NEWSROUND: Bouncers For The Lyric?

It looks like it could be swing city for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert this week. Lead Tony Sheldon (Bernadette) is off on his hols from today until the 8th August, with Mark Inscoe covering the role. Co-star Oliver Thornton (Adam/Felicia) returns from his break today. Meanwhile, reports from Saturday night's show saw four male ensemble members out at last count and swings covering like crazy.

In Wicked news, Ashleigh Gray will be on for Alexia Khadime from today until Thursday, while Aileen Donohoe takes over the role of Madame Morrible from today until the 15th August, as Harriet Thorpe is away.

Nica Burns, co-owner of the Lyric, is thinking about introducing bouncers to control the ever-more-raucous crowds turning up to see Thriller. Burns told the Times: "You get people who have never been to the theatre before - it can get quite hectic and very boisterous."

Word has obviously got around about the Union Theatre's wonderful all-male production of Pirates of Penzance, as we've been told it is now sold out for all dates bar the Saturday matinee. Get in quick if you want tickets for this - it finishes on Saturday 8th.

Avalon's musical version of It's A Wonderful Life is to premiere on the 17th September at the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich. The show has been in the works for decades but was delayed due to problems with stage rights. It stars Paul Thornley as George Bailey and Jo Servi as Clarence, and is currently due to run until the 3rd October. Judging by Avalon's pedigree with Jerry Springer - The Opera, this could be a hot ticket. Producer Jon Thoday called it a "big show, bigger than Jerry - the sort you have to do at the Palladium or the Drury Lane."

Massive flop Too Close To The Sun seems to be trying to make back some of the money it won't recoup after it closes two weeks early - half the contents of the stage are up for grabs on eBay, including the infamous wicker chair Helen Dallimore fell through, a giant resin bull skull and the garden gnome Ernie inexplicably owns.

Edinburgh Fringe festival producers say ticket sales are on the increase, thanks to a round of nostalgic revival productions such as RB Sheridan's School For Scandal. "The festival was set up partly to cheer people up," said spokesman Neil Mackinnon. "In the current economic climate, I think there's a mood that people need cheering up. At present ticket sales are a fifth higher than they were in 2007."

Theatre Centre, which tries to get young people involved in theatre, has just announced its latest production. Ashmeed Sohoye's play Rigged, which will open at the Redbridge Drama Centre on 17 September, tells the story of a young white boy searching for identity and purpose after suffering exclusion and an ASBO.

Want more news? Keep an eye on the BWW:UK news page, where you can see pictures of Michael Crawford's visit to Eckersley House, read Craig Hepworth's diary of life behind the scenes at Vertigo and Ollie Fielding's diary of life behind the scenes at the Scoop, find out about how Jake Brunger got the idea for The Great British Soap Opera (running at the Edinburgh fringe this month), and learn about how The Mountaintop's David Harewood copes with a disappearing moustache.

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