When Les Misérables first opened at the Barbican on 8 October 1985, critics were far from convinced.
The Observer dismissed it with the headline “Victor Hugo on the Garbage Dump,” while The Sunday Telegraph called it “a lurid Victorian melodrama.” Yet four decades later, the show that nobody thought would last is not only still running, but has become a cornerstone of London theatre history — the world’s longest-running musical and a story whose themes of love, sacrifice and resilience continue to resonate.
Adapted from Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel, the musical follows ex-convict Jean Valjean as he seeks redemption while pursued by Inspector Javert, culminating in the student uprisings on the Paris barricades. Following its English-language debut in 1985, Les Mis ran for 19 years at the Palace Theatre and since 2004 has been at the Sondheim (previously the Queen’s Theatre). More than 150 million people in 55 countries have seen it, it has been translated into 22 languages, spawned an Oscar-winning film and produced hit songs from I Dreamed a Dream to One Day More that have become anthems far beyond the stage.
On 8 October the show marks its 40th anniversary with a sold-out charity gala at the Sondheim. Nearly 100 performers will take part, joined by alumni including Patti LuPone, Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Samantha Barks, Matt Lucas and Frances Ruffelle. Tickets vanished in just 45 minutes, a sign of the devotion the show inspires. Impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh called the anniversary “an extraordinary feeling,” adding: “Having staged milestone performances at the Royal Albert Hall and the O2 Arena, I wanted to bring this celebration home to where the British version first began at the Barbican in 1985.” All proceeds from the gala will go to The Felix Project and UKHarvest, two charities tackling hunger in Britain.
For Boe, Valjean was a role he once doubted he could play. “Coming from the Royal Opera House, my training was operatic and I didn’t think it was something I could do,” he told the Standard. “But when I listened to the music and saw the show, I just fell into the character. I wanted to make Cameron [Mackintosh] and Claude-Michel [Schönberg] proud, act the hell out of a great role and sing some classic music.”
His performance at the 25th Anniversary O2 Arena concert alongside Michael Ball and Matt Lucas proved transformative — “something really special and a moment I’ll never forget” — launching him from opera star to one of the most celebrated Valjeans of his generation.
Now a veteran of both Broadway and the West End, he sees Les Mis as “a huge family unit,” where no role is more important than another. “In my eyes there are no principal roles — everybody plays a special part in the production. Everybody is as important as each other.” He believes that is what has kept the show so fresh: “There have been so many Valjeans and not one of us is the same. Each actor brings a new element, a new interpretation, and that’s why audiences keep coming back.”
Katie Hall, who plays Fantine, has been connected to Les Mis for most of her career. “I first played Cosette when I was 18 in London and then in the 25th anniversary concert at the O2. I’ve been playing Fantine since 2018, but in that time Covid happened and I’ve had a few babies, so the show has woven through different chapters of my life,” she explained. “To be asked to do the 40th anniversary is the greatest honour — I’m so proud.”
She recalls filming a cameo for the 2012 movie, although sadly, her scene didn’t make the final cut, and admits she almost lost her composure when she heard Patti LuPone would be back for the gala. “She’s an icon,” she smiles.
For Shan Ako, currently starring as Éponine, the show’s universality is what gives it lasting power. “It’s an incredible time to celebrate the show and to be chosen to play Éponine for that is very special,” she says. “More stories like Les Mis are needed and I’m so glad that Les Mis exists. The topics it covers are so key in life and it’s such a great reminder because we all go through these mountains of ups and downs.” She points to the lyric in Bring Him Home — “God on high, hear my prayer” — as a message of enduring hope. “Tomorrow will come, no matter what it looks like. It’s so beautiful and so hopeful, and I’m really thankful to be a part of it.”
Bradley Jaden, currently playing Javert, says the show has been nothing less than life-changing. “It’s the greatest honour of my career. To be a small part of it once would have been enough, but I’ve been lucky to play Enjolras, to close the original revolve production, and now to open this inspired version as Javert.
“When the pandemic shut down the West End, Cameron revived Les Mis in a stripped-back staged concert at the Sondheim, keeping the show alive while other theatres were dark. That version later grew into an international tour, taking the story to 11 countries and more than a million people. Standing ovations every night — from Japan, where it’s beloved, to Italy, where it had never been staged before. It proves the story speaks across languages and cultures.”
He likens the show to an apprenticeship. “Les Mis is where you really learn your craft — starting in the ensemble, covering, stepping into new roles. It’s never about the individual, the whole show only works as a team. I’ve learned from others every step, and now my hope is to inspire the next generation so it keeps going for another 40 years.”
That longevity is what makes the 40th anniversary more than just a milestone; it is proof that a show once written off as too bleak has become London’s greatest theatrical export. As Mackintosh put it: “Victor Hugo’s creation has proved to have no bounds, continuing to reach new corners of the Earth, swept along by Boublil and Schönberg’s inspirational score. The reaction of audiences, wherever they are on the planet, is always uplifting.” In a West End landscape where shows come and go, Les Misérables has weathered criticism, competition, even a global pandemic — and emerged still singing.
