Think you love musicals? Meet the fan who has seen Les Mis 977 times

Another important factor, though, is that the super fans Dooley meets have had various struggles in their lives, and most of the shows that go on longest – Wicked, Cats, Starlight Express – are about the triumphant validation of the outsider. “From the first time they saw these shows,” the director says, “the super fans made that connection.”