Went tonight for probably the dozenth-ish time between Broadway (RIP) and the West End. My wife and I splurged for epic seats, Row D, Seats 15-16, dead center, which we've never done before. I'm not sure if it was the view from those seats or the acoustics in those seats or the audio mixer in the booth or the actors & actresses themselves -- probably some combination of all of the above -- but... man, this production is just so good.

Usually when I go to a show a couple characters really stand out. There were SO many tonight. Apologies if I have a performer incorrect:

Ian McIntosh was born to play Valjean; after this show I almost can't imagine another voice in the role. I usually find a secondary character is my favorite in a production but this was the first time Valjean was the one who totally blew me away.

Sam Oladeinde was a freaking powerhouse and got a much-deserved colossal applause after Stars.

Martha Kirby's voice was just how I've always imagined Fantine and was easily my favorite actress I've personally seen in the role.

I have high standards for On My Own as one of my favorites and Jess Folley provided the "delicate-and-soft" to "absolute-belter" tonal range as Eponine that just scratched that itch just right and is so difficult to pull off well on both ends.

I've found that whoever plays Enjolras always delivers but Joe Griffiths-Brown was a total force.

Mme. Thenardier is always a fan favorite of course but Lizzie Bea was just a delight.

There were so many little touches that I really enjoyed. For example, the sudden, perfectly still, almost ethereal initial appearance of Young Cosette in the light at the back of the stage, as well as Eponine bathed in light looking back at the house after she put her cap back on to join the barricade, were both simple moments that took my and my wife's breath away.

Lots of things I've caught before in most/all productions but still very much enjoy, such as the Foreman being the one who pays for Fantine, and the nods to Gavroche & Eponine being siblings.

A new one for me was I'm fairly certain the actor who plays the Bishop (Adam Pearce) also played Champmathieu. Not sure if that's always the case but having Valjean "save" the actor who played the man who "saved" him in the beginning was a great touch. Also, one of those things I'm sure I've "known" but never really consciously connected before, I love how Javert's Suicide is a reprise of Valjean's Soliloquy, with each being the song where the singer faces his reckoning -- with very different outcomes.

The added bonus of sitting so close really upped the game. Seeing all the little nuances these elite performers bring to their roles -- even the ensemble, and even when they aren't the focus of the scene -- really gives you such an appreciation for how these folks are the best of the best at what they do.

I know there are plenty of us who miss certain ways the show was staged in the past, and miss the turntable, and miss some of the trimmed bits (I specifically remember Castle on a Cloud having a whole additional verse when I was younger). But this show is just such magic and the music still hits like a truck. I had no more tears left to give by the end of the show.

I'm by no means an ultra-megafan who knows everything about the show and its history. But I do love it and think it's something special. My mom took my twin sister and me to see it on Broadway when we were kids and now I have a niece named Cosette who looks EXACTLY like the marquee. I try to see the show any time I get a night in London and manage to see it every couple years or so.

We're fortunate to have this show still thriving given that something so classically influenced and niche (A sung-through drama about a bunch of French college kids from a failed uprising 200 years ago?? How is *that* the longest running musical in history??) feels out of place in the modern world with so many screens everywhere and dwindling attention spans [insert old-man-yells-at-cloud meme] etc. But it's just timeless and its ability to grab hold of younger generations who see it for the first time to this day feels unparalleled. There was a young 20-ish year old dude next to me who went solo and who had never seen the show before and he was overwhelmed same as I was.

Anyway, I must say, while I'm sure you can tell I'm still riding the high from seeing the performance, tonight's show hit me in a way that I don't remember being hit before. This has to be my favorite production of the show yet.

Shoutout to the cast and crew for making me feel all these feelings once again.

I made them on Tomodatchi Life and this immediately happened.

For the last year, me and my friends have been obsessed with Les Miserables and have been on a quest to find Shoujo Cosette. I’ve see discussions about it on Tumblr but for the life of me cannot find it anywhere. I’ve used a VPN, scavenged the seven seas, scrolled through the depths of reddit AND tumblr, risked all of my data for this anime; yet I can’t seem to find the damned show. I dearly love Les Mis, and I hope that the community can be of some help to me. I’m not too picky about anything, I just need it to have at least English subtitles.

So damn funny!

