With Valentine’s Day and half-term coming up, it’s a busy time for London theatre in the West End. Here’s a round-up of new openings and long-standing hits you might not have checked out yet:

A revival of Sweeney Todd starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton is set to open in the West End in March after a run at the Chichester Festival Theatre. The musical by Stephen Sondheim has been a cult hit since its premiere in 1979. This is the tale of a Victorian-era barber who returns to London after being imprisoned for crimes he did not commit. He sets off on a murderous quest for revenge with the aid of his sinister landlady, who bakes his victims into pies. Tim Burton made the musical into a hit film starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, and audiences who like their comedy dark and twisted will love it.

Ghost the Musical has been one of the biggest shows to open last year. Based on the hit film with Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg, the stage version features music and lyrics by the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart and Alanis Morrissette collaborator, Glen Ballard. It follows Sam, who returns to earth as a ghost after being murdered. The only way for him to reunite with his beloved girlfriend, Molly, and catch his killers is to inhabit the body of a con-artist posing as a medium, the colourful Oda Mae Brown. Both hilarious and heart-breaking, this British-born hit recently secured a Broadway transfer.

With the Steven Spielberg-helmed film just out in cinemas, War Horse is attracting a lot of attention. This simple story of a boy who sets off to find his horse after it is sold to the British cavalry during World War I is spectacularly staged by talented puppeteers. The theatricality of this long-running hit is mind-blowing, and you’ll be surprised at just how touching the finale is – bring a hankie!

Although a night out with the boys might normally be centred in a pub, the West End offers a change of scene with a number of lad-friendly musicals. Rock of Ages is the latest offering, featuring 30 of the biggest rock ballads of the 80’s including “Don’t Stop Believin’”, “We Built this City”, and “The Final Countdown”. Starring Justin Lee Collins and Shayne Ward, it really does tell the story of a small-town girl and a boy born and raised in South Detroit who chase their dreams of falling in love and making it big in LA. The musical has been turned into a movie starring Tom Cruise and Russell Brand, which is due to open in cinemas this June.

For the girls, Legally Blonde the Musical is one of the best tickets in town. Based on the hit film starring Reese Witherspoon, it won the 2011 Olivier Award for Best New Musical. When Elle Woods is dumped by her preppy boyfriend Warner for not being “serious” enough, she decides to prove him wrong by enrolling at Harvard Law School. She ends up on a journey of self-discovery, with a dotty manicurist, ditzy sorority girls, and a gay chihuahua in tow. Filled with fun pop standards, this is a seriously entertaining night out.

Other eagerly-anticipated shows scheduled to open in 2012 include the Spice Girls musical, Viva Forever with a book by Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous, the Bridget Jones musical starring Sheridan Smith and with music by Lily Allen, and The Bodyguard, based on the film starring Whitney Houston and featuring songs from her back catalogue.

Tim Sullivan is the artistic director of Savio(u)r Theatre Company. He also frequently contributes to Cheap Theatre Tickets.