Les Miserables: The Arena Spectacular

A LES MIS FIT FOR ARENA

Cameron Mackintosh's international phenomenon, Les Miserables, will be embarking on a world tour with a spectacular new staging on a grand scale, with the legendary musical re-worked for full size arenas around the globe. Audiences in their thousands will be able to witness this timeless classic of musical theatre together as it celebrates almost four decades of success, the number of people having seen it estimated to be in the 100s of millions. Select dates throughout the tour will also include very special guest performers, including some of the most famous previous stars of the show taking it in turn to reprise their roles for short periods at a time.

Including the songs "Who Am I", "A Little Fall of Rain", "One Day More", "Bring Him Home" and, one of the most famous songs to come from the West End, "I Dreamed a Dream", Les Miz, the musical actually started out as a French-language concept album. The first musical-stage adaptation of Les Mis was presented at the Palais des Sports, in 1980.

It was not until 1983 that producer Cameron Mackintosh received a copy of the French concept album from director Peter Farago. Two years later, Les Miserables took to the Barbican stage, and the rest, as they say, is history. The stage musical also inspired a live-action musical film in 2012, starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway in her Oscar-winning role as the doomed Fantine.

What is the story?

Jean Valjean is released from prison after almost 20 years in captivity for stealing a loaf of bread, soon after, he breaks his parole and flees to start a new life free of crime. Eight years later, he has worked hard to give himself a better standing in life. However, none of his endeavours impress his embittered parole-officer - the bloody-minded Javert - who will stop at nothing to see Valjean behind bars once again.

Like her father, Valjean's beautiful adopted daughter, Cosette, has to fight for what she wants in life when she falls in love with Marius, a student who has joined the burgeoning fight for justice in the streets of Paris. Will their love be enough to save him from disaster at the barricade?