The pocket-sized pop diva yesterday confirmed that there will be a musical of her greatest hits. What’s more it is likely to be coming to the West End. In an interview in the Daily Mail she says: “It’s definitely happening. We’ve brought a scriptwriter in and are working on a few synopses now. “And the critics … music critics are one thing but theatre critics are something else. I suppose if it doesn’t work then that’s it — it’s a closed book. I need to get through this album launch first, and then I’m probably touring, but we’ll get to it after that. It’s early days but it’s very exciting.”

Kylie is writing the production with her stylist William Baker. It will be based on her back catalogue of hits and she hopes it will be rather like Abba’s Mamma Mia! She’ll need quite a strong story line for that to work out! So rather than tell the story of Kylie’s own rise to fame it will tell another tale. I think it’s a shame that more performers haven’t learned the lesson of Jersey Boys. I’d be quite interested to see the story of her rise to mega stardom told against the backdrop of her greatest hits.

Short breaks in London with a show are a great choice for mid-week or weekend holidays. Here are my top 3 recommendations for shows this coming Spring.  Couples who just want to see a show as part of a trip to London, perhaps as part of a special occasion have lots of choice when it comes to shows and things to do.  London is a great place for  short breaks and there is a lot for couples to do and see. There are all the art galleries, lots of classy shops and, of course, the sights of London. That’s the thing about the capital it’s still fun even if you’ve seen it all before. When you are choosing the show for your short break I’ve got three top recommendations for you at the moment. Choose Your Show Les Miserables In your position I’d go for Les Miserables as a first choice. Tickets have got a little bit trickier to get hold of due to the SuBo effect but the theatre break agencies still have plenty of availability. If you can be flexible about your dates and can travel mid-week there are some brilliant deals for Les Miz. Traveling mid-week also gives you a good choice of 3* and 4* hotels at very reasonable rates.  Les Miserables is one of the longest running shows but it still remains one of the best. People always seem to enjoy it and it still seems as fresh as it ever was. Dress Code: best frock or jeans, this is London – no one cares! Hair However if semi-classical score is not to your taste you could try revisiting the 60s and trying something brand new but re-cycled. Hair is coming to the West End in April and it’s going to be huge. This is the full Broadway revival production, all singing, all dancing, full of colour, life and energy, just like time traveling back to those days. They say if you remember the 60s you weren’t there but Hair is all that you might have missed and more. There is flower power, hippies and The Age of Aquarius, not to mention a bit of nudity and other, rather innocent naughtiness! Dress code: Afghan waistcoats, bell bottoms and patchouli (only kidding!). Though it might not be a bad choice of costume if you want to join in with the onstage party at the end of the show:

Jersey Boys Maybe  Jersey Boys is more your scene, sing along as you watch the story of Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons unfold. Walk Like a Man, Sherry Baby, and a host of other tunes you’ll enjoy discovering you still know all the words to are woven into the story of five young lads from New Jersey.
Dress code: Very snazzy Trilby hats available in the foyer of the theatre So there you are three top shows to choose from, all of them ideal to fit in with your short breaks in London with a show. a

London theatre packages come in a variety of shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common. They make delightful gifts! Choosing presents for loved ones is never easy and when it’s for a much loved Mum and Dad it can be really hard. What can you get the couple who have everything? A giant food hamper perhaps? Well, maybe, but it’s just food. Might be, dare I say it, a little dull? After all your Mum is just going to add it to that already overstocked pantry and freezer and while your Dad might enjoy the bottle of malt whisky it doesn’t really show much thought does it? London theatre packages are much more interesting and entertaining. First of all you get the fun of choosing what show you think they’ll enjoy. I’ve got some more advice about that in a minute. Then you can pick them a nice hotel, maybe throw in a pre-theatre dinner, and book their train journey as well. If there are a few of you sharing the expense you could add in an extra night and maybe one of those river cruises with dinner if it’s an extra special occasion. By now you are probably thinking this is going to cost a fortune but theatre break packages for London are really quite good value at the moment. You can get weeknight tickets for Les Miserables and one night in a 3* London hotel for under £100 at the moment. Adding  an extra night only adds around £35 each! Dinner is around £15 – 20 per person. All very affordable really. And just think of the brownie points on Christmas morning! London Theatre Packages Choosing a show

So how do you choose what they’d like to see? Sometimes it is obvious and easy to just choose their favourite show. If your parents are not quite so predictable I’d start with their music collection if I were you. Here’s some tips: Lots of classical stuff, some light opera, SuBo’s new CD = Les Miserables or just possibly Phantom of the Opera. If you are feeling adventurous book for Love Never Dies so they can brag to their friends about being the first to see it! Not much after 1965, except maybe some Shawadiwadi. Your Dad goes a bit funny when anyone mentions Olivia Newton John – they are going to love either Jersey Boys or Grease! Your Dad’s rock collection is rivaled only by your Mum’s passion for Freddie Mercury – has to be We Will Rock You Your Mum knows all the words to Dancing Queen and still has all her signed photos of Bjorn. Your Dad liked the film – Mamma Mia of course

