Firstly this week, I have news of two shows closing early, and another extending. So, if you’re eager to see Strictly Come Dancing stars Kristina Rihanoff and Robin Windsor in Burn The Floor at the Shaftesbury Theatre, you’ll need to be quick. The show is now closing on 30 June. The same date will be the final performance of Viva Forever! at the Piccadilly Theatre. The musical based on the songs of the Spice Girls has run for just six months, but producers have blamed poor ticket sales and bad reviews for the early closure. Fans of One Man Two Guvnors are in luck however; the National Theatre’s hit comedy celebrates its third year in London this week by releasing an additional 150,000 tickets for the show at the Theatre Royal Haymarket: it’s now booking until 1 March 2014.

I’ve also got news of two new shows coming to London in the near future. Dance troupe ZooNation bring the world premiere their “unique twist” on The Wizard of Oz, Groove on Down the Road to the Southbank Centre this summer. Featuring music from the original 1978 film The Wiz remixed with current tunes by DJ Walde, Groove on Down the Road runs from 10 August to 1 September at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. The acclaimed Sheffield Theatres production of The Full Monty will transfer to the West End next year for a 16-week season. The stage adaptation of the hit film will play at the Noel Coward Theatre from February next year. Following the news of American Psycho and The Commitments last week, it seems we can’t get enough of film adaptations on the London stage at the moment.

Finally, another summer treat to look forward to. The Lyric Hammersmith is running Theatre in the Square again this summer, encouraging visitors to indulge in free theatre from four of the country’s most innovative theatre companies over a four-week season. The shows’ themes range from water to motherhood to ice cream to The Bacchae. Theatre in the Square is part of the ever-brilliant Greenwich+Docklands International Festival.

London Theatre Cast News

• Ralf Little, Simon Day, John Gordon Sinclair and Con O’Neill will star in Sean Foley’s The Ladykillers when it returns to the Vaudeville Theatre in June
• West End regular Dianne Pilkington takes over as Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia! from 10 June, along with 24 other new cast members. It’ll be the biggest cast change since the show began performances in London back in 1999
• Darren Day will star in The Golden Voice, a new musical about the consequences of TV talent shows, playing at the Arts Theatre from June

Second, following his Olivier Award nomination last week, Derren Brown is returning to the West End. His hit 2011 show, Svengali will play at the Novello Theatre from 12 July to 11 August only. Little is known, or talked about with this secretive show: I can tell you to expect psychological tricks, mind control, incredible stunts, and of course, lots of audience participation.

Finally, congratulations to Gregory Doran who, it’s been announced today, will succeed Michael Boyd as Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2014.

London Casting News

• Adam Levy is joining Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths in Neil Simon’s comedy The Sunshine Boys at the Savoy Theatre from 27 April
• Samantha Bond, Tim McInnerny and Georgia Moffett will be playing alongside Omid Djalili in this summer’s production of Joe Orton’s What The Butler Saw at the Vaudeville Theatre from May
• Claire Foy, who you’ll recognise from BBC dramas White Heat and Upstairs Downstairs is appearing in Mike Bartlett’s Love, Love, Love at the Royal Court from April

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.

It’s been an interesting year for West End musicals. 2011 has seen huge success stories like Matilda and Crazy For You transfer to the West End, as well as The Wizard of Oz, Shrek and Ghost The Musical.

How can 2012 top that? Well, if the rumours are true, we could be in for some pretty exciting new musicals for the Olympic year. There are whispers of Bridget Jones’ Diary The Musical (with the ever-brilliant Sheridan Smith as the lead); murmurs of Viva Forever The Musical (Spice Girls songs and Jennifer Saunders writing – what more could you want?!); hints about a musical version of The Bodyguard, complete with Whitney Houston’s songs; and suggestions of a Wind In The Willows musical too…

While I love rumours as much as the next person, my tips for 2012 are all based on facts. These shows are definitely coming, and you should be getting excited about them!

1. Master Class, Vaudeville Theatre, from 21 Jan
Tyne Daly has already wowed Broadway audiences with her performance as Maria Callas in Master Class. Next month, she’s heading to London to do the same. I can’t wait.

2. Singin’ In the Rain, Palace Theatre, from 4 Feb
One of my favourite films of all time, it’ll be great to see Singin’ In The Rain on the London stage in February. Particularly with star dancer Adam Cooper in the lead role, and Scarlett Strallen as Kathy.

3. Sweeney Todd, Adelphi Theatre, from 10 Mar
I’m thrilled that Michael Ball is heading back to the West End. He’s such a fantastic singer, and an all-round musical superstar. Sweeney Todd has already had rave reviews from Chichester; I’m so excited about seeing this show when it comes to London in the spring

4. Top Hat, Aldwych Theatre, from 19 Apr
I was a big fan of Tom Chambers when he was on Strictly Come Dancing, so I can’t wait to see him in Top Hat in the West End. My parents have already seen this show on tour, and promise that we’re in for a real treat when it comes to the Aldwych next year. And there’s another one of those Strallen sisters to look out for! (Summer, this time.)

