In other musical news, the highly anticipated X Factor Musical, called I Can’t Sing! will open at the London Palladium next year, with tickets going on sale today. Written by comedian Harry Hill and directed by Sean Foley, I Can’t Sing! begins previews at the Palladium on 27 February. The title sets the tone for the talent show-inspired musical, which features 19 original songs by Hill and Spend Spend Spend’s Steve Brown, and aims “an affectionate poke” at the popular ITV series, according to Hill and Brown.

Another week; another West End transfer. The Young Vic’s acclaimed production of A Doll’s House will transfer to the Duke of York’s Theatre this summer, following two sell-out runs at the Young Vic. Hattie Morahan will reprise her Critics’ Circle and Evening Standard Award-winning role as Nora in the production, which runs from 8 August to 26 October, alongside fellow original cast members Dominic Rowan, Nick Fletcher and Steve Toussaint.

London Theatre Cast News

• Jane Asher will star as Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production of Pride and Prejudice this summer. She’ll be joined by Jennifer Kirby, Imogen Byron, Yolanda Kettle, Eleanor Thorn and Leah Brotherhead as the five Bennet sisters, Timonty Walker and Rebecca Lacey as Mr and Mrs Bennet, David Oakes as Mr Darcy, Barnaby Sax as the charming Mr Wickham and Rob Heaps as wealthy bachelor Mr Bingley
• Michael Xavier and Charlotte Wakefield will star as Captain Von Trapp and Maria in the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The Sound of Music at the Open Air Theatre
• Jessica Raine, Daniel Mays, Mark Gatiss and Tom Hiddleston are all to appear in the Donmar’s new season of plays from August this year. The season includes the premiere of Nick Payne’s new play The Same Deep Water As Me (with Daniel Mays); a revival of Arnold Wesker’s Roots (starring Jessica Raine and Linda Bassett); and Coriolanus (with Tom Hiddleston and Mark Gatiss).

Firstly, there’s been another big birthday in Theatreland. Congratulations to War Horse, which celebrated its fifth anniversary on the London stage this week. The show’s been seen on stage by more than 1.6 million people in London, including the Queen, and remains one of London’s most popular productions.

From National Theatre long-runners to transfers: I’ve learnt that the National’s critically acclaimed production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time will transfer to the West End next year following its sell-out season at the Southbank venue. Adapted from Mark Haddon’s novel by acclaimed playwright Simon Stephens, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time plays at the Apollo Theatre from 1 March with Luke Treadaway reprising his role as the 15-year-old autistic maths genius Christopher Boone.

And there’s news of another new West End show opening next year: From Here to Eternity features lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Stuart Brayson and is based on James Jones’ award-winning 1951 novel, rather than the classic film. I’ve no cast news yet, but the show will be directed by Tamara Harvey, and starts previews at the Shaftesbury Theatre in September next year

Finally, looking ahead to next summer, the Open Air Theatre has announced a new stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice and a re-imagining of The Winter’s Tale for children aged six and older for its 2013 season. These two shows join the previously announced productions of To Kill A Mockingbird and the first-ever Rodgers and Hammerstein production at the venue, The Sound Of Music. It sounds like we can look forward to another great summer at this ever-brilliant venue.

London Theatre Cast News:

• Zoë Wanamaker returns to the West End next year to star in David Leveaux’s production of Peter Nichols’ black comedy Passion Play at the Duke of York’s Theatre
• Jonathan Bonnici, Denton Chikura, Tunji Falana, Sandy Grierson, Éva Magyar, Itxaso Moreno, Adura Onashile, Tahirah Sharif, Harmage Singh Kalirai, Ony Uhiara and Hemi Yeroham will appear in Mary Zimmerman’s new play, The Arabian Nights at the Tricycle Theatre from 30 November to 12 January
• Nadia Clifford, Geoffrey Freshwater, Eve Pearce and Timothy Watson will join Maureen Lipman and Tracy-Ann Oberman in Terry Johnson’s production of Old Money at the Hampstead Theatre from 29 November to 12 January
• Joining Oliver Ford Davies in Goodnight Mister Tom are Louise Collins, Joanne Howarth, Aoife McMahon, Freya Parker, Georgina Sutton, Alan Vicary, Jonathan Warde and Emma Drysdale, as well as Elisa de Grey, Bradley Hall and Osmund Bullock
• Gina McKee and Anna Maxwell Martin join Tamzin Outhwaite in the transfer of Hampstead Downstairs’ sell-out production Di And Viv And Rose to the venue’s main space from 17 January to 23 February

