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Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables to make a much-anticipated return to North America.

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Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. The score includes the classic songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “One Day More,” “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” “Master of the House” and many more.

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Theater Review: LES MISÉRABLES (National Tour)

by Tony Frankel on August 14, 2023

in Theater-Los Angeles , Theater-Regional , Tours

DON’T MIZ IT

Unlike most of the characters in the blockbuster sung-through musical  Les Misérables , the show itself will never die. Consistently presented either on Broadway, national tours, and globally since the English-language version opened on the West End in 1985, audiences can’t get enough of Victor Hugo’s story about ex-con and do-gooder Jean Valjean and his righteous long-arm-of-the-law pursuer, Javert. With a speedy 3-hour running time, the rousing anthems, heartbreaking ballads, delicious characters right out of Dickens, and compelling storytelling—from Valjean’s paroling to the Paris Uprising of 1832—prove that modern audiences and millennials do indeed have an attention span if the material is great.

After that awful movie adaptation, another Les Miz found itself on Broadway in 2014. The National Tour which relaunched October 7 and opened last week at the Pantages Hollywood (which then heads for Segerstrom in Costa Mesa) is a sleek new revival based on that production, the national tour of which was cut short by COVID in 2020. With dozens of roles, many of them major, and 30+ ensemble members, all of whom must sing spectacularly while negotiating hundreds of costume and wig changes, Les Miz is not an easy venture to undertake (costumes by Andreane Neofitou , additional costume designs by Christine Rowland and Paul Wills ). This production directed by James Powell and Laurence Connor captures the revolutionary spirit in spades.

Designed by Matt Kinley (inspired by the paintings of Hugo), and projections realized by Finn Ross , Jonathon Lyle , and Fifty Nine Productions , the turntable and multi-media spectacle of Broadway have been expunged, but — especially with Kinley’s massive barricade and the amazing lighting by Paule Constable — it is no less effective.

Tara Rubin Casting has assembled the most important thing: singers. Some acted better than others, but the vocals blew me away, especially with Mick Potter ‘s sound design, which makes the acoustically troubled theater feel intimate. I heard most every lyric.

The astounding Nick Cartell anchors the show as Valjean: His vocal abilities positively stunned with a powerful and resonant tenor, and his rendition of “Bring Him Home” was one of the most stirring on record — a lengthy and roaring ovation followed this poignant ballad (one of the few places in the show the audience gets a break to applaud).

Other characters were portrayed as well as those on Broadway. Randy Jeter was the apotheosis of sanctity and strength as the Bishop who bestows silver candlesticks on Valjean as a way to keep him from a life of thievery. An impassioned and persuasive Devin Archer brought life to Enjolras, the leader of the revolutionaries with no backstory whatsoever (indeed, I don’t believe the character’s name is even mentioned in the show). Chicago actors Matt Crowle ( Gentlemen’s Guide.. .) and Cristina Rose Hall ( Wonderful Town ) wisely don’t go over the top as Monsieur and Madame Thénardier, lowlifes who make Fagin from Oliver  a candidate for Sainthood.

Christine Heesun Hwang veered from that yodeling, pop-opera sound as Thénardier’s daughter Éponine, offering a lovely, straightforward teenager who is torn between unrequited love and a life of larceny. A real find was Henry Kirk as the Artful Dodger-like boy, Gavroche; it’s always thrilling to see a child actor powerful in voice who can do without cloying behavior. And as Valjean’s adopted daughter Cosette, who falls for the student revolutionary Marius, Addie Morales presented a clarity of tone that was astonishing. Haley Dortch as the good-girl-turned-prostitute Fantine (“I Dreamed a Dream”) scrunched three-hours of drama into her twenty-minute role, but wisely replaced that grand tortured-soul performance for damaged purity.

Preston Truman Boyd has a booming voice and tall stature as Javert, but while compelling, he lacked character complexity. The only undistinguished performance came from Gregory Lee Rodriguez as Marius, the student revolutionary who falls for Cosette — he sounds fine and looks swell, but without dramatic intent, his songs didn’t always ratchet up to an emotional impact. His love songs, however, soar. And when he meets cute with Cosette, it’s a very winning moment. (Listen, spectators will have their own favorites in regards to characters and/or the actors portraying them; that’s yet another reason why people return and return again.)

Updating John Cameron ‘s original orchestrations, Stephen Matcalfe , Christopher Jahnke , and Stephen Brooker did wonders with a scaled-down 14-member orchestra (music supervision is by Stephen Brooker and James Moore . Credit for the vocals and band goes to Musical Director Brian Eads . With that damn terrific score brought to magnificence by Eads, it’s clear why Les Miz is, as the ad says, “Still the World’s Most Popular Musical.”

