In other news, the National Theatre’s West End transfer of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has extended its run at the Apollo Theatre by 14 weeks, following huge demand for tickets. It now runs from 1 March to 31 August.

After a sell-out run at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Private Lives is coming to the Gielgud Theatre this summer. Starring Toby Stephens and Anna Chancellor as the divorced couple who fall in love again, this classic Noel Coward comedy is directed by Jonathan Kent and runs from 22 June. Anthony Calf and Anna-Louise Plowman reprise their roles as the pair’s newly hitched and soon-to-be-spurned other halves.

Finally, don’t miss all the excitement building around the Olivier Awards. Firstly, theatre fans are being called on to vote for their favourite long-runner. Then there’s the news that Sheridan Smith (one of my favourite actresses) is going to be hosting the event. And not only is the show being broadcast live on BBC Radio 2, there’ll be highlights on ITV following the ceremony AND a live event for theatre fans in Covent Garden on the night. Put 28 April in your diaries now for a lot of theatrical fun.

London Casting News:

• Mariah Gale, Jamie Parker, Emma Cunniffe and Matthew Marsh will star in Proof at the Menier Chocolate Factory from March
• Jennifer Ellison is donning her wellingtons to join the cast of Singin’ In The Rain next month, when it splashes into its second year at the Palace Theatre
• Olivier Award winner Henry Goodman leads the cast of Lindsay Posner’s forthcoming production of The Winslow Boy at the Old Vic, opening in March
• Singer songwriter Declan Bennett and Croatian actress Zrinka Cvitešić are going to lead the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical Once when it opens at the Phoenix Theatre from 16 March

Flare Path

We asked a few theatregoers what they thought of the play:

“The gentle flowing Flare Path brought to our attention the real life difficulties that people had to face during the war years. Wives watching RAF husbands go off to work, waiting and hoping that they would return safely and just trying to make the best of this very hard situation. For me Sheridan Smith was the stand-out performer whose character provided a light hearted touch as well as delivering serious emotion.”
Madelene, 38, London

“I didn’t think there was much chemistry between the two leads James Purefoy and Sienna Miller and their scenes lacked energy which made the play drag a little. I enjoyed Flare Path because the supporting cast were absolutely superb. Sheridan Smith stole the show as the Countess, and Joe Armstrong and Clive Wood were both really funny.”
Lettice, 30, London

“I really enjoyed Flare Path’s beautifully subtle script, which was quite funny but also brought me to tears in some moments, highlighting how remarkable sacrifices made by individuals during the war quickly became a part of everyday reality. The performances were generally all great and while the celebrity pull is probably Sienna, for me Sheridan Smith was the star of the night.”
Rebecca, 29, Uxbridge

“Flare Path didn’t blow me away but I enjoyed it. I was keen to see Sienna Miller and Sheridan Smith on stage because I’ve heard so much about them both. I thought Sienna Miller did a pretty good job but Sheridan Smith had far more energy and stole every scene she was in. The rest of the supporting cast were also very good – especially Clive Wood who created some great comic moments from the few lines he had.”
Jenny, 28, London

“I enjoyed Flare Path. From the period detail of the set and costumes to the smooth pace of the onstage action it was a good, if not sparklingly great, evening’s entertainment. Written soon after the war, I appreciated the simplicity of the plot and characters: three-dimensional but free from the tortured psychology you’d probably get in something more modern – and the refreshingly happy ending. Sheridan Smith was excellent, Sienna Miller was fine if not exceptional. However the whole play was over-long and would benefit from some astute editing.”
Claire, 28, Tottenham

“Sienna Miller may be the main attraction of Flare Path but she was outshone on stage by some of her fellow cast members. My favourite characters were the hilarious female hotelkeeper, the slightly camp wing commander and the nosey young waiter.  I liked the set too, with its huge windows overlooking a misty air field. The plot’s fairly slow, but the show does immerse you in the 40s world of air force lingo and tea dresses, and it kept me interested from beginning to end.”
Hannah, 37, Devon

Flare Path at Theatre Royal Haymarket until 4 June 2011. Book tickets

Have you seen Flare Path? Let us know what you thought of it in the comments below.

Big Dance, a London-wide celebration of dance, launched today at the London Palladium.

Legally Blonde star Sheridan Smith and Jerry Mitchell, choreographer of Hairspray and Legally Blonde, took to the stage for a special performance of Hairspray number You Can’t Stop The Beat.

An audience of hundreds of school children joined in with the routine from their seats.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Camilla Dallerup also made an appearance, as did the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who treated us to a Bollywood dance demonstration.

“London is the greatest dance, musical and cultural city on Earth,” said the Mayor. “Get down on it and strut your funky stuff in Big Dance 2010.”

Big Dance runs from 3 to 11 July 2010, with flagship event The Big World Dance on 10 July.

And last night, I finally got to see the show. Regular readers won’t be surprised to hear that I loved it. (It’s a girly, giggly, pink, hilarious musical – what’s not to like?!) To be honest, I’d happily watch it again tonight. And tomorrow. And the next day…

But what about the other audience members? We asked a few for their views on London’s hottest new show:

Christine, Senior Citizen
“I thought it was surprisingly brilliant. I wasn’t expecting it to be so good as it wasn’t marketed at me – too pink and Barbie. The reviews said it was just for women, but there was so much too it, every scene was so different.”

Barry, 18
“I was pleasantly surprised. It was really fun. I thought the dog was the best bit. And by that, I mean the Boxer, not the Chihuahua.”

