Today, Cameron Mackintosh announced the sad news that Killian Donnelly will be leaving the London production of Les Misérables. His final performance as the heartbreaking Jean Valjean (or prisoner 24601, depending on how you feel about him) will be Saturday 9 June 2018. But, ironically, it’s not all doom and gloom as Killian will continue to play Jean Valjean during the UK and Ireland tour of the Broadway production.
On the subject of Killian’s reprisal, Cameron Mackintosh said: “When I announced the first UK tour of Les Miserables for ten years, I was really delighted that Killian said to me that he would like to continue playing Jean Valjean… He is the first Irishman to play the role since Colm Wilkinson in the original and I’m delighted that from advance bookings, this new tour looks set to be sold out before we open.”
Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean – an ex-convict who tries to find redemption despite being hunted by the policeman, Javier. When Jean Valjean’s actions cause a young girl to become an orphan, he adopts her and changes his life forever. Set against the backdrop of the French revolution, it’s a tale of love, retribution, loss and courage.
Boublil and Schönberg’s magnificent score of includes the songs: I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Stars, Bring Him Home, Do You Hear the People Sing?, One Day More, and many more.
Seen by over 120 million people worldwide in 45 countries and in 22 languages, Les Mis is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals. It’s London’s longest running show and as the last UK and Ireland tour was a sell-out, we expect this one will be, too.
Prior to his turn in Les Misérables, Killian played Charlie Price in Kinky Boots, for which he received an Olivier Award nomination. He also originated the role of Huey in the London production of Memphis, which also earned him an Olivier nomination.
Want to see Killian before he sets off on tour? Get your tickets to Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre, here. To find out all you need to know about Les Mis, click here.