Blockbuster West End musical Les Miserables has hit another major milestone, and today – 8 October 2024 – celebrates its 39th birthday in London.
That means that the show is now in its 40th year in London, as it gets ever closer to celebrating its 40th birthday on 8 October 2025.
The musical started preview performances at the Barbican Theatre in London on 28 September 1985, but formerly opened on 8 October 1985. The show then moved into the West End, to the Palace Theatre, on 4 December 1985, and moved again to the Queen’s Theatre – now called the Sondheim Theatre and its current home – on 3 April 2004.
Last month, Les Miserables extended its dates again at the Sondheim Theatre in London, and is now booking to 6 September 2025.
Produced by Cameron Mackintosh, the cast of Les Miserables currently features Milan van Waardenburg as Jean Valjean, Stewart Clarke as Javert, Katie Hall as Fantine, Will Callan as Marius, Amena El-Kindy as Éponine, Lulu-Mae Pears as Cosette, Luke Kempner as Thénardier, Claire Machin as Madame Thénardier and Djavan van de Fliert as Enjolras.
A number of the cast are leaving at the end of this week – 12 October 2024, and a new cast takes their place from Monday 14 October including Ian McIntosh as Jean Valjean, Jacob Dachtler as Marius, Robson Broad as Enjolras, and Annabelle Aquino as Cosette.
Remaining with the show are Stewart Clarke as Javert, Luke Kempner as Thénardier, Katie Hall as Fantine, Amena El-Kindy as Éponine, and Claire Machin as Madame Thénardier.
The company is completed by Matt Bateman, Michael Baxter, Emily Olive Boyd, Daniel J Brian, Ella May Carter,Adam Colbeck-Dunn, Matthew Dale, Irfan Damani, Sophie-May Feek, Matt Hayden, Christopher Jacobsen, Jessica Johns-Parsons, Sam Kipling, Anouk van Laake, Mia Lamb, Sarah Lark, Matthew McConnell, Aaron-Jade Morgan, Ben Oatley, Adam Pearce, Jordan Simon Pollard, Danielle Rose, Jonathan Stevens, Georgia Tapp, Noah Thallon, and Imaan Victoria.
Les Miserables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, based on the novel by Victor Hugo. Additional material in the show is by James Fenton, and the adaptation is by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.
The production is directed by James Powell and Laurence Connor, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou, Christine Rowland and Paul Wills, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, projections realised by Finn Ross & Fifty Nine Productions, musical staging by Geoffrey Garratt, and music supervision by Stephen Brooker and Alfonso Casado Trigo. Orchestrations are by Stephen Metcalfe, Christopher Jahnke and Stephen Brooker, with original orchestrations by John Cameron.
Part of the 40th anniversary celebrations include a major new arena concert tour of the show – Les Miserables The Arena Spectacular, which stars Alfie Boe and Killian Donnelly sharing the role of Jean Valjean, and Michael Ball and Bradley Jaden sharing the role of Javert.
Les Miserables is booking at the Sondheim Theatre in London to 6 September 2025.
Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre in London
Les Miserables London – Christmas Schedule 2024
Monday 23 December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Tuesday 24 December at 2.30pm
Wednesday 25 December NO SHOW
Thursday 26 December NO SHOW
Friday 27 December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Saturday 28 December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Sunday 29 December at 2.30pm
Monday 30 December at 7.30pm
Tuesday 31 December at 1.00pm and 6.00pm
Wednesday 1 January NO SHOW
Thursday 2 January at 7.30pm
Friday 3 January at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Saturday 4 January at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
UPDATES: This article was first published on 8 March 2024, with a March 2025 extension announcement; Updated 6 September 2024 with a September 2025 extension; Updated 8 October 2024 with news of Les Miserables’ 39th birthday
Sondheim Theatre, London
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