At the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, West End stars including Richard Blackwood and Carly Stenson (from Shrek), Tom Chambers (Top Hat), Bonnie Langford (Spamalot) and the boys from Thriller Live, gave an audience of super-chirpy children a taste of all the excitement to come this summer.

This year, theatregoers will be able to book for hit musicals including Billy Elliot, The Lion King, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, Singin’ In The Rain and We Will Rock You, comedies like The 39 Steps, One Man, Two Guvnors and Yes, Prime Minister, dramas Chariots Of Fire, The Doctor’s Dilemma and The Woman In Black, and colourful children’s shows such as Dora The Explorer and The Tiger Who Came To Tea. Kids Week offers you a free child’s ticket for every adult ticket purchased to one of the participating shows, plus the opportunity to purchase up to two more children’s tickets half-price.

As well as the shows, Kids Week gives children the chance to take part in singing workshops, Q&As, dance classes and puppet workshops, backstage demonstrations and more. You can take part in a Tigerlympics Tea Party, become a Munchkin in the Wizard of Oz or learn about the Terrible Tudors in a Horrible Histories workshop.

Go to www.kidsweek.co.uk for a full line-up of shows and activities on offer. Tickets go on sale on the website at 10am tomorrow or you can call the Kids Week 24 hour booking hotline on 0844 248 5151. You can also keep up-to-date with Kids Week on their facebook and twitter pages. www.facebook.com/kidsweeklondon and www.twitter.com/kidsweek

Here’s a great video of some of London theatre’s top names messing around with a football.

It’s a fun reminder that, despite the European Championships kicking off later today, there’s lots of other forms of entertainment available in London, particularly if you’re not a footie fan! There’s some pretty impressive skills on show in the video above. Who else thinks David Suchet’s stunning header could be a timely lesson for Andy Carroll?

For more info on all London’s current and forthcoming theatre shows, check out visitlondon.com/events/theatre

The Queen attended the comedy show with Prince Philip, their grandson Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn. She avoided attracting attention from the royal box, instead entered the foyer unannounced shortly before curtain up and sat among the rest of the audience, many of whom reportedly saw our monarch “giggling through the performance”, according to the Official London Theatre website. I’m so pleased she’s been able to see this show: I’ve been recommending it to everyone I know for ages! It’s a real hit, and I’m sure her Majesty thought the same.

And I bring news of an extension at the Royal Court: In Basildon has received rave reviews, and will now play until 5 April. The story of a working-class man on his death bed, In Basildon explores the complications of inheritance and the myth of place. It’s directed by Dominic Cooke, and stars Linda Bassett, who is known for her TV appearances in Larkrise To Candleford and Grandma’s House.

Next up, a new solo show at the Trafalgar Studios. Chris Larner’s award-winning An Instinct For Kindness plays at the Trafalgar Studios for three weeks this spring. The play takes on the contentious topic of assisted suicide, telling the story of Larner’s 2010 journey to the Switzerland Dignitas clinic with his chronically ill ex-wife. The Fringe First Award-winning show plays from 10 April to 28 April, following a critically acclaimed run at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Independent described An Instinct For Kindness as, “Intensely moving, at times overwhelming”.

London Theatre Casting News:

• Carley Stenson, currently playing Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, will take over from Kimberley Walsh as Princess Fiona in Shrek from 21 May
• Jason Manford is to play competing barber Pirelli in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd for four weeks this summer, taking over from Robert Burt while the original star is on holiday (2-27 Jul)
•  Jonathan Ansell of G4 will lead the cast of A Tale Of Two Cities when it opens at the Charing Cross Theatre in April
• Finally, Simon Paisley Day will return to the London stage this summer, playing Petruchio in The Taming Of The Shrew at Shakespeare’s Globe, opposite Samantha Spiro

RSC veterans Oliver Ford Davies and Stephen Boxer will star in the drama, which marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible. Edgar’s play tells the story of two men translating the word of God into English: for one, it means death at the stake, for the other, it could bring an archbishop’s mitre.

Another exciting piece of transfer news this week: Mark Rylance’s Shakespeare’s Globe productions Richard III and Twelfth Night (the latter starring Stephen Fry) are moving to the Apollo Theatre in the West End from 2 November. It’s a long time to wait, but I think tickets are going to sell fast, so be quick if you want to see these shows!

