West End's Queen's Theatre to be renamed the Sondheim Theatre after renovation

The Queen's Theatre in London's West End originally opened on 8 October 1907 with The Sugar Bowl, a comedy by Madeleine Lucette Ryley. Today, the theatre is home to the sensation production of Les Misérables. This month on the 13th July the show will stop and the Queen's Theatre will close its doors for a scheduled renovation. When the theatre re-opens in December - there will be a NEW Les Misérables production and the restored theatre will be re-named the Sondheim Theatre. The theatre will be named after Stephen Sondheim who will be celebrating his 90th birthday next March.

Les Misérables producer Cameron Mackintosh has said "When Les Misérables re-opens in December with the new production, the re-built and restored theatre will be re-named the Sondheim Theatre - a perfect companion to the Gielgud Theatre next door, named after the great actor John Gielgud, and the Coward and Novello Theatres, named after the two celebrated British writers and composers. For the past 25 years I have tried to build a Studio Theatre in central London named after Sondheim, but it wasn't to be. I felt this major refurbishment of a building that has housed his brilliant work was the perfect moment to put his name 'on some marquee all twinkling lights - a spark to pierce the dark'. Stephen Sondheim has always been that spark to all of us. Even as an eight-year-old boy dreaming about becoming a producer, I could never have dreamt a dream like this or be happier."

Stephen Sondheim said: "I have loved British theatre since I saw my first play here in 1958. I have treasured Cameron Mackintosh's support and friendship ever since he produced Side by Side by Sondheim in 1976. Cameron is synonymous with British Theatre, so the confluence on this occasion is truly exhilarating. I am chuffed, as you say in British English, to a degree I wouldn't have imagined. Or as we say in American English, it's awesome."

Book your tickets for Les Misérables HERE.