Floz

Amazing and wonderful. Thank you so much and to the person who got the clips to you. I dont know either of the songs, so I'll just have to keep listening to become familiar with them!

the lovely comment is at 19 minutes - to save people listening to the whole thing

Sounds fantastic. So glad it all went wonderfully for him (though I had no doubts that it would). Its great that he has these opportunities to reach a different audience and people with influence

Thanks for the link I particularly like the comment they should bring back Miss Saigon just for Gareth Gates to star in,

Got a text late last night: Show amazing. Gaz amazing. Everyone loved him. Theatre busy.

I think I am going to need to read that just before I go!!

Ah, but its a rubbish league Gareth!! :tongue:

What an interesting collection of people (just how old is Nicholas Parsons????). Brilliant to see Gareth's name amongst such company.

It was the first item in 'whats making the news' - just saying that he is playing Marius in the tour.

found a very nice photo of G at the races - thanks to this, so I've done a separte thread

I love the fact you can find out little snippets about him by reading other people's tweets (esp given that G seems to have stopped tweeting) So he's at Sandown today, judging a best dressed horse (the mind boggles ??) competition and yesterday was on a Ryanair flight and packed his own lunch rather then being ripped off (v. sensible)!!

Aww. That's great. Good to get from someone who has played it previously. (Now what we want is a comment from Michael Ball!!)

Ooh. I wonder if Gareth is also signed up till then?

Nice announcement from the local press in Norwich http://www.edp24.co.uk/content/edp24/news/...3A57%3A25%3A090 Gareth Gates heads to Norwich in Les Mis JON WELCH Last updated: 30/06/2009 05:57:00 Multi-million-selling pop star Gareth Gates, who became a West End success in Joseph, is to star in the world tour of Les Misérables which reaches Norwich Theatre Royal next year. Gates, 24, will play Marius in the brand new 25th anniversary production of the world's longest-running musical, which comes to Norwich from February 16 to March 10. The singer shot to fame in 2002 in the first series of Pop Idol. Despite finishing runner-up to Will Young, he was signed by Simon Cowell's BMG label and went on to become a top-selling artist whose version of Unchained Melody is still the second- best-selling single of this decade. Gates also proved he could cut it on the West End stage in the title role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as well as showing off his athleticism by reaching the semi-finals of Dancing on Ice. He is one of three performers confirmed for the cast of the show. The lead role of Jean Valjean will be played by Broadway and West End star John Owen Jones, who was recently hailed by the New York Post as the best actor to play the role in many years. Earl Carpenter has also been signed to play the part of Javert following on from his acclaimed performances in the same role in the West End. He is no stranger to leading roles in the West End, having played the devilish Daryl Van Horn in The Witches of Eastwick. John Bultitude, of Norwich Theatre Royal, said: "We are really excited to welcome Gareth Gates to the theatre to the first time. He has gained wide acclaim for his role as Joseph and his on-stage ability must have impressed Cameron Mackintosh, allowing him to win a part in such a major tour. "He will also be appearing opposite two fantastic West End performers and the news of the latest casting will help to encourage even more people to come to Norwich to experience a true theatrical event. "We are delighted that Norwich is really being put on the map as one of the key UK venues for such a highly anticipated tour of such a lavish musical." About 13,000 seats have already been sold for the show's visit to the city. As well as bookings from across East Anglia, theatre staff have also had inquiries from people from London and Kent. The theatre will be hosting the tour alongside some of the country's biggest venues including Cardiff's Millennium Centre, Manchester's historic Palace Theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome and the Edinburgh Playhouse before the show heads abroad, starting with performances at Paris's Chatelet Theatre in late May 2010. The musical has already been seen by over 56 million people worldwide in 42 different countries and performed in 21 languages. The magnificent score includes the songs I Dreamed A Dream, On My Own, Bring Him Home and Do You Hear The People Sing.

