RAMIN KARIMLOO in Les Miserables
December 5, 2011
West End star Ramin Karimloo in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre
RAMIN KARIMLOO, star of Les Miserables. Photo: © Roy Tan
Ramin Karimloo is the stuff that Glee is made of. As a sporty, hockey-playing teenager, not dissimilar to Glee’s Finn Hudson, he was dragged along to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. And so a musical theatre star was born.
“From that moment, I thought that’s what I am going to do. It wasn’t a desperate aim. It was a fact,” he told the Daily Telegraph in February this year.
Ramin went on to realise his dream and to star as the Phantom in the hit show, before moving from Her Majesty’s Theatre to the Adelphi Theatre to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom sequel, Love Never Dies.
Born in Iran and raised in Canada, Ramin started his career as an actor after singing in rock bands and playing cruise ships. Once in England, he turned to musical theatre, playing a wide range of roles including Enjolras in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, Chris in Miss Saigon and Sunset Boulevard.
Ramin also featured in the O2 Arena concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of Les Miserables, returning to the role of Enjolras.
And now it is to Les Miserables that he is returning, playing Jean Valjean in the show until 3 March 2012.
LINKS
SPECIAL OFFER: Save on tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
Ramin Karimloo to join cast of Les Miserables
October 28, 2011
Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies star to play Jean Valjean in London
Ramin Karimloo to play Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. Photo: Roy Tan
West End actor Ramin Karimloo will star as Jean Valjean in Cameron Mackintosh’s London production of Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre from 29 November 2011 to 3 March 2012. He will take over from Alfie Boe, who is currently playing the role until 26 November 2011.
Ramin will join a cast that includes Hadley Fraser as Javert, Caroline Sheen as Fantine, Alexia Khadime as Eponine, Craig Mather as Marius, Cameron Blakely as Thénardier, Katy Secombe as Madame Thénardier, Liam Tamne as Enjolras and Lisa-Anne Wood as Cosette.
Ramin Karimloo is best known for playing Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s ‘The Phantom’ in both The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre and its sequel, Love Never Dies, which ran at the Adelphi. He also featured in the recent 25th Anniversary celebrations for Phantom at the Royal Albert Hall.
Ramin is no stranger to Les Mis having played Enjolras in the West End – and at the show’s 25th aniversary concert at the O2 last year. His other credits include Miss Saigon.
Mackintosh is currently working on the movie version of Les Miserables with Working Title films, with Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert, Anne Hathaway as Fantine, Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thenardier and Geoffrey Rush rumoured to be playing Monsieur Thenardier. The movie will be directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) and written by William Nicholson.
LINKS
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
West End Tug of War won by Lend Me A Tenor!
July 14, 2011
In a rather random PR stunt that only the West End could have got away with, the inaugural West End Tug of War contest took place this week between cast members of the Gielgud and Queen’s Theatres.
Matthew Kelly and the cast of Lend Me A Tenor pick up the winning trophy
The stage doors of the two theatres both empty out on to Winnett Street, and so battle commenced on the street between the Gielgud’s Lend Me A Tenor cast and the Queen’s Les Miserables during the break between their matinee and evening performances on Wednesday 13 July.
The Gielgud’s Lend Me A Tenor had originally challenged the Queen’s Les Miserables to the Tug of War, and after a best-of-three it was the Tenors who took the prize, with Matthew Kelly accepting the trophy on behalf of the Tenors.
The Tug of War was said to bring back happy memories of the annual Society of West End Theatre (now SOLT) West End bed race in Leicester Square. Could the Tug of War become an equally big event?
LINKS
Book tickets to Lend Me A Tenor at the Gielgud Theatre
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre
Les Miserables cast change: Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas join the long-running show
June 23, 2011
A major cast change has taken place at long-running musical Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London – the most significant for a number of years.
Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas in last year's Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2
A range of high-profile West End and international actors have joined the cast of the show, from 23 June 2011, including leading opera tenor Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Little Britain and Come Fly With Me! star Matt Lucas as Thénardier, and one of Cameron Mackintosh’s long-time collaborators, Caroline Sheen, who will play the part of Fantine following a year-long US run as Mary Poppins in Mackintosh’s touring production of the show.
Other significant performers new to the cast include Hadley Fraser (Les Miserables) as Javert, Alexia Khadime (Wicked) as Eponine, Katy Secombe (Mamma Mia!) as Madame Thénardier and Liam Tamne (Hairspray) as Enjolras.
