London Theatre News Today: Friday 20 December

It was announced today that Matt Lucas will be stepping into the role of Thénardier in the new production of Les Misérables which reopened at the newly refurbished Sondheim Theatre (formerly Queen’s Theatre) on Wednesday. 

Lucas, who is known best for his leading roles in Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, will return to the part on Monday 23 December for six weeks. He will be stepping in for Gerard Carey who was told on the morning of his first performance, that he would be unable to perform during this period in order to rest his vocal chords and avoid long-term damage to his voice. However, fans of Carey will be pleased to know that he is expected to return to the role on Monday 2 February 2020.

Cameron Mackintosh said: “Just as I was thanking the gods of the theatre for getting the spectacularly rebuilt Sondheim Theatre open on schedule with our brilliant new cast and production, we heard that our irrepressible Thénardier, Gerard Carey, would not be allowed to perform for several weeks due to a serious problem with his vocal chords. Though obviously a disappointment for him and all of us, I’m thrilled to announce that Matt Lucas has volunteered to abandon his Christmas plans and rejoin Les Mis as Master of the House after his recent triumph in the Staged Concert at the Gielgud Theatre. He will play alongside Josefina Gabrielle as Madame Thénardier while Gerard recovers and returns to the company in February.”

The multi-award winning comedian, screenwriter, actor and singer, Matt Lucas, recently reprised the role of Thénardier at the sold-out Les Misérables Staged Concert at the Gielgud Theatre as well as the critically-acclaimed West End production Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre (then the Queen’s Theatre) and the show’s 25^th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena.  

Besides starring in Les Miserables, Lucas’ other theatre credits include Taboo at the Leicester Square Theatre and the touring production of Little Britain Live.

If you’d like to see the legend on stage in this epic show, snap up your tickets now!

We caught a first look at Circus 1903 following its opening night at the Royal Festival Hall. Running until 5 January, this heart-stopping, jaw-dropping spectacle is welcoming The Wheel Of Death for the first time. Complete with a ginormous rotating apparatus featuring large metal hoops at each end, performers Carlos Mayorga Macias, Jerson Alexander Valencia Garcia and Ray Freddy Valencia Bocanegra will carry out eye-popping acrobatic skills whilst the wheel is rotating.

Other exciting new acts include the daring duo aerial act, The Flying Fredonis, performed by Russian artists Dasha Shelest and Vadym Pankevych, Cuban hand balancer, The Great Rokardy (Rokardy Rodriguez) and the furious flexible feats of Russian Rolling Ball Hula Hoopist, Mademoiselle Natalia (Natalia Leontieva).

With contortionists, acrobats, jugglers, trapeze and high wire performers – and much, much more – Circus 1903 will transport people of all ages to the mesmerising Golden Age of circus, making it the perfect treat for a family outing!

Magic legends, Penn & Teller (Groan Ups, The Play That Goes Wrong) have used their wand once again to conjure up the tricks for Mischief Theatre’s brand new West End comedy, Magic Goes Wrong.

We take a glimpse at the spellbindingly disastrous comedy that promises to make you howl with laughter.

Images for the King’s Head Theatre’s revival of Kevin Elyot’s Coming Clean have been released today! 

Directed by Adam Spreadbury-Maher, Coming Clean looks at the breakdown of a gay couple’s relationship and examines complex questions of fidelity and love. Starring in the show at Trafalgar Studios 2 from 8 January will be Lee Knight as Tony, Elliot Hadley as William/Jurgen, Stanton Plummer-Cambridge as Greg and Jonah Rzeskiewicz as Robert.

Following its acclaimed 35th anniversary production last year, Coming Clean is returning to the intimate venue and promises to be an elegiac, rewarding and gripping show to see. Grab you Coming Clean tickets below!

It was announced today that Emilia Clarke will make her West End debut in 2020 in Anya Reiss’ adaption of Chekov’s The Seagull. Following on from their critically-acclaimed production of Cyrano de Begerac, The Jamie Lloyd Company’s second show will play at the Playhouse Theatre in association with British Airways from 19 March until 30 May. Read more about it below!

Brand new glittery production images have been released from Sandi and Jenifer Toksvig’s Christmas At The (Snow) Globe playing at the Shakespeare’s Globe until 23 December.

When someone steals the magic of Christmas from Snowdrop, the magical fairy who watches over during the winter months, Toksvig and her merry gang require your help to bring it back to the Globe.

Audiences will sing their hearts out to classic Christmas songs with the incredible Fourth Choir and make paper chains to decorate the theatre, all while restoring some festive cheer back into the Globe! So put on your Christmas jumper, and head on down for the most heartwarming family-friendly Christmas show.

As part of the longstanding partnership between Dear Evan Hansen and Microsoft Store, the West End cast of the Tony Award-winning musical recently visited the flagship store on Oxford Circus to host a special performance for the community. The event took place to help celebrate the first offering of the Creating Connections with Dear Evan Hansen workshop which is aimed at turning the same technology that can lead to isolation – a key theme of Dear Evan Hansen – into a force for positive connection.

Running every Sunday at 2.30pm, the free two-hour workshops focus on educating and empowering teens to build more meaningful connections in their everyday lives.