Fans of the Kneehigh Theatre Company are in for a treat as their production of Steptoe and Son comes to London next year. Following a successful run at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the two-hander based on scripts from the original TV series will play from 19 March at the Lyric Hammersmith. Kneehigh founding member and joint Artistic Director Mike Shepherd and Dean Nolan will reprise their roles in London.

Dominic Cooke’s last season as Artistic Director of the Royal Court has been announced this week. Following the hugely successful Clybourne Park, Cooke will direct Bruce Norris’ third play The Low Road in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. Young playwright Polly Stenham will premiere her third Royal Court play No Quarter in the Royal Court’s Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, while Anthony Neilson will close the season with the intriguingly named A New Play, which he will both write and direct. Visit the Royal Court Theatre’s website to find out more.

Finally, more Strictly Come Dancing news: Russell Grant returns to the West End next year to once again share the stage with his Strictly Come Dancing partner Flavia Cacace in the return of Midnight Tango at the Phoenix Theatre. Grant is taking the role of bar owner Carlos, whose downtown Buenos Aires-establishment becomes the setting for the explosive story.

London Theatre Cast News:

• Haydn Gwynne will star as Margaret Thatcher opposite Helen Mirren’s Elizabeth II in Peter Morgan’s The Audience at the Gielgud Theatre from February; Robert Hardy and Paul Ritter will play Winston Churchill and John Major in the fascinating-sounding new play
• Gavin Lee is taking over from Tom Chambers as lead Jerry Travers in Top Hat from February; with Charlotte Gooch replacing Summer Strallen as Dale Tremont from 27 November
• Sophiya Haque, Harry Hepple, Mark Lewis Jones and John Marquez join Simon Russell Beale in Privates On Parade, which kicks off the newly formed Michael Grandage Company’s first season next month
• Tamsin Greig and Roger Lloyd Pack will appear in the forthcoming production of The Trojan Women, which opens at the Gate Theatre later this month

• V&A Summer Camp: A Bombay Sapphire cardboard bar and the chance to create your own sound effects are among the highlights of tonight’s Lates event. 30-31 Jul
• Barclays Live: See live auditions for the country’s hottest new dance acts in Leicester Square. Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole is on the celebrity judging panel. 31 Jul
• Pop-Up Tattoo Parlour: Temporary tattoos and free cocktails (for the first 2,000 visitors) courtesy of Hornitos Tequila. Dray Walk Gallery, 12-6pm. 1 Aug
• Cult Cinema: A special screening of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet at The Troxy in tribute to the late Dennis Hopper. Dress up as your favourite Dennis Hopper character and bring a flower. 31 Jul
• Rebel Bingo World Championships: Take a shot at becoming 2010′s world champion in a secret London location. 31 Jul
• Carnaval del Pueblo: Be part of a Guiness World Record attempt for the largest salsa dance. Register at 10:30am in Burgess Park followed by practice workshops. 1 Aug
• Hackney WickED: Showcasing Hackney’s arty side with three days of galleries, open studios, cabaret, live music and more. 30 Jul-1 Aug

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.