2014 In Preview: What's Hot In Theatre!

Another new year, and time to look forward once more to all the exciting treats the West End has in store for 2014.

There are some big shows on their way - there's the new musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, starring Robert Lindsay and Samantha Bond and opening at the Savoy Theatre in April; the Harry Hill-penned I Can't Sing!: The X Factor Musical moving into the Palladium in February; and the new production of Miss Saigon, playing at the Prince Edward Theatre from May.

But the biggest star on her way is Angela Lansbury, heading back to London after a far-too-lengthy hiatus to reprise her role as Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit at the Gielgud from March.

It'll be interesting to see the casting news for Fatal Attraction, directed by Sir Trevor Nunn and running at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from March.

There are also a feast of treats slightly further afield - the St James Theatre offer us Sondheim's Putting It Together, with David Bedella and Janie Dee, as well as the London premiere of Urinetown, starring Richard Fleeshman and Jenna Russell.

For fans of solo shows, Sylvester Stallone appears at the Palladium in January, and Joan Collins is back at the Leicester Square Theatre in February.

At the National Theatre, we have Simon Russell Beale taking the title role in King Lear, and Lesley Sharp stars in A Taste of Honey from February.

Just down the South Bank, the Globe hosts The Duchess of Malfi, starring Gemma Arterton, in January and February; and they also have a special evening with Dame Eileen Atkins on 12th January where she's paying homage to the legendary Ellen Terry.

Juliet Stevenson stars in Happy Days at the Young Vic from January; with Gillian Anderson leading the cast in A Streetcar Named Desire there over the summer; and Fiona Shaw reprises her performance in The Testament of Mary at the Barbican in May.

And there are still those rumours that the Tony-winning Memphis might find a West End home - keep an eye on BWW:UK for all the latest!

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