Andrew Lloyd Webber searches for a Scottish Dorothy

The search is on to find the perfect singer to fill Dorothy’s red shoes in a new production of The Wizard of Oz that’s coming to the West End later this year. It all kicked off in Glasgow this weekend, where hopeful auditionees demonstrated why they thought they should take on the iconic role.

As far as I’m concerned, The Wizard of Oz is one of the true classics of cinema, a film that’s been enjoyed by generations and will probably continue to be enjoyed for many more. So it’s good to hear that Andrew Lloyd Webber and co aren’t simply trying to replicate it, but are really going for something new. In Webber’s own words, he wants “a Dorothy with attitude.”

He told The Sun: “She’ll be more Avril Lavigne than Judy Garland. Of course, Judy Garland made the role famous but I’m looking for a 21st century Dorothy… Okay, she probably won’t have strange green hair or anything, but she’ll be someone who would fit in on the streets here. She’ll have attitude and probably have an iPod.”

Certainly sounds like we’re not in Kansas any more!

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that these auditions are being carried out as part of a new BBC reality show. Over the Rainbow will hit the airwaves soon, and will surely follow the winning formula of the previous shows I’d Do Anything, Any Dream Will Do and How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? Those three shows saw thousands auditioning for the roles that were eventually taken by Jodie Prenger as Oliver!, Lee Mead as Joseph (in his Technicolor Dreamcoat) and Connie Fisher in The Sound of Music – which this month is heading to Edinburgh for a run at the Playhouse. Seems like it’s a good month for Scottish musicals!

While I can’t see myself heading down to the auditions (you have to be able to sing for a start!), aspiring hopefuls can head to bbc.co.uk/dorothy to register and find out where try outs are taking place over the next few weekends across the nation – in Cardiff, Belfast, Manchester and finally London, from the 5th to 8th February. I wish you the best of luck!

With this new take on The Wizard of Oz sure to be a box office winner, it looks set to be another great year for West End theatre breaks, and for fans of Mr Webber in particular. Don’t forget that his eagerly anticipated Phantom of the Opera sequel Love Never Dies opens at the Adelphi Theatre on 9th March. Will it live up to the original? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

Ice and Snow Festival creates winter wonderland in China

Here in the UK, many of us are getting sick of the sight of snow and ice – this is far from the case in north west China, where sculptors from around the world have turned the frosty weather into an art form at the 24th annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival.

I’ve always been a fan of the traditional winter weather – from the gorgeous effect it has on the landscape to giving me the excuse to wrap up in my festive finery. But even I could do with a break from the ice right now, after slipping up on my way to the office a couple of times! So I was pleasantly surprised to see how the city of Harbin is getting through its harsh winter by celebrating the natural beauty of the white stuff in this fantastic yearly event.

YouTube channel AllVideoVault has posted a video of this year’s festivities:

The Ice and Snow Festival draws millions of tourists each year to take in the magnificent ice sculptures, castles and mazes, which are made from an estimated 120 thousand cubic metres of snow and 160 thousand cubic metres of ice. With the frozen Songhua River winding its way through the city, it’s not as if ice is in short supply in Harbin, and I think it’s a great idea to put the elements to use in such a positive way. As one of the world’s premier ice events, the festival can also be relied on to attract the cream of ice sculptors, from countries as diverse as Russia, Denmark and the United States.

So while the idea of taking a long-haul flight to an even colder destination might not be the first choice for UK holidaymakers right now, it’s inspiring to see a city getting something so positive out of the deep freeze. We haven’t been the only ones suffering from the freeze after all, with China Central Television reporting that Harbin experienced temperatures as low as minus 34 Celcius this winter – and we’re complaining about minus seven!

Anyone who fancies braving the cold can visit the festival throughout the rest of the month; right up until it closes in early February, when the ice starts to melt. An event that makes use of nature and even clears up after itself – what’s not to love?

Midnight event brings York Minster to life

York‘s most famous tourist attraction York Minster is opening its historic gates tomorrow night to host the first Minster Nights event of the new decade. The event is a fantastic opportunity for visitors and locals alike to experience the rare sight of the majestic cathedral coming alive, with a host of installations and performances.

Minster Nights are completely free of charge for those of us lucky enough to live in this historic city – as long as we can provide proof of address, that is. Of course, visitors are more than welcome too, and only have to pay the usual admission price which seems like a bargain when you feast your eyes on the entertainment on offer.

According to the York Press, this event on 9th January is the third time such an event has been held in the cathedral. I somehow missed out on the previous events in May and August last year, but won’t be caught unawares this time!

