By Mark Shenton
12 Oct 2009

Con O'Neill

Con O'Neill is to replace Matt Lucas as Kenneth Halliwell in Prick Up Your Ears at the West End's Comedy Theatre, beginning performances Oct. 22.

It was previously announced that Lucas had withdrawn from the production "until further notice," after his former partner Kevin McGee, 32, had been found dead on Oct. 5. Lucas' understudy Michael Chadwick has been playing the role since then, and Chadwick will continue in the role until O'Neill takes over.

O'Neill, who was Tony Award-nominated in 1993 for Best Actor in a Musical for his Broadway debut performance as Mickey in Willy Russell's musical Blood Brothers that he had previously played in the West End (he won the 1988 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical), was last seen on the London stage in Leo Butler's Faces in the Crowd at the Royal Court's Theatre Upstairs in October 2008, and before that was seen in the West End bow of Joanna Murray-Smith's Female of the Species in July 2008.

Other stage credits include starring as Joe Meek in the West End premiere of Telstar (and subsequently recreating the role in the film version, recently released on DVD), Harold Pinter's The Caretaker (at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre and subsequently the Tricycle Theatre in London), appearing in Southwark Fair and Mother Clap's Molly House (both at the National Theatre), and A Tribute to the Blues Brothers (at the Whitehall Theatre).

In a press statement, the producers of Prick Up Your Ears (Sonia Friedman Productions, Kim Poster for Stanhope Productions, Lee Menzies, John Gore and Thomas B. McGrath) have said, "We are thrilled that Con O'Neill, an actor of such significance, is available to take on the role of Kenneth Halliwell at such short notice in our production of Prick Up Your Ears. Given the sad news that Matt Lucas has recently received, and the role he was playing, it is understandable that he could not return to play Halliwell at this time and our thoughts are with him. Ongoing support for our production from audiences at the Comedy Theatre over the past week has been wonderful and given the huge investment from our cast, director, writer and production team, we are delighted that the brilliant Con O’Neill is joining our company so that the show that we are so proud of can complete its West End run."

The play, inspired by John Lahr's biography of the same name and the diaries of Orton, also features Chris New as Orton, and Gwen Taylor as neighbour Mrs Corden. It is directed by Daniel Kramer, and has designs by Peter McKintosh, lighting by Peter Mumford and sound by Gareth Owen.

To book tickets, contact the box office on 0870 0606637, or visit www.prickupyourearstheplay.com