Les Miserables is one of the most enduring West End productions currently showing in London and has been entertaining residents of the capital and visitors alike for over 25 years. Those purchasing Les Miserables tickets will be interested to hear that since it first opened at the Barbican Centre on 8th October 1985, the musical has featured countless actors and actresses and has picked up a number of high profile awards.
Composed in 1980 by French composer Claude-Michel Schonberg, the production is based on an 1862 novel by Victor Hugo. The French novel is considered one of the greatest books of the 19th century, and it is on this rich source material that one of the world's best musicals is based. Les Miserables did not have a long stint at the Barbican as it was transferred to Palace Theatre in December 1985, after which it moved to Queen's Theatre in April 2004, where it has been playing ever since.
Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, the musical is a tale of love and bravery during the revolution in 19th century France. It explores the life of Jean Valjean, who is released from imprisonment in the Bagne of Toulon, where he has been locked up for the past 19 years, for the crime of stealing bread for his starving family. Life on the outside is not rosy as he would have hoped as he is forced by law to display the 'ticket-of-leave', which condemns him to be an outcast.
However, he finds some compassion in one man named Myriel, the Bishop of Digne, who decides to take him in and give him shelter. The former prisoner shows his gratitude by stealing the bishop's silverware and running away, only to be caught and brought back by the police. To his astonishment, the bishop holds no grudge and lies to save him, which prompts Valjean to seek a fresh start. He achieves success and after rebuilding his life for a period of eight years, he encounters a face from the past and all of a sudden his new life is under threat.
Now in its 26th year, Les Miserables boasts more than 10,000 performances in the West End alone, while it is the third longest-running show in Broadway history. Since its opening in Paris in 1980, the musical has been staged in various cities, hitting New York's Broadway in 1987 and going on its first US tour, as well as making an appearance in Israel in the same year. The following year saw people in Norway enjoy the magic of the show and it was during this period that the second and third US tours were also conducted.
With the show continuing to gain popularity among UK audiences, thousands of Brits bought Les Miserables tickets as it embarked on a tour of the country in 1992. This was followed by a similar outing in Madrid, allowing Spanish audiences to sample what many around the world had already experienced. No other excursion was organised until the turn of the century, when people in Buenos Aires, Argentina, were given a dose of the musical, with Mexico City following in 2002 and a Broadway revival taking centre stage in 2006.
To mark two and a half decades of entertaining theatre lovers, the show went on a 25th anniversary tour in 2009 and visited Poland and Madrid in 2010. In October of the same year, Les Miserables celebrated its 25th birthday in record-breaking style. London theatre audiences were spoilt for choice as the show had three different productions in the English capital running at the same time, an international first.
The three shows included the original production at the Queen's Theatre, the new 25th anniversary edition at the Barbican and a celebratory concert at the O2 in Greenwich. Various celebrities and many of the show's original cast were on hand to mark the milestone at the huge venue in October.
A company of more than 300 actors and musicians took part in the 25th anniversary concert, including Alfie Boe in the lead role as Jean Valjean and Nick Jonas as Marius. Norm Lewis took on the character of Javert, while comedian Matt Lucas played Thenardier and Lea Salonga portrayed Fantine. Other notable cast members included Jenny Galloway as Madame Thenardier and Katie Hall as Cosette.
Over the course of its run, Les Miserables has been critically acclaimed, receiving several nominations and taking home a number of awards. It was nominated as the best musical during the 1985 Laurence Olivier Awards, where American actress Patti LuPone won the Best Actress in a Musical accolade for her role as Fantine. Greater success followed at the 1987 Tony Awards as the production was declared the Best Musical, with the Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score gongs also coming its way.
As well as picking up awards for Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design, Trevor Nunn and John Caird walked away with the Best Direction of a Musical honours. More recently, Les Miserables achieved success at the 2008 John Kraaijkamp Musical Awards in The Netherlands, gaining seven nominations and winning four, including Best Lighting Design for David Hersey and Richard Pacholski. In 2010 the show was recognised with a London LifeStyle Award for London Theatre Show of the Year.
Those buying Les Miserables tickets will be happy to note that should they wish to, they can also take with them a slice of the production for posterity thanks to the fact that the 25th anniversary concert was taped and is available on DVD and Blu-Ray disc. Language is not a barrier as various non-English language cast albums of the musical are also available, ranging from the 1980 Original French Concept Album and the 1992 Original Danish Cast to the 2003 Japanese 'Violet' Cast and the 2010 Madrid Revival Cast.
Songs from Les Miserables include On Parole, which is the second tune in the first act, What Have I Done?, At the End of the Day and I Dreamed a Dream, which became even more famous in recent times after helping to catapult Scottish singer Susan Boyle to global superstar status.