An earlier play for your calendars is What The Butler Saw, also announced this week. Comic Omid Djalili, who you might’ve seen in Oliver at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane a couple of years’ ago, will lead the cast of this new production. What The Butler Saw is a comedy of twists, coincidences and sharp one-liners, by Joe Orton, and will play at the Vaudeville Theatre from 4 May to 25 August.

Fans of The Inbetweeners should look out for Blake Harrison (Neil from the show) making his West End debut in Rob Hayes’s Step 9 (Of 12) at the Trafalgar Studios, also in May. Step 9 (Of 12) sees Harrison playing Keith, a drug and alcohol addict, apologising for his past. But as his earlier actions are assessed, it becomes clear they have shocking repercussions for the present.

Finally, Shrek The Musical has announced a new “school night” performance schedule: starting Wednesday night shows at the more kid-friendly time of 7pm. The team have also introduced a new family ticket package for Wednesday and Thursday evening performances with prices starting at £99, making it more affordable for families to see the hit show.

And on 16 May, Shrek will play a special, relaxed performance for children with special needs: tickets are free for the kids, and just £5 for adults. This one-off show is presented by theatre educational charity, Mousetrap Theatre Projects. For more info on the work they do, check out their website.

Madelene Yeshin
All my theatre highlights took place at The National, from Danny Boyle’s mind-blowing production of Frankenstein, to the hilarious One Man, Two Guvnors and finally to the beautiful, romantic and funny play by Daniel Kitson -It’s Alright Now, until Later. On the food front, I had an incredible dining experience at Heston’s Dinner in Knightsbridge, and dicovered a new favourite Oxford Street eatery at Riding House Café - perfect for escaping the shopping crowds. Finally, my most bizarre experience of the year was rowing across the roof of Selfridges on an emerald lake courtesy of Bombas and Parr.

Lettice Kemp
My 2011 highlights included following the craft trail at the Thames Festival, seeing Milton Jones’ stand-up show, being utterly terrified by Daleks at the Doctor Who Experience, visiting the Tower Bridge Exhibition, watching Arthur “Rory” Darvill in Doctor Faustus at Shakespeare’s Globe and attending Knit Nation for the first time. Tapping into the trend for shocking Christmas jumpers, I took a one-day knitting class at Loop and mastered Fair Isle knitting. I also took a silver clay class at the London Jewellery School and a lampshade making class at The Make Lounge, both of which I heartily recommend. Best of all was South Pacific at the Barbican: just beautiful and dreamy.

Aly Garvey
There were some gorgeous exhibitions in London this year including the Glamour of the Gods at the National Portrait Gallery which I loved. Degas and the Ballet at the Royal Academy of Arts was fantastic too. I enjoyed dinner at two of London’s most well-known restaurants, the OXO Tower and the Rib Room which have both had refurbishments this year and reopened looking better than ever with food and drinks to match.

Hannah Collingbourne
After seeing Shrek The Musical, my friend declared, “That’s the best thing that’s happened to me all week!”. I have to agree; in fact it was one of my top events for the whole year. Audience members of all ages left the theatre with a smile on their face. If you need cheering up in the dark winter months after Christmas, I’d recommend a visit to Shrek.

Lisa Williams
Walking along the Southbank with all the beach huts, beach and drinking Pimms on the roof top garden bar during the Southbank Centre’s Festival of Britain was fantastic. I was also lucky enough to go to The O2 to watch the ATP Tennis semi-final matches, which was truly inspiring. Next would be my preview trip of the Harry Potter tour which is opening in March – I just couldn’t believe how much detail had gone into making the sets! Finally, my trip on the Orient Express: being treated like royalty, drinking champagne and eating divine food while pottering around in a beautiful train… what a year!

Jenny Owen
From the swashbuckling Pirates exhibition, to the beautiful and delicate paintings of Degas, it’s been a great year for soaking up some culture in London. I spent hours at the Mirá½¹ exhibiton at Tate Modern, and now we have the Dickens exhibition, which I think really deserves all the hype. Other stand-out moments included visiting The Ritz (every bit as decadent as I’d imagined); touring the Tower of London by night and visiting beautiful Lancaster House during a rare public opening.

Lianne Kolirin
Matilda was unquestionably the highlight of my year in London. The kids loved it too, but you don’t need a little one in tow to appreciate this musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic. I also enjoyed visiting World Travel Market over the autumn. Practically every country around the world occupies a tiny corner of the enormous ExCel exhibition centre. It’s so huge; you could spend a whole week taking in the atmosphere. Earlier in the year, I saw John Bishop compere a comedy benefit in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall. So many great acts, so many laughs. Best of the bunch was Seann Walsh, who is definitely a face to look out for in 2012.

