Complete company confirmed for new version of Les Misérables in Paris

A new French-language staging of Les Misérables is coming to Paris this winter – and the complete cast has been revealed.

The musical version of Victor Hugo’s doorstopper novel has been running in the West End for coming up on 40 years. It was first staged in French in France in 1980 after an initial release as a concept album. It came to London in 1985 in English after years of workshopping, led by producer Cameron Mackintosh.

The piece will play at Théâtre du Châtelet from 22 November to 31 December 2024, with the venue stating that libretto has been reworked for the occasion by Alain Boublil.

The show features a whole host of original tunes in French, including “J’avais rêvé” (“I Dreamed a Dream”), “À la volonté du peuple” (“Do You Hear the People Sing?”), “Mon histoire” (“On My Own”) and “Le grand jour” (“One Day More”).

The show tells the story of 1800s escaped convict Jean Valjean, on the run from the imperious inspector Javert, against the backdrop of a France experiencing major revolt and civil unrest.

The show made a small cameo during one of the more exciting passages of the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony.

As already revealed, playing Jean Valjean is Benoît Rameau, four-time winner of the Gordes Melodies Competition, with Sébastien Duchange (The Jungle Book in Paris) as Javert and Claire Perot (Sally Bowles in Cabaret in Paris, directed by Sam Mendes) as Fantine.

Another Cabaret alum, former Emcee David Alexis plays Monsieur Thénardier, while Madame Thénardier is played by Christine Bonnard (Mamma Mia!). UK-trained, Mountview graduate Juliette Artigala (We’ll Have Nun Of It) will play Cosette, with The Voice star and Air France airline pilot Jacques Preiss as Marius.

The Lion King’s Océane Demontis (who also played Asha in the French version of Disney film Wish) plays Éponine, with another Lion King star, Stanley Kassa, as Enjolras. Maxime de Toledo (Showboat and Camelot on the New York stage) plays the Bishop of Digne.

The performers playing Gavroche are Paul Wandrille Charbonnel, Liam Jabnoune, Victor Bigot and Gaspard de Cerner, young Cosette are Maëlys O Neil, Louise Monteil, Bertille Grégoire and Iris Monzini, and young Éponine Émilie de Froissard, Suzanne Bafaro, Roxane Carbonnier and Penny Padilla.

The ensemble is composed of Basile Alaïmalaïs, Mickaël Alkemia, Grégory Benchenafi, Cédric Chupin, Ronan Debois, Joseph De Cange, Vincent Gilliéron, Bastien Jacquemart, Alexandre Jérôme, Yoann Launay, Ryan Malcolm, Arnaud Masclet, Henri Pauliat, Harold Simon, Juliette Behar, Ludmilla Bouakkaz, Ambre Brisset, Mathilde de Carné, Clara Enquin, Myriana Hatchi, Louise Leterme, Camille Mesnard, Barbara Peroneille and Ariane Pirie, while the swings are Lara Pegliasco, Charlotte Hervieux, Louis Buisset and Bastien Monier.

The new production has musical direction by Alexandra Cravero and Charlotte Gauthier, direction by Ladislas Chollat, choreography by Romain Rachline Borgeaud, set design by Emmanuelle Roy, costumes by Jean-Daniel Vuillermoz, lighting by Alban Sauvé, sound by Unisson Design, video by Cutback, design assistance by Marie Hervé, costume assistance by Zoe Caillet, intimacy coordination by Fanny Guiard-Norel, fight direction by Hugo Bariller, rehearsal accompaniment by Arnaud Tiberius-Inglesse

Performances will be subtitled in French and English – we advise checking with the venue as to which dates have subtitles if required.

The West End production continues, as does the international arena tour.