The Lyric Theatre, in Hammersmith, is reaching the end of a redevelopment that has been nine years in the making.The redevelopment, for which construction began in 2012, has cost an estimated £20m in total.

To celebrate the launch of the development and new Reuben Foundation Wing, the Lyric will be showing a production of Bugsy Malone, and a shorter show entitled The Interventionists, both of which star young west London talent.

The newly developed theatre will also offer classes and activities for local children - most of which do not require any kind of audition.

Executive director of the redesign, Jessica Hepburn, said: "[The children] are all young west Londoners. Our work is between 0 and 25 and our target boroughs are ten west London boroughs.

"We've got dance partners, music theatre partners, music partners and digital partners. And we'll be delivering activities for all those age groups. They either live or go to school in those areas.

"The kids are from all backgrounds."

The redevelopment included installation of new state-of-the-art facilities including a new rehearsal space, dance studio, music practice rooms, recording studio, film and TV studio, editing suite, 50-seat cinema, a digital playspace, a sensory space for children with disabilities, props and costume stores, wardrobe and scenic workshops, meeting and seminar rooms, staff offices and social spaces.

Bugsy Malone stars young west Londoners up to the age of 25

Ms Hepburn said: “There are two parts to the Lyric's mission, one of which is producing theatre professionally, the other is developing work with young people and emerging artists. That's been very much our mission that we've been building over the last few years and now we have this palace to deliver it all in.

"Over the last few years east London has had more cultural investment because of the Olympics and there has been very little in this area. This is the largest cultural development to take place in west London for decades, and I hope it will just become a real Mecca, or what we describe as a creative home, for young people and emerging artists.”

The development includes commissioned artwork by leading British artists David Batchelor and Richard Wentworth. Batchelor is creating a neon work for the building's exterior and Wentworth has produced a series of signs with information about the theatre's diverse theatrical terminology and history; the 22 signs will be hidden all over the building.

Ms Hepburn added: "We've got a very distinctive house sign style with the graffiti and that will be throughout the building as well. People often comment about how they like it and it really suits us as a theatre. Vibrant, maybe a bit cheeky, not quite traditional, that's who we are."

The official launch of the new building, and the official opening of Bugsy Malone to the public, is Tuesday April 28.

"We've got this whole series of opening events planned," Ms Hepburn told getwestlondon. "On April 24 we're inviting every Hammersmith & Fulham school to choose ten of their pupils to come to this event, which will be the Interventionists tour - a piece of theatre for half an hour - and then to see Bugsy Malone.

"On the Saturday morning, if you're between 14 and 25 and you can be bothered to get out of bed, you can come down to the Lyric and you can get a ticket to the same thing for free, and also get a free membership to the Lyric young company! The official opening is on the Tuesday.

"Fundamentally we're about delivering activities very cheaply or free for local young people... and putting on great shows for everyone."