Les Mis Is Returning to the West End This Christmas — Here's How

The all-star staged concert production of Les Misérables will return to the West End this holiday season, running at the Sondheim Theatre, December 5-January 17.

Michael Ball and Alfie Boe will lead the company as Inspector Javert and Jean Valjean, alongside Carrie Hope Fletcher as Fantine and Matt Lucas as Thénardier. John Owen-Jones will sing the role of Jean Valjean at certain performances.

With the British government is still not allowing full-capacity audiences, the production will be restaged to comply to social distancing regulations and play to a reduced seating capacity of 750. Covid-19 safety measures and social distancing restrictions will take place throughout the building.

In order for the production to break even financially, the musical's authors have waived their royalties, the theater has waived rent payments, and the leading actors will work for a fee that's "appreciably less than their normal salaries," according to producer Cameron Mackintosh.

Mackintosh said in a statement, "The Chancellor has said we need to live with this virus without fear and as a theater producer and theater owner that is exactly how I and my colleagues feel – the show must go on – but safely for both audiences and everyone onstage as well as backstage. Time to grab the masks of comedy and tragedy once more!"

Les Misérables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, original French lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, American lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, with additional material by James Fention, and adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. It is based on the novel by Victor Hugo.