Smash-hit show Oliver! may only have a couple of months left in the West End (it closes on 8 January), but that hasn’t stopped a couple of familiar faces making a return to the show. Griff Rhys Jones will return to play Fagin this December for a five-week run, while Jodie Prenger will play Nancy for one last time on 13 November. Jodie will stand in for current Nancy, Kerry Ellis, when Kerry takes to the Royal Albert Hall stage for the Festival Of Remembrance concert. When Oliver!’s gone from Theatre Royal Drury Lane, it’s all about green monsters as Shrek arrives in May.

More exciting casting news about this week: Benedict Cumberbatch (that’s Sherlock to you and me) and sexy Jonny Lee Miller have been announced as Dr Frankenstein and the monster he creates in the National Theatre’s upcoming production. “Which is which?!” I hear you cry. Turns out they’re going to be alternating parts each night! Sounds like I’m going to have to book to see more than one show when it comes to Danny Boyle’s National Theatre debut. Excited? I can’t wait.

If you’re a fan of new musicals, then Waterloo East Theatre is the place for you this Christmas. The new venue is producing two musical premiers this festive season. Choose between:

• Striking 12: a musical retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale The Little Match Girl with a score that fuses jazz, rock and show tunes. It’s composed by the American “theatrical power trio” GrooveLily
• Pinkalicious The Musical: aimed at children aged nine and younger, it’s the story of Pinkalicious, a girl who can’t stop eating pink cupcakes, despite warnings from her parents

Finally, for this week, a heads-up for Rat Pack fans. Christmas With The Rat Pack – Live From Las Vegas comes to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for just two performances this Christmas; a matinee and an evening show on 19 December. Book now!

With Christmas drawing closer many shows are ending their runs to make way for festive productions. It really is your last chance to see many of London’s most popular musicals.

A few nights ago I went to see Oliver! It has been on my list of “must-sees” ever since the Andrew Lloyd Webber programme went in search of the perfect Nancy. Oliver closes on 8 January 2011 after a fantastic two-year run, and tickets are selling out fast. I didn’t realise the scale of this production before I went – the theatre is massive and very grand and the stage constantly changes, with ever more fabulous backdrops for each successive scene. But by far the most epic aspect of this musical is the huge cast, predominantly made up of very talented young children.

The show currently stars entertainer Russ Abbot as the loveable rogue Fagin (although I saw understudy Tim Laurenti in the role) and Kerry Ellis as Nancy. Gwion Wyn Jones (Oliver) and Ben Wilson (Artful Dodger) are the real stars of the night however; I couldn’t believe how capable and confident they are – singing, dancing and acting with startling maturity and swagger. I particularly love the sequence right at the beginning of the show when all the kids come on stage to sing “Food Glorious Food”.

Read our entry on Oliver! with Omid Djalili as Fagin.

Other London Theatre Shows Ending Soon:

• Sister Act: (ends 30 October 2010) A precocious singer joins a convent to unite the sisters with singing and music
• Avenue Q: (ends 30 October 2010) A hilarious mischievous puppet show set in New York City
• Sweet Charity: (ends 6 November 2010) the story of a dancer-for-hire at a Times Square dance-hall who finds love at last
• The Railway Children: (ends 2 January 2010) An adaptation of E Nesbit’s classic about three children who find amusement watching the trains at a nearby railway station

Catch them before it’s too late!

• Bond Girl Gemma Arterton is returning to the London stage in The Master Builder at the Almeida, joining the fantastic Stephen Dillane. Go Gemma!
• In other Bond film star news, Judi Dench will be voicing the The Giant in the Open Air Theatre’s upcoming production of Into The Woods. (She’s not going to be on stage: she’s recording her part in July for the August opening of this summer’s outdoor musical)
• And another British film star, Ben Barnes will appear in the forthcoming production of Birdsong, a stage adaptation of Sebastian Faulks‘ amazing novel. Personally, I can’t wait for this show open in September

In new show news, Five Guys Named Moe returns to London this autumn, opening at the Theatre Royal Stratford East from September. The award-winning jazz musical is heading back to the venue where it first opened 20 years ago!

And the most toe-tingling news for me this week is the RSC’s announcement that they’re heading back to the Roundhouse later in the year. Bringing back memories of the curious Shakespeare marathon that was The Histories, this time the company are presenting a repertoire of eight plays in 10 weeks, including Romeo And Juliet, Antony And Cleopatra, The Winter’s Tale, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and King Lear. RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd says:

“London audiences will be able to see our ensemble in full flight – 44 actors pushing each other to set the bar of their achievements higher. When they touch down at the Roundhouse in our specially built auditorium in November it will mark a significant highpoint, two years into their journey together.”