I expect you get the idea by now. You could always surprise them and choose tickets to Chicago (still the sexiest show in town) or even Dirty Dancing. They’d have a great time at either whatever their musical taste. That’s the thing really. All the shows that are on in London are worth seeing. Oh and it’s not just musicals, you can get London theatre packages to see plays, opera and even ballets! a

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Jersey Boys Theatre Breaks in London I watched theatregoers young and old coming out of the Prince Edward Theatre into Greek Street one summer evening and they were all oozing with enthusiasm for the show. So what may have seemed an unlikely musical for the London audiences has in fact turned out to be a strong favourite for theatre breaks. The Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons which captures the heady rush to stardom of a group of ordinary boys, and that’s the kind of story which, when done well, can take the audience on a journey that pulls all the emotions in succession. For people of the right age, just the sound of the music is highly evocative but for those too young to remember, the catchy tunes and rich harmonies quickly provoke the same, fingersnapping sense of fun.

Soho Theatre Breaks with the Jersey Boys The fabulous Art Deco Prince Edward Theatre is right in the centre of London’s theatreland, by old Compton Street and Greek Street in the lively Soho area where the nightlife buzzes and a myriad of different cultures converge in the streets, shops and pavement bars.

You might try and get a hotel as close to the centre as possible, to take advantage of the freedom afforded by being able to stroll back to the quiet comfort of your private room at whatever time feel inclined to retire. The Strand Palace down by Charing Cross, St Giles Hotel up at Tottenham Court Road or any of the Drury Lane hotels would be perfect. The whole area is brimming with little bistros and restaurants all doing pre-theatre and post-theatre menus as well so whether you book in advance to eat at the hotel or else wander the streets until somewhere takes your fancy you’ll be guaranteed to find something to suit all tastes. Try not to spend too long making your mind up though! Jersey Boys Cast The London cast of Jersey Boys are all very talented singers and performers in their own right, and have got the Four Seasons’ sound down to a tee. They do also have a strong following amongst female fans who seem to split along lines of opinion as to which Jersey Boy is the best looking, but don’t worry – there are plenty of very attractive Jersey Girls in the stage show as well, and there are many more than just the main stars on stage for the breathtakingly choreographed set pieces. Jersey Boys at West End Live This promotional video follows the Jersey Boys backstage as they prepare for the West End Live event in 2008 and gives a great idea of the rapport and fun between the cast that undoubtedly helps to make the show the success it has become, putting Jersey Boys Theatre Breaks at the top of the London visitors choices. Click here to view the embedded video. ** book Jersey Boys Theatre Breaks  **

a Jersey Boys Theatre Breaks

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If you happen to be in London on a weekend break this coming Saturday and Sunday then there’s only one thing to do and that’s to go along to Leicester Square and see the free performances by West End Musical stars at the event called West End Live 2009. Here’s the running order of appearance for you so you can make sure you don’t miss your favourite show. West End Live 2009 Saturday 20th June 11.05 Hairspray 11.15 Been So Long 11.30 Wicked 11.40 Dirty Dancing 11.55 The King and I 12.05 Oliver! 12.15 Sister Act 12.25 We Will Rock You 12.45 Priscilla Queen of the Desert 12.50 Chicago 13.10 Jersey Boys 13.30 Thriller Live 13.50 Forbidden Broadway 14.05 The Sylvia Young Theatre School 14.25 The South Bank Centre presents ‘Tom Tom Crew’ 14.45 Little Big Club 15.10 So Jest End 15.25 Avenue Q 15.45 Zanna Don’t 16.05 The London Gay Men’s Chorus 16.30 Too Close to the Sun 16.50 Faithless Bitches 17.05 The KB Fusionnaires 17.45 La Cage Aux Folles 17.55 Stomp West End Live Sunday 21st June 12.00 Stomp 12.15 Little Big Club 12.35 West End Kids 12.55 Jersey Boys 13.15 Thriller Live 13.35 Noise Ensemble 13.55 Zanna Don’t 14.10 Honk! 14.20 SOLT – Competition 14.25 Royal Albert Hall presents ‘The Red Stripe Band’ 15.05 Chinatown Arts Space Presents ‘TheBathroomGirl’ 15.25 Bar Rumba presents ‘Salsateca’ 15.40 Players Theatre presents ‘Victorian Music Hall’ 15.55 National Youth Music Theatre 16.10 Lord Mayor of Westminster’s West End LIVE presentations 16.20 Octave8 presents ‘Yot.K’ 16.50 Dover Street Restaurant and Jazz Bar presents ‘The Blues Engineers’ 17.25 Ain’t Nothin But Blues Bar present the ‘West Western Bluesonics’

Here’s the running order list for the West End Live shows free in leicester Square on Saturday 20th June and Sunday 21st June 2009. Looks like a great line up again, and don’t forget that Jodie Prenger will be there from Oliver and Jerry Springer from Chicago.

