Opening: Birdman, RSC Romeo & Musketeers

OPENING TUESDAY, 30 November 2010 (previews from 25 November), chart-topping pop duo Pet Shop Boys pen the music for My Dad’s a Birdman, a play by children’s author David Almond, which premieres at the Young Vic until 1 January 2011.

ALSO ON TUESDAY, Matthew Bourne’s award-winning production of Cinderella, first seen in the West End in 1997, returns to Sadler’s Wells for its ninth Christmas, running until 23 January.

ALSO ON TUESDAY, screen-to-stage children’s hit Peppa Pig’s Party arrives for a lunchtime season at the Criterion Theatre, where it’s booking until 2 January.

OPENING WEDNESDAY, 1 December 2010 (previews from 30 November), Rupert Goold‘s production of Romeo and Juliet for the Royal Shakespeare Company transfers to The Roundhouse, running until 1 January as part of the RSC’s new ten-week residency at the Camden venue.

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY (previews from 24 November), following her family-friendly production of The Cat in the Hat in the NT Cottesloe  last year, Katie Mitchell returns to the same venue take on the classic French fairy-tale Beauty and the Beast, which continues in rep until 4 January.

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY, the Bond Street Pop-Up Theatre transforms two of its floors into Ebenezer Scrooge’s empire in Theatre Delicatessen’s promenade production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which runs until 24 December.  

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY, Susie McKenna’s latest panto – Jack and the Beanstalk – arrives at London’s Hackney Empire, starring ever-popular (and Olivier Award-nominated) dame Clive Rowe and running until 9 January.

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY, Mick Gordon directs his play, Bea, about a lively, naughty girl who asks her parents the “unthinkable”, at Soho Theatre. The latest in a themed series of productions from On Theatre, it runs until 8 January.

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY (previews from 30 November), black comedy Norman’s Ark, written and directed by Dean Stalham, opens at new venue Hot Tap Theatre in New Cross Gate, where it continues until 18 December.

OPENING FRIDAY, 3 December 2010 (previews from 27 November), new Christmas period musical The Three Musketeers is staged at The Rose, Kingston – the young venue’s first ever musical – featuring music from award winning songwriter George Stiles (Mary Poppins, Honk) and running until 2 January.

ALSO ON FRIDAY (previews from 27 November), Soho Theatre’s recently appointed artistic director Steve Marmion helms a traditional pantomime, Dick Whittington and His Cat, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Until 8 January.

OPENING SATURDAY, 4 December 2010 (previews from 30 November), Quicksilver theatre presents Granny’s Christmas Journey at the New Diorama theatre space, running until 23 December.