We'd discussed the rumours here but now all officially confirmed on the OS. Edits ....Thanks Garethsohot for posting also. I think we must have done so at the same moment! - threads now merged. JOHN OWEN JONES TO STAR AS ‘JEAN VALJEAN’, EARL CARPENTER AS ‘JAVERT’ AND GARETH GATES AS ‘MARIUS’ IN CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S EXCITING NEW 25TH ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION OF THE WORLD’S LONGEST RUNNING MUSICAL “LES MISÉRABLES” EMBARKING ON A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL TOUR COMMENCING IN THE UK AT THE WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE CARDIFF ON 11 DECEMBER 2009 Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that John Owen Jones will star as ‘Jean Valjean’, Earl Carpenter as ‘Javert’ and Gareth Gates as ‘Marius’ in the exciting new 25th anniversary production of the World’s Longest Running Musical “LES MISÉRABLES,”. The production will have spectacular new designs inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo and will embark on a major international tour commencing in the UK at the WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE CARDIFF on 11 December 2009 where it recently went on sale, breaking all box office records in the theatre’s history! Current tour schedule attached. Broadway and West End star John Owen Jones was recently hailed by the New York Post as the best Jean Valjean since Colm Wilkinson. As well as starring in “Les Misérables” in both the West End and on Broadway he has also appeared as ‘The Phantom’ in “The Phantom of the Opera” at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Earl Carpenter who is currently playing ‘Javert’ in the West End production of “Les Misérables” has also starred as ‘The Phantom’ in West End as well as the starring role of ‘Darryl Van Horne’ in “The Witches of Eastwick” at the Prince of Wales Theatre. Gareth Gates needs no introduction. A multi million selling popstar who still has the 2nd best selling single this decade. More recently he has played the title role of ‘Joseph’ in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre and was a semi finalist in ‘Dancing on Ice’ 2008. The magnificent score of “LES MISÉRABLES” includes the songs, ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ (currently the world’s most popular song!), ‘On My Own’, ‘Stars’, ‘Bring Him Home’, ‘Do You Hear the People Sing’, ‘One Day More’, ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’, ‘Master Of The House’ and many more. “LES MISÉRABLES” originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on 8 October 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on 4 December 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on 3 April 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When “LES MISÉRABLES” celebrated its 21st London birthday on 8 October 2006, it became the World’s Longest Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by “Cats” in London’s West End. Seen by over 56 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, “LES MISÉRABLES” is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe. There have been 34 cast recordings of “LES MISÉRABLES”, including the multi-platinum London cast recording and the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold nearly two million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,000 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 100,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools. Cameron Mackintosh’s production of “LES MISÉRABLES” is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. The original London production of “LES MISÉRABLES” was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. This new production will be directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell and designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the works of Victor Hugo and John Napier. Original costumes by Andreane Neofitou, lighting by Paule Constable and sound by Mick Potter. Ends For further press information please contact Simon Raw on 01625 573906/07818 444 115 or email simon@rawpr.co.uk LES MISÉRABLES International Tour 2009/2010 http://www.lesmis.com 11 December 2009 – 16 January 2010 WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE CARDIFF Box Office – 08700 40 2000 Tickets on sale now http://www.wmc.org.uk 19 January – 13 February 2010 MANCHESTER PALACE THEATRE Box Office – 0844 847 2403 Tickets on sale 24 July http://www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk 16 February – 20 March 2010 NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL Box Office – 01603 63 0000 Tickets on sale now http://www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk 23 March – 17 April 2010 BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME Box Office – 0844 338 5000 Tickets on sale 3 August http://www.birminghamhippodrome.com 20 April – 15 May 2010 EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE Box Office – 0844 847 1660 Tickets on sale 20 July http://www.edinburghplayhouse.org.uk 26 May – 4 July 2010 PARIS THE CHATELET Box Office - +33 (0)1 40 28 28 40 Tickets on sale now http://www.chatelet-theatre.com FURTHER VENUES TO BE ANNOUNCED

Good stuff and well spotted

OOooh. Very exciting. How lovely to hear the clips up there too

Good fun. And sitting by the river in Chiswick sound pretty idyllic. Now all G has to do is learn how to add pictures and to follow people so he can have conversations with them

direct link http://twitter.com/Gareth_Gates

Coming in a bit late to this as I have been away but .....wonderful news. I LOVE the name and how great of him to still do the show that night.

Here we go..... wonderful stuff

Oh please tell me someone recorded it? For those of us 'up north' that don't get it?

Oh damn. I hadn't realised it was shown up here. Ho hum.

Performing too. Wonderful. Changed topic title so folk can see at a glance

Good stuff. Thanks. Hopefully someone can find out what day soon.