QUEENS THEATRE

Les Miserables is, as the title suggests, no trifling affair.  At just under 3 hours long you will need to pack light, for we have a long way to travel tonight along the path of Jean Valjean.

I think its fair to say that the French literary elite were less than chuffed at the idea that Victor Hugo's masterpiece was going to be set to music in some gaudy, vaudeville style musical.  Even worse, was that it was being written by two Frenchmen in English!  Quelle horreur.  So, no pressure on Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg when Les Miserable opened in London in 1985 then.  A bit like a penalty shoot out in the World Cup final except that your whole country is praying you'll miss.

But they didn't.  Au contraire in fact.  With the meter ticking round to the 9,000th performance of Les Miserables its fair to say they scored - big time.  And why, you may ask, are London audiences so steadfast in their loyalty to this show?

Here's my answer for what its worth.  It gives me a great sense of satisfaction, after a hard week of my own toil, to spend three hours watching a team of top professionals giving it their all to entertain me and mine by bringing to life this epic tale.  I get a double satisfaction knowing that they did the same thing last night, and will do it all again tomorrow, but for me, I knew they gave of their best.  I wish the same could be said of my plumber.  In the TV reality world where everyone gives it '110%' and generally miss by a long shot, here is an ensemble of trained and accomplished performers who deliver. 

If you haven't read the book before you go, then don't.   Instead, just sit back and take it as it arrives on stage and it will surprise and enchant.

In its day the stage production was nothing short of revolutionary (sic).  Today it still impresses but for a teenager the reaction will be an excited 'cool' rather than a jaw dropping 'wow!'. 

Some beautiful and tender moments in the midst of the proceedings.  Watching Les Miserables on Broadway some twenty years ago I was next to a lady who started crying at the announcement that the performance was about to start.  Go prepared is my advice.

Audience
Les Miserables is suitable for most audiences aged 14 and upwards.  Smaller children will find it too long and will lose interest.  if you are from the French literary elite - what are you doing looking at this website in the first place!  Shame on you.  Don't expect to pass your English or French GCSE by saying you saw Les Miserables on stage.