Woman watches Les Miserables...for the 740th time

A woman will today see a hit musical for the 740th time. Sally Frith said yesterday she has seen Les Miserables 738 times and by tonight her tally will have moved up to 740 as she celebrates the 21st anniversary of the show's 1985 opening in London.

The 41-year-old from Kings Stanley in Gloucestershire said she has spent nearly £30,000 seeing Les Miserables since first witnessing it in 1988.

"Someone recommended going to see Les Miserables 18 years ago. I got hooked and I've been going ever since," said Miss Frith, a children's play worker.

"I've spent just under £30,000, including food, travel and hotels. I don't drink or smoke, I've got no vices apart from the theatre."

She is booked in at the Queen's Theatre in the West End for the matinee and evening showings today.

Tickets were £5 in 1988. They are now £22.50, but the price hike has not put Miss Frith off. "I will keep going along for as long as Les Mis is showing, for another 18 years maybe," she said.

As well as in London, Miss Frith has seen a touring version of Les Miserables in Edinburgh, Bristol, Birmingham, Stockholm and on Broadway. "I know about 90 per cent of the words now. I can usually tell if there's a mistake," she said.

Miss Frith's mother Diana added: "It's her hobby, like going to see the football."

Les Miserables, produced by Cameron Mackintosh, is based on Victor Hugo's novel about 19th century France.

With a run of more than 8,500 performances, it will overtake Cats as the longest running West End musical of all time tomorrow.