Stage comeback at the O2

Matt Lucas is to star in a huge, one-off production of Les Miserables at London’s O2 Arena.

He will head a cast of 300 for the October 3 spectacular, designed to celebrate the musical’s 25th anniversary.

Co-stars will include Nick Jonas – of the squeaky-clean Jonas Brothers – and opera singer Alfie Boe

It will be Lucas’s first return to theatre since pulling out of a West End production of Prick Up Your Ears early last year following the death of his ex-partner Kevin McGee.

His previous musical experience has included his role as Leigh Bowery in the Boy George show Taboo in 2002.

The Little Britain star will take the role of Thenardier, while heart-throb Jonas plays Marius.

The show is still running at the Queen's Theatre, while an additional 25th anniversary production will be staged at its original home, the Barbican, for a 20-night run. With the O2 show, it means three different versions of the show will be performed in London in the same week – a theatrical first.

Les Miserables became the world's longest running musical in 2006, and earlier this year it celebrated its 10,000th performance.

Tickets for the O2 show go on sale on Sunday.

Published: 2 Jun 2010