West End LIVE

This June Leicester Square will once again host West End Live, a two-day extravaganza that showcases the very best of West End entertainment.

Now in its fourth year, West End LIVE will feature world-class acts from musicals such as Avenue Q, Buddy, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Grease The Musical, The Sound of Music, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Mamma Mia! Stomp and The Lord of the Rings.

The showcase, organised by Westminster City Council, will include a sneak preview of the odd and bizarre exhibits from Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum, which is making its British debut from America this summer.

Visitors can also enjoy outstanding performances by the King Lear musicians from Shakespeare's Globe who play a series of rare medieval instruments such as the hurdy-gurdy, bone flutes and long wooden trumpets, as well as productions from Regents Park Open Air Theatre and a selection of acts from other key events such as Notting Hill Carnival, the Big Dance and Pride.

There promises to be plenty for the whole family with BBC children's presenter Justin Fletcher and a host of iconic costume characters on hand to entertain younger audiences together with an array of child-friendly activities from top museums including experiments for young scientists by the Science Museum and arts and crafts activities from the National Gallery, Wallace Collection and Serpentine Gallery.

There will also be a celebration of 50 years of Lego where children and the young at heart can create their own structures and marvel at giant Lego figurines.

The film industry is expected to get a boost at the event too with studios such as Disney, Universal and Paramount looking to promote up-coming films such as the latest Narnia epic Prince Caspian, Mamma Mia! and Kung Fu Panda respectively.

Meanwhile the British Film Institute will be hosting animation workshops and the Cartoon Museum will be offering cartoon master classes.

Show perfromances will include the following hits Avenue Q, Buddy, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Grease The Musical, Jersey Boys, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Into the Hoods, Mamma Mia!, Never Forget, The Lord of the Rings, The Sound of Music, Stomp, We Will Rock You and Wicked.

More than 150,000 people are expected to attend this year's event which is taking place from 11am to 6pm on Saturday 21st June and 12noon to 6pm on Sunday 22nd June.

You can find out more at the West End website.

How to get there
    
The closest tube stations are at Leicester Square, Charing Cross and Covent Garden.

If travelling by bus, jump on the 14, 19, 24, 29, 38 or 176.