INTERVIEW | Luke Kempner, Les Miserables

Les Miserables is a timeless classic that has been playing in London’s West End since 8 October 1985 and now has played to millions of audiences across the world too! Joining the history of this iconic musical for the second time in his professional career is Luke Kempner. We had the opportunity to chat with Luke about his journey with one of the most iconic musicals of all time.

How does it feel to be joining the iconic West End production of Les Miserables this month for the second time?
It feels amazing, you cannot wipe the smile off my face. Every time I walk up to the theatre, I take another selfie to send to my wife and mother - I’m so excited. It’s different to the first time I did the show. Obviously, It’s the same production, but it’s very different playing Thénardier, which is a role I’ve always dreamed of doing. I didn’t think it would happen now, and until I open the show, I still don’t feel like it’s happening.

You are also a comedian and impressionist, what did you do first - musical theatre or the comedian/impressionist work?

Well, I started off as an actor. I trained at the Guildford School of Acting, training as a musical theatre performer. I did shows like Les Mis and Avenue Q, as well as the Tony Award-winning production of South Pacific directed by Bartlett Sher, and I also did the musical Lift at the Soho Theatre, which was amazing. I stopped doing musicals to become a comedian because I had always wanted to do comedy and impressions, which I had been doing when I was at drama school.

During my time in Les Mis, we did a cabaret night and I did impressions of the cast, and it was one of my favourite nights. It reignited this flame that this was what I wanted to do. It’s been about 10 years since I’ve done musicals, with touring and Edinburgh and television and radio going on. It’s been an incredible journey and it’s amazing to be back.

What is your favourite thing about doing musical theatre which is different to your other work?

Being part of a team is exciting. It can be quite solitary doing comedy, you come off stage and there’s no one to high-five and say, ‘great show buddy’. I’m excited to be part of a big team. I love everyone in the cast already, and it has been amazing making new friends. It’s strange to think that when I first joined Les Mis I was 21, and now looking at the cast I’m one of the older people in the company – it blows my mind! I’m not sure I’ll be the most mature, but it’s incredible to be part of a cast.

It’s also nice to know that the material works. Half the trouble with being a comedian and writing a new show is testing the material. But I know that Les Mis works as it’s been running for nearly 40 years.

Where do you start with developing this role? What have been the challenges, if any? 

I’ve done so much research into the Victor Hugo novel about Thénardier. I knew I’d be able to do the comedy side of it but really wanted to bring out the darkness from the novel. I’ve spent a lot of time plotting out the evil of him, because I feel that the comedy is there in the show already. I went to see Gerard Carey play the role, who is incredible, so I’ve got to up my game. Claire Machin who plays Madame Thénardier is such a phenomenal performer – I’ve always felt that you learn the most from the people around you and that’s certainly what I’m doing with Claire now.

So many different people have undertaken this role in the past, is there an underlying pressure with that at all?
Yes – there’s huge underlying pressure. Whenever you tell anyone, they say, ‘that’s the part Matt Lucas played… that’s the part Sasha Baron Cohen played.’ Even going to see Gerard Carey play the role, he’s so good. I feel a huge amount of pressure, a huge amount of imposter syndrome, but I’m up for the challenge.

Why do you think Les Miserables remains one of the most popular productions that the West End has to offer?
The musical and story are incredible, it’s beautiful. It’s one of the greatest novels of all time. It’s been 12 years since I last did the show, and I look at it in a different way now – I have a daughter, so now I cry my eyes out when Fantine has to say goodbye to Cosette. What I love about the longevity of the show is that you keep coming back and experiencing the show in a different way. It’s fantastic, I’ve never got bored of it.

If you were to return to Les Miserables for a third time in a different role, who would you play and why?
I’d love to play Jean Valjean, but there are a couple of notes that are a little too high for old Kempner – ‘Bring Him Home’ would be tough every night. I do think I could sing Javert, but I might be a bit scrawny. You look at Stewart Clarke, he’s a strong, strapping, striking, ferocious man, whereas I’m a scrawny little idiot, so I don’t think I’d be quite right… but maybe one day.

What is your favourite song from the iconic score? 

Master of the House… all the Thénardier bits. To be honest with you, my favourite is Javert’s Suicide. When Earl Carpenter was Javert I used to watch it from the wings. I used to play the dead body that Thénardier brings into the sewers – it was quite an iconic role! 

Finally, what is one moment in this show that remains with you as one of the most significant in the show?
There’s two moments for me. One is Valjean letting Javert go and Javert not knowing what to do with himself, because he can’t handle the fact that Valjean, the man he’s been hunting all these years, has let him go.

But also, now I have a daughter, Fantine dying chokes me up, even now. That moment when she dies, and she’s been doing everything for her daughter and is so broken. The thought of giving away my little girl and doing anything I could to send money and keep her alive is heartbreaking. I think Katie Hall is going to be an incredible Fantine.

Luke Kempner is performing in Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre. Book your tickets with TodayTix from £23.