But the stars of the show really are creators Claude-Michel Schönberg (music), Herbert Kretzmer (English language libretto based on original French lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel ), and James Fenton (additional material). And, of course, the adaptation by  Trevor Nunn  and  John Caird . These gentlemen may have truncated and in some ways bastardized Hugo’s novel, but there must have been Divine Intervention because they found the beating heart of the universal human journey: the search for love in a world of injustice.

photos by Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

LES MISÉRABLES National Tour for dates and cities, visit Les 

reviewed at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre end on September 10, 2023 for tickets, call 800.982.2787 Broadway In Hollywood and Ticketmaster

Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa September 19-October 1, 2023 for tickets, call 714.556.2787 or visit SCFTA

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Les Misérables

Oct 07, 2022, about this production.

• Production Staff
• Opening Night Cast
• Current Cast
• Replacements
• Songs music by Claude-Michel Schönberg ; lyrics by Alain Boublil and Herbert Kretzmer Act 1 Sung By Prologue The Company Soliloquy Jean Valjean At the End of the Day Unemployed and Factory Workers I Dreamed a Dream Fantine Lovely Ladies Ladies and Clients Who Am I? Jean Valjean Come to Me Fantine and Jean Valjean Castle on a Cloud Cosette Master of the House Thénardier, Madame Thénardier and Customers Thénardier Waltz Thénardier, Madame Thénardier and Jean Valjean Look Down Gavroche and Beggars Stars Javert Red and Black Enjolras, Marius and Students Do You Hear the People Sing Enjolras, Students and Citizens In My Life Cosette, Jean Valjean, Marius and Eponine A Heart Full of Love Cosette, Marius and Eponine One Day More The Company Act 2 Sung By On My Own Eponine A Little Fall of Rain Eponine and Marius Drink with Me to Days Gone By Grantaire, Students and Women Bring Him Home Jean Valjean Dog Eats Dog Thénardier Soliloquy Javert Turning Women Empty Chairs at Empty Tables Marius Wedding Chorale Guests Beggars at the Feast Thénardier and Madame Thénardier Finale The Company
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LES MISÉRABLES: The Arena Spectacular

• Date 26 - 29 Dec , 2024
• Doors Open 26th December - 6:30PM, 27th December (Matinee) - 1PM, 27th December (Evening) - 6:30PM, 28th December (Matinee) - 1PM, 28th December (Evening) - 6:30PM, 29th December - 12PM
• Availability On Sale Now

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Enjoy the best seats in the house at The Mezz where you’re guaranteed the ultimate VIP Experience from arrival to encore.

Event Details

Cameron Mackintosh's production of Boubil and Schönberg’s  LES  MISÉRABLES ARENA SPECTACULAR  will embark on a World Tour this September, opening with strictly limited UK dates. As the beloved musical phenomenon enters it's 40th revolutionary year in London, this spectactular production will have ane extraordinary new design specifically created for larger venues. 

The Arena Spectacular will be performing in over 15 countries and regions worldwide and initial casting has now been announced for the UK dates – Alfie Boe and Killian Donnelly will share the role of Jean Valjean and Michael Ball and Bradley Jaden will share the role of Javert, leading a cast and orchestra of over 65.

Victor Hugo’s classic tale is an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. With a magnificent score of iconic songs including “I Dreamed a Dream”, “On My Own”, “Bring Him Home”, “One Day More” and more, this epic and uplifting story is undisputedly one of the world’s favourite musicals.

Further casting to be announced. Les Misérables will feature a core cast with a great number of celebrated Les Mis guest stars appearing as their schedules allow. Please note that the appearance of any artist is not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice

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• Cast & Creative
• Tour Dates & Tickets

Cameron’s Mackintosh’s production of Boublil and Schönberg’s  LES MISÉRABLES: THE ARENA SPECTACULAR  will embark on a World Tour this September, opening with strictly limited UK dates. As the beloved musical phenomenon enters its 40 th  revolutionary year in London, this spectacular production will have an extraordinary new design specifically created for larger venues.

The Arena Spectacular will be performing in over 15 countries and regions worldwide, including the UK, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, with more worldwide destinations to be announced.

The World Tour will feature a cast and orchestra of over 65, with a core cast featuring a great number of celebrated Les Mis guest stars appearing as their schedules allow. Initial casting has now been announced for the UK and European dates – click here to view the latest UK and European casting information.

Victor Hugo’s classic tale is an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. With a magnificent score of iconic songs including “I Dreamed a Dream”, “On My Own”, “Bring Him Home”, “One Day More” and more, this epic and uplifting story is undisputedly one of the world’s favourite musicals.

Trailer features initial UK casting. Please note that the appearance of any artist is not guaranteed and is subject to change without notice. Full casting to be announced.

