Matt Lucas stepped in to play the role of Thénardier for a few weeks when Gerard Carey was unable to perform before the first preview of the new production of Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre last month due to vocal injury caused by pneumonia. Last week Lucas sustained a back injury which means he is unable to continue in the role. Ian Hughes who recently took over the role of Thénardier in the current UK and International tour of the show has now joined the London company until the end of February when Gerard Carey is expected to return to the role.
Ian Hughes was the first recipient of the Ian Charleson Award for his performance in Torquato Tasso and has appeared in the West End productions of Guys and Dolls at the Savoy Theatre, The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre and The 39 Steps at the Criterion Theatre. His many credits for the Royal Shakespeare Company include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, The Comedy of Errors, The Winter’s Tale and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Cameron Mackintosh said: “To lose one master of the house is unfortunate and two perhaps careless! I am delighted to be bringing Ian Hughes to the wonderful London Company to partner Josefina Gabrielle in order that Les Misérables can officially open at the Sondheim Theatre next week as planned. I am sure it will be third time lucky! I am so grateful to Matt Lucas who abandoned his holiday plans to help us out and am looking forward to welcoming back Gerard to the Company at the end of February. I wish them both speedy recoveries.”
The press night on 16 January at the Sondheim Theatre is confirmed to go ahead.
Ian will be out of the Les Misérables tour during the upcoming 5-week engagement at Theater 11 Zurich and will return to the tour when the production opens in Norwich at the beginning of March. The role of Thénardier for the run in Zurich will be played by Cameron Blakely.
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