Yasmina Reza's award-winning comedy Art will move from the Wyndham's to the Whitehall Theatre, replacing The Blues Brothers musical. It is anticipated that the show will open Oct. 16, with three new stars: Nigel Havers, Barry Foster and Roger Lloyd Pack, who are currently touring with the production around the UK.
Nigel Havers is best know for the films "Empire of the Sun" and "Chariots of Fire" and previously performed in Art at the Wyndham's in 1998. Barry Foster appeared in Hitchcock's 1972 film "Frenzy" and in the TV series "Smiley's People." Roger Lloyd Pack is best known as Trigger in Only Fools and Horses. His most recent theatre credits include performing in Theatre de Complicite's Light at the Almeida last year.
The original London production of Art has been playing at Wyndham's Theatre since its opening in 1996. It was a huge success, winning playwright Yasima Reza an Olivier Award and an Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy. Having caused a stir in London, Art transferred to Broadway a couple of years later, where it went on to win both the Tony Award and the New York Drama Critics Award for Best Play.
The play was first produced in Paris, at the Comédie des Champs Elysées, in 1994. Sean Connery went to see this production and liked it so much that he decided to back an English-language production. He and co-producer David Pugh asked the renowned playwright Christopher Hampton to translate the script.
Art has made its name in many parts of the globe and has already been performed in Chicago, New York, Sydney, Los Angeles and Buenos Aires and is currently touring the USA. The current cast at the Wyndham's Theatre includes Judd Hirsch (who will be replaced by Tom Conti for four weeks from Sept. 4), Joe Morton and Richard Thomas, who have all previously appeared in Art on Broadway.
Exciting and creative casting has been a feature of this three-hander and the existing cast is the 20th of the London production.
Past London casts include:
April 17-July 29, 2001
Paul Freeman, George Segal, Richard Griffiths
Jan. 23-April 14, 2001
Charles Lawson, Gary Kemp and James Gaddas
Oct. 24-Jan. 21, 2001
Warren Mitchell, John Fortune & Ken Campbell
July 18-Oct. 22, 2000
Colin Buchanan, Alistair McGowan & Sean Hughes
April 25-July 16, 2000
Paul Freeman, Patrick Duffy, Richard Thomas
Feb. 1-April 22, 2000
James Fleet, Stephen Tompkinson, Michael French
Oct. 20-Jan. 29, 2000
Peter Egan, Anthony Valentine, Chris Langham
July 27-Oct. 17, 1999
Art Malik, Frank Skinner, Nicholas Woodenson
June 29-July 24, 1999
Judd Hirsch, George Wendt, Joe Morton
Feb. 2-June 26, 1999
Tom Manion, Danny Webb, Gary Olsen
Nov. 3-Jan. 30, 1999
Larry Lamb, Jack Dee, Tim Healy
July 28-Nov. 1, 1998
Stacey Keach, George Wendt, David Dukes
April 21-July 26, 1988
Tony Haygarth, Richard Griffiths, Malcom Storry
Jan. 20-April 19, 1998
Roger Allum, Jack Dee, Mick Ford
Oct. 21-Jan. 18, 1998
Nigel Havers, Malcom Storry, Ron Cook
July 15-Oct. 18, 1997
Roger Allum, Stanley Townsend, Henry Goodman
March 11-July 12, 1997
David Haig, Anton Lesser, Mark Williams
Oct. 4-March 9, 1997
Tom Courtney, Ken Stott, Albert Finney
— by Theatrenow
