Les Misérables

When it comes to musicals, they don’t come much bigger or better than the legendary Les Misérables!

What?

Les Misérables, or ‘Les Mis’, is one of the most popular musicals in the world – and for good reason!

Despite having been witnessed by over 50 million people worldwide since 1985, nothing feels in the slightest bit dated and the show still regularly sells out. If you haven’t found out what all the fuss is about, it’s probably time you got yourself down to Queen’s Theatre!

Overview

Les Mis follows the story of escaped convict, Jean Valjean, over decades of revolution and upheaval in 19th century France. Pursued relentlessly by policeman and nemesis, Inspector Javert, Valjean adopts and raises the daughter of dying prostitute, before joining the fight for freedom.

Of course, there’s much more to the musical than that, but we don’t want to give away any of the good bits!

Food

Although there is no dining facility within Queen’s Theatre, there are numerous restaurants in the area that cater for just about any culinary cravings. In fact, the theatre even provides a special restaurant-booking tool to help you choose!

Drink

There is a bar in the Queen’s Theatre and, for a central London theatre, it isn’t outrageously expensive. Naturally, you’ll get more bang for your buck at the locals bars and pubs, but you won’t have time to nip out there at the interval.

If you’re new to the theatre, you might like to know that you can pre-order your interval drinks before the show. It speeds things up.

Who?

It’s a rare person who can sit through all of Les Misérables and not be very moved. It is a staggering display – musically, visually and emotionally – and, though the story is a sad one, the spectacle itself is not, as some expect, a bit of a ‘downer’.

It is not, however, a perfect family night out. Like most musicals, Les Misérables typically appeals most to an adult audience and, at about 3 hours long, it may also be inappropriate or tedious for those under 14.

Do also bear in mind that children under the age of 4 will not be allowed into the theatre at all.

When?

Les Mis is performed every evening at 19:30, except for on Sundays. Alternatively, you can head over at 14:30 on Wednesdays or Saturdays to catch a matinee performance.

A word of warning; late comers are not allowed into the theatre until an appropriate break in the performance. If you’re keen to see the first part of the show, therefore, make sure you’re there on time!

In fact, we advise you get there anything up to an hour early, to absorb the ambience and enjoy a drink at the bar. If you find it a little too crowded, hot or pricey inside the theatre bar, Shaftesbury Avenue offers a staggering array of places to grab a drink or bit to eat.

Where?

Since 2004, Les Misérables has been performed at the Queen’s Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.

From the Megaro: From Kings Cross Tube station, jump on the Piccadilly Line Westbound and, after about five minutes, leave at Leicester Square. If you miss the stop, you can get off at Piccadilly Circus instead – it’s not that much farther away.

Queen’s Theatre
51 Shaftesbury Avenue,
London,
W1D 6BA
Phone: 0870 950 0930

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