The Man who’s been in Les Misérables for 15 years says we can all use the show to cope with trauma

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Let’s take Les Misérables, a hugely popular and respected musical in London’s West End. It’s known for its grand story, moving music, and inspiring themes. After 40 years, it remains a dream role for anyone starting out in theatre, and the part of Jean Valjean – the main character – is particularly prestigious.

Given that actors like Hugh Jackman, Colm Wilkinson, and Alfie Boe have previously played this part, you’d anticipate the audition process to be incredibly challenging, mirroring the difficult path of the character. However, for one particular hopeful, the experience unfolded in a rather different way:

Cameron Mackintosh [producer] approached me, gave my shoulders a reassuring squeeze, and said, ‘You’ve got what it takes to play Marius, even through the challenging sewer scene.’

I’m just kidding, because stage actor Killian Donnelly had already worked incredibly hard before he even began playing the part.

The Irish singer began performing in the West End production of Les Misérables in 2008 as an understudy. The next season, he became the second cover for the roles of Javert and Enjolras, meaning he was ready to step in and play those parts if needed.

Prior to leaving the show in 2011, he had taken on the lead role of Enjolras and also served as the third understudy for Jean Valjean.

In 2010, he joined many famous past cast members to play Courfeyrac (a student revolutionary) at the 25th Anniversary Concert of the show, held at London’s O2 Arena. Additionally, and quite painfully, he was filmed being shot in the neck for the 2012 Les Misérables film, although that scene didn’t make the final cut.

The feeling of unreality continued when the actor received a secret invitation to the Academy Awards in 2013, and he ended up performing for the audience in Hollywood.

I’ll never forget it! I was actually performing in Billy Elliot when my agent called with the most incredible news. She said, ‘Tomorrow morning, 8AM, you’re heading to the American Embassy – and I’ve already signed a non-disclosure agreement for you.’ I arrived, and it was surreal – seemingly out of nowhere, a representative from Cameron Mackintosh appeared and told me I would be performing at the 85th Oscars ceremony! It was completely unexpected and a dream come true.

Okay, so I was at the Oscars, and Seth MacFarlane was hosting. It was surreal – I actually got to stand on stage with the cast of Les Misérables. And I’m looking down, and there’s Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Steven Spielberg… all of them! Honestly, I just kept thinking, ‘this is unbelievable.’ It was one of those moments where everything felt totally unreal.

Then, as I began singing One Day More, I felt incredibly confident and powerful. It was as if we were untouchable. We all left the stage feeling like rock stars.

Five years passed before Donnelly received the opportunity to play Jean Valjean in the West End production. Although he was a little bothered that they thought he appeared to be over 40, he said the moment felt like . Despite the initial feeling, he embraced the role and the opportunity.

He explained, “This isn’t just a workplace. It’s a wonderful and inspiring building where you’re actually compensated for pursuing your passions.”

After speaking with four cast members from the Les Mis 40th anniversary production, a common feeling has emerged. Actors such as Donnelly and Katie Hall (who currently plays Fantine) have worked their way up and earned leading roles through skill and dedication – which is relatively rare in the entertainment industry.

Donnelly specifically commended producer Cameron Mackintosh, noting that “Cameron consistently supports those starting out and gives everyone in the cast – including ensemble members and understudies – the opportunity to advance to leading roles. He genuinely believes in people, telling them ‘you’ve earned this, it’s your time to shine.'”

He continued, saying: “If you’re joining Les Misérables hoping to use it as a stepping stone for your own career, that approach won’t succeed. Once you become part of Les Mis, you must remain dedicated to the show; you become one of its advocates.”

It’s clear that Donnelly has continued to play the role, performing on tour in 2018 and in London in 2023. He also shared the role with Alfie Boe during the global Arena Spectacular tour.

He’s back at the Sondheim Theatre for a series of special performances celebrating the show’s 40th anniversary, which will continue until November. He’ll be performing with Bradley Jaden as Javert, Katie Hall as Fantine, and Jac Yarrow as Marius.

I was really curious, watching him step back into the role of Valjean again, if his perspective on the character had evolved with this new performance. It’s interesting to think about how an actor’s understanding of a role can change over time, and I wondered if that was the case for him this time around.

I’ve rediscovered my love for the opening speech, because he’s incredibly raw and wild at that point. He reminds me of a troubled, unpredictable dog, and I really enjoy portraying that. There’s no weakness, no gentleness, no affection – just pure aggression, and the music allows me to fully express that intensity.

It’s really quite healing, Valjean. If someone accidentally bumps into me at Tesco, or my train is late, I immediately feel the need to deliver a soliloquy. It’s a way for me to release all that built-up aggression and emotion.

He continued: “Les Mis helps a lot of people really, we all face trauma and heartache. I’ll be talking to some people in the cast and they could be 22 years old and they’ve just moved to London and they’re lonely or going through a breakup and I’ll say ‘put it into the show’.

It’s like, be grateful you’re not currently performing in Hairspray, where the demands are constant stepping, tapping, and smiling. Here in Les Misérables, you get to powerfully shout and freely express all of those deep, heartfelt emotions.

It’s consistently fulfilling. Each and every time I complete the performance, as the lights dim and the audience erupts, it feels like a true reward.

So, after playing many supporting roles, taking on four leading parts, appearing in four West End shows, completing two tours, and even portraying a character with a fatal neck injury, Killian Donnelly has definitely earned some recognition.

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2025-10-03 09:44