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Theatre
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Les Miserables
Starts on Friday 1st January 2010 and ends on Friday 1st February 2013
Jean Valjean, released on parole after 19 years on the chain gang, finds that the yellow ticket-of-leave he must, by law, display condemns him to be an outcast. Only the saintly Bishop of Digne treats him kindly and Valjean, embittered by years of hardship, repays him by stealing some silver. Valjean is caught and brought back by police, and is astonished when the Bishop lies to the police to save him, also giving him two precious candlesticks. Valjean decides to start his life anew. But will fate allow him to? The acclaimed, long running musical extravaganza Les Miserables continues at the Queen's Theatre. It's far more serious than the conventional musical, and this allows for grand, operatic choral numbers that have an emotional power far beyond the West End norm. A brilliantly executed and intense evening.
More information
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| Queen's Theatre
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| Shaftesbury Avenue, London |
| Travel: Leicester Square tube station |
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The paradox of the Queen's Theatre, so ugly outside, so gorgeous within, is explained by a German bomb, which destroyed the faade and foyer in 1940. For almost twenty years, the theatre stood empty, before a reconstruction in 1959 created the current curve of concrete and brick. A photo in the foyer shows the theatre as it once looked, but if you want to see it in reality, the Gielgud Theatre is almost identical to the original design. The effect of stepping into the auditorium from such a bleak surround is truly magical, with the exquisite cream and gold colour scheme, and domed ceiling more than compensating for the errors of the reconstruction. A venue that has focused on short runs of high-quality dramas for much of its existence, the Queen's Theatre has been home to many of the greatest British actors, including Noel Coward's final stage appearances, Vanessa, Lynn and Jemma
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