Billy Elliot Celebrates 10th Birthday, Les Mis Announces 30th Anniversary Cast #WestEndUpdate

To celebrate the show’s birthday, producers have extended [**Billy Elliot’s West End**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/242/Billy-Elliot-tickets.aspx) booking period to 17th December 2016 and confirmed that a UK touring production will be launched next February. New cast members have joined [**Billy Elliot**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/242/Billy-Elliot-tickets.aspx) this week, with **Phil Snowdon** and **James Butcher** taking over as Mr Braithwaite and Older Billy respectively. **Ruthie Henshall** and **Deka Walmsley** continue to lead the show as Mrs Wilkinson and Dad. Cameron Mackintosh has revealed who will be leading the cast of [**Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/197/Les-Miserables-tickets.aspx) as the show prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Fresh from dazzling as Gigi in [**Miss Saigon**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/1167/Miss-Saigon-tickets.aspx), international megastar **Rachelle Ann Go** will join [**Les Miserables**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/197/Les-Miserables-tickets.aspx) as Fantine on 15th June. Also joining the cast next month are **Phil Daniels** (Quadrophenia/EastEnders) as Thénardier and **Jeremy Secomb** (Sweeney Todd/Phantom of the Opera) as Javert whilst **Zoë Doano** and **Katy Secombe** are reprising their performances as Cosette and Madame Thénardier. They join **Peter Lockyer** as Jean Valjean, **Rob Houchen** as Marius and **Carrie Hope Fletcher** as Eponine. Current ensemble member **Bradley Jaden** is taking over as Enjolras. Following months of speculation, it has been confirmed that [**Motown The Musical**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/1490/Motown--The-Musical-tickets.aspx) will begin performances at the [**Shaftesbury Theatre**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/74/Shaftesbury-Theatre.aspx) on 11th February 2016. [**Motown**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/1490/Motown--The-Musical-tickets.aspx) premiered on Broadway in April 2013 where it ran until January 2015 before kicking off a U.S. tour. The Daily Mail has suggested that the musical’s book has been rewritten for the West End run and ten minutes has been cut from the running time. [**Motown**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/1490/Motown--The-Musical-tickets.aspx) features a sixteen piece orchestra playing 50 Motown tracks; Charles Randolph-Wright’s production tells the story behind the classic hits. **James Freedman** is bringing his one-man show **[Man Of Steal](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/1783/James-Freedman--Man-Of-Steal-tickets.aspx)** to the West End following a sell-out run at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Opening at [**Trafalgar Studios 1**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/17/Trafalgar-Studios.aspx) on 26th May, fast-fingered pick pocketing expert **Freedman** exposes how the bad guys really work. As well as being fun and entertaining, [**Man Of Steal**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/1783/James-Freedman--Man-Of-Steal-tickets.aspx) is also fascinating and eye opening. Former X Factor winner **Matt Cardle** is taking over from **Killian Donnelly** as Huey in the West End production of [**Memphis The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/1475/Memphis-tickets.aspx) this summer. Cardle will play his first performance on 6th July 2015, joining soul queen **Beverley Knight** who blows the roof off the [**Shaftesbury Theatre**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/74/Shaftesbury-Theatre.aspx) night after night as Felicia Farrell. Also this summer a live version of 90's improv TV show **Whose Line is it Anyway?** will open in the West End for a limited two week run at the [**Adelphi Theatre**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/venue/3/Adelphi-Theatre.aspx). The show will open on 20th June, reuniting Clive Anderson, Colin Mochrie, Josie Lawrence, Greg Proops and Brad Sherwood. [**Kinky Boots opens at the Adelphi**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/1451/Kinky-Boots-tickets.aspx) in August. In other news, **Bradley Cooper** is already being mobbed at the **Theatre Royal Haymarket’s** stage door each night as **The Elephant Man** has begun previews in London following its acclaimed Broadway run. Elsewhere, former [**War Horse**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/721/War-Horse-tickets.aspx) star **Sion Daniel Young** will take over as Christopher Boone in [**The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the Gielgud Theatre**](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/1172/The-Curious-Incident-of-the-Dog-in-the-Night-Time-tickets.aspx) from 22nd June 2015. Finally, the West End has bid farewell to Oppenheimer at the Vaudeville Theatre, Golem at Trafalgar Studios and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown at the Playhouse Theatre.