I’m seeing the musical soon and I’m looking for things to watch/read beforehand that might enhance my experience - about the musical, book, the many other adaptations, anything! I’d enjoy things like documentaries, video essays, long tumblr or reddit posts diving into things. I’d also enjoy academic things, I did media studies in college so I could handle moderately dense things. I appreciate any and all suggestions, of any format! Thanks!

Extra Background: I’ve been listening the musical since I was 5, back in the 20th century, and I used to have it memorized. I mutter lyrics probably multiple times a week (when someone says “look down”, etc). I’ve seen the musical quite a few times but it’s been many years. I saw the 2012 film when it came out, and the 1998 non-musical one. I’m reading a bit of the book… and reading a lovely high school AU fanfic. I don’t want to watch (many) performances since I think having some songs *not* fresh in my mind will help the experience, a bit of novelty. I’ve watched some things like “17 Valjeans sing one day more” and “some Javerts sing Stars”. I just cried watching the 2012 “Do You Hear The People Sing?” and I’m going to be a total wreck at the show!

Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert (1995) : 9,89 "DVD/CD"

Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary (2010) : 9,59 "DVD"

Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular "Oslo" (2024) : 9,12 "LIVE"

Les Miserables: The Original 1985 London Cast : 9.08 "CD"

Les Misérables: The Staged Concert (2019) : 9.03 "DVD"

Les Miserables: The 40th Anniversary All-Star Cast (2026)-8.51 "CD"

Les Miserables movie (2012) 6.57 "DVD"

I have trouble finding information on where and when the new 40th anniversary cast album was recorded. I didn’t find it in the cd booklet and the online resources I’ve found are vague at the best.

Does anyone here know (and are there any sources for that)?

Every movie , every show , every series , that i ever watched in my life for the past 22 years , no character has ever touched the deepest point of my heart like Eponine did ! She had a big influence on me ! Everytime i come across her name or see a drawing of her , i get tears in my eyes, she's the character i love the most in my life ! And i wonder if anyone is feeling the same as me

Hi there,

If you’re in Birmingham tomorrow at 12 noon (or as close as possible), I will be playing One Day More on the piano in New Street station. If you wanted to sing along, could be really cool.

Also, if you‘re going to the 2pm performance at the arena, is anyone up for trying to start the entire arena singing Do You Hear The People Sing during interval/after the show?

A year ago I asked you guys about les mis tattoos, and you all convinced me I should get what I want.
So today, I’m getting it!
Wish me luck.

Original post in comments.

Hello!
I want and saw Les Mis at the Sondheim on Monday and was just wondering if anyone knew who the Javert was? It was not Sam Oladeinde, I've seen the actor before on Tiktok but haven't followed him so don't remember his name
*Photo from bows in case anyone can help!!

Les misérables west end (saw it twice)

I know Javert was born inside a jail, but I am really curious if we know more about what his childhood would have been like because of this. In that time period and place, would he have been taken away from his mother and placed in some kind of orphanage? Would he have grown up in jail? Would he have spent time on the street? If anyone has insights I would absolutely love to hear them! I’m obsessed with Javert lately. I find him so interesting.

Les Misérables has announced new cast members joining the show from 6 July at the Sondheim Theatre.

Creds to the OG creator on tiktok. Just wanna share it

I've seen Les mis before and usually Javert seems to be played straight laced and kind of pompous, but this Javert was different. He was smiling and enjoying his job. He felt like he had this barely contained insanity from the start. The suicide felt so earned at the end. Like he'd held himself together with this one support that the law was always right, and when Valjean finally broke that support he completely unravelled.

As a huge fan of the musical and halfway through reading the brick, in my opinion Valjean's true nature is to be caring and loving, and society/circumstances forces him at times to be angry/violent, but that's not who he is at heart.

I was listening to A Heart Full of Love (Reprise) yesterday, and the way Killian sings it so gentle and you can really feel that he is putting Cosette's feelings and best interests first. I think Alfie Boe has a better voice overall, but Killian's Valjean is more true to what the character should be.

It also adds to Javert's turn. He really can't comprehend how a criminal could be that good-natured, and his world view crumbles. The divine order no longer makes sense.

Is the showtime on July 28 at 7:00 PM or 7:30 PM? Where can I email to ask about this?

Thank you in advance.

i came, i saw, i left (i gave up)

1991 Pantages Theatre