Matt Lucas lands role in 'Misérables' special

Matt Lucas (Getty)

A huge, one-off production of the popular musical Les Misérables is to be staged at the O2 Arena in London featuring the comedian Matt Lucas, it was announced yesterday.

Three different versions of the show will be performed in London during the same week for the musical's 25th anniversary – a theatrical first.

Other names who will appear in the O2 Les Misérables show on 3 October include the opera star and Broadway performer Alfie Boe, Gary Barlow's protégée Camilla Kerslake, the pop star Nick Jonas and a cast of 300.

The show, which includes a variety of well-known numbers such as "I Dreamed a Dream" and "Do You Hear the People Sing?", first opened in October 1985 at London's Barbican. It will be the first time Lucas has returned to the stage since he pulled out of a West End play late last year following the suicide of his former partner Kevin McGee.

The comedian has previous experience of appearing in musicals, playing the role of Leigh Bowery in the Boy George show Taboo in 2002. For the O2 show he will take on the role of Thenardier, while Jonas – best known as one of the Jonas Brothers – plays Marius.

The performance will also feature members of the original 1985 cast, including Lea Salonga, as well as others who made their names through the show such as Norm Lewis, who appeared in the Broadway run.

As well as the original production running at the Queen's Theatre, there is also a special 25th-anniversary production which is being staged at its original home, the Barbican, for a 20-night run.

Les Misérables became the longest-running West End musical in 2006 – two years after moving to the Queen's Theatre from the Palace Theatre, its home since December 1985.

Earlier this year, it celebrated its 10,000th performance, and worldwide it has been seen by 56 million people. The West End producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh is developing a film version.

Tickets for the O2 show go on sale on 6 June.