Enjoying the Freer life in Britain's second city

48 HOURS in London with too much to do. It's hot and sticky and the Underground smells – still it's better than sitting in traffic that even with the congestion charge snakes around the Thames, spewing exhaust fumes and frustrated curses.

Panto king Paul Elliott has the right idea – a nifty wee electric car which allows him to park free of charge when not nipping to and from his office just off the Strand, the first stop of my trip and where I am treated to a sneak preview of Jo Freer in the skimpy little blue Chief of Police number she will wear in this year's production of Aladdin. Sexy.

Over lunch, Paul's on good form, with just one part left to cast in his annual Christmas extrava-ganza at the King's, he reveals the returning Freer, Allan Stewart and Grant Stott are being joined by new boy Johnny Mac and funnyman Tom Urie, not to mention a magical 3D genie voiced by Derek Griffiths.

Later, at the Finborough Theatre, a tiny 40-seat fringe venue situated above a pub, former soap star Allison Mckenzie is making her stage comeback after years in front of film and TV cameras.

Witchcraft, by the 18th century Scottish playwright Joanna Baillie, once described by Sir Walter Scott as the "greatest dramatist in English since Shakespeare", is receiving its first staging in more than a century and gloriously delves into Scotland's murky past – Allison puts a stellar performance embracing the darkest aspects of her femininity.

On until May 10. Take a look and banish all memories of her River City character Joanne Rossie forever.

Day two and past columns catch up on me when first, a trip to the West End finds Michael Ball in fine voice and fat-suit as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. Great performance, but I'd love to see Dawn French, Pauline Quirk or even Kathy Burke in the role.

Next, it's time to descend into the bowels of the city and head to White City for the recording of I'd Do Anything, where the Nancys are still being whittled down.

Special guest tonight is Barbara Windsor, who is smaller than some of the Olivers.

The usual suspects are there too. Off-camera, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber is much smilier than on, while John Barrowman, Denise Van Outen and the wonderfully vague Barry Humphries are, as ever, on hand to critique the would-be starlets. They include Scottish contender Ashley Russell who hasn't had an easy time of late.

Just as well, then, that after the recording, the camera crew floating around the BBC Club bar filming the behind-the-scenes follow up for BBC 3 seem entranced by Ashley's Caledonian entourage, which has noisily descended on the TV Centre in kilts and curly ginger wigs.

They first made themselves known five hours earlier. Taking their seats along with the rest of us at 6pm in Studio TC1 –once home to Fawlty Towers and Blue Peter – as the warm-up man explained the rules of live TV and revealed I'd Do Anything's big secret: Sunday's results programme is actually recorded on Saturday night, but sssh, don't tell anyone.

Back in the Club Bar, the 90-minute interval between the live Saturday broadcast and that recording fairly sped by, thanks to the newly invented sport of grumpy star-spotting – not everyone was smiling.

Then, with votes tallied, a return to the studio brought tears and cheers as Keisha became the fifth Nancy to leave the competition – Ashley living to fight another day.

Although that means she'll be going through the whole nerve-wracking process again tomorrow evening. You know the drill. Get voting.