The show will also feature two rising young stars: beautiful Lisa-Anne Wood has been plucked out of Guildford to play Cosette and Craig Mather, who graduated from Mountview last year, will play Marius.
The show has been closed for three days to make the change, and to install a new surround sound system and enlarge the orchestra pit to accommodate extended orchestrations developed for the 25h Anniversary tour.
Les Miserables celebrated its 25th birthday last year with a sell-out concert at the O2 in London, which featured Boe and Lucas, and a large-scale National touring production.
CAST PHOTO GALLERY
PHOTO THUMBNAILS
LINKS
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
Caroline Sheen returns to the West End in Favourite Things and Les Miserables
May 6, 2011
West End actress Caroline Sheen is to return to London this summer following a year-long tour of the USA starring in Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Mary Poppins.
Caroline Sheen
The actress, who is a cousin of actor Michael Sheen, will return to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in June to play the role of Fantine. Caroline originally played Eponine in the show ten years ago. She will join some high-profile new starters on the show this summer including Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas.
Ahead of returning to Les Mis she will sing musical interludes to accompany These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things at the Jermyn Street Theatre, where theatre critic of The Stage, Mark Shenton, will interview a host of well-known theatre names.
The show, in aid of charity the Theatrical Guild which supports backstage and front of house theatre workers, will feature Shrek The Musical and Anna Christie director Rob Ashford, director and choreographer Craig Revel Horwood, Blood Brothers and Dreamboats and Petticoats producer Bill Kenwright, producer Michael Codron, the National Theatre’s director Nicholas Hytner, West End actress and current Shakespeare’s Globe star Janie Dee, veteran theatre school director Sylvia Young, and Betty Blue Eyes and Mary Poppins songwriting team George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.
The show will run at the Jermyn Street Theatre from 29 May to 4 June 2011.
Caroline Sheen has appeared in numerous West End shows including Grease, Into the Woods, Mamma Mia!, The Witches of Eastwick, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Last month she played a cabaret show alongside Evita and Zorro star Matt Rawle at the Battersea Barge in London. She is married to actor Michael Jibson, who will star alongside David Bedella this summer in the Menier Chocolate Factory’s premiere of new Stephen Sondheim’s latest musical, Road Show.
LINKS
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
The Jermyn Street Theatre website
Alan Titchmarch celebrates West End musicals
May 5, 2011
All week on ITV1 in the UK, TV host Alan Titchmarsh has been celebrating West End musicals on his daytime show.
Alan Titchmarsh
His weekday The Alan Titchmarsh Show, running Mondays to Fridays at 3pm on ITV1, has seen the cast of Wicked (Monday 2 May), Grease (Tuesday), Les Miserables with Gareth Gates (Wednesday), Legally Blonde (today, Thursday 5 May at 3pm) and Billy Elliot (Friday) perform in front of a live studio audience.
LINKS
Watch Wicked perform on the Alan Titchmarsh Show
ALFIE BOE in Les Miserables
April 27, 2011
Alfie Boe stars in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London.
Following his breathtaking performance in the Les Mis 25th anniversary concert at the O2 in 2010, Alfie Boe has signed up to play Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London (until 26 November 2011).
Alfie studied at The Royal College of Music, followed by further studies at the National Opera Studio and the Royal Opera House Young Artist’s Programme. While at the ROH, Alfie was approached by Baz Luhrmann to star in his Broadway production of Puccini’s La Boheme. In 2006 Alfie signed to the label Classic FM Presents and released his debut album. In 2007, Alfie signed to EMI and within less than 3 months his second album, ‘Onward’, was released – recorded with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. ‘Onward’ went straight to No.1 in the UK classical chart. 2007 saw him touring the UK and Ireland and also performing in a sell out run of Kismet for English National Opera at The Coliseum, London. Alfie was nominated for a Classical Brit Award for ‘Best Album’. Alfie is also proud of his role as Ambassador for HRH’s Arts and Kids Foundation. Also in 2007 Alfie released his second album ‘La Passione’, and toured with the Philharmonia Orchestra. Other Festival appearances include; Llangollen, Chester, North Devon and Kings’ Lynn. Orchestral engagements include concerts with the RPO, Manchester Camerata, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the RLPO. 2008 credits include; English National Opera production of Lehar’s engrossing opera, The Merry Widow. Alfie also played The Italian Tenor in der Rosenkavalier at ENO, Royal Opera House production of Elektra, conducted by Mark Elder. Alfie was nominated in two categories at the Classical Brit Awards. In 2009 Alfie recorded his fourth album for Linn Records – “Franz Lehar – Love Was A Dream”. Festival appearances in 2009 included San Francisco Symphony, Athens, Dublin, Kenwood, Grassington, Rochester and Lichfield. 2009 Opera performances as Rodolfo in Sir Jonathan Miller’s new production of La Boheme at ENO and just completed, his return to WNO as Alfredo in David McVicar’s production of La Traviata. 2010 Concerts include; The Halle, Northern Sinfonia, CBSO, The Royal Philharmonic, The Welsh Proms, Cheltenham Festival, Ribchester Festival. Operas are The Pearl Fishers and Katya Kabanova for ENO. Alfie won a Tony Award for his performances on Broadway as part of Baz Luhrman’s controversial La Boheme production for which he also won the John McCormack Young Voice award and Lyric Tenor of the World Audience award.
