By John Nathan
07 Jul 2006

Patrick Swayze will delay his London starring debut Guys and Dolls due to illness.

Hollywood star Patrick Swayze has delayed his London stage debut in Michael Grandage’s acclaimed revival of Guys and Dolls because of a chest infection.

Swayze was due to take on the role of Nathan Detroit at the West End’s Piccadilly Theatre from July 10 to Sept 2. He is now scheduled to appear opposite Claire Sweeney’s Miss Adelaide from July 24 to Sept. 23.

Sweeney, meanwhile, will keep to the original schedule and step into Miss Adelaide’s shoes beginning July 10, playing opposite Andrew Playfoot's Nathan until Swayze takes over. Adam Cooper and Kelly Price will continue as Sky and Sarah Brown.

Swayze is best known for his movies “Ghost” and “Dirty Dancing.” Onstage he played Billy Flynn in Chicago and Danny Zuko in Grease, both on Broadway.

Grandage’s production of the classic Frank Loesser musical opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on June 1, 2005, with Ewan McGregor and Jane Krakowski as Sky Masterson and Miss Adelaide.

The original Broadway production of Guys and Dolls opened at the 46th Street Theatre in Nov. 1950, running 1,200 performances before closing Nov. 28, 1953. Among the premiere cast were Robert Alda as Sky Masterson, Isabel Bigley as Sarah Brown, Sam Levene as Nathan Detroit and Vivian Blaine as Miss Adelaide. Blaine re-created her role for the 1955 film, which also starred Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson, Jean Simmons as Sarah Brown and Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit.