‘You are not asked to like “Les Misérables”. You are asked to admire it.’
So declared former Time Out theatre editor Susie MacKenzie in a terse third-of-a-column review of a musical that opened at the Barbican in October 1985 (no star rating, we were too highbrow back then).
It’s now part of the myth of ‘Les Misérables’ – enthusiastically burnished by its lead producer Cameron Mackintosh – that the critics hated it but the public lapped it up, propelling it to world dominance on the back of pure people power. In fact, the reviews were mixed and McKenzie’s response is typical: the musical – a co-production between Mackintosh and the RSC – was so disorientingly bombastic that reviewers seemed a bit dazed and confused by the whole thing. This was long before ‘Les Misérables’ became ‘Les Mis’, and nobody had any inkling it would go on to become the longest-running London musical of all time.
That’s exactly what Trevor Nunn’s production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s all-singing Victor Hugo adaptation became, though. Following Jean Valjean – a humble French peasant who spends 19 years in jail then battles appalling odds to make something of his life – ‘Les Mis’ has become a true London icon. It hopped from its short stint at the Barbican to 19 years at the Palace Theatre, then on to a further 15 at the Queen’s Theatre. It’s been seen around the world – it’s the sixth-longest-running Broadway show of all time – but London is its real home, where it’s the longest-running musical ever. Maybe the stratospheric UK success of a show about the little-known Paris Uprising of 1832 is a sign that we’re a truly international city. Maybe it just proves that musical theatre – which lest we forget, also gave us ‘Starlight Express’ – is just pretty random.
Whatever the case, with still-ubiquitous tunes such as ‘One Day More’ and ‘I Dreamed a Dream’, ‘Les Mis’ has indeed experienced one day more, then another day more, then several thousand other days more. What’s its secret? Lots of things. There are undoubtedly some stone-cold bangers in the song list. Serious, emotional musicals tend to have more success than silly, lightweight ones, and ‘Les Mis’ is very, very serious. Success begets success: in part it’s popular because it’s now so famous. And Mackintosh has kept it in good order: it continues to makes use of world-class performers, and it’s been discreetly tweaked over the years, with the somewhat ’80s-tastic original score updated a few years back. The recent blockbuster film didn’t hurt either.
However. The last year has been the weirdest one in the show’s history, as – and you might want to take notes – the original production closed in July, to be temporarily replaced by a concert version, which has in turn been replaced by the ‘new’ version that’s been rolled out across the globe over the last few years, leaving London the last place in the world where you could catch Trevor Nunn’s RSC production. Cameron Mackintosh would like us to accept the ‘new’ version of ‘Les Mis’ as pure continuity, and although you can understand why Nunn is fuming, the fact is that Mackintosh has a point. As it turns out, the changes are fairly superficial: broadly speaking, the iconic revolving stage is out, some fancy new projections are in, and that’s about the size of it.
So why do it? A cynical soul would perhaps speculate that Mackintosh no longer wanted to share credit with the RSC, which had enjoyed a solid stream of revenue from the show over the last 34 years. But the superproducer is a notorious perfectionist, and we should probably take him at his word when he says that he sincerely thinks this is a better version.
The truth, though, is that while Mackintosh made ‘Les Misérables’, it is now much bigger than him, and I suspect he’d only dare tweak it so far. It is not just a musical. Here in London it is the musical, and it will live on a long time after its producer is gone – and perhaps the rest of us too.
‘Les Misérables’ is booking at the Sondheim Theatre until Oct 17.
What is it? This surprisingly indie style musical adaptation of the blockbuster 2004 Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore romcom radically tinkers with the set up and running time (ie it’s short) to leave a sweetly quirky love story with some nice ’60s-style tunes.
Where is it? The Other Palace.
What is it? This long-gestating musical version of ‘Back to the Future’ is so desperate to please that the producers would doubtless offer a free trip back in time with every ticket purchase if the laws of physics allowed.
Where is it? Adelphi Theatre
What is it? Technically known as Beetlejuice The Musical. The Musical. The Musical, this massive scale Broadway adaptation of the classic Tim Burton comedy horror movie has been a big hit in the States. For those unfamiliar, Burton’s 1988 film concerns a couple who die and awaken in the afterlife, only to discover that a ghastly new family has occupied their dream home. They summon the batshit mental ‘bio-exorcist’ Betelgeuse to drive the interlopers away, with catastrophic results.
Where is it? Prince Edward Theatre, dates TBC.
What is it? South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s Broadway-munching musical is a somewhat improbably big-hearted affair that sails close to the wind at times but nonetheless pays note-perfect homage to the sounds and spirit of Broadway’s golden age.
Where is it? Prince of Wales Theatre.
What is it? Years after its original superstar leads Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley moved on, Rebecca Frecknall’s stylish take on the Kander & Ebb classic keeps going, thanks to Tom Scutt’s virtuosic delight and a steady stream of talking point leads.
Where is it? Playhouse Theatre.
What is it? The Devil Wears Prada is an all-singing adaptation of the 2006 millennial classic about a mousy young journalism graduate who blunders into the job of PA to a tyrannical, Anna Wintour-alike fashion editor. The songs are by none other than Elton John. The director-choreographer is Broadway veteran Jerry Mitchell. There’s some serious talent involved. And yet being turned into a musical does… almost nothing for it.
Where is it? Dominion Theatre.
What is it? A regular Christmas visiter to the West End, Elf the Musical rolls back into the West End for ’25 with the same blunt-force charm as Buddy, its star. Apart from a few tweaks and a couple of excised characters, the story largely follows the smash-hit 2003 Will Ferrell movie vehicle that’s now a perennial Christmas favourite.
Whereis it? Aldwych Theatre.
What is it? What a long, strange trip it’s been. Indie-folk musician Anaïs Mitchell’s musical retelling of the Orpheus story began life in the mid-’00s as a lo-fi song cycle – going through the next 14 years blow-by-blow would be time-consuming, but in short thanks to what I can only describe as THEATRE MAGIC, Hadestown is now a full-blown musical directed by the visionary Rachel Chavkin, its success as a show vastly outstripping that of the record.
Where is it? Lyric Theatre.
What is it? Okay, let’s just get this out of the way. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ludicrously hyped rap musical Hamilton is stupendously good. Even if it’s become a slight victim of its own cultural ubiquity, it is undoubtedly the musical of our age.
Where is it? Victoria Palace Theatre.
What is it? Disney’s latest stage musical is a solidly entertaining, kiddie-orientated adaptation of its beloved Greek mythology based 1997 animated smash.
Where is it? Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
What is it? The second musical to be staged at the Bridge is a revival of the late, great Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, his puckish musical subversion of the Brothers Grimm fairytales. The show will be directed by Jordan Fein, an American making a serious name for himself over here thanks to his excellent 2024 Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre revival of Fiddler on the Roof.
Where is it? Bridge Theatre.
What is it? If you’re in the market for sexy rearrangements of AOR smashes combined with a hagiographic account of Bob Geldof’s Band Aid and Live Aid projects, then boy are you going to love Just for One Day, which transfers to the West End after success at the Old Vic in 2024.
Where is it? Shaftesbury Theatre.
What is it? Technically the longest running musical of all time (despite basically getting replaced by a new production a few years back) Les Mis could be transposed to space, or underwater, or to the height of the Hittite empire and it would basically be the same show as long as the singing was on point.
Where is it? Sondheim Theatre.
Nothing prepares you for the sheer impact of The Lion King’s opening sequence. Yes, the musical is a long-established West End hit, adapted from a popular Disney film. But director Julie Taymor’s boldly expressionist use of masks and costumes still stuns to this day, even if it’s a little dispiriting that she has to work in all the farting warthog stuff.
Where is it? Lyceum Theatre.
What is it? The original jukebox musical (or certainly the longest lasting), it may be basic as hell but it's impossible not to fall for Mamma Mia!'s twinkling charms.
Where is it? Novello Theatre.
'Matilda' must be making its creators, playwright Dennis Kelly and comedian-songsmith Tim Minchin, a very pair of proud parents.
What is it? Big budget Michael Jackson musical MJ is the real deal, an estate-endorsed jukebox show that’s gone down a storm on Broadway.
Where is it? Prince Edward Theatre.
What is it? Director Alex Timbers’s dementedly maximalist ‘remix’ of Baz Luhrmann’s smash 2001 film is pure sensory overload. Frequently I found myself cackling hysterically at it, on my own, for no particularly good reason, other than how *much* it all is.
Where is it? Piccadilly Theatre.
What is it? SplitLip’s delightful spoof WW2 musical spent five years heading inexorably for the West End from its fringey behinnings; now it feels like it’s been there all along.
Where is it? Fortune Theatre.
What is it? Have we finally reached Peak Paddington? The young Peruvian bear’s spectacular film-begat renaissance finally goes there and offers up a big splashy West End musical. Super-producer Sonia Friedman has done the honours, assembling a crack team headed by playwright Jessica Swale doing the book and kids’ author and McFly member Tom Fletcher on songs, all directed by Luke Shepherd, who did such a good job with the smash revival of Starlight Express.
Where is it? Savoy Theatre.
What is it? I’m not sure any show ‘deserves’ to be the most successful entertainment event of all time, but I’ll hand it current holder of that title, The Phantom of the Opera – it still works hard for its audience.
Where is it? His Majesty’s Theatre.
What is it? The Globe has been staging outdoor Christmas shows for some years now, but they’re generally been pretty short, relatively low budget affairs. So this feels like a very bold commitment for the 2025 winter season: a full scale, full length new musical that will run outdoors through the darkest, coldest months.The musical is, of course, an adaptation of the story of Pinocchio, albeit explictly the batshit mental original Carlo Collodi version as opposed to the admitedly still pretty wild Disney take.
Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.
What is it? Back in the West End in a new production almost 20 years after its crazily hyped orginal run, Mel Brooks’s The Producers is undoubtedly of its time, but nonetheless remains tremendously good fun.
Where is it? Garrick Theatre.
What is it? ‘Remember us from your GCSEs? It’s Henry VIII’s six wives – and they’ve back, bitch, to re-tell ‘her-story’ as a slick, sassy girl band. Think Euro-pop remixes of ‘Greensleeves’, Anne Boleyn spouting tweenage text-speak (‘everybody chill/it’s totes God’s will’), and K-Howard warbling #MeToo tales of gropey employers. Six is the most successful and distinctive Brit musical of recent times.
Where is it? Vaudeville Theatre.
What is it? Quite possibly the most aggressively ‘80s artefact in existence, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Starlight Express’ is a musical about anthropomorphic roller skating trains that often feels like being forced to watch ten consecutive episodes of some trashy Saturday morning action cartoon…
Where is it? Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
What is it? While the RMS Titanic proved to be all too sinkable, this titanically camp musical spoof of the James Cameron film should sail on for quite some time. Or at least it will if its manifest target audience – unsubtly shouted out to as ‘gays’ at least twice during the show – is as enthusiastic for it here as in New York, where it’s been sitting pretty off-Broadway since 2022.
Where is it? Criterion Theatre.
What is it? Okay, it’s less glossy – and considerably shorter – than the film(s). But Stephen Schwartz’s stylish and bombastic Wizard of Oz musical prequel still delivers.
Where is it? Apollo Victoria.
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