Caroline Sheen returns to the West End in Favourite Things and Les Miserables

West End actress Caroline Sheen is to return to London this summer following a year-long tour of the USA starring in Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Mary Poppins.

The actress, who is a cousin of actor Michael Sheen, will return to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in June to play the role of Fantine. Caroline originally played Eponine in the show ten years ago. She will join some high-profile new starters on the show this summer including Alfie Boe and Matt Lucas.

Ahead of returning to Les Mis she will sing musical interludes to accompany These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things at the Jermyn Street Theatre, where theatre critic of The Stage, Mark Shenton, will interview a host of well-known theatre names.

The show, in aid of charity the Theatrical Guild which supports backstage and front of house theatre workers, will feature Shrek The Musical and Anna Christie director Rob Ashford, director and choreographer Craig Revel Horwood, Blood Brothers and Dreamboats and Petticoats producer Bill Kenwright, producer Michael Codron, the National Theatre’s director Nicholas Hytner, West End actress and current Shakespeare’s Globe star Janie Dee, veteran theatre school director Sylvia Young, and Betty Blue Eyes and Mary Poppins songwriting team George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

The show will run at the Jermyn Street Theatre from 29 May to 4 June 2011.

Caroline Sheen has appeared in numerous West End shows including Grease, Into the Woods, Mamma Mia!, The Witches of Eastwick, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Last month she played a cabaret show alongside Evita and Zorro star Matt Rawle at the Battersea Barge in London. She is married to actor Michael Jibson, who will star alongside David Bedella this summer in the Menier Chocolate Factory’s premiere of new Stephen Sondheim’s latest musical, Road Show.

LINKS

Book tickets to Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre in London

The Jermyn Street Theatre website

Whatsonstage Awards announced

Legally Blonde picks up four awards; Shakespeare’s Globe wins best new play for Anne Boleyn

The Whatsonstage Awards were announced last night, 20 February 2011, at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London. Musical Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre won four awards including best new musical and best actress in a musical for Sheridan Smith, who played leading lady Elle Woods in the show until last month.

It was also a good night for outdoor London venues as best new play went to Howard Brenton’s Anne Boleyn at Shakespeare’s Globe, which is returning to the venue this summer, and best director went to the Open Air Theatre’s artistic director Timothy Sheader for his 2010 summer productions of Into the Woods and The Crucible.

Other big winners included Les Miserables, which grabbed best ensemble performance and best theatre event of the year for its 25th anniversary concert at the O2, and best musical revival for the national touring production which ended its run at the Barbican theatre last autumn; and best West End show went to Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, with the show’s current star Rachel Tucker winning best takeover in a role.

Best actress was awarded to Zoe Wanamaker for her performance in All My Sons at the Apollo Theatre, alongside her co-star David Suchet, who picked up best actor. Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, also won two awards, with Ramin Karimloo taking home best actor in a musical, joined by Joseph Millson as best supporting actor in a musical.

Other highlights included Yes, Prime Minister, which beat current best play award winner and Olivier Award best play favourite Clybourne Park in the best comedy category, Meera Syal named best solo performance for Shirley Valentine, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof  winning best play revival, Joanna Scotcher winning best set design for The Railway Children at Waterloo Station and American actor Jonathan Groff taking home London newcomer of the year for his role alongside Simon Russell Beale in Deathtrap at the Noel Coward Theatre.

Finally, in the only category to celebrate National theatre, Craig Revel Horwood’s new production of Chess won best regional production.

The annual awards, which are voted for by members of the public, saw 45,000 votes registered this year. See a full list of winners here.

OLIVIER AWARDS

Public voting is now under way for the Olivier Awards Audience Award, to be announced on 13 March. See WestEndTheatre.com’s new Olivier Awards microsite for further information.

Martin Guerre to return to the West End?

Burn the Floor opens at Shaftesbury

Acclaimed dance show Burn The Floor opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre last night featuring a starry audience and some spectacular dancing.

There was lots of support in the audience for Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian, who wowed BBC audiences on Strictly Come Dancing last year and take guest spots in the show. Ricky Whittle, Mark Ramprakash, Kara Tointon, Craig Revel Horwood and Arlene Phillips were out in force to see the show and support their dancing pals.

The show’s dynamic mix of Latin and ballroom dancing brings some fiery, passionate power to the Shaftesbury Theatre. Burn The Floor was first conceived as a special performance at Sir Elton John’s 50th birthday celebrations in 1997, and made its UK premiere two years later before setting off on a world tour.

And now it’s back in London, featuring the talents of 20 award-winning dancers from around the globe including 18 year old Robbie Kmetoni from Sydney, who was the winner of the Australian version of So You Think You Can Dance, and Cuban salsa dancer Janette Manrara.

Some of the passionate dances featured in the show include the elegance of the Viennese Waltz, the exuberance of the Jive, the intensity of the Paso Doble as well as the Tango, Samba, Mambo, Quickstep and Swing.

Burn The Floor plays at the Shaftesbury Theatre until 4 September, to be followed by another great dance show, Flashdance.

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £21 on tickets to Burn The Floor at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

Major shows to close on 30 May

Sunset Boulevard, Spring Awakening, Shout and Joseph to all close on 30 May.

A number of major West End shows are closing this month – with only days left for theatregoers to catch them.

Despite astonishing critical acclaim, Spring Awakening at the Novello Theatre is to close early on 30 May. Spring Awakening had its European premiere at Lyric Hammersmith earlier this year, where the mix of Frank Wedekind’s classic story about teenage sexual discovery fused with teen rock garnered numerous five star reviews. Stephen Daldry’s 1992 National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls will go into the Novello from 22 September.

Also on 30 May, the successful production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard at the Comedy theatre will close. Directed by Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood, the Watermill Theatre’s production stars Kathryn Evans and Dave Willetts.

Another Andrew Lloyd Webber show, Joseph, starring Gareth Gates at the Adelphi Theatre, will also close on 30 May. The production originally starred Lee Mead, winner of the BBC talent show Any Dream Will Do.

A day after these three shows close, Shout – the musical set in the swinging 60s starring Su Pollard – is closing at the Arts Theatre a month early on 31 May.

And finally, The Last Cigarette starring Felicity Kendal, Jasper Britton and Nicholas Le Prevost is to close early, with its final performance on 23 May. The show transferred from the Chichester Minerva theatre last month into the Trafalgar Studios.

Save £20 on discount tickets to Spring Awakening

Save £24.50 on discount tickets to Sunset Bouelvard

Save £15.25 on discount tickets to Joseph

Save £13 on discount tickets to Shout!

Save £20 on discount tickets to The Last Cigarette