It’s the start of December, which can only mean one thing in the world of greasepaint and safety curtains – pantomime. The panto season is upon us, with two of the country’s foremost exponents of the art form already out of the blocks: Hackney Empire and Nottingham Playhouse. Soon to follow are pantos featuring everyone from John Barrowman to Dame Edna Everage. But if dames, dashing princes and audience participation aren’t your cup of tea, there’s also a slew of Nutcrackers to take your pick from – in Birmingham, in Covent Garden, or even at the O2 Photograph: Tristram Kenton
When Lenny Henry was asked to take his first stab at Shakespeare – back in 2008 as Othello – he asked that show’s director 'Isn’t there some panto you want me to do first?'. He still hasn’t done a pantomime, but this week he made his debut at the National Theatre in its new production of Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. And it seems that his well-received Moor was no fluke, with the former Comic Strip star again receiving glowing notices Photograph: Tristram Kenton
Somewhat amusingly, given the play’s title, the programme for the National’s Comedy of Errors contained (you’ve guessed it) an error on the cast list and the National Theatre had to hand out correction slips on press night. I’m sure that’s not a mistake John Good would have made – the UK’s leading theatre programme publisher was sold this week. After more than 20 years as a family business, it has been bought by a team of investors – partially made up from John Good’s existing management team Photograph: PR
There’s a Theatreland legend that ungenerous audience members arriving by taxi at the St Martin’s Theatre to watch The Mousetrap will have the whodunnit ending spoiled for them if they don’t tip their driver. That being the case, cabbies across the world will have to start swatting up on their Agatha Christie. The show announced this week it is to embark on its first ever UK tour and be staged in 60 countries across the globe next year, when it will celebrate an incredible (and record-setting) 60 years in the West End Photograph: PR
While unlikely to enjoy Mousetrap-scale longevity, lots of big shows were unveiled this week: Scrubs star Zach Braff will make his West End debut in All New People; Alan Cumming will perform a one-man Macbeth in Glasgow; Green Day musical American idiot is coming to the UK; Ice Age is the latest animation to be adapted for stage (unsurprisingly, on ice); and David Bowie’s backcatalogue may become a jukebox musical Photograph: PR
What will the good burghers of Stratford-upon-Avon think? Shopping and F*cking playwright Mark Ravenhill has been appointed writer in residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Ravenhill, whose other works include Mother Clapp’s Molly House and Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat (and who has a penchant for the kind of graphic on-stage portrayals that got everyone so hot under the collar with the RSC’s recent production of Marat/Sade) will create two works for the company to be staged during 2012 Photograph: Murdo Macleod
And somehow we’re back to where we started – with men in frocks. This time, though, it’s all-male dance troupe the Featherstonehaughs (pronounced Fanshaws), who had their final fling this week at London’s Riverside Studios. Earlier this year, the company (along with its sister troupe the Chomondleys) lost all their regular funding from Arts Council England and have now been wound up, after more than 20 years of performance. Their final show saw them present a double bill – Edits, and The Featherstonehaughs Draw on the Sketchbook of Egon Schiele Photograph: Tristram Kenton
