Anger as Les Mis drops musicians
by Sally Bramley for The Stage

Musicians' Union officials have begun talks with Cameron Mackintosh's organisation after the producer unveiled plans to use a computer in place of 12 of the 21 musicians from Les Miserables' orchestra when it moves to the Queen's in March.

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<small>[ 08 July 2004, 12:56 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

The showman must go on
Cameron Mackintosh's musicals have made the West End's fortune. But it's time to move on - and that means sacking 13 orchestra members from Les Miserables and replacing them with a machine. 'It's progress!' he insists. Emily Bearn meets him for The Daily Telegraph.


Sir Cameron Mackintosh describes his tastes as "stylishly common" - an instinct that has made him one of the most uncommonly successful theatre producers in the world. As the man who pioneered the international mega-musical (Les Miserables has been seen by 50 million people; Phantom of the Opera and Cats have each made more than £2 billion), he is now one of showbusiness's most formidable giants, and certainly one of its richest.

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MU ballot approves use of sinfonia for Miss Saigon
by Ruth Gillespie for The Stage

The Musicians' Union has ratified Cameron Mackintosh's plans to use the controversial 'virtual orchestra' device in his latest regional tour of Miss Saigon - replacing live musicians with a sinfonia machine.

In an internal ballot of 395 MU members in the theatre section, 238 voted for the option to use the sinfonia on the Miss Saigon tour. Approval comes with a warning that the union would not allow any further use of the equipment in theatres governed by the Theatrical Management Association agreement until ongoing negotiations to agree restrictions and safeguards governing its use had been concluded.

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<small>[ 08 July 2004, 12:57 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>