KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — Getting fascinated by a performance on screen is a special feeling, but working with those you idolised on a global stage is a surreal experience.
And this is exactly how it felt to Kuching-born actor Abel Law.
“I used to watch these people on YouTube, and now I’m asking Lea Salonga how her day was. It’s a life I never thought was real,” the 30-year-old told Malay Mail in a recent interview.
Law is not only one of the few Malaysians making a name for himself in the international theatre scene, but he is also part of the ensemble for Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular.
As a global touring extension of the iconic West End musical that has shaped London theatre for nearly 40 years, the production was recently on a world tour in Singapore that ended today.
While Law’s inclusion in the cast is a career-defining moment, the West End represents far more than London’s theatre district; it is a global benchmark of theatrical excellence recognised across the industry.
As part of the production, Law is employed by Mackintosh’s London-based company, ensuring the world tour maintains the same standards as the original production at the Sondheim Theatre.
Based on Victor Hugo’s classic tale of broken dreams, unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption, the Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular has been seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 54 countries and in 22 languages.
From law school to the Royal Academy of Music
Despite his lifelong love for music and singing, Law’s journey towards the West End began in his second year of law school after he survived three consecutive cardiac arrests and was placed in an eight-day induced coma on medical advice.
Facing the possibility of paralysis or loss of speech, his recovery triggered a deep personal reckoning that ultimately shifted his focus from law to performance.
“Because those nights in the ICU had got me thinking ‘why am I still here? Is there a reason why I survived these cardiac arrests?
“It got me thinking about my love for singing. I love performing, from when I was a kid until even during my university days I was performing.
“Then it hits me; maybe there is something more, something else for me,” Law said.
He added that after recovering and receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, Law completed his law degree but used the Covid-19 “reset” to apply to the Royal Academy of Music (RAM), even flying to London for auditions before international travel shut down.
Growing up in a musical family in Kuching, Sarawak where his family runs a music school founded by his grandfather, music was always present but treated largely as a hobby or a means of supporting scholarship applications.
When Law was accepted into RAM, he had to tell his parents, who were initially hesitant due to the cost and uncertainty of the industry.
They eventually gave him the green light on the condition that he secured his own funding, and his path aligned further when he was awarded a Disney scholarship that helped cover tuition.
“I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have this opportunity.
“I know so many people want this, but things don’t always fall into place for them the way they did for me.
“Every time I’m here, I tell myself: ‘Remember your roots,” he said, adding that he also did some public speaking classes online as a part time job to relieve the financial burden on his parents.
Getting into ‘Les Misérables’
Law is one of the few Malaysians who has performed in the West End, serving a three-week stint at the flagship London production before being offered a spot on the current World Tour. — Picture by Danny Kaan/BASE Entertainment Asia
After completing his Master’s in Musical Theatre at RAM, Law initially set his sights on Hamilton.
However, he was later scouted by Cameron Mackintosh’s casting team, leading to a successful audition for the Les Misérables UK tour (2021–2023).
He went on to make history as one of the few Malaysians to perform in the West End, stepping into the flagship London production for a three-week stint before being offered a place on the current world tour.
Before joining the Arena Spectacular, Law built a strong résumé in the UK theatre scene.
His credits include Pacific Overtures at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Miss Saigon at the Sheffield Crucible.
Even during his training at RAM, he stood out in lead roles such as Bobby Strong in Urinetown and Collins in Rent, alongside a performance in Roles We’ll Never Play at West End Live 2021.
The discipline and camaraderie among the cast
Performing in musical theatre, especially large-scale productions, is physically demanding, and Law describes the multiple layers of costumes including mic belts, waistcoats and coats that make even basic things like bathroom breaks difficult to time.
Because of his heart condition, he maintains strict discipline over his health, prioritising sleep as both a luxury and necessity while carefully monitoring his diet and voice to maintain peak performance.
To stay in top condition, he avoids dairy before shows and treats himself like an athlete, managing energy levels carefully as the ensemble remains on stage for most of the production.
He also shared that the cast has developed a “positive vibe circle” before each show, similar in spirit to a group prayer, which has become an essential ritual on tour.
He said the practice helps maintain unity despite the intensity of touring life.
“When you’re always with people, some days you feel annoyed, sad, or irritable, and conflicts happen.
“Which is why we would have this ‘circle’ before every show. It’s a reminder that we are here to do the show together, that is our job.
“Once we’re on that stage, we look out for each other. We are a unit, and we have to function as one. Whatever happens after we head home is a different story, but while we work, we are one,” Law said.
He added that the ensemble’s role is to create the “atmosphere” that allows the principal cast to shine.
In the Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular ensemble, Abel plays four distinct roles ranging from a prison guard and street pimp to a prostitute and wedding steward.
He also understudies two contrasting characters: the Bishop (the moral compass) and Bamatabois (the villain who beats Fantine), joking that it feels like “multiple personality disorder” switching between extremes.
Heartfelt moments
Filipina actress Lea Solonga has been an inspiration to Law. — Picture by Matt Crockett/BASE Entertainment Asia.
Every production brings its perks, and for Law, one of the most memorable aspects is regularly encountering global entertainment figures.
One of the most emotional highlights for Law is working with Filipina actress Lea Salonga, the first Asian woman to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (Miss Saigon) and the singing voice behind Disney’s Mulan and Aladdin.
Law said Salonga’s career proved to him that South-east Asian performers belong on the global stage.
He also shared that Irish comedian and TV host Graham Norton attended one of his shows, while he has also spotted stars such as Taylor Swift and Cara Delevingne during performances of Cabaret in London.
Beyond audiences and chance encounters, Law also performs alongside UK theatre figures including Alfie Boe, Michael Ball, Bonnie Langford, and Matt Lucas.
“It’s in moments like these where I have to tell myself, ‘This life isn’t real’.
“It’s such a crazy opportunity I’ve been given, so bersyukurlah (be grateful).
“I am truly so lucky to have a chance like this,” he said.
Beyond the spectacle, Law finds the final show of any contract the most emotional, as it marks the last time a touring company performs together as a unit.
For a cast that lives and travels together, the final bow becomes a quiet farewell to a shared chapter on the road.
The Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular, which began its tour in Singapore on March 24, wrapped up its world tour on May 10.
Although Law will not continue with the tour after Singapore, he sees the experience as a defining gift in his life, saying that even if everything paused tomorrow, he would already be grateful for what he has gained.
He added that he is currently auditioning for other West End roles but is keeping details private for now as he does not want to jinx it.