Brilliant news. (Read Boyd’s quote in full)

Finally, theatreland giveth and taketh away: the incredible All My Sons has extended to October (hurrah!), but the wonderful Oliver! is closing (boo!) in January 2011. Book now if you don’t want to miss out on seeing this fantastic London musical!

Congratulations to Kensington Palace. Their latest exhibition, the multi-sensory and super-cool Enchanted Palace won a top travel award last week.

Enchanted Palace took a special Editor’s Award for Innovation in Tourism at the 2010 Group Travel Awards dinner on Friday 11 June.

The exhibition is a pretty unique collaboration between Historic Royal Palaces, a theatre company called WILDWORKS and top fashion designers. Happily, this successful enchantment is to continue until January 2012, so you’ve got plenty of time to fall under its spell.

Alexandra Kim, who has the fantastic job of being the Historic Royal Palaces Curator responsible for Enchanted Palace said, “I’m absolutely delighted that Enchanted Palace has been honoured with this special award for Innovation in Tourism.

“It is a great achievement for this hugely ambitious project, which aims to offer an intriguing and captivating visitor experience at Kensington Palace whilst the historic royal residence undergoes its major £12 million renovation.”

Other London attractions to scoop top prizes at last week’s awards include:

• Buckingham Palace (best attraction for groups on short visits)
• Oliver! (best live stage / theatrical performance)
• City Cruises (best inland canal / riverboat operator)

Congratulations to all the winners and runners up.

Read more about London’s Historic Royal Palaces

Romola Garai, who was so fantastic in the BBC’s recent adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, is appearing at the Lyric Hammersmith from January next year. She’ll be playing Masha in a new production of Chekhov’s Three Sisters, alongside an exciting-sounding cast including Jim Bywater, Nigel Cooke and Clare Dunne.

If, like me, you’re currently enjoying the BBC’s adaptation of Small Island, you can see the gorgeous Ashley Walters (who plays David in the show) at the Royal Court next year. Walters, who used to be in So Solid Crew, is appearing in Off The Endz, Bola Agbaje’s new play about three 20-somethings growing up on a London estate.

And Toby Stephens, who’s played many memorable characters on TV (Mr Rochester in the 2006 Jane Eyre for one!) is headed to the Old Vic from April next year. Stephens is appearing in a new production of Tom Stoppard’s 1982 play, The Real Thing.

Lastly, one other TV star heading for the London stage is Griff Rhys Jones, who takes over from Omid Djalili as Fagin in Oliver! from Monday night. Break a leg, Griff!

That’s not Oliver’s! only cast change: I’m excited to hear Kerry Ellis is taking over from Jodie Prenger as Nancy next March. Ellis is best known for playing Elphaba in Wicked, for which she won the 2008 Whatsonstage.com Award for Best Takeover in a Role. I think she’s rather ace.

And talking of the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards – have you voted yet? Make sure you have your say before the winners are announced on 14 February next year.

Excited about seeing any of these stars? Do you know about something I’ve missed?! Add your thoughts to the comments below…

Oliver! Oliver! Never before has a boy wanted more…

I’ve had this song stuck in my head since seeing the Theatre Royal production of Oliver! last week. Directed by Rupert Goold and choreographed by Matthew Bourne this musical production of Dickens’ classic novel is an all-singing, all-dancing spectacular.

I considered myself at home as the familiar tunes were performed in front of amazing sets in Covent Garden‘s beautiful old Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Whoever said you shouldn’t work with kids or animals should “eat their head”, as the kids were the stars of the show – first appearing as orphans, then as Fagin’s urchins and other London street strays. And Bullseye – Bill Sikes’ dog, played by a real live dog – was a big hit with the audience.

Oom Pah Pah, Oom Pah Pah, that’s not to say the adults didn’t belt out a few good ‘uns (literally, in the case of Sykes, ahem). Omid Djalili as Fagin was fickle, funny and just the right side of fiendish. And Nancy sang up a storm.

Proving you’ve gotta pick a pocket or two – I particularly liked the Act 1 scene where Oliver is sold to work in a Funeral Parlour and the undertaker and his wife were styled to look like Riffraff and Magenta – bit of a timewarp, but it worked.

This is a great production that’s suitable for young and old. I’m sure you’d do anything to see it for yourself and, luckily, all you have to do is buy a wonderful theatre ticket.