Saturday night’s event will feature the work of artists on the theme of relaxation, contemplation and reflection, and I’m sure anyone who’s visited the impressive cathedral will vouch that it’s the perfect place to hold a celebration of serenity. But that doesn’t mean this event will be all about peace and quiet – far from it! In fact, a set from Ireland‘s charismatic singer-songwriter Kayla Kavanagh, performing on a whole array of instruments from keyboard and guitar to electric violin, flute and the hammered dulcimer, is sure to bring the house down.

It’s not just all about music either, as the Minster Nights programme seems intent on covering all the arts. Theatre fans will enjoy an excerpt from Chekhov’s The Evils of Tobacco being staged by the Mooted Theatre company, while Airvent Media are set to create a unique “walk-in experience” involving light and sound in the cathedral’s Chapter House. I’d be lying if I said I knew what that means, but it certainly sounds like it’s worth a look!

Maybe most intriguing of all are the Hidden Minster tours that take visitors into areas of the cathedral that are rarely seen, and which aren’t normally accessible by the public. This includes the Mason’s Loft and even the crypt passages, so I’m guessing it’s not something for the faint-hearted. But certainly of interest for anyone who’s interested in the remarkable building and in York’s fascinating history.

Showzam festival dazzles in Blackpool

It looks like everyone will have the chance to roll up for some sensational circus fun in Blackpool, as next month’s Showzam festival celebrates the wacky world of the big top!

This annual festival showcasing the talented performers of circus, magic and new variety is the only one of its kind in the UK, so it’s a sure bet you’ve never see anything like it before. This February’s event promises a wealth of entertainment to satisfy everyone, with families and magic connoisseurs alike being promised something to enjoy at Showzam 2010.

The festival’s unique exhibitions and performances will take place at venues across the ever-popular North West seaside town from Friday 12 to Saturday 20 February, and taking a look at the programme of events, there’s some truly mesmerising stuff.

Whether you’re more inclined towards Derren Brown or Paul Daniels, you can’t help but be dazzled by magic performances, and Showzam is a treat for fans of the conjuring arts. The imaginatively-titled Magic Show playing on every day of the festival at Blackpool’s Grundy Art Gallery actually offers a lot more than its name suggests, and will see talented performers revealing how illusions and sleight-of-hand are regularly used in more shady contexts in the real world.

But if that sounds a bit heavy-going and you’d rather lose yourself in a traditional magic show full of camp theatrics and rabbits-out-of-hats, Queens of Magic combines magic, comedy, song and dance into a big-budget show at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and features the talents of Fay Presto – reputedly Britain’s finest close-up magician. Sounds like quite a show doesn’t it?

So while it’s the magic events that have piqued my interest, Showzam offers much, much more – from Miss Behave’s Carnival Ball, featuring burlesque performer Amber Topaz and calypso Queen Marawa, to a scary sounding ghost train with live performers. Last but not least, the award-winning cabaret show La Clique combines everything from circus sideshows to modern variety acts.

And if all that isn’t enough to get your pulse racing, the white-knuckle rides of Blackpool Pleasure Beach open for the 2010 season on weekends starting February 13, meaning the one of the weekends overlaps with the festival. Has there ever been a better time to visit Britain’s seaside capital?

A record-breaking year for theatre breaks

Who would have guessed at the beginning of last year that 2009 would prove to be such a record-breaking year for London theatre breaks? More than 14 million tickets being sold at venues across the capital, that’s pretty impressive.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m sure you all know how much I enjoy settling down for a play or musical and there have been some really fantastic productions in the past year. I just figured that the recession would see less people spending money on cultural nights out – I’m glad I was so wrong!

In fact, it seems that the global economic crisis and weak pound are partly responsible for this surge of interest in theatre breaks, as so many ‘staycationers’ have been heading to London to take in its sights and attractions rather than heading out of the UK. All that doom and gloom in the news may also have encouraged people to seek escapism where they can – and what better way than with an all-star play or rip-roaring musical?

This is great news for the British theatre industry, and for us here at Superbreak where we’ve just celebrated our 50,000th booking for a West End theatre package! Looking back over the past year, it was big-budget musicals that attracted theatregoers in droves to our theatre-and-bed deals – but the single most popular, without a doubt, was Lionel Bart’s new adaption of Oliver!, which played at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane and starred such luminaries as Rowan Atkinson and Griff Rhys Jones. Wicked also proved to be hugely popular last year, while crowds are still drawn to the old favourites like The Lion King and Dirty Dancing.

