Does anyone know if the current production of Les Mis in London is the original play or the remake? I absolutely love the original, and actually used the soundtrack through labor of my first child. I was so excited to take our family to see Les Mis when it was travelling through the US a few years back and was absolutely dismayed at how the changed it to make it "more modern". For me, it really lost the emotional connection and was simply too fast paced. I would love to see it again if it were the original play but don't want to waste my money if it's the remake, which I fear it is. I've read the marketing materials but can't really tell.
Posted by
Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
1937 posts
The original West End production opened in 1985 at the Barbican Arts Centre.
According to Wikipedia:
On 4 December 1985, the show transferred to the Palace Theatre, London and moved again on 3 April 2004, to the smaller Queen's Theatre, with some revisions of staging and where, as of August 2018,[23] it is still playing. It celebrated its ten-thousandth performance on 5 January 2010.[24] In October 2015, the West End production celebrated its 30th anniversary.[25] The co-production has generated valuable income for the Royal Shakespeare Company.[26]
Unlike the Broadway production, which closed and was revived several times, this is the "original" production. Note that the original Broadway production involved some reworking of the London version, so I can't say for sure that what's you'll see in London will satisfy you.
Posted by
London
254 posts
I saw the London production ages ago, in 2009, but it sounds like it's still the same one. I believe it was the original rather than a modernized remake. I was in the show as a student and the production was the same version we used; same also as the recording from the 10th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall. I think you can go and anticipate enjoying it!
Posted by
Imperial, Missouri
1002 posts
I just saw this in London in May. It is not the remade version that I saw a few years ago. It is similar to the broadway version I saw several times in the 90s, but not the same. I would say it is closer to the 90s broadway version than the new one. I thought it was really good, but the way! Well, I liked all three versions.
Posted by
New York, NY
4071 posts
I would love to see it again if it were the original play but don't
want to waste my money if it's the remake, which I fear it is. I've
read the marketing materials but can't really tell.
If you're very familiar with the original soundtrack, modern or not, it won't be the same when you see a current production of Les Misérables 33 years later. It wasn't the same when we saw it in 1988. We still enjoyed it but the voice of Éponine that you love on the original soundtrack, for example, isn't comparable with anyone else IMHO. So if you're Ok with that, then enjoy.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5866 posts
You might read the reviews on theatremonkey to see if you can discern any changes:
Posted by
22 posts
Hello,
I'm going to London with my son in a few weeks. I'm thrilled that Les Mis will be there! I'd love some advise as to whether I should buy tickets online or wait till we get there. I remember reading somewhere that one could usually purchase tickets at a discount on the day of the show. Would this be true for Les Mis?
Thanks so much!
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
For the first-time visitors posting above: Discount offers depend very much on the show. Current hits do not need to discount. Old-timers such as The Glums might do some discounting. Even so, if you want certainty, and are picky about your choice of seats, advance reservations buy peace of mind. TheatreMonkey can give you some sense of what shows may discount at the moment.