Dateline 24th June, 2001
Three top musicals to close?
According to the "Evening Standard", three top West End musicals are rumoured to be on the verge of closing: The Beautiful Game, The Witches of Eastwick and Notre Dame de Paris are all said to nowhere near prifitability and their producers are rumoured to be considering closing them soon, long before the projected end of their runs.
According to one source quoted by the newspaper, "All three shows are just keeping their heads above water."
Stones extends
By way of contract, Stones in His Pockets (Duke of York's) is now booking to 23rd February, 2002.
Also extending are Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things, currently playing at the Almeida, until 4th August, and All You Need is Love (Queen's), until 2nd March, 2002.
New Berkoff premieres in London
Steven Berkoff's new Hamlet-based play - The Secret Love Life of Ophelia - opens at London's King's Head on Tuesday 276th June before going to the Edinburgh Fringe in August.
Mouth to Mouth closes early
The Royal Court's production of Kevin Elyot's Mouth to Mouth, currently at the Albery, is to close on 30th June, although it had been booking until the end of August.
Sher to play Mahler
Antony Sher is to play Gustav Mahler in Ronald Harwood's new play Mahler's Conversion at the Aldwych (opening 2nd October, with previews from 19th September).
Top names for the Exchange
Four of Britain's top actors are to be part of the 25th anniversary season of Manchester's Royal Exchange theatre. Tom Courtenay is to star in Uncle Vanya, Amanda Donahoe will play the lead in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, Patricia Routledge plays matriarch Mrs Conway in Priestley's Time and the Conways and Pete Postlethwaite plays Max in Pinter's The Homecoming.
Soho goes back to school
The Soho Theatre production of School Play by Suzy Almond, set in a run-down comprehensive school, which opened this week, runs until 21st July.
New Ayckboune premieres at Scarborough
Alan Ayckbourne's new play FlatSpin joins its companion piece, GamePlan, in rep at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, on 28th June.
Prime Suspect to return
Another Prime Suspect - the sixth - has been commissioned by Granada and will go into the production next year. The usual cast - including Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison - will appear. The last series was aired in 1996.