Arsenic and Old Lace to close 3 weeks early on 31 may 03

Arsenic and Old Lace to close 3 weeks early on 31 may 03

Joseph Kesselring's Arsenic and Old Lace, has posted early closing notices at the Strand theatre. The last performance will now be on Sat 31 May 03 (The show was booking to 21 June 2003.)

The show opened to reasonable notices from the popular press in February this year: THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Slightly amusing but thin-blooded revival." THE TIMES says, "An engaging enough evening.....good harmless fun." THE GUARDIAN says, "Director, Matthew Francis takes too long to build up the mania but gets decent performances from his cast." THE FINANCIAL TIMES says, "A delightfully mimsy pair of maiden aunts in Thelma Barlow and Marcia Warren." DAILY TELEGRAPH says, This old warhorse of the reps has comic life in it yet."

The cast includes: Michael Richards (from TVs Seinfeld) as 'Jonathan Brewster', Stephen Tompkinson (Mortimer Brewster), Thelma Barlow (Abby), Marcia Warren (Martha), Rupert Vansittart (Teddy), Hattie Morahan (Elaine).

It is produced by Katharine Dore, directed by Matthew Francis, designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis, with lighting by Mark Henderson.

Joseph Kesselring's Arsenic and Old Lace first opened in London at the Strand Theatre in 1942 and was last seen on stage at the Whitehall in 1977. There was a film made in 1944 starring Cary Grant.

When Mortimer Brewster visits his elderly aunts to tell them that he's about to get married, he discovers that his docile, kindly relatives are actually mass murderers. The aunts live with their brother, Teddy, who believes he is Theodore Roosevelt and shouts 'charge' at any given opportunity.