You’ve got your tickets to London’s hottest show, but haven’t a clue what to wear, or how much time you need to get to the theatre! Luckily, Matthew Amer, Senior Editor at OfficialLondonTheatre.co.uk is on hand to give first time theatregoers his top tips:

“I’ve been working in West End theatre for a decade. I was fresh to the scene when I first set foot in the hallowed foyers of London’s incredible venues. I’d been a regular theatergoer before, of course, but not in London. Not in the famous West End. I didn’t know quite what to expect. I was unsure exactly how to act. I’ve learned a lot since then:

1. It really doesn’t matter what you wear. When I first experienced the magic of going to the West End as a child, it was as a once a year treat we spent months looking forward to. The whole family would dress in their best clothes; this was our special night out, after all. For many theatergoers I’m sure this is still the case, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt, wear that. I’ve seen theatregoers in shorts, vests, fancy dress. If you’re happy, and you’re not making anyone else unhappy, it really doesn’t matter.
2. Give yourself time. There’s honestly nothing worse than getting caught on the Tube or stuck in traffic and realising you’re going to miss the start of the show. Your heart rate goes up, you start to sweat, you check your watch every 10 seconds. Where’s the fun in that? Get there early and relax. You can always find a bar, pub or restaurant to keep yourself amused in, this is London after all.
3. If you want interval drinks – and who doesn’t? – you can often order them before the show. That way you avoid what can be a very long wait at the bar, which makes that drink taste all the sweeter.
4. If you want to avoid the rest of the audience staring at you and tutting during the show’s most dramatic moment, turn your phone off! There is nothing more embarrassing than sitting in a near-silent theatre, everyone absorbed in one of the year’s finest performances, only to hear a Europop ringtone blaring from your pocket. Avoid that feeling of wanting to sink into your chair and turn it off at the start.

“Looking back now, it seems obvious. But back then, as a timid young thing, this was the most important information I could learn. Hopefully it can help you too.”

For the latest theatre news, interviews and show information, check out www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk

The Mousetrap: 61 years
The Mousetrap is the world’s longest-running play, captivating London audiences since 1952. Packed with suspense, the classic whodunit takes place in a remote English country house hotel during a snow storm.

Les Miserables: 28 years
Now in its 28th year, Les Misérables is the longest running musical in the world.  This global stage sensation has been seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries. Set in 19th-century France, Les Mis follows the plight of an ex-convict turned mayor who is hunted for decades by a ruthless policeman.

The Phantom of the Opera: 27 years
The Phantom of the Opera has reigned at Her Majesty’s Theatre for a whopping 27 years. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s epic musical, which opened on 9 October 1986,  tells the tale of a disfigured composer who terrorises the Paris Opera in an attempt to make his protégé a leading lady.

The Woman in Black: 24 years
The Woman in Black has been terrifying audiences since 1989, making it the second longest-running play in the history of the West End. Based on Susan Hill’s eponymous novel, the spooky show sees a malevolent ghost haunting a small English town, bringing devastation to the lives of anyone who lays eyes on it.

The Lion King: 14 years
Still a roaring success, The Lion King is celebrating its 14th year at London’s Lyceum Theatre. Bursting with colour and brilliant songs, the Disney-movie-turned-musical sees fearless lion cub Simba making his epic journey to fulfil his destiny as king of the lions. The Lion King is one of five musicals to play for 10 or more years on both Broadway and the West End.

Mamma Mia: 14 years
Mamma Mia is now well into its second decade, after first opening in the West End in 1999. Based on the catchy tunes of Swedish pop quartet ABBA and set on a Greek island paradise, this feel-good show follows a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father.

We Will Rock You: 11 years
Mega-musical We Will Rock You has been a permanent fixture at the Dominion Theatre since 2002. Based on the songs of rock legends Queen, the show is set in a futuristic world where rock music has been banned.

Stomp: 10 years
Celebrating its 10th year in London, Stomp has been kept fresh with new routines, choreography and music. As its title suggests, talented performers use everything from zippo lighters to bin lids to hammer out a feel-good rhythm.