West End Live for Saturday 20th June, 2009 11.05 Hairspray 11.15 Been So Long 11.30 Wicked 11.40 Dirty Dancing 11.55 The King and I 12.05 Oliver! 12.15 Sister Act 12.25 We Will Rock You 12.45 Priscilla Queen of the Desert 12.50 Chicago 13.10 Jersey Boys 13.30 Thriller Live 13.50 Forbidden Broadway 14.05 The Sylvia Young Theatre School 14.25 The South Bank Centre presents ‘Tom Tom Crew’ 14.45 Little Big Club 15.10 So Jest End 15.25 Avenue Q 15.45 Zanna Don’t 16.05 The London Gay Men’s Chorus 16.30 Too Close to the Sun 16.50 Faithless Bitches 17.05 The KB Fusionnaires 17.45 La Cage Aux Folles 17.55 Stomp West End Live Sunday 21st June 12.00 Stomp 12.15 Little Big Club 12.35 West End Kids 12.55 Jersey Boys 13.15 Thriller Live 13.35 Noise Ensemble 13.55 Zanna Don’t 14.10 Honk! 14.20 SOLT – Competition 14.25 Royal Albert Hall presents ‘The Red Stripe Band’ 15.05 Chinatown Arts Space Presents ‘TheBathroomGirl’ 15.25 Bar Rumba presents ‘Salsateca’ 15.40 Players Theatre presents ‘Victorian Music Hall’ 15.55 National Youth Music Theatre 16.10 Lord Mayor of Westminster’s West End LIVE presentations 16.20 Octave8 presents ‘Yot.K’ 16.50 Dover Street Restaurant and Jazz Bar presents ‘The Blues Engineers’ 17.25 Ain’t Nothin But Blues Bar present the ‘West Western Bluesonics’

West End Live 2009 Saturday 20th June 11.05 Hairspray 11.15 Been So Long 11.30 Wicked 11.40 Dirty Dancing 11.55 The King and I 12.05 Oliver! 12.15 Sister Act 12.25 We Will Rock You 12.45 Priscilla Queen of the Desert 12.50 Chicago 13.10 Jersey Boys 13.30 Thriller Live 13.50 Forbidden Broadway 14.05 The Sylvia Young Theatre School 14.25 The South Bank Centre presents ‘Tom Tom Crew’ 14.45 Little Big Club 15.10 So Jest End 15.25 Avenue Q 15.45 Zanna Don’t 16.05 The London Gay Men’s Chorus 16.30 Too Close to the Sun 16.50 Faithless Bitches 17.05 The KB Fusionnaires 17.45 La Cage Aux Folles 17.55 Stomp West End Live Sunday 21st June 12.00 Stomp 12.15 Little Big Club 12.35 West End Kids 12.55 Jersey Boys 13.15 Thriller Live 13.35 Noise Ensemble 13.55 Zanna Don’t 14.10 Honk! 14.20 SOLT – Competition 14.25 Royal Albert Hall presents ‘The Red Stripe Band’ 15.05 Chinatown Arts Space Presents ‘TheBathroomGirl’ 15.25 Bar Rumba presents ‘Salsateca’ 15.40 Players Theatre presents ‘Victorian Music Hall’ 15.55 National Youth Music Theatre 16.10 Lord Mayor of Westminster’s West End LIVE presentations 16.20 Octave8 presents ‘Yot.K’ 16.50 Dover Street Restaurant and Jazz Bar presents ‘The Blues Engineers’ 17.25 Ain’t Nothin But Blues Bar present the ‘West Western Bluesonics’

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West End Live Quick Update Latest confirmed shows according to the official web site include: Avenue Q, Been So Long, La Cage Aux Folles, Carousel, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Oliver!, Priscilla Queen of The Desert, Sister Act, Stomp, Thriller Live, Too Close To The Sun, We Will Rock You, Wicked OOh I can’t wait! It was great last year but this looks even better! Be there: Leicester Square on the weekend of the 20th and 21st of June 2009!

