Fan's dedication is music to the ears (From Stroud News and Journal)

Fan's dedication is music to the ears

DIE-hard Les Miserables fan Sally Frith has proved she is barricade barmy after seeing the hit show no fewer than 651 times.

The King's Stanley play worker, 39, has spent an incredible £20,000 seeing the top musical in venues across the UK and abroad.

"I have been everywhere to see it," she told the SNJ. "I have been down to Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, even Broadway in America.

"I have seen the concert version in Cardiff and in Stockholm, although luckily it was not in Swedish.

"We go to see other musicals as well but Les Miserables just seems to have everything a musical should have. It still gives me a buzz."

Sally was first hooked after seeing the heart-wrenching musical with mum Diana in 1988 but amazingly she claims she has never cried in the sad bits.

"No, I have never cried at all," she said. "I suppose I know what is going to happen now."

The Les Mis fanatic has even got to know many of the cast of the West End hit through her weekly visits and now regularly joins them backstage for post-performance gossip.

"I go to the stage door before and after every show," she said. "Some people say it is a bit mad but each to their own. They spend their time going down the pub and I do this."

Of all the shows she has seen, Sally says the 10th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 1995 would take the top spot.

"They had cast members from 20 different countries come on to reprise the final song," she recalled. "It was a really special experience."

Sally is now hoping the show will see out its 20th anniversary next year and go on to beat Cats as the longest running West End musical.