Dateline 23rd July, 2000
Witches opens
The new musical The Witches of Eastwick opened last week to general critical acclaim. In the "Telegraph" Charles Spencer wrote, "What a relief. After a string of duds this year, the West End finally has a new musical worth making a song and dance about."
"The Witches of Eastwick," he goes on, "is another welcome stake through the heart of the doomy-gloomy through-sung blockbusters that dominated our theatres in the 1980s and '90s. Musical comedy is making a most welcome comeback."
The "Independent", however, was not quite so enthusiastic. "The best that can be said of this likeable and beautifully mounted show," it said, "is that it keeps alive a dying tradition (of musical comedy)."
The "Mirror" called it "sexy, spectacular and an awful lot of fun" and the "Mail" said it's a "likeable rambunctious new show", but the "Express" wasn't so keen: " it's basically a second-rate musical wrapped in a £5million budge."
The three "witches" - Lucy Arnaz, Maria Friedman and Joanne Riding - were universally praised, but Ian McShane's performance was not so well liked. Charles Spencer commented:
" The diminutive, low-rent Ian McShane seems like a dramatic pygmy. His eyes may glitter and his teeth may flash in supposedly satanic smiles, but there is little sense here of either danger or sexual magnetism, and it is impossile to believe that the empowered and spunky witches would fall for him. The skinhead taxi driver who took me to the theatre had twice as much charisma and was 10 times more frightening. I bet he could have sung better than the spivvy McShane too, who talks his way through most of the songs like Rex Harrison without the charm."
Pennington to star with Scacchi
Michael Pennington is to star with Greta Scacchi in a revival of Molnar's The Guardsman, directed by Janet Suzman, which will open at at the Theatre Royal, Bath, in September and then go to Richmond before a proposed West End run in October. No vemue for the West End run has yet been announced.
Hedwig comes to the West End
New York off-Broadway hit Hedwig and the Angry Inch is to open at the Playhouse in London's West End on 19th September. The show, about a trans-sexual rock singer, played for more than two years in New York, where it won two Obie awards and an Outer Critics Circle award.
Branagh as Shackleton?
Kenneth Branagh is reported to be having discussions about playing the part of Antarctic explored Ernest Shackleton in a film to be made for Channel 4 next summer. The film will be scripted and directed by Charles Sturridge who made the award-winning Longitude.
Stones on the move
The hit comedy Stones in his Pockets has extended its run at the Ambassadors and will now close on 19th August. It will then transfer to the Duke of York's on 21st August.
Speed-the-Plow to close early
The Duke of York's production of David Mamet's Speed-the-Plowis to close early, on 19th August. It had been booking until 9th September.
Rolling along merrily at the Donmar
The Donmar Warehouse is to produce a limited three-month season of Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along from 11th December 2000, to 3rd March 20001.
Lee to leave The King and I
Jason Scott Lee, currently playing the King of Siam in The King and I at the Palladium on 29th July. His leaving is due to "a serious illness in the family". Paul Nagauchi, who played the patrt on Broadway, will take over on 31st August.
Dickson out, Langton in
Diane Langton will replace Barbara Dickson in Spend Spend Spend from 24th July to 5th August when the show closes.
Closing Early
Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt's Enigmatic Variations (Savoy) is to close on 29th July after a nine week run. Last week's six-week extension has been cancelled.
Personals (Apollo) has also posted early closing notices. It will end on 29th July, after a seven-week run. It had been booking up to the end of August.