spotting’ won’t prove too much of a distraction for those of you who have Les Miserables theatre breaks booked for August or September!
Les Miserables – the classic musical
Les Miserables or Les Miz – what’s in a name?
Give it its full title, Les Miserables or shorten it to Les Mis or even Les Miz, whatever you want to call, it is worth remembering that this classic musical has been playing in the West End since 1985 last century.
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Les Mis recently extended its booking period through to April 25th 2009. The production has had over 9,000 performances. What is it about the show that makes it such a classic? How has it kept going when other great shows have come and gone? I thought I’d try to find out.
Les Miserables – the public’s favourite
Right from the start it was the public that made Les Miz a hit. The show had pretty much bombed in its original form in Paris in 1982. It took the vision of Cameron Mackintosh, Trevor Nunn and John Caird to bring it to London in 1985. The reviews of the critics were very mixed, most of them thought it was either too heavy or that the subject was more suitable for an opera than a musical. It was word of mouth that sealed the show’s success. The British theatre public simply loved the show. It moved from the initial run at the Barbican to the Palace Theatre and eventually to the Queen’s Theatre, where it still plays.
When, in 2005, BBC Radio 2 ran a poll to find “The Nation’s Number One Essential Musicals” 40% of the 400,000 votes cast were for Les Mis. No wonder, then, that people are still booking to see the show in large numbers. Some are new to the show, others are revisiting it, perhaps having seen it many years ago. Parents are sharing it with their children. Others are seeing it for the first time. It’s a favourite choice for theatre breaks for wedding anniversaries and special occasions. They all know that they will be taken on a huge emotional journey, with powerful music and drama.
What People Say About Les Mis
I asked a friend who recently returned from a Les Miserables London theatre break what her experience had been like and why she’d chosen the show. She explained that:
I remembered the music from my childhood as my parents had the CD. A friend and I were chatting about our childhoods and how we both remembered the music but didn’t really know the story. I got the idea to book a theatre break so that we could see what it was all about. I was amazed by how easily we got swept up in the story.
Another recent audience member told me:
I thoroughly and utterly recommend it, Linda! Before I went I listened to the soundtrack a bit and it really made me enjoy it even more because the music is just so amazing.
She went on to say it was the best show she had ever seen:
They got a standing ovation, and surely must do every time. I sobbed my heart out throughout, it was really pathetic! I loved it though, the music is just so amazing, as was everything else about it, now I want to go again!
So there we are, Les Miserables’ power to move and amaze are undiminished after all these years. Not only that but the show has had some interesting cast changes recently which have given it yet another lease of life with no end to the record breaking run in sight.
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DVD
She’s not Nancy but she is Eponine!
Les Miserables, currently at The Queen’s Theatre, has cast changes form June 23rd. 
Nancy Sullivan, one of my favourites from the BBC’s “I’d Do Anything” (the search for the role of ‘Nancy’ in Cameron Mackintosh’s “Oliver!”), has landed the role of the adult Eponine in Les Mis! Nancy has a lovely voice and good acting skills. She should really shine in the role. Despite a fairly early departure from the BBC show I am sure that we will see Nancy Sullivan in West End productions for many years to come.
Leanne Dobinson is taking over the role of ‘Cosette’. She has been in the show before as the young ‘Eponine’ was a contestant in the BBC’s previous search for a leading lady “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria”
Les Miserables
The story is set in 19th century France during the revolutionary struggles and based on the novel by Victor Hugo. The musical was written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg. Lyrics are by Herbert Kretzmer and the music was composed by Claude-Michel Schonberg, with original text by Alain Boublil and additional material by James Fenton. It is adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.
Les Mis, as it is affectionately known, is a West End perennial currently in it’s 22nd year.
Les Miserables
Still running but with new giant posters outside
Thanks for reading Theatre Breaks articles about Les Miserables on the London Theatre Breaks Blog
