UK Roundup - Menzel in Wicked, Movin' Out, Ann Harada

After months of waiting, casting for Wicked has finally been finalised. Currently taking up more than its fair share of online column inches, the official newsletter The Ozmopolitan has been genuinely 'breaking' stories rather than having it leaked through online message boards. Idina Menzel will reprise her role as Elphaba for the first three months – a role she originated out-of-town, took to Broadway and won a Tony for – echoing a similar casting coup when Nathan Lane opened The Producers for a similar three month stint (albeit in different circumstances..). She'll be replaced by Kerry Ellis in January, who will be the first British actress to take a shot at the green witch.

Adding to the excitement of Menzel's arrival is confirmed casting for the entire cast - Australian actress Helen Dallimore as Glinda, Adam Garcia as Fiyero, Miriam Margolyes as Madame Morrible and Nigel Planer as the Wizard. Dallimore will be making her West End debut as Glinda but has numerous Sydney credits to her name. Garcia is best known for playing Tony Manero in the original London production of Saturday Night Fever, a role he was Olivier nominated for. He most recently appeared in On The Town at the Collisieum. Comedian Planer is remembered by most for TV's The Young Ones but appeared in the original cast of We Will Rock You. Miriam Margolyes can currently be seen on screen as Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, or in New York where she's appearing in The Importance of Being Earnest.

Show titles can be damning sometimes, can't they? No more so this week than Movin' Out, which is quite literally movin' out of the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Though the Billy Joel / Tywla Tharp 'dancical' was a success on Broadway (1303 performances), London audiences have not caught on. The combination of playing in a 2300 seater venue with the fact that tickets are priced up to £55 have probably been the two key factors in its downfall, not to mention that there are two alternate casts on its payroll, making it an expensive show in labour costs. It will now close on May 22nd instead of the intended July 17th, with the theatre more than likely remaining dark until Wicked moves in. Despite the current setback, the show still intends on touring Europe.

A couple of bits of casting news - most exciting is that Ann Harada will come over to England to open the transfer of the Tony Award winning Avenue Q at the Noel Coward Theatre. Harada has played the role of Christmas Eve – the heavily-accented Japanese therapist – since the show's small beginnings off-Broadway. Q will mark her West End debut. 70s popstar David Essex will join the cast of Footloose at the Novello Theatre as Reverend Shaw Moore for three months from June 5th starring alongside Cheryl Baker. Essex was in the original cast of Godspell as Jesus Christ and Evita as Che. Most recently he was seen in the UK tour of Boogie Nights 2.

Tom Conti is to return to the title role of Jeffery Bernard is Unwell at the Garrick Theatre. Notorious as a womaniser and alcoholic, Jeffery Bernard was a journalist for Spectator magazine. The title refers to his unrealiablility; the magazine often had to publish 'Jeffery Bernard is unwell' in place of his column. The play – written by Keith Waterhouse, directed by Ned Sherrin – has had several West End outings; in 1989/90, 1991 and 1999. Conti's numerous stage credits include Whose Life is it Anyway, for which he won an Olivier Award, Art and last year he appeared in a tour of The Real Thing. No further casting has been announced for the five hander. It opens on June 19th for a limited season until September.