The play, which has been previewing since Jan. 7, was originally due to open Jan. 19. It is scheduled to run to Feb. 21.

According to a production spokesperson, "Complicit is a world premiere and we want this new work to have a little more of the development time that the preview period allows before it is subject to review."

In the new American play, which explores our current political climate, Dreyfuss plays Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ben Kritzer, who is hauled before the Supreme Court where he faces the dilemma of defending his belief in the freedom of the press or protecting his family. Performances continue through Feb. 21.

Academy Award winner Dreyfuss was previously seen in the West End in 1999 when he starred in Neil Simon's The Prisoner of Second Avenue at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, and was subsequently due to play Max Bialystock in the original London company of Mel Brooks' The Producers in 2004, but withdrew just days before previews were due to begin. Broadway's original Bialystock, Nathan Lane, was drafted to replace him for the opening months of the show's run. In a recent press statement, Dreyfuss commented, "There is no greater place to be human than in front of humans. No greater way to reflect being human. No greater place than The Old Vic. I'm very excited to have a chance of not being fired before the opening. So far I'm batting 500. Stay tuned!"

Old Vic artistic director Spacey added, "I am delighted that Richard is to join our fifth season with Complicit and is coming to The Old Vic to take on this challenging role. He is a brilliant actor whom I've long admired and I'm thrilled that we are being given this opportunity to work together. It's great that he's coming to London and I think audiences are in for a real treat." McGovern, who plays Judith Brown, has previously been seen on the Old Vic stage in David Rabe's Hurlyburly in 1997. She has also appeared on the London stage in Moliere's The Misanthrope (Young Vic, 1996), the U.K. premiere of Richard Greenberg's Three Days of Rain (Donmar Warehouse, 1999) and Donald Marguelies' Dinner with Friends (Hampstead Theatre, 2001).

Suchet, who plays Roger Cowan, is best known for playing the title role in the long-running TV dramatization of Agatha Christie's "Poirot." He was most recently seen on the London stage in Roger Crane's The Last Confession. Other stage credits include Once in a Lifetime (National Theatre, 2005), Amadeus (in which he played Salieri at the Old Vic in Peter Hall's 1998 revival, then reprised the role in the Broadway transfer to the Music Box Theatre in 1999), Harold Pinter's Royal Court production of the British premiere of David Mamet's Oleanna (Duke of York's, 1993) and Separation (Hampstead, then Comedy Theatre, 1987).

Academy Award winner Spacey also directed Cloaca, the inaugural production of his tenure at the Old Vic in 2004, and subsequently appeared at the venue as an actor in National Anthems, The Philadelphia Story, Richard II, A Moon for the Misbegotten (subsequently transferring to Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre) and Speed-the-Plow. He has also appeared in London in The Iceman Cometh (Almeida, then Old Vic) and Jonathan Miller's production of Long Day's Journey Into Night (Theatre Royal, Haymarket).

Sutton's previous plays include Voir Dire (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and the Best Play Award of the American Theatre Critics Association), As It Is in Heaven, The Benefits of Doubt, The Third Army, Special Interests, Restoring The Sun and Black Market.

To book tickets, contact the box office at 0870 060 6628 or visit www.oldvictheatre.com.