Tom Butler
2011 has been a great year for discovering new spaces in London, from inside the former Commonwealth Institute as part of Open House London, to the Eden Project-designed Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden & Bar for the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain. I’m glad this beautiful, grassy rooftop will be back in 2012. Other highlights included a Q&A with author Kazuo Ishiguro at a screening of Never Let Me Go in February (the venue, the Ritzy in Brixton, had an incredible year of events celebrating its 100th birthday), and Hackney Wicked in July. Finally, the best single moments were the decision to award the 2017 World Athletics Championships to London, and the discovery of (possibly) London’s best burritos at Picante Mexican Grillin Victoria – both are a fantastic result for the city.

Zoe Craig
There have been some great shows in London this year. Highlights for me included the brilliantly acted plays Clybourne Park, Frankenstein and The Westbridge; and classy musicals Crazy For You, Matilda and Betty Blue Eyes. Best of the lot was One Man, Two Guvnors – a wonderful script, a fantastic cast, and whole lot of fun. I also loved seeing the new Penguin Beach at London Zoo earlier in the summer.

What were your highlights of 2011? Let us know in the comments below…

Based on the popular Shrek films, the all-singing, all-dancing show features Kimberly Walsh from Girls Aloud, Richard Blackwood, Nigel Harman and Nigel Lindsay.

If you want to see London’s favourite ogre live on stage, enter our competition to win a family ticket to Shrek the Musical.

Enter now for your chance to win a family ticket to Shrek the Musical

• Long runners extending their booking periods include:
  Wicked, Jersey Boys, Les Mis, Phantom, and We Will Rock You
• New blockbusters getting in on the forward planning include:
  The Wizard of Oz, Shrek, Ghost

For a full list of shows that have extended their booking into 2012, check out the Official London Theatre website.

Edward Hall’s all-male theatre company Propeller have also announced their 2012 plans. They’ll perform their Shakespearean pairing of Henry V and The Winter’s Tale at the Hampstead Theatre from 4 to 21 July.

Before we get to that all-important Olympic year, there’s still exciting casting news to think about. This week’s announcements include:

• Hollywood star Thandie Newton, who’ll appear in Ariel Dorfman’s Death And The Maiden at the Comedy Theatre from October
• Doctor Who star Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) is making her professional stage debut in Inadmissible Evidence at the Donmar, also in October
• Another debut, this time from Hannah Spearritt (who you’ll know from Primeval, or if you’re my age, S Club 7!) in The Belle’s Stratagem at the Southwark Playhouse from September
• And finally, a real favourite of mine, David Suchet’s going to be back on the London stage in Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, at the Apollo Theatre. You’ll have to wait til next April for that one, I’m afraid.

Last of all if you’re a fan of London theatre: don’t forget Kids Week, next month!

Shrek The Musical

We asked a few theatregoers what they thought of the stage adaptation of the popular book and film. They all agreed on one point – that Nigel Harman’s Lord Farquaad was their favourite part of the show:

I really enjoyed Shrek the Musical. It was enthusiastic and silly like a panto and aimed at kids but it was funny and enjoyable for adults too. Nigel Harman completely stole the show as Lord Faquaad with his great singing and hilarious dancing.
Betty 34 London

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Shrek the Musical. How can you recreate a green, burping giant on stage? But everything was brilliant: the dancing, singing, sets, costumes and lights. My favourite bits were the scenes with Nigel Harman, who acted (and danced!) on his knees as the vertically challenged Lord Farqaard. Shrek is a real feel-good show. As we left the theatre my friend declared, “That’s the best thing that’s happened to me all week!”
Hannah, 37, North London

Shrek the Musical had all the kids in the audience rolling in their seats. Like in the movies, the comedy was set on two levels: one aimed at adults and the other at kids – and while I would have appreciated a few more laughs and a fewer sentimental story lines, on the whole, the show was fun. For me, the real star of the show was Nigel Harman as the baddie, Lord Farquaad, getting a laugh from the audience at every appearance.
Jacqueline, London

Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad outclassed everyone else on stage. He was the perfect pantomime villain, and provided plenty of slapstick comedy performing all his songs and dances on his knees! Shrek The Musical could do with a few more things like that to justify the price of a ticket versus re-watching the DVD. The dragon puppet was also a highlight.
Barbara, 50, West London

Have you seen Shrek The Musical in London? Tell us what you thought in the comments below.

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!

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!