Billy Elliot: 8 years
Billy Elliot has been dazzling London’s West End since 2005 with its heart-warming tale of a young boy who struggles against the odds to fulfil his dream of becoming a ballet dancer. The all-singing all-dancing musical features an acclaimed score by Elton John.

Wicked: 7 years
Wicked made its West End debut seven years ago in 2006. Still going strong, the show welcomed its five millionth audience member last month. The award-winning musical tells the story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young trainee witches who meet at sorcery school.

Read more about all London’s theatre shows at visitlondon.com/theatre

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

From shop openings to designer sales, here are this week’s top London shopping news stories:

New shops for Carnaby Street
Start flexing your credit card because a slew of under-the-radar labels are opening up in Carnaby Street, in London’s West End. Here’s a sneak peak:

Iconic French fashion label Eleven Paris is opening its first UK store on 25 April. Inspired by music and art, the shop is launching with a campaign fronted by brooding rock star and style icon Lenny Kravitz. British design icon Paul Smith is also opening a store in Carnaby Street this month.

Women can treat themselves to a glam-over at make-up giant Benefit’s one-off beauty emporium, which is opening in June with a champagne bar, blow-dry bar, nail bar and treatment rooms offering waxing and spray tanning. Men, meanwhile, can enjoy a touch of old-school barbering at Pankhurst London’s first-ever flagship barbershop in the Newburgh Quarter. With Steve McQueen plastered on the walls and Sinatra providing the soothing soundtrack, men can be expertly groomed in style.

Follow in the dapper footsteps of rock gods David Bowie and Led Zeppelin by swinging by shoe legend Terry de Havilland’s new store, which opens in the Newburgh Quarter on 25 April. The shops homes winkle pickers, bespoke platform picture wedges, 80s platform sandals and stiletto mules.

Designer Labels at Charity Fashion Evenings

Calling all label lovers! Designer and vintage fashion fans can get their mitts on original pieces from the likes of Givenchy, Chanel, Stella McCartney, Christian Louboutin, Dolce and Gabbana and Ossie Clark. The items will be on sale at two special shopping events at the Octavia Foundation’s Charity shops on the Brompton Road and Fulham Road. Guests will be treated to special offers and refreshments. 5-8pm on Thursday 18 April at Octavia Foundation Brompton Road. Thursday 16 May at Octavia Foundation Fulham Road. RSVP info@octaviafoundation.org.uk

Shop Openings at Westfield
Belgian luxury chocolatier Godiva has launched a new kiosk at White City’s Westfield Shopping Centre. Melt-in-the-mouth treats on sale include biscuits, carrés, chocolate spread and gold gift boxes. Also opening this weekend is fashion-forward shoe and accessories brand Mascotte.

Rock Photography Pop-up at Seven Dials
Rock photography store Rockarchive has opened a pop-up shop and exhibition in Monmouth Street. The space is showcasing never-seen-before photos and iconic rock images of legends like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie. Open until 27 April.

WHEN Whitney Houston died earlier this year, admirers worldwide mourned her passing. Her hits rang out from every radio station and friends, family and fans paid tribute to one of the most successful female singers of all time.

So it was hardly surprising when just months later it was revealed that a musical version of the film The Bodyguard, in which Houston starred, was to hit the West End.

Last night the production opened at The Adelphi Theatre on the Strand. While one might have expected it to be a rather schmaltzy tribute show, The Bodyguard is anything but.

I never saw the 1992 film and have never considered myself to be a Houstonfan, so my expectations for the evening were not especially high. Yet the truth is that neither is a prerequisite for seeing the show.

The storyline is pretty simple. Rachel Marron is a hugely successful pop singer who has a mystery stalker. Former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer is hired to protect her and try and track down the unsavoury character. The singer and her bodyguard clash at first, then gradually overcome their differences and fall in love.

There are no hidden depths to this tale, so don’t go expecting Shakespeare or Chekhov.

However, that does not stop it from being a thoroughly enjoyable show with something all too often absent from the theatre – the feel-good factor. US actress Heather Headley is outstanding in the lead role. Her powerful voice is magnificent and she glows with charisma.