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h4>London Breaks this Spring Spring is a super time of year for a London break. The city is just warming up, the parks are full of spring flowers and the weather is mostly pretty good. Obviously you are not guaranteed sunshine but you are a lot less likely to get rained on than you are further north or west in the UK. This means you can really enjoy the sights of London without the city heat or the summer crowds. St James Park in March Days can be warm and sunny but the evenings can be quite chilly. So pack a light coat and maybe a pashmina for coming back from the theatre. You probably won’t need an umbrella. Three top shows to see on your spring London break I’m going to suggest three shows that could be good choices for your London break this spring

Priscilla Queen of The Desert - A new show but not a new production. It’s been going for several weeks now, so it’s pretty slick. It’s getting good reviews, the music is great (think 70’s disco standards We Will Rock You - still great and still packing them in. But there are persistent rumours of the show closing. Definitely worth seeing or seeing again! Hairspray - if you can act quickly you’ll be able to see Michael Ball before he leaves the production in June. I’m sure Brian Conley will make a great Edna but Michael has made the role his own and has to be worth seeing.

London Breaks this Summer London breaks in the summer can be great too. The city is generally a couple of degrees warmer than the rest of the UK and this is even more the case in summer. The city buildings hold the heat so a hot day can mean it doesn’t cool down all that much in the evening either. This makes strolling round the West End after the show soaking up the atmosphere very pleasant. Do the London thing and buy yourself some bottled water for use during the day. Use it to keep your cool, especially if you go on the tube. I also use Evian spray sometimes if it gets very sticky. Great for cooling off!

Dress in cool fabrics for the theatre as they can be quite hot, even if air-conditioned. Some of the theatres are ‘air-cooled’ rather than air conditioned. This means that the front stalls are coolest seats in Summer. Avoid the highest circle and the back rows as these are the biggest heat-traps. This won’t be an issue if you are buying your theatre break through a theatre breaks agency that guarantees you the best available seats. Anyway it’s the perfect excuse to buy that little black linen dress you’ve been eying up! A cashmere shawl or cardigan is all you’ll need on top.

3 Top Shows to see on your summer London break

These 3 shows would be good choices for London breaks this summer:

Sister Act - very new, not even open as I write, Sister Act should have settled down by the summer. It’s looking all set to be a hit show.

Phantom of the Opera - a long running classic but still looking good. See the original production this summer before the sequel comes out in the Autumn. Jersey Boys - good fun, high energy, a feel-good show. Jersey Boys has quickly become a real favourite. They’ve just released a new batch of tickets for the summer so you should be able to get the dates you want. London Breaks at other times of year London breaks in autumn and winter have their own advantages but I’ll save them for another post later.

Fridays are a good choice for Theatre Breaks with Dinner and Hotel. Here’s why:

You can easily travel to London on a Friday afternoon Once you get to your hotel all you have to do is book in Go to you room to relax and freshen up Next stroll down to the hotel restaurant. Then you have your delicious pre-theatre dinner in the restaurant of a classy 4* London hotel. You get to your chosen show in nice time Blood pressure remains within normal range as you’ve had none of the stress or hassle of wondering when and how you are going to eat.

Stress Free Theatre Breaks. Show and Stay’s latest Friday Dinner, Theatre and Hotel Offer lets you have a totally stress-free break and even save money. What they’ve done is put together an inclusive package. You’ve got the choice of 27 top shows and 4 great *4 hotels, all with good restaurants. Just as an example we all know that Priscilla Queen of the Dessert is the latest hot ticket. Prices for Priscilla for a Friday in May.

Stay at the 4* Holiday Inn Bloomsbury (handy for the theatre) 3 Course Dinner in the Junction restaurant Cost per person only £148

The list of participating show also includes:

Spring Awakening Blood Brothers Billy Elliot Hairspray Oliver Jersey Boys Sister Act Dirty Dancing Wicked The Lion King We Will Rock You

All you have to do is select your favourite musical and a Friday date then look for the “Hotel with Dinner” packages at the top of the results. Not only that but with the Show and Stay deal you can book your rail fare at the same time and save up to 40% on that too. This is really the best way to get into London for a stress free theatre break. You can bring your car but don’t forget you’ll need to pay the congestion charge if you bring it into central London and also hotel parking rates are not cheap (allow £17 - £20 a day for hotel parking). Limited Offer This is a limited offer. There are only a limited number of these Friday theatre breaks deals available so you’ll need to be quick to grab the best shows and be sure of getting your dates. Last date to book May 31st 2009 Last Stay date June 26th 2009 Act now to book your Dinner, Theatre and Hotel Stay Participating Hotels and Restaurants

Holiday Inn London Kensington Forum’s Consortia Cafe/Bar. Choice of 2 courses from set menu. Holiday Inn Bloomsbury’s Junction Restaurant. Choice of 3 courses from set menu. Crowne Plaza London St James’ Brasserie Restaurant. Choice of 2 courses. Crowne Plaza London City’ Spicers Restaurant. Choice of 2 courses.

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