By James Inverne
22 Dec 2003

Harry has his Sally. As previously reported here, Luke Perry is lined up to lead a stage version of Rob Reiner’s 1989 movie When Harry Met Sally. Now, Alyson Hannigan has been cast as his best-friend-turned-lover.

    Hannigan is arguably a more bankable name than Perry these days, with her star-making turns in TV’s “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” and the “American Pie” big-screen franchise. (Interestingly, with Anthony Head in rep at the Savoy it only needs Sarah Michelle Gellar to land a West End role for all three “Buffy” leads to "stake" their theatreland claims in 2004). When Harry Met Sally would see the 29-year-old actress moving away from adolescent roles.

The show, directed by Loveday Ingram and produced by James Tod, will open at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on Feb 20, 2004, with previews from Feb.10. Ultz designs, with music by current ‘cool’ jazz star Jamie Cullum and his brother Ben.

The news means that 2004’s West End rosta of visiting screen stars on stage is filling up. Alongside Perry and Hannigan, Calista Flockhart and Holly Hunter are scheduled to headline productions with, no doubt, more to follow.