Everything You Need To Know About Les Miserables (2026 Guide)
Les Miserables is the world’s longest-running musical, seen by millions in the West End and beyond, and featuring some of the most beautiful songs ever written. But have you heard the people sing, or are you wondering what exactly all the fuss is about? From heart-wrenching storytelling to iconic characters, we’ve created the ultimate guide. Keep reading to find out about what it’s about, why it’s lasted so long, and whether it’s worth seeing (spoilers: it is) – at the end of the day, you’ll be an expert on all things Les Mis!
What is Les Miserables About?
Les Miserables is a sung-through musical that tells an incredible story of redemption and revolution in 19th-century France. It begins with Jean Valjean, a convict who has spent 19 years in prison after stealing a loaf of bread. When he receives his parole ticket, his reputation means he cannot find work, so he resorts to stealing silverware from a bishop. The bishop protects him, but asks in return that Valjean tries to become a better man. Valjean then breaks his parole and escapes, assuming a new identity. Inspector Javert vows to track him down.
Years later, Valjean has made a good life for himself as a factory owner. When one of his workers, Fantine, dies, he vows to look after her daughter Cosette. She is being cared for by the greedy Thenardiers, innkeepers who demand payment before he can take her under his wing. The pair later escape to Paris, but Javert follows them.
Years later, a student group called Friends of the ABC are dreaming of revolution and urge Marius Pontmercy to join them in their fight against the establishment. Amongst their number and supporters are idealistic leader Enjolras, street urchin Gavroche, and the Thenardier’s neglected daughter Eponine, who is in love with Marius.
Marius soon meets and falls in love with a now teenage Cosette, and the pair vow to marry. But the June Rebellion is coming and soon Valjean, Javert, and the students will all meet at the barricades…
Who Wrote Les Miserables?
Les Miserables was written by French novelist and dramatist Victor Hugo and published in 1862. Hugo was very politically active, and his strong views on poverty, capital punishment, slavery and other inequalities were a key feature of his work – not just in Les Mis, but in other famous books like The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
The weighty book – which has over half a million words – was adapted into a musical by French lyricist and composer duo Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg. It’s their biggest show by far, but not their only success: they also wrote Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre and The Pirate Queen.
Is Les Miserables a True Story?
Despite being heavily inspired by real events, Les Miserables isn’t a true story. The major characters are all fictional, and represent social issues that were typical in 19th century France.
Parts of Les Mis that are historically accurate include the 1932 June Rebellion, which is represented by Marius, Enjolras and the students; and the fate of female characters like Fantine.
From Page to Stage: The Birth of a Musical
The journey of Les Mis began with another classic musical: Oliver!. Alain Boublil was watching the show in London, and when the Artful Dodger appeared he suddenly pictured plucky street urchin Gavroche running across the stage. Soon, all of the characters in Victor Hugo’s novel fell into place, and he suggested adapting the book into a musical to his collaborator, composer Claude-Michel Schönberg.
The duo knew that this epic story would make the perfect musical, with passionate love triangles, incredible journeys of redemption and revenge, and larger-than-life characters. They worked on an initial demo album for two years, which sold 260,000 copies.
In 1980, the French concept album was released, with actors including Maurice Barrier as Jean Valjean and Jacques Mercier as Javert. Later that year, in September, the show was staged in Paris for a limited run.
Fast forward to 1983, and British theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh – ironically, the man behind Oliver! – received a copy of the concept album. He’d just opened Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats on Broadway, and was on the lookout for his next hit show. Mackintosh was initially unconvinced that Les Mis would work, but he agreed to collaborate with the Royal Shakespeare Company on an English-language version of the musical. Herbert Kretzmer and Siobhan Bracke adapted the lyrics and book, with additional material by James Fenton.
Mackintosh and the RSC opened Les Miserables in London in October 1985 at the Barbican Centre, before transferring it to the West End – where it’s remained ever since!
When Was Les Miserables First Performed?
The musical was first performed, in French, in September 1980 at Palais de Sports, Paris. It ran for three months and was seen by over 500,000 people.
When Did Les Mis Open in London?
Les Miserables began previews at London’s Barbican Centre on 28 September 1985, with an official opening night on 8 October 1985. The original London cast included Colm Wilkinson as Valjean, Roger Allam as Javert, Patti LuPone as Fantine, Alun Armstrong as Thenardier, and a young Michael Ball as Marius.
It transferred to the West End’s Palace Theatre on 4 December 1985, where it stayed for almost 20 years. On 3 April 2004 it moved to the Queen’s Theatre (now called the Sondheim Theatre), which is its current home on The Strand.
The original London production opened with an iconic revolve staging. The current production which opened in 2019 is a newly staged version with modern sets and orchestrations, based on the 2009-2010 UK tour designs.
How Long Has Les Mis Been Running?
