Record-breaking magic of Les Misérables heads for The Lowry
Tue 10 – Sat 21 August 2010
Press night: Thu 12 August, 7.30pm
The Lowry is set to wow audiences during its tenth anniversary year with one of the biggest musicals of all time - Les Misérables. It's the first time producer Cameron Mackintosh has had a show at The Lowry and the exciting 25th anniversary production is one the public can’t get enough of.
Broadway and West End star John Owen-Jones stars as Jean Valjean; Earl Carpenter, known from The Phantom and The Witches of Eastwick stars as Javert. They are joined by pop sensation Gareth Gates who plays the role of Marius. More recently he has played the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre and was a semi finalist in Dancing on Ice 2008.
The magnificent new production includes spectacular new designs inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo and the world renowned score of Les Misérables including the songs, I Dreamed a Dream (currently the world’s most popular song!), On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home, Do You Hear the People Sing?, One Day More, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, Master Of The House and many more.
Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on 8 October 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on 4 December 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on 3 April 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When Les Misérables celebrated its 21st London birthday on 8 October 2006, it became the World’s Longest Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats in London’s West End.
Seen by over 56 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe. There have been 34 cast recordings of Les Misérables, including the multi-platinum London cast recording and the Grammy award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold nearly two million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,000 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 100,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools.
Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Les Misérables is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. The original London production of Les Misérables was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.
This new production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell and designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. Original costumes by Andreane Neofitou, lighting by Paule Constable and sound by Mick Potter.
Tue 10 – Sat 21 August 2010
Press night: Thu 12 August, 7.30pm
The Lowry is set to wow audiences during its tenth anniversary year with one of the biggest musicals of all time - Les Misérables. It's the first time producer Cameron Mackintosh has had a show at The Lowry and the exciting 25th anniversary production is one the public can’t get enough of.
Broadway and West End star John Owen-Jones stars as Jean Valjean; Earl Carpenter, known from The Phantom and The Witches of Eastwick stars as Javert. They are joined by pop sensation Gareth Gates who plays the role of Marius. More recently he has played the title role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre and was a semi finalist in Dancing on Ice 2008.
The magnificent new production includes spectacular new designs inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo and the world renowned score of Les Misérables including the songs, I Dreamed a Dream (currently the world’s most popular song!), On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home, Do You Hear the People Sing?, One Day More, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, Master Of The House and many more.
Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on 8 October 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on 4 December 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on 3 April 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When Les Misérables celebrated its 21st London birthday on 8 October 2006, it became the World’s Longest Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats in London’s West End.
Seen by over 56 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe. There have been 34 cast recordings of Les Misérables, including the multi-platinum London cast recording and the Grammy award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold nearly two million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,000 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 100,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools.
Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Les Misérables is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. The original London production of Les Misérables was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.
This new production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell and designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. Original costumes by Andreane Neofitou, lighting by Paule Constable and sound by Mick Potter.
Posted on Thursday, 21 January 2010 under News Press Theatre Press