2010 was a fantastic year for West End musicals. As well as the huge girly hit Legally Blonde, there was a fascinating phantom sequel in Love Never Dies, an incredible tour de force performance in End of the Rainbow, and a gorgeous little chamber musical at the Duchess called Love Story.

We’ve recently bid farewell to Sister Act and Avenue Q, and in the coming weeks Oliver!, Flashdance, The Railway Children and Fela! will close, creating space for some more incredible musicals in 2011.

Here’s five that I’m really looking forward to:

• Million Dollar Quartet, from 8 Feb
  A Tony Award-winning show transfers to the West End in February, bringing the story of the night Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis performed together, making rock and roll history.
• Betty Blue Eyes, from 19 March
  Perfect timing: a new musical about organising a Royal Wedding during a recession! Alan Bennett’s fantastic film, A Private Function, is woven into a very British musical, all about a pig called Betty.
• Wizard of Oz, from 27 Apr
  You’ve watched the BBC show Over The Rainbow, now it’s time to see the show! Danielle Hope stars as Dorothy, with Michael Crawford as the Wizard in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest blockbuster.
• Shrek The Musical, from 6 May
  Amanda Holden, Richard Blackwood, Nigel Lindsay and Nigel Harman look like a fab British cast to bring this witty Broadway hit to the West End. I can’t wait.
• Ghost The Musical, from 22 June
  Based on the hit film, and starring Sharon D Clarke and Richard Fleeshman with music by Dave “Eurythmics” Stewart; I think this might be the big hit of 2011.

What are you looking forward to seeing in 2011? Let us know in the comments below!

Some opera news is sneaking its way into Thursday’s theatre slot: the co-creator of Jerry Springer the Opera is writing a new opera based on the life of American glamour model Anna Nicole Smith for the Royal Opera House. It sounds rather crazy, doesn’t it? You’ll have to wait until February next year to see the show, but the lead has already been cast: Dutch soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek will take on the role.

There’s also news of a transfer this week: Peter Hall’s production of Alan Ayckbourne’s Bedroom Farce opens at the Duke of York’s Theatre on 24 March. It comes to the West End following a successful run at the Rose Theare, Kingston last year. Sadly, it’s lost some of its top names: but Nicholas Le Provost, Jane Asher and Lucy Briers are replaced by the just as fantastic David Horovitch, Jenny Seagrove and Sara (“Philadelphia. Lovely.”) Crowe.

Two well-known faces from TV are joining the previously announced David Suchet and Zoe Wannamaker in All My Sons at the Apollo Theatre from May. Stephen Campbell Moore and Jemima Rooper will play the son and bereaved fiancée in Arthur Miller’s tragedy. You’ve probably seen Campbell Moore in The History Boys, doing stuff with the RSC, or in Ashes to Ashes or Wallis and Edward. And while Londoner Jemima Rooper will always be cool Nicki Sutton in As If for me; you might know her from Lost in Austen, Silent Witness or Hex.

You probably last saw Roger Allam dragged up, playing Zaza / Albin in the wonderful La Cage Aux Folles. This summer, he’s back on the London stage, playing a very different role. Allam is making his debut at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre as Falstaff in the Dominic Dromgoole-directed productions, Henry IV Part I and Henry IV Part II. He’ll be playing alongside the hugely watchable Jamie Parker as Hal.

Of course, all the gossip this week has been about Love Never Dies. From five stars in the Independent to just two in the Times, plus a mauling among Phantom-loving bloggers, it’s certainly got people talking. It’s even divided people here at VL towers. I didn’t hate it, (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s tunes are lovely, some of the staging and design is fantastic, and the stars certainly give their all) but I must admit I was a little disappointed with the plot and the lyrics, and I definitely prefer the first Phantom!

Have you see Love Never Dies yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments below!

Happy 1000th performance to smash-hit musical Grease for last night!

Since its premiere in 2007, this production of Grease has been seen by nearly 900,000 theatregoers at London’s Piccadilly Theatre. It celebrated its second birthday this July, and is now the longest running show in Piccadilly Theatre’s history; tickets for the production are currently on sale until September 2010.

Marking the occasion, the show has announced a new class coming to Rydell High in January, including Siobhan Dillon as Sandy. You’ll remember Siobhan from the BBC’s How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? in 2006. (She came third.)

Siobhan’s been in Grease before, playing the wonderful Patty Simcox in 2007. Since then, she’s been in Cabaret and recorded a couple of albums. She’ll be playing Sandy alongside another talent show success story, Noel Sullivan as Danny, from 25 January.

In other cast news, a third former talent show star is coming to the West End next year. Niamh Perry, who came fifth in I’d Do Anything, is to appear in the eagerly anticipated Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical. Other cast members already announced include Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess, Joseph Millson, Liz Robertson and Summer Strallen. Can’t wait.

Finally, fans of Morecambe currently playing in the West End can pick up tickets to a similarly dad-pleasing, old-fashioned-variety-inspired show. If gags like “I got a new car for the wife yesterday… Not a bad swap” tickle your funny bone, don’t miss Jus’ Like That! A Night Out With Tommy Cooper in the new year. Actor Clive Mantle will be playing the legendary Tommy Cooper on a six-month tour beginning on 8 February.

London venues for Jus’ Like That include Beck Theatre, the Tabard Theatre, Fairfield Halls, the Rose Theatre and Queens Theatre. Altogether now: I’m on a whisky diet – I’ve lost three days already. Boom, boom.

Favourite Tommy Cooper gag? Let us know in the comments below…

Lots has changed since then: who would’ve thought you could follow The Phantom on twitter when Michael Crawford first created the part in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s gothic musical?

Love it or hate it, The Phantom of the Opera, based on the French novel by Gaston Leroux, is one of the most successful “entertainment entities” in history.

For a youthful 23-year-old, these figures are pretty staggering:

• Seen by more than 100 million people
• Translated into 15 languages
• Performed in more than 25 different countries
• Won 50 awards worldwide

And what better birthday present could a show wish for than an eagerly anticipated sequel? Yesterday, details about the forthcoming Love Never Dies were announced.

You can watch the press launch online on the official Love Never Dies website.

And if that whets your appetite for more, book your tickets to see Love Never Dies when it opens in London next year.