Les Misérables will feature a core cast with a great number of celebrated Les Mis guest stars appearing as their schedules allow. Initial casting has been announced for the UK and European dates of the World Tour. Further casting to be announced.

The World Tour begins

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Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular

Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular commences September 2024. Initial UK Casting has just been announced >> UK Dates for this highly anticipated production listed below.

LES MISERABLES WORLD TOUR THE ARENA SPECTACULAR - 2024 UK DATES

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Official Website: https://lesmis.com

Cameron Mackintosh, is delighted to announce initial dates and venues for the World Tour of  LES MISÉRABLES –  THE ARENA SPECTACULAR. 

This production will have an extraordinary new design specifically created for arenas (and large theatres) with audiences of between 3,000 – 5,000.  

This spectacular production will have a UK company of over 110 actors, musicians and crew featuring a core cast with a great number of celebrated Les Mis guest stars appearing as their schedules allow.

The World tour will open in Belfast . Following this, the production will play limited dates at Glasgow , Sheffield and Aberdeen . The Tour will then commence its European leg in Luxembourg , followed by Geneva , Trieste , Milan , Copenhagen , Oslo and Zurich . Its final UK dates will be in Manchester and Newcastle before moving on to Sweden , Australia , Taiwan , Japan and South Korea .

WHAT IS LES MISÉRABLES ABOUT?

“I dreamed a dream in time gone by, when hope was high and life worth living. I dreamed that love would never die. I dreamed that God would be forgiving.”

The year is 1832. Jean Valjean, a French peasant who stole a loaf of bread and ended up spending 19 years in gaol for his trouble, is living to regret it. Then he goes and jumps parole which doesn’t go down well with Javert, a particularly jobsworth cop who, with his unshakeable belief in the letter of the law, obsessively hounds Valjean until… well, if you want the whole story, read Victor Hugo’s novel. No? You prefer your French classics delivered in the form of a musical and theatrical triumph? Now you’re talking.

Because, thanks to the creative team that includes composer Claude-Michel Shönberg and writer Alain Boublil , and songs including One Day More , I Dreamed a Dream and Do You Hear the People Sing? that’s exactly what ‘Les Mis’ is.

Secure your tickets today because this show will sell-out.

LES MISERABLES TOUR 2024 CAST & CREATIVE

Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular Initial UK Casting is as follows:

• Alfie Boe / Killian Donnelly – Jean Valjean
• Michael Ball / Bradley Jaden – Javert

Michael Ball and Alfie Boe will play the roles of Javert and Jean Valjean respectively at the following locations and dates:

Belfast:  19, 20 & 21 Sep at 7.30pm and 25, 26, 27 & 28 Sep at 7.30pm Glasgow:  3 & 4 Oct at 7.30pm, 5 Oct at 2pm, 6 Oct at 6.30pm Sheffield:  10 & 11 Oct at 7.30pm, 12 Oct at 2.30pm, 13 Oct at 6pm Aberdeen:  17 & 18 Oct at 7.30pm, 19 Oct at 2pm Manchester:  27 Dec at 7.30pm, 28 Dec at 2pm, 29 Dec at 1pm Newcastle:  2 & 3 Jan 7.30pm, 4 Jan at 1pm, 5 Jan at 6.30pm

Killian Donnelly and Bradley Jaden will play the roles of Jean Valjean and Javert respectively at the following locations and dates: Belfast: 21 & 28 Sep at 2.30pm, 24 Sep at 7.30pm Glasgow: 5 Oct at 7.30pm, 6 Oct at 1pm Sheffield: 12 Oct at 7.30pm, 13 Oct at 1pm Aberdeen: 19 Oct at 7.30pm, 20 Oct at 1pm Manchester: 26 & 28 Dec at 7.30pm, 27 Dec at 2pm Newcastle: 4 Jan at 7.30pm, 5 Jan at 12.30pm

Produced by Cameron Mackintosh

Book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (based on the novel by Victor Hugo )

Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer

Directed by  Laurence Connor and James Powell Sio

LES MIS - THE ARENA SPECTACULAR - VIDEO TRAILER

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• Jeux olympiques de Paris 2024

JO 2024 : périmètre de protection, ponts ouverts, métros fermés... le dispositif mis en place huit jours avant la cérémonie d’ouverture

Toute personne voulant entrer dans le périmètre de protection devra s’inscrire sur une plate-forme.

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Le périmètre de protection pour les Jeux olympiques de Paris 2024 sera mis en place à partir du 18 juillet, soit huit jours avant la cérémonie d’ouverture, a annoncé jeudi 25 avril le préfet de police, Laurent Nuñez. « On a voulu intégrer l’ensemble des immeubles qui ont un visuel sur la Seine » , a-t-il dit lors d’une conférence de presse à la préfecture de police, évoquant la première rangée d’immeubles riverains de la Seine.