Second, following his Olivier Award nomination last week, Derren Brown is returning to the West End. His hit 2011 show, Svengali will play at the Novello Theatre from 12 July to 11 August only. Little is known, or talked about with this secretive show: I can tell you to expect psychological tricks, mind control, incredible stunts, and of course, lots of audience participation.

Finally, congratulations to Gregory Doran who, it’s been announced today, will succeed Michael Boyd as Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2014.

London Casting News

• Adam Levy is joining Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths in Neil Simon’s comedy The Sunshine Boys at the Savoy Theatre from 27 April
• Samantha Bond, Tim McInnerny and Georgia Moffett will be playing alongside Omid Djalili in this summer’s production of Joe Orton’s What The Butler Saw at the Vaudeville Theatre from May
• Claire Foy, who you’ll recognise from BBC dramas White Heat and Upstairs Downstairs is appearing in Mike Bartlett’s Love, Love, Love at the Royal Court from April

Simon Callow is bringing his one-man show, Being Shakespeare, back to London in March, for a strictly limited run. He’ll be at the Trafalgar Studios from 7 to 31 March, bringing a multitude of the bard’s most famous creations to life. It’ll be the perfect warm-up for the World Shakespeare Festival which kicks off the following month.

Another March date for your diaries is Thursday 15, when Complicite and Simon McBurney return to the Barbican (following the success of Shun-Kin and A Disappearing Number) with a new English adaptation of Master and Margarita. It’s a stage adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s rich magical realist novel about the struggle between evil and compassion. I’m a big fan of Complicite’s work, so I’m really looking forward to seeing this one.

Finally, the Reduced Shakespeare Company are back for in London in 2012, bringing The Complete World of Sports (abridged) to the Arts Theatre for a six-week run from 18 July to 25 August, to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic Games. The show’s described as “every sport even played on every continent in the entire history of the world in under two hours!”. It’s a clever idea from clever boys, and I wish them luck!

London Casting News

• One of my favourite actors, Jill Halfpenny, is returning to London, to play Beverly in Abigail’s Party at the Menier Chocolate Factory from 2 March
• Another great British star, Tara Fitzgerald, will appear opposite Ben Chaplin and Jemma Redgrave in Farewell To The Theatre at the Hampstead Theatre from 1 March
• Stand-up comic and actor Ardal O’Hanlon is playing the lead in a new production of Port Authority at the Southwark Playhouse from 24 January
• Finally, I’ve got details of the lucky ladies playing alongside Zach Braff in All New People at the Duke of York’s Theatre from February. Both Eve Myles and Susannah Fielding have previously worked with the RSC, and both have strong sci-fi links: Myles plays Gwen in Torchwood; Fielding has appeared in Doctor Who. I wish them both well with their return to theatre

More next week…

As with last year, I’ve selected these for their starry casts, as well as the promise of fabulous productions. Autograph books at the ready…

1. The Madness of George III, Apollo Theatre, from 18 Jan
I can’t wait to see Olivier Award-winning actor David Haig in Alan Bennett’s brilliant play. He’s already had rave reviews for performances in Bath, and I loved seeing him in Yes, Prime Minister last year, so this is one of next January’s hottest tickets for me.

2. Hay Fever, Noël Coward Theatre, from 10 Feb
I’m a big fan of Lindsay Duncan, Jeremy Northam and Olivia Colman, so I can’t wait to see them all together in Noël Coward’s Hay Fever at the Noël Coward Theatre in February.

