|
Story by Jack Foley
THE star-studded production of Fuddy Meers - the first
production of Sam Mendes’ new theatre and film production
company, Scamp - has become the latest production to join the
list of casualties to post early closure notices in the West End.
Just two weeks after opening, the producers have announced that
the off-beat American comedy will close on Saturday, June 12,
after it received mixed reviews.
The play featured a quality mix of British and American actors,
including Brits Julia McKenzie, Nicholas Le Prevost and Charlotte
Randle, as well as Hollywood actor, Matthew Lillard (of Scream
and Scooby Doo fame)
and Broadway’s Katie Finneran.
It had opened at the Arts Theatre on May 25, following an initial
three-week run at Birmingham Rep, and had been scheduled to remain
open until August 28.
|
 |
The news will come as a blow to Scamp, which had been founded
by former Donmar Warehouse director, Mendes, with Caro Newling
and Pippa Harris.
Its future stage projects include new work by Nick Whitby, Owen
McCafferty and Heidi Thomas, as well as the UK premiere of Nilo
Cruz’s Anna in the Tropics, revivals of Pravda and
Macbeth, and a stage musical adaptation of the hit animated film,
Shrek.
The play had charted the screwball adventures in the life of
amnesiac, Claire, as she attempts to make sense of her increasingly
befuddled world. It was written by David Lindsay-Abaire, and had
enjoyed a successful run on Broadway.
Its demise comes as several of the West End’s top new shows
announced early closures, in what is traditionally a difficult
month for attracting audiences.
Other high-profile casualties have included Amanda Holden’s
Thoroughly Modern Millie,
The Shape of Things
(starring Hollywood actress, Alicia Witt), Calico,
The Holy Terror, Coyote
on a Fence and Rattle of a Simple Man.
However, London is gearing up for a bumper Autumn and Winter,
with several massive productions due to open in the months leading
up to Christmas - including Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The
Woman in White (starring Michael Crawford), Mel Brooks’
The Producers (with Richard
Dreyfuss and Lee Evans), and the musical, Mary
Poppins.
|