Périmètres mis en place du 18 au 26 juillet.

Périmètres mis en place le jour de la cérémonie d’ouverture des JO.

Toute personne qui réside dans ce périmètre ou voudra y entrer, en voiture ou à pied, devra s’enregistrer sur la plateforme numérique, dont l’ouverture est prévue le 10 mai, et sera soumise à une enquête de sécurité ( « criblage » ).  « Les spectateurs ne seront pas concernés par ces enquêtes » , a souligné Laurent Nuñez.

Ce périmètre concerne environ 20 000 riverains, a précisé la maire de Paris, Anne Hidalgo.

Tout autour de cette zone de protection, située au plus près du fleuve, sera déployé, également à partir du 18 juillet,  « un périmètre d’interdiction de circulation motorisée » . Pour ce périmètre,  « on ne sera pas obligé de s’inscrire sur la plateforme, d’avoir un QR Code » , a précisé Laurent Nuñez, évoquant  « des appréciations plus souples aux barrages de police » .

« On veut perturber le moins possible la vie des gens. Les riverains, les personnes qui y travaillent, les livraisons pourront bénéficier de dérogations à toute heure de la journée » , a-t-il assuré. Néanmoins,  « à partir de 13H00 le jour de la cérémonie » , la plupart des dérogations  « ne seront plus valables pour circuler dans ce périmètre » , a dit M. Nuñez.

Par ailleurs, pour éviter d’avoir  « un Paris coupé en deux pendant huit jours » , cinq pont traversants seront maintenus.

La préfecture a publié une vidéo sur X qui récapitule le dispositif :

#JO2024 | 2️⃣minutes pour tout comprendre sur les périmètres mis en place pour la cérémonie d’ouverture des Jeux Olympiques ⤵️ Pour en savoir ➕: https://t.co/PUl8axYRu0 pic.twitter.com/2Fq5vWPsZq — Préfecture de Police (@prefpolice) April 25, 2024

Une quinzaine de stations de métro fermées

Il n’y aura pas de restrictions à inviter des gens chez soi pour les personnes disposant d’un balcon avec vue sur Seine mais ceux-ci devront également s’inscrire sur la plate-forme. La quinzaine de stations de métro qui débouchent dans le périmètre de protection seront fermées :

• Cité (ligne 4)
• Quai de la Rapée (ligne 5)
• Trocadéro (ligne 6)
• et Passy (ligne 6)
• Châtelet (ligne 7 et 11)
• Pont-Marie (ligne 7)
• Pont-Neuf (ligne 7)
• Sully-Morland (ligne 7)
• Alma-Marceau (ligne 9)
• Iéna (ligne 9)
• Trocadéro (ligne 9)
• Javel (ligne 10)
• Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel (RER C)
• Pont de l’Alma (RER C)
• Musée d’Orsay (RER C).

« Ce qui n’impacte pas les lignes » , a précisé M. Nuñez. En revanche, les stations Concorde, Tuileries et Champs-Elysées Clemenceau seront fermées pour toute la durée des Jeux olympiques.

Anne Hidalgo a ajouté que 1 000 agents de la police municipale seraient déployés le jour de la cérémonie d’ouverture. Les 220 000 spectateurs sur les quais hauts de la cérémonie d’ouverture, bénéficiaires d’invitations, seront répartis en 15 zones allant de 600 à 40 000 personnes et pourront regarder le spectacle sur 65 écrans géants.

Les premières installations prévues pour la cérémonie d’ouverture, une parade de six kilomètres entre le pont d’Austerlitz et le pont d’Iéna, sont prévues à partir du 17 juin. A partir du 1 er  juillet, les premières interdictions de circulation motorisée toucheront certaines zones.

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Money: '£2,000 landed in my account' - The people who say they're manifesting riches

We delve into the world of manifestation - but will a one-day course help our reporter land some extra cash and an engagement ring? Enjoy our weekend reads, and leave a comment, below, and we'll be back with all the latest personal finance and consumer news on Monday.

Saturday 27 April 2024 10:13, UK

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By Jess Sharp , Money team

My journey into the world of manifestation (the belief that you can attract success in your life through positive affirmations and visualisation) has taken me places I never thought I'd go.

Like woods in Edenbridge, where I stood meditating under a tree in the pouring rain. I don't yet know where my journey will end (I've been hoping for an engagement ring but my boyfriend hasn't yet seen my visualisations), but it started with a conversation with Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, one of many people who say manifestation has transformed their lives.

"About a year ago, there was something happening and I thought we just need two grand to cover the expense," Jamie, a former dancer from London, told me. "The following day £2,000 landed in my account."