Amy, 28
“I laughed so hard, it blew the January blues clean away! This is the best West End fun I’ve had since Avenue Q and Mamma Mia. Sheridan Smith is mesmerising.”

Victoria, 33
“The show was high energy and full of colour, excellent for a young crowd. The songs were well orchestrated and choreographed but rather unmemorable and it was a bit too “panto” in its humour for me, with obvious cultural references. But an excellent choice for a teenage outing!”

Foamy, 42
“I went straight home and stayed up all night practising my bend and snap! To my wife’s amusement.”

Have you seen Legally Blonde yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments below!

Sheridan Smith is very, very excited. “Parts like this don’t often come along,” she told an eager audience at the launch of Legally Blonde the Musical, at London’s fabulous Café De Paris on Leicester Square. 

Smith is about to start rehearsals for the lead role of Elle Woods in the forthcoming musical.

A huge, eager audience was served champagne and canapés as sparkly as the venue, while listening to various people behind and in the forthcoming show telling us what to expect come Christmas time. (Legally Blonde starts previews on 5 December.)

First, Legally Blonde’s feisty producer, Sonia Friedman, talked about falling in love with the show while it was still in previews on Broadway; and how, despite having a background based more in dramas and revivals, she begged the creative team to let her bring this musical to London.

Director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (the guy behind Hairspray The Musical) then appeared via video from Las Vegas(!) to tell us how excited he is to be working with such a top British cast, including Sheridan Smith and Peter “Davidson”.

Peter Davison then appeared on stage to correct Mr Mitchell’s pronunciation, and tell us he’s “thrilled to be doing this show. It’s astonishing to think that I’m a musical star now, after doing Chicago in 1999 and later doing Spamalot.” Davison stars at Professor Callahan. Self-deprecating Davison gave us an anecdote about his younger self wandering around musical auditions with his guitar, singing Beatles and Bowie songs with limited success. He also paid tribute to the “enormously talented cast, who I get to be very rude to every single night.

“Which is great, because I’ve spent most of my career being hopelessly nice to people.”

After seeing another pair of stars from the show via video link (Duncan James – playing Warner – who guaranteed men will enjoy this show as much as women; and Sheridan Smith, who’s “so chuffed” about getting the part of Elle), we were treated to a medley of sparky songs from the show, performed with tantalising talent on the tiny Café de Paris stage.

Once we were attuned to the American accents, it became clear these are songs that’ll stick in your head and put a smile on your face. Kudos to the girls who managed to skip and dance at the same time in Whipped Into Shape (Aoife Mulholland as Brooke), and to the whole company for putting on a great showcase just a couple of days into rehearsals.

Jill Halfpenny shone the moment she stepped on stage as Paulette. She really has such star quality. And we were pleasantly surprised by Sheridan Smith’s performance. She’s got a mellow, alto singing voice, and while her brilliant acting is perhaps yet to be matched by her singing, we’re sure she’s going to be great come December. She told Official London Theatre:

“I’ve had to have some singing lessons and I’m having a personal trainer, because I am the laziest person and get a stitch walking to the car, so this is quite a big ask for me.

“But it’s good, the director’s brilliant, very strict, so he’s getting my ass in shape. It’s great to have something to work towards and challenge yourself.

“Most leading ladies in musicals are sopranos… but this one particular part was the only one I could get away with, so I’m just going to give it my all every night and just enjoy every minute.” (Read the full report on Official London Theatre.)

She’s starting to sound like the fantastically positive Elle already!

We returned to the office carrying our Legally Blonde goody bags with pride (loving the nailfile and benefit make-up treats) and started counting down the days until this bright pink, sparkly, positive show arrives to perk up the West End.

Book your Legally Blonde tickets now!

Exciting theatre news in the VL “postbag” this morning…

Doctor Who star Peter Davison, and Strictly Come Dancing ’04 winner Jill Halfpenny are to join the cast of Legally Blonde The Musical at London’s Savoy Theatre this December.

The pair join stars Sheridan Smith, Duncan James, Alex Gaumond, Aoife Mullholland and Susan McFadden in what’s sure to be one of the biggest new musicals in London’s West End this season.

Legally Blonde is the story of beautiful, popular, fashion-crazy homecoming queen Elle (Sheridan Smith). When her boyfriend (Duncan James) dumps her for someone more serious, Elle puts down her designer shopping bags and heads to Harvard Law School.

Peter Davison will play Callahan, Elle’s Harvard lecturer. Peter is best known for being the fifth incarnation of Doctor Who – the one who wore celery on his lapel. Peter’s other TV credits include Tristan Farnon in the BBC’s All Creatures Great and Small, and DC Davies in ITV’s The Last Detective.

His stage credits include playing King Arthur in Monty Python’s Spamalot, as well as roles in Chicago, An Absolute Turkey at the Globe Theatre (now the Gielgud) and Arsenic and Old Lace for Chichester Festival Theatre.

Jill Halfpenny will play beautician Paulette. Jill first appeared on TV in Children’s BBC show Byker Grove. Since then she’s appeared in EastEnders, Waterloo Road, Dalziel and Pascoe, Coronation Street, Peak Practice, Heartbeat, Birds of a Feather, Shameless and The Catherine Tate Show. 

Jill’s currently appearing in the West End production of Calendar Girls. Her other theatre credits include Uncle Vanya at the Birmingham Rep, The Bodies at the Live Theatre, Newcastle and Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre.  

If you’re as excited as we are about this Tony-award winning musical hitting London’s West End from Broadway, then book your tickets now!