Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical "Love Never Dies" garnered mixed first reviews Wednesday, after the world premier of the highly-anticipated sequel to "The Phantom of the Opera. "The musical was given a standing ovation Tuesday night, but some newspaper critics voiced scepticism about Briton Lloyd-Webber's followup to his world-wide blockbuster "Phantom.

A hit musical set in a gritty mining village in northeast England is coming to South Korea for its first foreign-language production, promoters said Tuesday. "Billy Elliot", the story of a miner's son who overcomes prejudice and hardships to become a professional ballet dancer, will be staged in South Korea starting in August.

Men convicted of murder, drug trafficking and robbery lined up on the stage of the prestigious Bucharest theatre to be given a standing ovation.

Musical hit "Hairspray" at the Shaftesbury Theatre is the first to use the new device, which translates dialogue and lyrics on stage into eight languages and relays them via a wireless network to personal handsets. Around one-third of the tickets sold for London's theatre shows are bought by visitors from outside Britain, according to The Society of London Theatre.

"Andrew has been re-admitted to hospital tonight following his operation for prostate cancer," said a statement posted on his website late Tuesday. "He has been advised that while the operation was entirely successful, he has developed a post-operative 'chronic infection' which needs immediate treatment.

Woodward had been suffering from various illnesses, including pneumonia, Janet Glass said in a statement. "Universally loved and admired through his unforgettable roles . . . he was equally fine and courageous in real life, never losing his brave spirit and wonderful humour throughout his illness," she said.

A group of Croatian children were hospitalised with smoke inhalation poisoning suffered during a theatre play after a faulty fireworks display, officials said Wednesday.

Boo! Hiss! The sneering villains and dimwit fairies of Britain's traditional Christmas pantomimes are having a dig at the financial crisis this year, in a bid to laugh off the economic gloom.

Lavish costumes are an intrinsic part of the magic of ballet, opera and theatre, but they are every bit as much of an illusion as the performance.

Swiss acrobat and actor James Thierree, Charlie Chaplin's 34-year-old grandson, has scooped another French theatre prize, the jury said Wednesday.