It sounded like a coincidence to me, too.

But Jamie was adamant. His husband calls him "the master manifester" because of his "ability to bring in money".

"It's happened on so many occasions, like four, five times," he said. "I've become very clear on what I want and the amount of money I need and literally it can be within 24 hours that I get a phone call for a job and it's almost identical to what I asked for money-wise."

When I asked the now-psychic where the £2,000 actually came from, he said it was payment for a modelling job he had been offered.

"With manifesting you don't get caught up in the how, and often it comes in ways that you don't expect," he added, explaining it could come as the result of a claim after being in a car crash.

"It's not always coming in the way that you think but money is out there for us to take in the world. It's just having the confidence to receive it and we are worthy of it."

"Even if it is a placebo effect, does it matter?" he said.

The 43-year-old also believes he manifested his husband Fiongal after being diagnosed with cancer. While going through treatment and dating "a lot" of people, he decided to take matters into his own hands, or rather his own head, and started visualising his perfect partner.

"I decided to spend a good couple of weeks getting really, really, super clear in my mind what this person looked like. Then I started creating lists asking about personality traits, and all the things that I wanted that person to be," the former dancer said.

"The day I got the all clear from cancer I randomly met my husband and when I look at the list of the things I asked for, he pretty much ticks every single box. I really, really believe that is because I got super clear on what I wanted and I put that out to the universe to bring to me."

Jim Carrey and manifestation

If you think this is a new practice, it isn't. Jim Carrey was doing it back in the 90s. He famously wrote himself a $10m cheque for "acting services rendered" and dated it years in advance. Then in 1995, he was told he was going to make the exact amount for filming Dumb and Dumber.

The idea shot up in popularity again in 2006 after Rhonda Byrne published her self-help book The Secret.

Since then, it has hit every inch of the internet and has resurfaced on TikTok with videos posted under #manifesting accumulating a huge 13 billion views.

I tried to learn manifesting - I felt like an idiot

After hearing Jamie's story and seeing the idea was popular with so many people, I thought it best to try to learn manifestation myself. I mean, who wouldn't want money landing in their account and a work promotion from the universe?

As I stood in the woods, in the pouring rain, being told to imagine roots growing from the soles of my feet, I felt like an idiot.

I was soaking wet (of course I had forgotten a coat with a hood) and while my mind kept wandering through thoughts about being cold, if I'd hit traffic on the way home and how dirty my white trainers were getting, a gentle, soothing voice kept bringing me back to what I was supposed to be thinking about.

"How we are all connected, how the trees and plants produce oxygen that we breathe, and we breathe out carbon dioxide which they need to survive"

While some people focus their manifestation practices on being grateful to the universe, Tansy Jane Dowman believes we need to get "out of our heads, into our bodies", connect with nature and find our true selves before we can practice it successfully.

My meditation in the woods was just one part of a six-hour workshop run by Tansy, which aimed to send me off with a clearer vision of what I truly desired.

Tansy charges anywhere from £25 to £580 for her courses, which range from one-on-one sessions and an online six-week programme, to forest bathing workshops and weekend-long nature retreats.

But some courses have popped up online which cost more than £1,000.

Tansy started practising manifestation in 2018 after going through a difficult period in her life. She eventually quit her job in events management and started teaching others how to do it successfully.

"The way I manifest is not to focus on material wealth or gain. I would ask my clients what an abundant life means to them in terms of feelings, experiences, connections, people and places," she explained.

"The more authentic you are, the more of a beacon you become for those things to find you."

After spending time walking in the rain and meditating under a tree, Tansy and I sat in her dining room and explored some of the happiest moments in my life and the feelings I experienced. It became clear I like feeling accomplished, needed and excited.

We also spoke about challenging times, but the conversation focused on the positives, like how I had overcome them and what I had learned.

"It's so important to bring in your values with manifestation because sometimes we can get really confused with what we want, with social media especially," she told me.

Throughout her house, Tansy has a number of "abundance boards" proudly on display - some she has made with her children, others are from her annual January tradition of setting out her desires for the year.

"I've had some really wonderful goosebump things happen to me. I did a board at the beginning of 2020... I put a picture of a microphone on it. I just thought I really like that image and I didn't immediately place any meaning onto it," she said.

"Then as the world was shutting down for lockdown, I did a press event and I met a lady who worked for Wellbeing Radio and she wondered if I would be interested in trying out as a presenter."

She explained that some people will be very specific with their desires, like selecting a photo of the exact car they want, or the perfect house, but that isn't how manifestation works. There needs to be an element of trust in the universe giving them what they attract.

As we created my abundance board, which Tansy describes as being like a "personal algorithm", she told me to select images and words from heaps of magazines that called to me intuitively.