Rachel’s sister Nicki is played by Debbie Kurup, another female powerhouse. The male lead is played by Lloyd Owen, who is not quite Kevin Costner but comes a pretty good second. Rachel has a son, Fletcher, who is played by one of six different boys. On the night I went, it was the turn of Malaki Paul – who you may recall from the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent last year.

If you’re someone who doesn’t especially like musical theatre, The Bodyguard could be the show to convert you. On the whole, the characters do not spontaneously burst into song. The music is integrated and the story has not been adapted to be told through Whitney’s greatest hits.

I was surprised at how many of Whitney’s songs I actually knew and just how catchy some of them are. By the end of the show, I was up in the aisles with the rest of the audience singing, dancing and – I confess – even whooping, to the sounds of I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

The Bodyguard at The Adelphi Theatre is currently booking until 27 April 2013

Team GB Volleyball player Shauna Mullin headaed to London’s West End yesterday to celebrate her role in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Shauna did a bit of shopping on Regent Street before meeting up with some friends for something to eat and then heading to see comedy rock musical Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Sounds like a perfect day out to me!

Read our interview with Rock of Ages star Shayne Ward, or book tickets to see the show here.

The Diamond Jubilee celebrations have already started in the West End, as 147 Union flags are now flying on Oxford Street.

The 12 foot (3.6 metre) tall flags can be seen along all 1.5 miles of the famous high street. They are the first of 500 flags that will be decorating the West End this summer.

Model and designer Jasmine Guinness launched the flags in Oxford Street this morning.

The Gruffalo is one of the most popular children’s stories of modern times.

You might be thinking: “A gruffalo? What’s a gruffalo?”

Ask any child of primary school age or younger and you are sure to find an answer. Watch as their eyes light up, they assume a scary pose and reply: “Why didn’t you know…?

Julia Donaldson’s rhyming fable tells of a tiny mouse who wanders through a deep, dark wood in search of nuts. En route the mouse encounters three hungry animals – a fox, an owl and a snake. The quick-thinking rodent frightens off its predators by telling them of the terrifying beast that it’s going to meet – the gruffalo. To the mouse’s amazement it eventually crosses paths with the imaginary beast, who fancies the mouse on a piece of toast.

In 2001 the clever tale was brought to life by Tall Stories Theatre Company. Since then it has travelled everywhere from Australia to Alaska. This year the show is on at the Garrick Theatre – the production’s third West End season.

The theatre was packed out with excited youngsters and their no-less excited adult companions. My little ones watched in awe as one of their favourite stories was retold on stage.

Those of you familiar with the story may be wondering how it could possibly work as a full-length children’s show. Tall Stories have stayed faithful to Donaldson’s story, but added in some extra narration, a few catchy tunes and a dash of audience participation.

The kids loved it – especially my two-year-old who had never been to the theatre before. He bounced up and down in his seat and relished the opportunity to show the on-stage animals how loudly he could roar.

Christmas may be over, but there is still time to buy a ticket to see The Gruffalo in London. The show runs until 16 January. Buy Gruffalo tickets here.

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!

English National Opera’s (ENO) interpretation of Mozart’s famous opera Don Giovanni has a modern urban feel and is much darker than other ENO shows I’ve seen recently at the London Coliseum.

We are warned before entering that we will experience strobe lights, a strange sensation when sitting in a big opera house. Besides the visual effects, atmospheric breathing noises are heard and throughout the performance masked demons sneak and run about on stage.

Kirill Karabits is an energetic conductor who seems to love being in the pit, and he gets a big sound from the the small orchestra.  The cast is made up of impressive talent, with Iain Paterson in the lead role, bellowing maliciously as the callous Don Giovanni.

Brindley Sherratt is the most convincing actor on stage as the greasy sidekick, Leporello. He is surprisingly hilarious as well as vocally brilliant. I particularly enjoyed his catalogue aria that director Rufus Norris re-imagines as a doctor’s statistical presentation; clever timing provides the audience with many laughs.

Don Giovanni is a long opera, but with Mozart’s lyrical melodies and sharp wit it is always a winner. This new production at the ENO presents the opera in a completely unique and even shocking light.

Don Giovanni continues at The Colliseum until 3 December 2010, book Don Giovanni tickets here.