5. Wah! Wah! Girls, Peacock Theatre, from 24 May
Just while you were thinking that all I was going to recommend for 2012 were revivals and transfers, I give you a sparkling new musical from Sadler’s Wells, Theatre Royal Stratford East and Kneehigh. It’s East London meets Bollywood, and part of the exciting World Stages London collaboration for 2012.

6. Porgy And Bess, London Coliseum, from 11 Jul
Finally for summertime (when else?!), the Cape Town Opera comes to the London Coliseum to mark 75 years since George Gershwin’s death. This vibrant, physical production of Porgy And Bess shifts the action to apartheid-era Soweto, with all the classical-jazz-opera musical combinations as strong as ever. It should be a real spectacle.

What musicals are you looking forward to seeing in 2012? Let us know in the comments below…

I’ve got three Christmassy announcements, the first from the Old Vic, which is reviving Michael Frayn’s hugely successful comedy Noises Off, directed by Lindsay Posner, over the festive period. Second, a new musical version of Swallows and Amazons will be produced by the National Theatre at the Vaudeville for Christmas; with music by Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy. And children’s favourite, The Gruffalo will be bringing its terrible tusks and terrible claws to the Lyric for morning and afternoon performances from November to January.

The other new shows announced this week are even further ahead. If you’re planning a theatre trip for next year, you can choose between Singin’ In The Rain at the Palace Theatre, starring Adam Cooper and Scarlett Strallen from February (a transfer of the Chichester Festival Theatre hit); or She Stoops To Conquer at the National Theatre starring Sophie Thompson, Steve Pemberton and Katherine Kelly from January.

And reaching even further into the crystal ball of theatrical future, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has announced its plans for 2012. It’ll stage A Midsummer Night’s Dream and contemporary musical Ragtime from May to September next year. Book before the end of April 2012, and you’ll get a special ticket price of £20.12 on all performances during the Games themselves (25 July to 12 August).

This week’s casting news:

• Busted star Matt Willis and Phantom regular Gina Beck are to appear as Fiyero and Glinda in Wicked from December
• The Young Vic has released more details about its production of Hamlet this autumn. Adeel Akhtar, star of Four Lions joins musical theatre regular Sally Dexter and Sherlock actress Vinette Robinson in the show
• Laurie Metcalf will appear alongside David Suchet in the forthcoming drama Long Day’s Journey Into Night at the Apollo Theatre

More next week…

Betty, played by the gorgeous Olivia Williams, is a blue jean-clad bluestocking; dean at a nearby university, and completely at odds with her redneck carpenter brother (Matthew Fox). She’s hastily clearing out her student-tenant’s stuff, and calls on her brother to help. But as they bicker about the past while they’re tidying up, it starts to become clear that they’re revealing an even bigger mess with every book they pack.

Even if, like me, you guess the slightly clichéd twists early on, there’s still lots to enjoy about this slick, shouty show. Matthew Fox proves himself to be an excellent presence on stage; there’s violence in every movement he makes. As Betty, Olivia Williams manages to convey both haughty disrespect for her bitter, Puritanical brother and an honest vulnerability when she admits how much she’s upset by her ageing, fading attractiveness.

In A Forest, Dark and Deep might not have the most depth of all the scripts currently available in the West End, but it certainly does have two of the best star performances.

In A Forest, Dark and Deep plays at the Vaudeville Theatre until 4 June. Book tickets here.

The brilliant reviews for An Ideal Husband made me particularly excited to see the play. As the programme comments: Oscar Wilde‘s play is a “stylish critique of politicians and social morality”. I was immediately reminded of the J. B. Priestley play I saw a few weeks earlier, When we are Married. Both productions have a Victorian grandeur and an eloquent comedic buzz.

The action happens over 48 hours when a devastating political scandal about successful Government minister, Sir Robert Chilton is brought about by the conniving Mrs Cheveley. A secret from the distant past manages to turn all their lives upside down, with agonisingly hilarious consequences.

Elliot Cowan is absolutely delightful as the smug Viscount Goring. The play is a mixture of serious subject matter and farcical script and Cowan captures this combination beautifully. He strides about the stage with an air of calm charisma; he is clearly enjoying himself and that makes him very likeable. Rachael Stirling is powerful as the “ideal wife” Lady Chiltern, but I found her a tad irritating to watch after a while.  I was pleased to see Fiona Button as the chirpy Miss Mabel Chiltern, I previously saw her in TV series Lip Service and she interacts adorably with Cowan. Samantha Bond causes a stir as blackmailing Mrs Cheveley, known for her part in the Bond films, she is a familiar face to the audience. She occasionally stumbled over her words but was impressive and commands attention in her glorious gowns.

An Ideal Husband continues at The Vaudeville Theatre until 19 Feb 2011, book An Ideal Husband tickets here.

Secondly, there’s a lot of excitement in my household over the news that Complicite’s A Disappearing Number is coming back to London. Book now to see the production’s original cast at the Novello Theatre for a limited run between 10 and 25 September.

