West End impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh has attended a special performance of Les Miserables to celebrate a new theatre being named in his honour.
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in Peckham, south London, has named its new venue The Mack in recognition of his “long-standing support” for the institution, it said in a statement.
Sir Cameron gifted £1 million towards the building of the new theatre.
He was joined at the launch by Mountview alumni Amanda Holden, best known as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, and Olivier-nominated actor Cleve September.
He also gave his permission for his musical version of Les Miserables to be performed for the first time by a drama school to celebrate its opening.
Sir Cameron said: “The opening tonight of the new theatre The Mack at the heart of Mountview’s exciting new home in vibrant Peckham will resound appropriately with the thrilling voices of this year’s young talented final year students singing ‘When Tomorrow Comes’ as they perform the first ever student production of the full version of Les Miserables.
“I look forward to many more generations of students also receiving a magnificent start and training for the theatre when their tomorrow comes at Mountview in the future.”
Mountview chair Vikki Heywood added: “On behalf of Mountview I am thrilled to welcome Sir Cameron to open The Mack with a production of his iconic musical Les Miserables.
“This incredible theatre space will provide the next generation of talent with invaluable learning and performance opportunities for years to come and allows Mountview to continue offering the very highest level of dramatic training to our students.”
The Mack is a 200-seat theatre which “provides our students with professional standard facilities that mirror the exceptional quality of their work and prepare them for lifelong careers”, according to Mountview’s website.