As you can see from the picture below, mine calls for being "financially fabulous", travelling, getting engaged (coughs loudly in earshot of boyfriend) and living stress-free.

And while I'd love a big cash injection, Tansy explained to me that money is "only a stepping stone to a feeling" and, ultimately, I'm aiming to create an emotion with it.

Manifesters more likely to go bankrupt

While all the manifestation believers I spoke to said there was no downside to the practice, a researcher has been looking into whether it really does pay off.

Based in Australia, Dr Lucas Dixon (who specialises in consumer psychology) created a scale from one to seven to rank a person's strength of belief and found those who practice it are more likely to have been victims of fraud and declared bankruptcy.

He said there was a "danger" that manifesting could become harmful if taken to an extreme level.

He found those who believe in manifesting tend to think more positively and have a confident attitude when it comes to success, and while that can be helpful in business, it can also cause them to take unnecessary risks.

"They weren't more objectively successful in terms of having higher income or higher education attainment," he said.

"We also found that they are more likely to believe in get-rich-quick schemes, more likely to take higher risks... to have risky financial investments and more likely to have investments in cryptocurrency rather than traditional stock."

Using the scale he created, Dr Dixon found those who have "very strong beliefs", ranking at a seven, were 40% more likely to have gone bankrupt.

"The danger comes in a couple of different forms," he said, explaining that a "worst case scenario" could see people getting into financial difficulty by being encouraged to "just look at the positives".

"Someone might say it's not harmful because it is really just thinking positively but I think even that can be harmful because of what you might call an opportunity cost," he said.

"You're spending time, energy and money doing something that doesn't have a lot of evidence behind it. We found it does make you feel good but you don't need to pay thousands to do it."

Okay, so back to me...

I did my manifestation course about two months ago, and I have done as I was instructed - my abundance board is up in sight inside the flat, and I often have a cup of coffee in front of it.

But, so far I'm still using a credit card, the most travelling I've done has been to work and back and there is still no rock on my finger. I have been given an annual pay rise, though, and would say I am less stressed.

Perhaps believing that I'm just doing my best and there's a chance that I'll be rewarded for that one day, eventually, in the future, maybe, is making me feel better... who knows?

Each week, Money blog readers share their thoughts on the subjects we've been covering, and over the last seven days your correspondence has been dominated by these topics...

• Iceland's new slogan
• Rising mortgage rates
• Giving kids cash for grades

Iceland's new catchphrase

We learnt on Monday that Iceland had dropped its tagline "That's why mums go to Iceland", replacing it with "That's why we go to Iceland".

The move was made to reflect the store is for everybody, said brand ambassador Josie Gibson. Readers were split - with some feeling so strongly that they're prepared, they suggest, to sacrifice those frozen Greggs steak bakes forever...

I previously contacted Iceland about their slogan because I didn't think it did single dads justice, as dads can go to Iceland too. Their response was that people understood that it's not just mums that go to Iceland. It's about time they changed the message. Dave T  

Neither I, my wife or my children will shop in Iceland again due to this stupidness and woke attitude. To hell with you [Iceland boss] Richard Walker. John  

Banks hike mortgage rates

This week we reported that high street lenders such as Halifax, TSB, NatWest, Barclays, Leeds Building Society, HSBC and Coventry had all hiked mortgage rates (see 7.33 post for details). 

You said...

With house prices at already extortionate levels, now mortgage rates rising again, is there any hope for first-time buyers? Honestly, the situation is so bleak, people may need to consider other countries. GenZ 

Why would this happen? So many young couples struggling to get on the property ladder. I live in Dorset - a one-bedroom flat costs from £230,000. In Scotland, one can get a beautiful two-bed house for that price. Feel sorry for all couples living down in the South. Need huge deposits. Barbs

Why are they called high-street banks? Most banks in my town have closed. Martin J

Parents offering cash for good grades

A lot of views came in after our feature exploring the positives and negatives of parents incentivising good school grades with cash...

We had scores of comments on this - with a fairly even split...

We did it for our son at GCSE time. We think it made a difference of about a grade on most subjects. Got a two-grade lift on maths. Cost us £350. Thought it was good value as it has taught him how things work in the world. Andy

The whole world is built on a reward system which symbolises access to money commensurate with effort and excellence. The Nobel prize goes with a cash reward! Tom Deggs

Employees are offered incentives for achieving targets, so why not offer kids incentives for better grades? Claire228 

But others had concerns...

