The much-anticipated musical adaptation of Gone With The Wind has announced that it will close at the New London on 14 June after just 79 performances.
The production, which stars Darius Danesh and Jill Paice as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara, has endured a troubled time in London. When it first previewed on 5 April, the show ran to nearly four hours in length and it was reported that audience members had to leave before the finale to catch their last trains home.
On its 22 April press night the show was shorter, but the critics did not warm to it, giving it a generally harsh reception. Though director Trevor Nunn has since re-shaped the show and shortened the running time once more, the closing notice emphasises how hard it has been to recover from these initial setbacks.
Speaking about the news, Gone With The Wind’s Producer Aldo Scrofani said: “From the beginning of our journey we have all worked hard to achieve the realisation of putting Margaret Mitchell’s classic novel, Gone With The Wind, on stage at the New London theatre. Despite the critical response the Company have enjoyed much praised from audience members during our run and for that we are grateful, nevertheless we have made the difficult decision to close the production. Plans for a New York production are currently on hold but in the meantime we are pursuing various options that have been presented to us from interested parties worldwide.”
The stage musical features book, lyrics and music by Margaret Martin with adaptation by director Nunn. It tells the story of Scarlett O’Hara, a young woman in love during the American Civil War and how the events of the time change her comfortable life forever.
Theatregoers with tickets for performances after 14 June are being advised to contact their original point of sale to obtain a full refund.
MA