Latest West End Theatre News And Features

Dirty Dancing is set to boogie into the West End's Piccadilly Theatre on 7 July. The hit stage version of the classic '60s-set Patrick Swayze flick will come off its successful UK tour and step up to the line for a 7-month run at the Piccadilly following the closure of Spice Girls musical Viva Forever! on 29 June. 

Once is aptly named. A world apart from the spectacle of most West End musicals, the 8-times Tony Award winning show about an anonymous Dublin singer-songwriter’s brief, intense romance with a visiting Czech musician uniquely finds its strength in intimacy and understatement. 

Darren Day (pictured) will head the cast of The Golden Voice, the new musical by Nick Fogarty that will play at London's Arts Theatre through the summer from 19 June. 

Roald Dahl’s spooky little girl Matilda is a smash hit with Broadway audiences. With the announcement today that Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly’s musical based on Dahl’s classic chidren’s book has conjured up a remarkable 12 nominations for the 2013 Tony Awards, she looks set to dominate awards season too. 

There's a major cast shake-up happening at mega-musical Mamma Mia! at the West End's Novello Theatre. In fact, it's the biggest in the smash Abba show's history, with 24 of the 33 cast members changing on Monday 10 June. 

Dame Helen Mirren (pictured) was the toast of the 37th Olivier Awards ceremony at London’s Royal Opera House last night. 

Record-breaking hit musical Wicked is welcoming back actress Harriet Thorpe in the role of Madame Morrible from 22 April until 16 November 2013 at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre. She replaces Louise Plowright, who has been obliged to withdraw from the role due to ill health. 

Lee Mead will head the cast in West End Men, a theatrical concert built around songs from the West End, Broadway and the wider world of music. The show will take up residency at the West End's Vaudeville Theatre next month, previewing from 25 May prior to its official opening on 3 June, after which it will run until 22 June.