I think it puts too much pressure on kids who are under enough pressure at exam time. Parents should encourage their kids to do the best they can, not add to their stress levels. Emma

Children should value their education without it being monetised. My parents expected my brother and I to have the motivation, maturity and self-discipline to work hard for our GCSEs. We both achieved all As and A*s. Eliza 

When I was at school, from 1964-83, my parents never gave me money for good exam results, because "I should want to do well for myself". No matter what my grades were, they said that they would be proud of me if I had tried my best. Cash kills self-motivation. Nicola B 

National insurance was cut this month, for the second time this year, from 10% to 8% on employee earnings between £12,570 and £50,270.

The change, announced by the chancellor in his March budget, impacts around 27 million payroll employees across the UK - starting this pay day.

The cut is worth almost £250 to someone earning £25,000 a year and almost £750 for those earning £50,000

Use our tool below for a rough guide to what tax changes can be expected for most people, as there are other variables not included which might affect how much tax you pay including being in receipt of the blind person's allowance or the marriage allowance. It also assumes you are not self-employed and are under pension age...

There are also national insurance cuts for the self-employed. This includes the scrapping of Class 2 contributions, as well as a reduction of the rate of Class 4 contributions from 9% to 6% for the £12,570 to £50,270 earnings bracket.

These will impact nearly two million self-employed people, according to the Treasury.

While many campaigners welcomed the national insurance announcement last month, they pointed out that the tax burden remains at record high levels for Britons - thanks in part to the threshold at which people start paying income tax being frozen, rather than rising with inflation.

The money story of the week has been mortgage rates - with a host of major lenders announcing hikes amid fears the Bank of England may delay interest rate cuts.

Swap rates - which dictate how much it costs to lend money - have risen on the back of higher than expected US inflation data, and concerns this could delay interest rate cuts there. 

US trends often materialise elsewhere - though many economists are still expecting a base rate cut from 5.25% to 5% in the UK in June.

The reliable Bloomberg reported this week: "Still, while some economists have since scaled back their predictions for BOE cuts, most haven't changed expectations for a summer move.

"Analysts at Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs Group, Capital Economics and Bloomberg Economics are all among those still anticipating a shift toward easing in June."

The publication also quoted Sanjay Raja, chief UK economist at Deutsche Bank, as saying: "Markets have superimposed the US cycle on the UK, but the US and UK are on very different tracks.

"The UK is coming out of technical recession. Inflation is falling more convincingly. Pay settlements are following inflation expectations. And crucially, real policy rates in the UK will be higher than in the US."

None of this reassurance changes the fact that financial markets, which dictate swap rates, are pricing in delays.

This week's hikes came from Halifax, BM Solutions, TSB, NatWest, Virgin, Barclays, Accord, Leeds Building Society, HSBC and Coventry.

This is what average mortgage rates looked like as of Thursday...

The next Bank of England decision on rates comes on 9 May - and pretty much no one is expecting a cut from the 16-year high of 5.25% at that stage.

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The family home where Captain Sir Tom Moore walked 100 laps to raise nearly £40m for the NHS during the first COVID lockdown is up for sale for £2.25m.

The Grade II-listed Old Rectory is described as a "magnificent seven-bedroom property" by estate agents Fine & Country.

In a video tour of the house, a sculpture of Captain Tom with his walking frame can be seen in the hallway, while a photo of the fundraising hero being knighted by the Queen is on a wall in the separate coach house building.

Introducing the property, an estate agent says in the tour video: "I'm sure you'll recognise this iconic and very famous driveway behind me as it was home to the late Captain Sir Tom Moore who walked 100 laps of his garden, raising over £37m for NHS charities."

It comes less than three months after the demolition of an unauthorised spa pool block in the grounds of the property in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire.

Speaking at an appeal hearing over that spa, Scott Stemp, representing Captain Tom's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband, said the foundation named after the fundraising hero "is to be closed down" following a Charity Commission probe launched amid concerns about its management.

For the full story, click here ...

"Status symbol" pets are being given up by owners who get scared as they grow up, an animal charity has said, with the cost of living possibly paying a part in a rise in separations.

The Exotic Pet Refuge, which homes parrots, monkeys, snakes and alligators among others, says it receives referrals across the country, including from zoos and the RSPCA.

"They're a status symbol. People will say, 'OK, I'll have an alligator or a 10ft boa constrictor'," co-owner Pam Mansfield told the BBC.

"But when the animal gets big, they will get too frightened to handle them, and then the pet has to go."

She added people who want to get rid of the pets sometimes call zoos for help, which then call on her charity.

In some cases, owners don't have licences to own dangerous animals, she says, blaming a "lack of understanding" for what she says is a rise in the number of exotic animals needing to be rehomed.

She says people "just don't have the space" for some snakes, for example, with some growing to as much as 12ft and needing their own room.

The cost of living crisis has also forced owners to give their pets away, she says.