We’re all hopeful that the coming year should prove just as successful as 2009 for theatre breaks, if not greater, thanks to some exciting new shows making their debut at the West End – from the hotly-anticipated Phantom sequel Love Never Dies, which opens in February, to Shrek: The Musical, which has been getting rave reviews on Broadway and is sure to be just as popular with kids on this side of the pond.

But of course, the theatre isn’t all about musicals – so don’t worry if all that singing and dancing isn’t your cup of tea. A number of exciting new plays are seeing well-known actors walking London’s boards, from Keira Knightley’s West End debut in The Misanthrope to Samuel West in Enron and James Earl Jones in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. With all this fine talent and venues attempting to outdo last year’s successes, 2010 looks set to be another killer year for UK theatre breaks!

Ripley’s opens in Mexico – believe it or not!

Wherever you are in the world, people are always interested in exploring bizarre attractions – which is why the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! franchise is still going strong and opening a new Odditorium museum in Mexico.

Looking back, I probably owe my not-so-secret passion for all things weird to a childhood visit to the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! museum in Great Yarmouth, sadly no longer with us. From elephant-headed boys to mutant animals, it was a jaw-dropping experience, and the Ripley’s museum in London is even more astounding – not that that should really come as a surprise. Included in the 500 exhibits across its five floors are real dinosaur eggs and a model of Tower Bridge made entirely of ordinary matchsticks – 264,345 to be very precise!

I just learned that Ripley’s now operates 30 such museums all around the world, all with unique spectacles to offer. So if oddities are your thing too, you might not have to travel far – there could be an Odditorium in a city near you! Mexico alone is now home to three of them, with the new opening at Veracruz featuring such stand-out attractions as an eight-foot-tall horse made entirely of car bumpers – which I guess gives you a good idea whether this is your kind of thing or not. I must admit, it makes a trip to Mexico that little bit more enticing – maybe I should even pay a visit to the creepy Island of the Dolls after all?

Ripley’s attractions have been drawing crowds since Robert LeRoy Ripley himself debuted his collection of oddities at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, and the museums always offer something different for visitors. Take the Odditorium in Orlando, which is built at an odd angle as if the building is sinking. Be careful finding your way around in that one!

Hot on the heels of the Mexico opening, the 31st Odditorium is set to open in Australia’s Surfer’s Paradise in late January, showing that the Ripley’s franchise is still going strong, and hinting that the key to fighting the recession may be to focus on the irresistible urge to seek out the weird and wonderful… believe it or not!

Scotland’s first 4D cinema to open in Edinburgh

3D cinema has enjoyed a major revival of late – amongst ‘kids’ of all ages. Now Scotland is getting in on the action by opening its first 4D cinema in the new year, which promises to be a mesmerising experience!

The 4D cinema will form part of the Our Dynamic Earth attraction in Edinburgh – an interactive science centre that takes visitors on a journey through the history and sights of the world, from the frozen arctic tundra to the depths of the ocean. According to the Scotsman, this new feature will take the interactive experience even further, by combining a 3D film with relevant physical effects to engage as many senses as possible.

Put simply, this means visitors can look forward to feeling the frosty winds of the Arctic circle on their face, smelling a rhino up close (if you’re sure you’re up to it…) and feeling the vibrations of their virtual journey produced by small machines in their seats that are rather delightfully known as ‘ButtKickers!’

4D cinemas have proven themselves to be extremely popular additions to other tourist attractions in the UK – most obviously the £5 million film created for the London Eye, but also more modest attractions at places like Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Never a nation to be beaten when it comes to technological innovation, Scotland’s first permanent foray into the fourth dimension will make use of the very latest scientific wizardry to create the ultimate 4D experience, including artificial snow flakes that have been developed at the National Space Centre in Leicester. It does sound like a unmissable experience!

This new attraction is sure to boost visitor numbers to Our Dynamic Earth significantly. The 4D cinema is replacing the less exciting Gallery of Contrasts that’s now been closed to make way for the £700,000 refurbishment, which is being partly funded by the Scottish Government. Visitors are being assured that Our Dynamic Earth itself will stay open throughout the work – so this won’t be a repeat of Edinburgh’s notorious tram works!

Brit flicks drawing tourists

As we enter the new year it seems England’s cities are ‘in,’ thanks to a stream of home-grown blockbusters drawing visitors from all over the world, eager to retrace the steps of characters as diverse as Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes.

With people travelling from all over the world to visit filming locations in London, Liverpool and Manchester, it’s as good an excuse as any for us locals to get out there and explore what our nation has to offer!

