Privates on Parade: "a singularly wicked pleasure"

James McAvoy is Macbeth 9 Feb to 27 April 2013

Jamie Lloyd's revival of Shakespeare's Macbeth starring James McAvoy opens at the Trafalgar Studios on 19 February 2013, following public previews from 9 February - tickets are now on sale. This is the inaugural production in a season of work to be staged at the Trafalgar Studios under the heading Trafalgar Transformed. For this season the auditorium will be slightly reconfigured, with the removal of a couple of rows of seats in the front stalls to allow for the stage to be thrust more into the main seating area. In addition some seats will be placed around the rear of the stage to give the space a 'in-the-round' feeling. Macbeth will have a strictly limited season at the Trafalgar Studios up to 27 April 2013.

Goodnight Mister Tom: "Spellbinding Magic"

Michelle Magorian's Goodnight Mister Tom, in a new stage adaptation by David Wood, opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London on Tuesday 27 November 2012.
Goodnight Mister Tom is set during the dark and dangerous build up to the Second World War. William Beech is evacuated out of London to the countryside were he builds a remarkable and moving friendship with the elderly recluse Tom Oakley, but then his mother brings him back to London...
This production, starring Oliver Ford Davies and directed by Angus Jackson, comes to London's West End following a successful season last year at the Chichester Festival Theatre last year.
When the production opened in London the Sunday Express hailed as "spellbinding magic... by turns tender and traumatic, poignant and powerful" and the Guardian praised it as being "a strong seasonal show, unafraid to target the emotions" while The Times said it was "an absorbing, amusing and moving account of displaced lives".
Goodnight Mister Tom continues at the Phoenix Theatre up to 26 January 2013 - more details....

Some Like it Hip Hop back in London 3 May-30 June 2013

ZooNation return to London's Peacock Theatre with their dance show Some Like it Hip Hop for an eight week season from 3 May to 30 June 2013. With a nod to Billy Wilder's much loved film, Some Like It Hot and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Some Like it Hip Hop is a comical tale of love, mistaken identity, cross-dressing, gender stereotypes and revolution; all played out in Zoo Nation’s trademark style of hip hop, comedy and physical theatre. Written and created by Kate Prince and Felix Harrison, the show returns 'by public demand' for its third West End season. When it was seen in London previously the Daily Telegraph hailed it as being "a wonderful show that sends you out into the night smiling and dancing with sheer pleasure" and the Guardian praised it as being "a belter of a show."

West Side Story returns from 7 Aug to 22 Sept 2013

Following a critically acclaimed season in 2008, Joey McKneely's vibrant stage production of the classic dance musical West Side Story returns to Sadler's Wells Theatre for a strictly limited Summer season from 7 August to 22 September 2013. Joey McKneely's production features Robbins' original choreography while the celebrated conductor and composer Donald Chan leads the live orchestra to play Leonard Bernstein's iconic score. Hailed by the London Evening Standard as "a fabulous, emotionally packed revival" when it was last seen in London - this production is sure to be a hit with both the critics and audience once again.

Lily Savage in Aladdin: 7 Dec 2012 to 5 Jan 2013

Lily Savage is making a rare and unique stage appearance as Widow Twanky in a strictly limited season of Aladdin: A Wish Come True at the Theatre at The O2 in London from Friday 7 December 2012 to Saturday 5 January 2013. This fun-filled family pantomime is being staged in a specially built 1,900 seater theatre built under the canopy of The O2. The show promises incredible sets, costumes and scenic wizardry along with a full orchestra playing some of the best known musical tunes of our time. Paul O'Grady said: "Lily Savage had such a great time playing Widow Twankey last time in Southampton that I am delighted she gets to have another go and that this will be in her very own, brand new purpose built theatre at The O2 - which will be filled with the magic of Old Peking!!"

Helen Mirren in The Audience from 15 February 2013

Helen Mirren is starring as 'Queen Elizabeth II' in the World Premier of Peter Morgan's play The Audience at the Gielgud Theatre in London from 15 February to 15 June 2013. Since she began her reign in 1952, Elizabeth II has met Prime Ministers in a weekly audience at Buckingham Palace. Over the last sixty years she has held audiences with some 12 Prime Ministers. The meetings are private with an unspoken agreement between Queen and Prime Minister never to repeat what is said. Not even to their spouses. But now, in this new play Peter Morgan imagines a series of pivotal meetings between the Prime Ministers and their Queen. Joining Helen Mirren will be Haydn Gwynne as 'Margaret Thatcher', Paul Ritter as 'John Major' and Robert Hardy as 'Winston Churchill'.