Casting news this week includes

• Tom Burke (Alan Rickman’s godson, no less), Lisa Dillon (from the BBC’s Cranford) and Olivier-award winner Andrew Scott take on Noel Coward’s Design For Living at the Old Vic in September
• Ella Smith, who won a heap of awards for her performance in Neil LaBute’s Fat Pig in 2008 is back. She’ll play in Bedlam at Shakespeare’s Globe also from September
• Real life husband and wife Alexander Hanson and Samantha Bond will play husband and wife in Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville Theatre from 4 November
• And Gina McKee, last seen on the London stage in the brilliant Ivanov, will star alongside Derek Jacobi in a star-laden King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse this Christmas

And finally for this week, Kids Week is going to have to rethink its name, following a hugely successful promotion in 2010. The project, which offers one free child’s ticket (aged 5 to 16) with every full paying adult for a whole load of London’s most popular shows, has now extended into a THIRD week. It’ll now run from 13 August to 3 September. Apparantly, they’ve sold more than 40,000 tickets for performances during its original fortnight (13 to 27 August) since booking opened on 13 July. Incredible!

More information about Kids Week, including travel, accommodation and restaurants, can be found at www.kidsweek.co.uk.

Firstly, great news for anyone who’s still eager to see the great Railway Children, featuring that real life steam train at Waterloo Station. The show’s run has been extended until January, making this a great alternative to the flurry of pantos that are sure to grace London’s stages in the festive season.

Casting news for this week features a spot of déjà vu: Cold Feet duo Robert Bathurst and Hermione Norris are pairing up as husband and wife again, this time in Blithe Spirit at the Apollo Theatre. They’re joining the ever-brilliant Alison Steadman in Noel Coward’s ghostly comedy, which opens next year.

And I’ve got details about two hit shows returning to London too: the Olivier Award-winning Blackwatch comes to the Barbican this November as part of a season which features a Polish Macbeth and that birthday Les Miserables. And Pam Ann, the comedy air hostess creation of Aussie Caroline Reid, brings her stand-up show Flying High to the Vaudeville Theatre in September.

Finally, and most excitingly, I’ve heard rumours this week of a brand new musical featuring Kylie’s greatest hits! According to Company, Kylie says:

“Yes, (stylist and creative director) William Baker and I are working on getting the story written. I’m comfortable because it’s not my life story; it’s about the interpretation of my music.”

We’ve already been thinking of possible plot lines and titles here at VL towers. Better The Devil You Know? Fever? Tears on My Pillow? There are so many top hits to choose from! Add any other ideas to the comments below!

It’s a black comedy from the 1970s, by a top Broadway writer, Neil Simon. But the main draw for this new production has to be Hollywood star, Jeff Goldblum.

And in terms of laughs, Mr Goldblum certainly doesn’t disappoint. As Mel, a 47-year-old Manhattanite advertising executive on the brink of a breakdown, Jeff delivers every line with great comic timing.

He’s more than matched by a terrific performance from Mercedes Ruehl as Edna, his put-upon wife. The script zings with sharp one-liners, and definitely entertains. Ultimately, however, I found the overall plot was a bit lacking: The Prisoner of Second Avenue is very funny line by line, but the play doesn’t lead anywhere promising in the end.

But that’s just my view! I asked some other audience members what they thought:

Peter, 28, from South Africa
It’s a light-hearted look at a stressed-out couple. I enjoyed the show but I thought the narrative didn’t progress all that much and the comedy was a little forced at times. That said, there were some very funny moments and sparks of great acting throughout.

Nicola, 29, from South East London
A thoroughly enjoyable night out, which although not the funniest of scripts, entertains for the whole two hours. Jeff Goldblum is a little disappointing due to his reserved take on some scenes, but his pairing with Mercedes Ruehl is fab. Worth a watch if you’re looking for something witty that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

John, 30, from Northampton
I thought the two central performances were great. You just couldn’t take your eyes off Mercedes Ruehl and Jeff Goldblum.

Pauline, 30ish, from South East London
I enjoyed the show and am a fan of Jeff Goldblum’s work. The play looks at a married couple driven over the edge by the stresses of modern life; it’s both serious and funny, and is set in the heart of Manhattan madness.

Abby, 32, from London
Set against a back drop of recession, The Prisoner of Second Avenue is particularly relevant to the world today. The main characters have to come to terms with the socio-economic problems and changes of the day. Their increasing levels of stress are humorously portrayed and, although I thought Jeff Goldblum was overly theatrical at times, I thoroughly enjoyed the play.

Bec, 29, from Sydney
A particularly timely production, The Prisoner of Second Avenue was both a really funny night out and, considering it was initially penned in the 70s, incredibly resonant in today’s economic climate. I was really looking forward to seeing Jeff Goldblum on stage, and although his performance certainly didn’t disappoint, it was leading lady Mercedes Ruehl that really blew me away.

Have you seen the show yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments below.

The Prisoner of Second Avenue plays at the Vaudeville Theatre until 25 September. Book your tickets here