Did you know that there are over 100 theatres in London – all showing a new and different show every night. In a new series of blog posts I’m going to go through a list of some of my favourite venues for seeing great theatre in London.

Barbican Theatre

Located on the first level of the centre, the Barbican’s Main Theatre can seat over 1,100, and boasts a proud record of hosting spectacular shows to critical and popular acclaim.
This is a really comfortable auditorium with crisp acoustics and a state-of-the-art stage and lighting rig. From big budget pantos to highbrow melodrama, the short running times at this huge theatre ensure packed houses, and the magnificent auditorium enhances the magic of theatre.

Leciester Square Theatre

Opened in August 2008, the Leicester Square Theatre is a top West End entertainment venue that runs a healthy programme of comedy, cabaret, dance, music and theatre events.

The building holds a large auditorium for big acts at ground level, whereas this more intimate 90-seat basement space hosts up-and-coming talent and cult names.

As a the new boys on the block – these chaps have had their work cut out for them. But I’ve heard on the grapevine that their marketing department are using a new digital marketing software called Bullseye – Digital Events Marketing that makes sure their events are all over the web.

Finborough Theatre

Leading fringe theatre venue above a lovely pub, which only produces new writing. Since opening in 1980 this pub theatre has provided debuts for all kinds of brilliant plays and actors, and won every award going.

The Finborough is a comfortable and well designed space and a succession of brilliant Programme Directors and Writers in Residence have helped put it on the map as a serious landmark for theatre fans. The fact that it is above a gorgeous pub in a nice part of town is a mere bonus.

Enron

Although the play is still in previews the Royal Court confirmed today via Twitter that ENRON, directed by Rupert Gould, will be transferring to an extended run at a West End in 2010.

ENRON tells a horrific, compelling story, and this play is exciting not only for its starry production team, but also for the chance to revisit the first car wreck of the naughty noughties. Gould clearly has a lot to live up to if he expects the play to surpass the shocking 2005 documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room but clearly producers are already confident that it’s got what it takes to pack in the crowds.

The current run at the Royal Court ends on November 7 and all tickets have already sold out. Enron will be transferring to the Noel Coward Theatre on St Martin’s Lane between 16 Jan and 8 May 2010. It seems the producers believe that the country’s appitite for stories of financial failure will not ease along with the recession.

During his recent stateside visit, London Mayor Boris Johnson praised the thriving nature of original West End shows that have transferred to Broadway. While in New York to meet Mayor Bloomberg, Boris met the cast of Billy Elliot the Musical and drew attention to the success that UK shows are experiencing in the US.

Boris up to his usual tricks

He said: “London and New York share an international reputation for theatre. I am immensely proud of the success that West End productions are having on Broadway.”

It looks clear that the UK and US will continue to work closely culturally if not politically. Mayor Bloomberg and London Mayor Boris Johnson also announced a two-year tourism agreement between New York City and London to boost travel between the two cities.

London’s Royal Opera House, home of some of the world’s best classical music has begun collaborating with fellow opera fans through social networking site Twitter. Organisers are inviting fans to collaborate on a new opera by posting line suggestions for an online liberetto of no more than 140 characters.

Once finished, the suggestions will be set to music by composer Helen Porter and performced at the Royal Opera House as part of the Deloitte Ignite 09 festival running from 4 to 6 September.

To contribute to the project and track what other users are suggesting you can follow @youropera on Twitter and keep checking for updates on the Royal Opera House twitter page @RoyalOperaHouse

Around 30 youngsters from London’s East End are staging a production about a sterile world where over-protective parents have outlawed play. But don’t worry because the play centres around the kids finding a fairground and re-discovering the meaning of fun.

At a time when children have unlimited access to bad news and are more aware of their environment than ever, it’s great to see a project that is putting the spirit of fun at the top of children’s agenda.

The youngsters are performing at the Unicorn Theatre near London Bridge on Saturday and Sunday (August 8 and 9), working with a professional arts team. This is a year round program from the Unicorn Theatre and any local youngter can get involved. No experience necessary!

Recession? What recession? Despite all the doom and gloom news for the UK economy we’ve heard almost nothing but good news about our nation’s theatres. Now official figures show that despite the economic downturn this has been a boom year for London Theatre.

There has been over 7.5 million visits to London theatre up to 18 July according to fugures released recently by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT). The research indicates that spectator attendances for 2009 so far are up by 2.5% on the same period in 2008. Claims that this is the result of increasingly cheap deals have also been quashed with news that there has been an increase at the box office by 3.5%

One of the biggest draws this year seems to be London musicals which could be the result of an increase in West End reality shows such as BBC’s ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?’ and ITV’s Grease is the Word.’

Although London’s West End is thriving at a time when other industries are seeing a massive downturn in profits, it seems that producers and directors have not been taking any chances with the public’s appetite for famous names.

According to The Guardian, all of the shows currently propping up the box office are worth the price of admission no matter who would be starring. They have a point, I mean, shows like as Hamlet, The Winter’s Tale, A Doll’s House and Waiting for Godot are enduring classics in the public consciousness. If you throw in the likes of Jude Law, Sam Mendes, Ian MacKellan and Gillian Anderson, it’s almost impossible for audiences to stay away.

A very shrewd move from the big wigs in Theatreland – perhaps other artistic ventures should take note.

A lavish production directed ‘in the round’ by Jeremy Sams, this production has a stellar team behind it and features well loved British vocalist Maria Friedman as Anna, and Daniel Dae Kim from Lost as the King. The King and I will be performed on a limited run from June 12th – 28th. For information and tickets, visit Royal Albert Hall.

Billy Elliot, the Musical is based on the 2000 Oscar-nominated film, and the three young actors who share the title role got a unique best-actor prize. The musicals director also won a Tony.

The show about a miner’s son from northern England who dreams of dancing has taken Broadway by storm, and has seen successful runs in London’s West End, and Sydney.