3. All New People, Duke of Yorks Theatre, from 22 Feb
Another year, another American star wants to come and perform in our inimitable West End. This time Scrubs’ Zach Braff is bringing his new play, All New People, to London. And he’s starring in it too. While he’s not to everyone’s taste, I like Scrubs and Braff’s film, Garden State, so am interested in seeing this show when it comes to London.

4. Wild Swans, Young Vic, from 13 Apr
Any Harry Potter fans out there should check out Wild Swans at the Young Vic this spring: it stars Harry Potter actor Katie Leung as the character based on Jung Chang in a new stage version of the famous story.

5. Mark Rylance at the Globe, from 7 Jun
Mark Rylance is one of my all-time favourite actors. And knowing that he’s returning to my favourite theatre in London, Shakespeare’s Globe, is just so exciting. Plus he’s playing the lead in Richard III and Olivia in an all-male Twelfth Night – two of the bard’s greatest plays. Booking opens on 13 February: don’t miss out!

6. King Lear, Almeida Theatre, from 31 Aug
Another exciting addition to the World Shakespeare Festival is Jonathan Pryce playing King Lear at the Almeida next summer. I loved Pryce as the villain in Tomorrow Never Dies, and when I saw him on stage in My Fair Lady. I can’t help thinking he’ll be an amazing Lear.

What plays are you looking forward to seeing in 2012? Let us know in the comments below.

Now on to happier announcements!

The Mousetrap is celebrating its diamond jubilee year in September 2012: that’s 60 years in the West End! There are lots of 60-themed events planned for next year, including a 60-venue, 60-week tour, and 60 international productions. But don’t forget, you can only see the original (and best!) production of this incredible show in London…

In contrast, I’ve got details of two brand new West End shows coming to London next year. Firstly, Zach Braff (best known as for his part in TV show Scrubs), is making his stage debut in his own play, All New People at the Duke of York’s Theatre from 22 February next year. Second, the Tony Award-winning musical American Idiot is coming to London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo next December. You’ll have to be quick if you want to see it: it’s only on from 3 to 8 December 2012 in London.

This Week’s Cast News

• The cast for The Recruiting Officer at the Donmar Warehouse has been announced, and very exciting it sounds too. Tobias Menzies, Mackenzie Crook, Nancy Carroll, Mark Gatiss, Rachael Stirling and Gawn Grainger will all be starring at the Covent Garden venue.
• Ghost the Musical has two new stars: Siobhan Dillon and Mark Evans are to play Molly and Sam, taking over from Vaissie Levy and Richard Fleeshman from 13 January.
• Freddie Fox and Phoebe Waller-Bridge are the latest names to be added to the cast list for Hay Fever at the Noel Coward theatre from Feburary.

More next week…

This month the Duke of York’s Theatre plays host to R.C. Sheriff’s Journey’s End, returning to the West End for only 55 performances before embarking on a national tour.

It’s a devastating story, based on the author’s own experiences of life in the trenches. A brave young group of officers face the tragedy and terror of the Great War with courage and humour.

The play is brilliantly executed thanks to the powerful vision of director David Grindley; he draws on the smallest subtleties and nuances in the script to create an intense piece of drama. It helps that the all male cast are faultless, presenting themselves with such conviction that it is painfully moving from start to finish.

Graham Butler is exquisite as the young hero worshipper, Raleigh. He is the newest and youngest addition to the company arriving with an insatiable energy. His commanding officer Captain Stanhope is quite the opposite, despite only being three years older, he is bitter and hardened by his time at war. James Norton gives a mesmerising performance as the bullying Stanhope.

Designer Jonathan Fensom has created a simple but effective set that really draws you into the action. Only using half the height of the stage, it is a claustrophobic dirty trench, equipped with only the meagre necessities. Despite being written in the 1920s, Sheriff’s account of the First World War experience remains a profound, touching and undated memoir.

Journey’s End at the Duke of York’s theatre until 3 Sep 2011. Book tickets