Children's theatre in London

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The Sam Mendes-directed premiere of David Greig's musical version of Roald Dahl's classic book about a young boy's adventures in a fantastical sweet factory is looking like a dead cert hit, repeating 'Matilda's formula of creating a West End smash with top notch subsidised sector-honed talent. The wonderful Douglas Hodge –Tony and Olivier-winning star of the Menier's 'La Cage Aux Folles' – will play enigmatic chocolate maker Willy Wonka alongside Nigel Planer (Grandpa Joe), Clive

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

• Rated as: 4/5
• Critics choice

Brakes shrieking; people jabbering; a million frantic bits of information rushing past – city life can be too much, even if you have learned to ignore large chunks of it. Which is precisely what 15-year-old Asperger Syndrome sufferer Christopher Boone can’t do. When he comes to London, at the peak of his strange quest to solve the mysterious death of his neighbour’s dog, he is overwhelmed. Onstage, lights, disconnected letters and people stream all over him. It’s our own

The Lion King

• Rated as: 4/5

The posters have been plastered around the London Underground for 12 years – long enough for this show to rack up 5,000 performances – but nothing prepares you for the sheer impact of 'The Lion King's opening sequence. With the surge of 'Circle Of Life' reverberating through your chest, Julie Taymor's animal creations march on, species by species. Gazelles spring, birds swoop and an elephant and her child lumber through the stalls. It's a cacophonous cavalcade that genuinely

Matilda the Musical

• Rated as: 4/5
• Critics choice

'My mummy says I'm a miracle,' lisps a pampered mini-me at a purgatorial kiddies' birthday party at the outset of this delicious, treacly-dark family show. The obnoxious ma and pa of its titular, gifted, pint-sized heroine are not, of course, quite so doting. But 'Matilda' must be making its creators, playwright Dennis Kelly and comedian-songsmith Tim Minchin, a very pair of proud parents. Opening to rave reviews in Stratford-upon Avon before transferring to the West End in 2011

Tiny Tempest

Slapstick, songs and physical storytelling are brought to bear in this family friendly adaptation of Shakespeare's magical final play, courtesy of Mini Mall.

War Horse

• Rated as: 5/5
• Critics choice

Five years on, the National Theatre's 'War Horse' has become ubiquitous. The toast of the West End and Broadway, as I write this it's sold out at the New London Theatre for the next two months – by contrast, you can book to see 'Matilda' next week. Its enormous success has negated the impact of Arts Council funding cuts on the NT, to the extent that the show has started to be singled out by some commentators as an example of 'safe' post-credit crunch programming. And, of course,