"WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND" TO CLOSE

"WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND" TO CLOSE

After all the rumours, it was finally confirmed today that the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman musical, Whistle Down the Wind, will close at the Aldwych Theatre on Saturday 6th Jan 2001 after a West End run of over two and a half years .

Andrew Lloyd Webber said, "I am sad to see "Whistle Down the Wind" go, though a two and half year run is pretty good. Although with hindsight I feel I might have been treading water, the show did contain 'No Matter What', my biggest ever Number One hit in the UK, and many other songs of which I am extremely proud. That is why I will return to it."

The show, based on the 1961 film in which three farm children discover a man hiding in a barn and think he is Jesus, currently features Jerome Pradon (The Man), Laura-Michelle Kelly (Swallow), Mark Mcgee (Amos), Cat Simmons (Candy), Rohan Tickell (Boone), Michael Samuels(Edward) and Stephen Osborne (Sheriff Cookridge).

The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of The Secret Garden, starring Philip Quast as ' Archibald Craven' and   Linzi Hateley as 'Martha', is expected to  transfer to the Aldwych at the end of its run in Stratford-upon-Avon at the end of January 2001.