The Let The People Sing! project, our UK-wide amateur theatre initiative celebrating the 40th anniversary of Les Misérables, has now concluded its run. From March to August 2025, eleven community-wide productions of the full show — never before available to amateur groups while still playing in the West End — were staged across the UK in cities including Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Norwich, Porthcurno (Cornwall), and Swansea.
Each production was led by a principal amateur society in the city, collaborating with multiple local groups, backed by support from the show's West End and international creative teams. The shows were non-replica, featuring original staging rather than reproducing the professional West End design. Opening night was in Belfast’s Grand Opera House in early March, and the project culminated in Brighton last month. The Belfast production became the fastest-selling amateur show in that venue’s history.
Collectively, the productions featured:
- 45 societies involved throughout the collaboration
- 833 amateur cast members
- 147 musicians
- 479 production team and back stage crew
The 11 productions were seen by 95,000 people, with box office grosses exceeding £3.1 million. For the first time ever, all productions sold specially created Let The People Sing! merchandise, with nearly 3,000 items sold.
By its end, Let The People Sing! has affirmed the vitality and capability of the UK’s amateur theatre sector. It brought Les Misérables in full to audiences and performers in communities tacross the UK. The scale of volunteer involvement—onstage, backstage, orchestral—was repeatedly praised. Many productions achieved sell-outs; many more sold very well.
For all involved, the experience served as a very high benchmark - professional values employed in community settings; for many audiences, a chance to experience Les Misérables afresh, with local voices.
