Hairspray (musical) closed, "Hairspray" began touring the UK and Ireland, starting at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on April 7, 2010, following previews from March 30. The tour stars Michael Ball as Edna, alternating with Michael Starke and Brian Conley; Les Dennis, Nigel Planer and Micky Dolenz alternating as Wilbur and Laurie Scarth as Tracy. "Hairspray" toured the UK and Ireland in 2013. The show opened on February 13 in The Lowry Theatre in Manchester with Mark Benton playing Edna Turnblad, Lucy Benjamin playing Velma Von Tussle, Marcus Collins as Seaweed Stubbs and Freya Sutton as Tracy Turnblad, respectively. MM Musicals
West End theatre "The Phantom of the Opera", "Lion King" and Willy Russell's "Blood Brothers" which have also subsequently overtaken "Cats". However the non-musical Agatha Christie play "The Mousetrap" is the longest-running production in the world, and has been performed continuously since 1952. The following have been announced as future West End productions. The theatre in which they will run is either not yet known or currently occupied by another show. The term "West End theatre" is generally used to refer specifically to commercial productions in Theatreland. However, the leading non-commercial theatres in London enjoy great artistic prestige. These include the Royal National