While anyone who’s seen it would agree that Guy Ritchie’s take on the Sherlock Holmes legend is… unconventional (to say the least), it’s certainly done the trick for the tourism industry – even forming the basis for a new iPhone application released by VisitBritain that encourages fans to visit its filming locations.

According to The Drum, VisitBritain is already planning a similar campaign to mark the release of the upcoming Robin Hood movie – so it looks like Nottingham and Sherwood Forest can expect an influx of eager visitors in 2010.

This tourism boost isn’t all about devoted fans making pilgrimages, but even the film production itself can have a positive impact on the economy. According to Liverpool tourism spokesperson Gary Millar, filming one single scene of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows brought half a million pounds to the city’s tourism industry. Hotels were quickly filled up by the various folk involved in putting together a scene that lasts for all of five minutes on the big screen!

These success stories spell hope that the British film industry might finally be on the road to recovery, meaning the UK can become a major player in international cinema after a fairly disappointing couple of decades. And while traditionalists will surely bemoan these modernised adaptations of Sherlock Holmes and the like, the films might at least get a few more people interested in these classic tales.

And of course, there’s always the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street that’s still going strong as a tourist attraction, and is well worth a look for even the most casual fan. Just don’t expect to hear anything about Holmes’ kung-fu skills there…

Keira Knightley wows crowds in her West End debut

Christmas is without a question one of the highlights of the year, but that doesn’t mean that the run up to the big day can’t get a little overwhelming sometimes. So every so often it’s nice to forget about the festivities for a while and treat yourself to an entirely non-festive theatre break – especially when there’s the chance of seeing a famous actress fluff her lines!

But that would be doing a disservice to the talents of Keira Knightley, who’s getting rave reviews for her starring role in a new performance of The Misanthrope that’s just opened in London. The play is a revival of Martin Crimp’s 1996 update of Molière’s classic satire, and is drawing crowds to the Comedy Theatre in Piccadilly who are eager to see the all-star performance headed by Ms Knightley herself.

Much to the annoyance of theatre critics, the famous film star is apparently really rather good in the role of Jennifer, a bitchy Hollywood starlet who naturally becomes the object of desire for a grumpy playwright, played by Damian Lewis. Some key scenes that test Keira’s mettle see her getting her own back on a parasitic acting guru played by Tara Fitzgerald, while a period costume orgy at the finale promises to show off Keira’s sultry side. I’m sure plenty of people will happily hand over the ticket price to enjoy that alone!

Keira Knightley made her name as a major Hollywood actress in films like Pirates of the Caribbean and Pride & Prejudice (take your pick), but she’s stirred debate with her West End debut by agreeing to accept a basic rate for her performance – a modest £750 per week, which is a world away from what she’d take home in Hollywood.

Keira told the Daily Mail that is because she’s keen to get some experience in the world of theatre. If this breakthrough performance is anything to go by, you can be sure Keira Knightley will be treading the boards with the best of them for many years to come.

New York is top for New Year breaks

If you’re struggling to decide where to spend your New Year, your quest may be at an end – New York has topped the list of this year’s most popular destinations to see in 2010.

In the Big Apple they don’t do anything small, and the New Year celebrations are no exception, making it the perfect place for a lively New Year break – as long as you don’t mind the crowds!

Times Square has been one of the world’s major sites for New Year celebrations for over 100 years now, and according to Beat the Brochure.com, this year over a million people are expected to pack into the public square. That’s so many people I find it hard to even imagine what it must be like!

More staggering is that around a billion more are expected to watch the New York celebrations unfold live on TV, which will include a dazzling fireworks display and, of course, the lowering of the famous iron ball that descends the flagpole to count down to the New Year. Apparently, the iron ball was only introduced as an alternative after fireworks were banned from the city in 1907, but it’s now become as much a part of the celebrations as Auld Lang Syne in Scotland.

So, while many will be content to see in the New Year with friends and family at home, or maybe take in some of the New Year celebrations in the UK’s own big cities, it looks like many more Brits will be flying out to the United States to see in the ‘teens’ – especially now the pound is gaining strength against the dollar and folks are keen to make the most of the exchange rate while they can.

While I don’t think I’ll be making the trip to the Big Apple this year, I still haven’t decided whether to spend my own New Year break visiting friends in Edinburgh or London – though I have to admit, the five day celebrations of Hogmanay 2010 may end up swaying me towards the former! Not much of a surprise to you all I’m sure, after all I’ve hardly hidden my bias to the Scottish capital on here have I?