#LesMisWeek: The play that almost didn't happen.

Never once did Sir Trevor Robert Nunn, co-director of the West end version of Les Miserables with John Caird, underestimate the undertaking, recalling "We're going to do a musical show and it's got 'miserable' in the title. Its got 29 on stage deaths ... it's about French history and there are no dance routines, no tap shoes, no fishnets ..." and maybe the reasons he stated are some of the reasons that initially it was wondered if Les Miserables would even continue past it's opening night at the Barbican, even though it had had modest success in Paris. Critics were divided in opinion. Some couldn't give enough praise to the 'soaring score' whilst others claimed that it had cheapened Victor Hugo's incredible literary work, indeed some critics went even further stating that the novel wasn't even worth cheapening in the first place and two of the leading critics described it as "The Glum's".
Never once, in those apparently hopeless first days of Les Miserables stage career, did anyone predict the rave reviews that it would later receive, its success as a West end show, or indeed the franchise. In fact the advance at the Box office was so poor that Sir Cameron, who had only 24 hours to change his mind about the shows move from the Barbican to the west end, rang his understandably nervous financial backers. Here I think is a fantastic time to put in a massive thank you, why? Because they agreed and took one of the most profitable decisions in theatre history ... As did an equally skeptical Andrew Lloyd Webber (Sir, Baron and Lord) who had only recently purchased the Palace Theater. The show moved to The Queen's theater in 2006.

Les Miserables, has shown both the dubious critics and the rest of the world that dance routines, fishnet tights and a happy sounding title aren't needed to make a musical a success. It has become one of the West end's longest running musicals behind. According to the Society of London Theater, its the second longest running show with over 11,603 performances since it began in 1985, compared to the 25, 393 Mouse Trap performances since it had its debut performance in 1952. I bet Lloyd Webber and the financial backers can barely contain their glee.