He will join the cast of Les Miserables in London on 23 June alongside comedian Matt Lucas.
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
MATT LUCAS in Les Miserables
April 27, 2011
Little Britain’s Matt Lucas stars in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London.
Comedian, screenwriter and actor Matt Lucas, along with comedy partner David Walliams, is most famous for writing and performing in LITTLE BRITAIN, originally a BBC Radio 4 show which became an internationally acclaimed TV series, receiving a number of awards and nominations including 3 BAFTA’s and an Emmy. LITTLE BRITAIN LIVE became one of the world’s largest comedy tours ever, running for over 2 years in the UK and Australia and followed on to LITTLE BRITAIN USA for HBO in the U.S. and BBC1 in the UK.
Their current BBC series, Come Fly With Me, has been recommissioned for a second series.
Matt first joined forces with David when working on ROCK PROFILE IN 1999, shortly before writing for DA ALI G SHOW and as an accomplished actor has performed in SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004), GAVIN AND STACY (2007), WIND IN THE WILLOWS (2006), KING ARTHUR’S DISASTERS (2006) and FRENCH AND SAUNDERS (2004) along with a multitude of other theatre, radio, film and television shows. Last year, Matt starred as Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Tim Burton’s blockbusting movie, ALICE IN WONDERLAND, and has voiced animated film GNOMEO AND JULIET and forthcoming Christmas film ARTHUR CHRISTMAS.
Matt appeared in the 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables at the O2 Arena in London in 2010 and has now joined the cast of Les Miserables in London alongside opera tenor Alfie Boe.
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London
King’s Speech director Tom Hooper close to signing up for Les Miserables movie?
March 26, 2011
Following our report a few weeks ago, it now seems that Universal Pictures has convinced Cameron Mackintosh and Working Title to sign-up The King’s Speech director Tom Hooper to the forthcoming Les Miserables movie.
Apparently intense negotiations are now underway through Hooper’s agent, ICM, to agree the deal terms and get the movie into production by the end of the year.
Shooting somewhere in Europe, the movie musical will be a big-budget film adaptation of the hugely successful stage show. The movie will be produced by the show’s theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh along with Four Weddings and Bridget Jones producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner from Working Title.
The screenwriter of the project is Oscar nominated writer Bill Nicholson, who wrote the screenplays for Gladiator, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Shadowlands amongst others.
The question now is, who gets to play the leads? There is much internet speculation that Hugh Jackman may be cast in the movie. Other front-runners include Nick Jonas, who briefly starred in the UK production of Les Mis at the Queen’s Theatre last year and at the Les Miserables 25th anniversary concert at the O2.
RUMOUR CHECK-LIST
- Movie: Les Miserables
- Director: Tom Hooper
- Distributor: Universal Pictures
- Producer: Working Title, Cameron Mackintosh
- Script: William Nicholson
- Date of release: 2012
Source: Deadline (24/03/11)
Tom Hooper collects his Best Director Oscar for The King's Speech
Olivier Awards: Last Chance to Vote
March 9, 2011
Today is the last chance for theatregoers to vote for their favourite West End shows and choose a winner for this year’s Olivier Audience Award.
Recent press advertising for We Will Rock You
Voting ends just before midnight tonight, Wednesday 9 March 2011.
The short list of shows are Billy Elliot the Musical, Jersey Boy, Les Misérables and We Will Rock You. They received more votes than the 14 other eligible shows in the Audience Award category, and were voted for by members of the theatregoing public.
The winner will be announced at the Olivier Awards at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 13 March.
All four musicals have been promoting their nominations, with shows such as Jersey Boys and We Will Rock You taking out press advertising to canvas theatregoer’s votes.
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