Her charity has also been affected by those increased costs, with the electricity bill rising to £10,000 a month at their highest, to fund things like heated pools for alligators.

Private car parks are accused of "confusing drivers" after introducing a new code of conduct - despite "doing all they can" to prevent an official government version.

The code of practice launched by two industry bodies - British Parking Association and the International Parking Community - includes a ten-minute grace period for motorists to leave a car park after the parking period they paid for ends.

It also features requirements for consistent signage, a single set of rules for operators on private land and an "appeals charter".

Private parking businesses have been accused of using misleading and confusing signs, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees.

That comes after a government-backed code of conduct was withdrawn in June 2022, after a legal challenges by parking companies.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: "We're flabbergasted that the BPA and the IPC have suddenly announced plans to introduce their own private parking code after doing all they can over the last five years to prevent the official government code created by an act of Parliament coming into force.

"While there are clearly some positive elements to what the private parking industry is proposing, it conveniently avoids some of the biggest issues around caps on penalty charges and debt recovery fees which badly need to be addressed to prevent drivers being taken advantage of."

BPA chief executive Andrew Pester said: "This is a crucial milestone as we work closely with government, consumer bodies and others to deliver fairer and more consistent parking standards for motorists."

IPC chief executive Will Hurley said: "The single code will benefit all compliant motorists and will present clear consequences for those who decide to break the rules."

Sky News has learnt the owner of Superdry's flagship store is weighing up a legal challenge to a rescue plan launched by the struggling fashion retailer.

M&G, the London-listed asset manager, has engaged lawyers from Hogan Lovells to scrutinise the restructuring plan.

The move by M&G, which owns the fashion retailer's 32,000 square foot Oxford Street store, will not necessarily result in a formal legal challenge - but sources say it's possible.

Read City editor Mark Kleinman 's story here...

NatWest says its mortgage lending nearly halved at the start of the year as it retreated from parts of the market when competition among lenders stepped up.

New mortgage lending totalled £5.2bn in the first three months of 2024, the banking group has revealed, down from £9.9bn the previous year.

The group, which includes Royal Bank of Scotland and Coutts, also reported an operating pre-tax profit of £1.3bn for the first quarter, down 27% from £1.8bn the previous year.

An unexplained flow of British luxury cars into states neighbouring Russia continued into February, new data shows.

About £26m worth of British cars were exported to Azerbaijan, making the former Soviet country the 17th biggest destination for UK cars - bigger than long-established export markets such as Ireland, Portugal and Qatar.

Azerbaijan's ascent has coincided almost to the month with the imposition of sanctions on the export of cars to Russia.

Read the rest of economics and data editor Ed Conway 's analysis here...

Rishi Sunak has hailed the arrival of pay day with a reminder his government's additional National Insurance tax cut kicks in this month for the first time.

At last month's budget, the chancellor announced NI will be cut by a further 2p - so some workers will pay 8% of their earnings instead of the 12% if was before autumn.

The prime minister has repeated his claim this will be worth £900 for someone on the average UK salary.

While this additional cut - on top of the previous 2p cut in January - does equate to £900 for those on average full-time earnings of £35,000, there are two key issues with Mr Sunak's claim:

• Once the effect of all income tax changes since 2021 are taken into account, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports an average earner will benefit from a tax cut of £340 - far less than £900;
• Moreover, anyone earning less than £26,000 or between £55,000-£131,000 will ultimately be worse off.

In short, this is because NI cuts are more than offset by other tax rises.

We explain below how this is the case...

Tax thresholds

This is partly down to tax thresholds - the amount you are allowed to earn before you start paying tax (and national insurance) and before you start paying the higher rate of tax - will remain frozen. 

This means people end up paying more tax than they otherwise would, when their pay rises with inflation but the thresholds don't keep up. 

This phenomenon is known as "fiscal drag" and it's often called a stealth tax because it's not as noticeable immediately in your pay packet.

That low threshold of £12,570 has been in place since April 2021. 

The Office for Budget Responsibility says if it had increased with inflation it would be set at £15,220 for 2024/25.

If that were the case, workers could earn an extra £2,650 tax-free each year.

Less give, more take

Sky News analysis shows someone on £16,000 a year will pay £607 more in total - equivalent to more than three months of average household spending on food. 

Their income level means national insurance savings are limited but they are paying 20% in income tax on an additional £2,650 of earnings.

In its analysis , the IFS states: "In aggregate the NICs cuts just serve to give back a portion of the money that is being taken away through other income tax and NICs changes - in particular, multi-year freezes to tax thresholds at a time of high inflation."

Overall, according to the institute, for every £1 given back to workers by the National Insurance cuts, £1.30 will have been taken away due to threshold changes between 2021 and 2024.

This rises to £1.90 in 2027.

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