Les Miserables is the world’s longest-running musical, and turned 40 on 8 October 2025. In London, it’s only beaten by Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap for staying power, and is almost exactly one year older than its fellow West End stalwart, The Phantom of the Opera.
To celebrate four decades on stage, Cameron Mackintosh assembled an impressive Les Miserables 40th anniversary cast who performed for eight weeks in Autumn 2025.
Has Les Miserables Won Any Awards?
Despite being one of the most famous musicals of all time, the original West End production of Les Mis was nominated for just four Olivier Awards:
- Musical of the Year
- Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical – Colm Wilkinson (Jean Valjean)
- Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical – Alun Armstrong (Thénardier)
- WON: Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical – Patti LuPone (Fantine)
It lost out on Best New Musical to Me and My Girl, and Robert Lindsay won Best Actor – also for Me and My Girl! However, Patti PuLone took home the Actress gong for her incredible portrayal of Fantine.
The musical fared better on Broadway, with 12 Tony Award nominations and eight wins, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.
Critics are one thing, but Les Mis has been a consistent fan favourite – it won the audience-voted Olivier Award for Most Popular Show twice, in 2012 and 2014.
Is the Les Miserables Musical Worth Watching?
This incredible show is definitely worth seeing and has earned its reputation as one of the best musicals of all time – it even gets standing ovations every night and more than a few tears from the audience! You might have seen the Hollywood film of Les Mis, but in our opinion it simply doesn’t compare to the stage original: you should make the trip to London to see it in person for a completely new appreciation of the songs, stories and incredible acting.
Want to hear from real theatregoers? Read reviews of Les Miserables on our production page.
Les Miserables at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
| How long is the show? | 2 hours and 50 minutes, including a 15-minute interval |
| Where is it playing? | The Sondheim Theatre in London’s West End |
| What is the age recommendation? | Recommended for age 7+. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult |
The Songs and Characters of Les Miserables
Les Mis is possibly the most famous musical in the world, with instantly recognisable songs and characters. If you need a quick guide to the main ones before you watch, keep reading.
The Iconic Les Miserables Songs
Ask any musical theatre fan, and they’ll tell you that the songs in Les Mis are some of the very best in the entire genre – from heartbreaking love songs to desperate soliloquies and lighthearted comedy, it really does have it all.
There are around 50 songs in the show, including solos and ensemble numbers. Some of the most famous include:
- “I Dreamed a Dream” – Fantine
- “One Day More” – Company
- “On My Own” – Eponine
- “Stars” – Javert
- “Bring Him Home” – Valjean
- “Master of the House” – The Thenardiers & Company
Les Miserables Characters
Les Miserables features some of the most iconic characters in musical theatre, performed by world-class actors. It’s considered a real honour to be part of the Les Mis West End cast, and many actors return to the show throughout their careers.
The major roles in Les Mis are:
Jean Valjean. The show’s main protagonist. Valjean is a former convict who served 19 years of hard labour after stealing a loaf of bread for his sister’s family. He later breaks his parole and assumes a new identity. Valjean becomes Cosette’s guardian and aims to live as a reformed man.
Inspector Javert. The show’s main antagonist. Javert is a police inspector obsessed with the law, and is consumed by his desire to find and recapture the escaped Valjean.
Fantine. A young woman who falls into poverty. When she loses her job at Valjean’s factory, Fantine is forced to sell her hair – and eventually her body, as a sex worker – in order to provide for her daughter Cosette.
Cosette. Fantine’s daughter, who ends up in the care of the Thenardiers until Jean Valjean takes her in. She later falls in love with student Marius Pontmercy.
Marius. A young and idealistic student who takes part in the June Rebellion. He is torn between his love for Cosette, his affection for long-time friend Eponine, and his loyalty to the student rebels’ cause.
Eponine. The Thenardier’s daughter. Eponine always feels second-best, and for most of the show is in unrequited love with Marius.
Enjolras. A leader of the student rebels group Friends of the ABC, who urges his fellow academics to join the June Rebellion.
Thenardier and Madame Thenardier. Secondary – and comedic – villains in Les Mis. The Thenardiers are opportunistic, greedy innkeepers who take in Cosette (for a fee) and later give her to Valjean (for a fee). They resort to petty crime and often cross paths with Valjean and Javert.
Gavroche. A young street urchin who is often seen with the Friends of the ABC.
How to Get Tickets
Tickets for Les Mis are available to book in advance online, with a range of prices to suit all budgets. At SeatPlan, we have thousands of user-submitted seat reviews and photos to help you decide where to sit.
Find your seat: View our Sondheim Theatre interactive seating plan.
Your Complete Les Miserables Toolkit
- Les Miserables Tickets: Find the best prices and availability.
- Sondheim Theatre Seating Plan: Choose the perfect seat with real photos from fans.
- Les Miserables West End Cast: See who’s currently starring in the show.
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