The Stage

Les Miserables confirms 25th anniversary O2 concert

Published Wednesday 2 June 2010 at 11:28 by Alistair Smith

As revealed by The Stage last month, producer Cameron Mackintosh has confirmed that Les Miserables is to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a special arena concert to coincide with the two theatre productions at the Barbican and Queen’s theatres in London.

Tenor Alfie Boe will take the role of Jean Valijean in the Les Miserables 25th anniversary concert at the O2

On Sunday October 3, the O2 in London will host a company of more than 300 actors and musicians, including Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Nick Jonas (from the Jonas Brothers) as Marius, Norm Lewis as Javert, Little Britain star Matt Lucas as Thenardier, Lea Salonga as Fantine, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thenardier, Camilla Kerslake as Cosette and the casts of the original production at the Queen’s Theatre, the new 25th anniversary production at the Barbican and members of the original 1985 London cast.

The new 25th anniversary production and the O2 concert are both directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell and designed by Matt Kinley. Original costumes are by Andreane Neofitou, additional costumes by Christine Rowland, lighting by Patrick Woodroffe and Paule Constable and sound by Mick Potter.

The musical 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 1985 production of Les Miserables was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.

The show originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on April 3, 2004. When it celebrated its 21st London birthday on October 8, 2006, it became the West End’s longest running musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats. In January 2010, the West End production broke another record by celebrating an historic 10,000th performances.

Mackintosh is currently developing a film of the musical with Working Title and Universal.