The Bodyguard now previewing at the Adelphi Theatre

Now playing public previews at the Adelphi Theatre in London is the new stage musical version of the 1992 hit movie The Bodyguard. Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge - what they don't expect is to fall in love. Heather Headley stars as 'Rachel Marron' - the role made famous in the movie by Whitney Houston. The director of this stage musical version, Thea Sharrock said: "I thought that the very difficult job of how to adapt it for the stage was exceptionally and very excitingly and incredibly freshly done by Alexander Dinelaris with a very generous hand of Lawrence Kasdan who has been the most amazing influence and generous partner in all of this." The show will officially open on Wednesday 5 December 2012.

Nick Payne's Constellations transfers to West End

Following a critically acclaimed run at the Royal Court Theatre, Nick Payne's new play Constellations has now transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre in St Martin's Lane. A story of love, honey, and a quantum multiverse. Moment by moment, can everything you've ever and never done exist in the same vortex of reality? Elegant and playful yet profoundly moving, Constellations blends the everyday and the ethereal, the actual and the imaginable, revealing that every outcome may only be the first link in a chain of cosmic consequences - an explosive new play about free will and friendship. The cast features Sally Hawkins and Rafe Spall and will play a limited season up to Saturday 5 January 2013.

Back in London: Fuerzabruta from 27 December 2012

Are you ready for Fuerzabruta's return to London next month? Following a hugely successful three month season in 2006, the show returns to the Roundhouse in Camden, North London, for a strictly limited one month season from 27 December 2012 to 26 January 2013. Fuerzabruta is an all-standing rave of a show. There’s nudity (moderate), water (lots), and scenes of a poetic, violent and beautiful nature, all set to a thumping soundtrack. You may get wet, you may get dirty. Hailed by the critics as being "the biggest natural high in town and absolutely irresistible" (The Daily Telegraph) and "exhilarating... a sensual and sensory onslaught" (The London Evening Standard) - - bring friends and dancing shoes and prepare for visual and sensory overload.

Room on the Broom now at London's Lyric Theatre

The children's show Room on the Broom - adapted for the stage from the best-selling book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler - is now playing a special Christmas season at the Lyric Theatre up to Sunday 13 January 2013. The witch and her cat are flying happily along on their broomstick when a gust of wind blows her hat, bow and wand away into the night. With the help of a daft dog, a beautiful bird and a friendly frog, the lost belongings are retrieved. But this broomstick's not meant for five and - CRACK! - it snaps in two! When a hungry dragon appears, who will save the poor witch? And will there ever be room on the broom for everyone? The show promises to be a magical, musical delight for children aged three and up and is playing daytime performances.

Simon Callow returns with A Christmas Carol from 29 Nov

Simon Callow returns to London's West End on 29 November 2012 with his critically acclaimed one-man show A Christmas Carol at the Arts Theatre. Christmas, for the bitter old miser Ebenezer Scrooge, is not a good enough reason to be jolly. But then one Christmas Eve he is visited by the spirit of his late business partner Jacob Marley and three other ghosts... Based on Charles Dickens' own performance adaptation, Simon Callow and director-designer Tom Cairns have created a one-man theatrical extravaganza of festive story-telling that is both heart-warming and deeply moving. It will play a strictly limted Christmas season up to 6 January 2013.

Disney On Ice in London 28 Dec 2012 to 6 Jan 2013

The ever popular Disney on Ice comes to London's Wembley Arena from 28 December 2012 for a special holiday season of their show Passport to Adventure. The ice show promises to be the ultimate sightseeing holiday show with all your favorite Disney characters - explore the Pride Lands with Simba, Timon and Pumbaa; voyage under the sea with Ariel and all her aquatic friends; tour London with Peter Pan and Wendy, before flying to Never Land; and travel to Hawaii to visit Lilo and Stitch. Featuring upbeat music, loveable characters and exciting destinations that is sure to make this a holiday show you'll never forget. Don't delay though as the show will only be playing a limited season up to 6 January 2013.

Ice Skating Rinks: Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks in London and around the UK this Christmas and New Year.

Pantomimes and Christmas Shows: Pantos and holiday shows in London and around the UK this Christmas and New Year.