UK Roundup - We Will Rock You, Judi Dench, Evita, Caroline or Change

We Will Rock You, the Queen musical with script by Ben Elton, is to close after four and a half years in the West End. Opening at the Dominion Theatre in May 2002 to an almost unanimous critical panning ('it wasn't just bad, it was traumatising' – Guardian), the show defied the abuse of critics and went onto be a surprise sell-out success, attracting a large cult fanbase who regularly return to the show. Despite selling well at the Dominion the show is moving out on tour but hopes to return to the West End in the future. The closure of We Will Rock You fuels the rumour that Lord of the Rings will take its place – the venue had always been the preferred choice by the producers, who opened the show in Canada instead. The final performance is October 7th. 

The Peter Hall revival of Hay Fever at the Theatre Royal Haymarket has confirmed casting and dates. Opening on 19th April (previews from 6th) Judi Dench and Peter Bowles head the cast, which also includes Belinda Lang and Kim Medcalf. Dench and Hall previously collaborated on The Royal Family in 2001, and Dench returned to the Haymarket for David Hare's The Breath of Life the following year. Amongst her many awards include an Oscar, two Golden Globes, ten BAFTAs, seven Oliviers and a Tony. Her last West End appearance was in All's Well That Ends Well in early 2004. Ticket prices soar to a staggering £60 ($106) – let's hope other producers don't follow suit and raise theirs too.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has officially launched the revival production of Evita. Staring Elena Roger – who although unknown to British audiences is a star in Argentina – and Phillip Quast, the musical will open at the Adelphi Theatre on June 21st with previews from June 2nd. With the same team as the current revival of Guys and Dolls – director Michael Grandage, choreographer Rob Ashford and designer Christopher Oram – the show hasn't been seen in the West End since the original production in 1978, which turned Elaine Paige into a star. Full casting will follow at a later date but Matt Rawle will play the narrator Che to Quast's Peron. Tickets are on sale now and range from £15 - £55.

To make way for Evita the London production of Chicago will move houses. Just as the Broadway production of Chicago vacated the Shubert Theatre to make way for Gypsy, here the London production will vacate the Adelphi and head to the Cambridge Theatre. Transferring after seven years on the Strand it will open on April 28th and close at the Adelphi the Saturday before (22nd). Ironically, the Cambridge Theatre is where the original London production played in the late 70s. Dancing in the Streets - the current Cambridge resident - may transfer elsewhere if sales prove as strong as they have been.

We've hardly time to catch our breath from announcements of Avenue Q, Wicked, Movin' Out and Spamalot before another Broadway transfer comes along! Caroline, or Change - the Tony Kushner / Jeanine Tesori musical - will open at The National Theatre this Autumn. George C. Wolfe will reprise his role as director in London, but whether Tonya Pinkins will return in the title role is yet to be made apparent. Nominated for six Tony Awards – Best Musical, Book, Score, Director, Actress and Supporting Actress (won) – the show is wise to open at the National as it's not really a commercially viable show; on Broadway it ran for just three months. It is expected to open in the Lyttleton Theatre in mid-October.