If you’re into experimental and brand new theatre, make sure you check out this summer’s Almeida Festival, running from 9 July to 3 August. It’s a really eclectic programme, including international theatre companies, new collaborations and award-winning artists. Look out for Bryony Kimming’s new show, Credible Likeable Superstar Role Model; Lost Dogs’ new show Rabbits; and Dante or Die’s I Do, a site-specific piece that takes place in six hotel rooms 10 minutes before a wedding is due to start. For the full line-up, see almeida.co.uk/festival-2013.

The line-up for this year’s Kids Week has also been announced. Running for the whole of August in 2013, there are 34 top London shows offering free tickets to children aged 16 and under with every adult ticket bought. As well as top musicals, drama and dance shows, there are also workshops for kids interested in trying ballet, learning pop songs with the cast of Let It Be and tap dancing with Top Hat. Tickets go on sale on 18 June from kidsweek.co.uk.

The latest news from the National Theatre is that Rufus Norris will direct a new stage adaptation of the acclaimed novel Behind The Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death And Hope In A Mumbai Undercity next year. The novel by Katherine Boo is being adapted by playwright David Hare, and is a non-fiction account of life in the slums of Annawadi. If the adaptation of Mark Haddon’s novel, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time is anything to go by, the National could have another hit on their hands.

London Theatre Cast News

• Olivier Award-winning actor Julian Glover will star in the UK premiere of The Scottsboro Boys when it opens at the Young Vic later this year
• Joanna Lumley and Andrew Scott will star in two short plays by Harold Pinter as part of a programme of platform events at the Trafalgar Studios
• Maureen Lipman stars in the world premiere of Oliver Cotton’s Daytona at the Park Theatre from 10 July
• Danny Webb joins Imelda Staunton and Toby Jones in the UK premiere of Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation, part of the Royal Court’s Theatre Local project later this year
• Olivier Award winner Gawn Grainger and The Lord Of The Rings star Billy Boyd have joined the cast of Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe

What’s your favourite song from Viva Forever!?
At the moment my favourite song is “Who Do You Think You Are?” Jennifer’s [Saunders] put it in great context and written a fantastic scene around it; one minute it’s funny, the next minute it’s like a fight between all of us. It’s very exciting to enact and the audience respond really strongly to it.

Why do you think the Spice Girls songs are so popular?
I think the Spice Girls songs are the embodiment of fun and optimism. The Spice Girls aren’t afraid to aim high and go for their goals, while encouraging others to do the same. They shine a bright light in what sometimes seems a bit of a dull world!

What does performing in London’s West End mean to you?
It’s incredibly handy – a quick pedal up the hill on my bicycle and I’m there! That aside, London’s West End is a vibrant multicultural hub – and it’s amazing to be part of a phenomenal theatrical history that goes way back.

Do you prefer TV or stage work?
TV and stage work present different challenges, both of which I enjoy.

If you weren’t playing Simone in Viva Forever!, what other role would you like to play on stage at the moment?
Oh my – how long have you got?! There are a million things I’d like to do, but I feel strangely shy about talking about specific plays or shows – I must be more superstitious than I thought! I love working on classical texts. I love Mr Shakespeare and Mr Chaucer. I’ve never done a Chekhov, Tennessee Williams or Lorca play – or a full Greek Tragedy. I also passionately want to do a gig or two.

What part of a musical do you most enjoy – the dancing, singing or acting?
Singing! And acting is naturally at the heart of it anyway.

Do you have any lucky charms or rituals before you go on stage?
Mostly practical stuff – I fill up an old contact lens case with vital throat moistening sweets and pop them down my frontage because I don’t have any pockets. And I always put the left shoe on first – I’ve no idea why!

Why should London theatre-goers choose to see Viva Forever!?
Viva Forever is a fun party that everyone’s invited to. It’s the sort of party you don’t want to leave because you’re having too much fun – and the music is great. Come along and boogie!

Viva Forever! is currently playing at the Piccadilly Theatre. You can book tickets to see Viva Forever! here. You can follow Viva Forever! on twitter: @vivaforever

Ghost The Musical has been romancing audiences in London since summer 2011. In January, the musical had a major cast change with Mark Evans and Siobhan Dillon taking over from Richard Fleeshman and Cassie Levy in the lead roles. We asked what you thought of Ghost with its new cast members:

“Siobhan Dillon and Mark Evans were very impressive as relatively new cast members in the stage adaptation of Ghost at the Piccadilly Theatre. I thought this might detract from my enjoyment of the show (having seen it previously with original cast) but was actually pleasantly surprised to find that, if anything, I was more impressed the second time round.

“The actors comfortably delivered their lines, with highly comical scenes, a great score, impeccable timing from Sharon D Clarke and overwhelming special effects. Ghost is still one of my top five West End musicals.”
Lucy Hillyard

“I thought it was amazing and it totally exceeded my expectations.  The special effects were awesome. It’s the sort of play you could see again and again as there is just so much to it. The staging was some of the best I have ever seen in the West End.” 
Alison Couper 

“Thoroughly enjoyed Ghost, wonderful cast and the sound effects were fabulous.”
Josephine Somers

“I thought the special effects were amazing and very well thought out.  The lead characters were great, very good singers too!  For me the lady that played Oda Mae Brown stole the show.”
Bernice Windley

“Thought it was very good – a few tears as well!. The special effects exceeded my expectations.”
Sarah Bagg

Have you seen Ghost The Musical? Tell us what you thought of it 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…