McKellen & Mirren Lure Brits with Dance???

In the wake of the recent American tragedy, good news on Broadway is scarce and the likelihood of numerous transatlantic transfers may be in question. One glittering new production, however, looks custom-designed for exporting to UK audiences, boasting as it does two British stage heavyweights and a British director. In the revival of August Strindberg's 1901 play, Dance of Death, Sean Mathias directs Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren in the story about a husband and wife approaching their silver anniversary. The production begins previews at New York's Broadhurst Theater this week and continues for a limited run to 13 January 2002. McKellen was last seen on the London stage in 1997 in the National's production of Enemy of the People while Mirren has recently been seen in the Donmar's Orpheus Descending and Collected Stories in the West End. Elsewhere, closures are more the order of the day in the terrorist aftermath. Four shows have already announced premature closures, including the transfer of the Olivier Award-winning Irish two-hander Stones in His Pockets, and a planned revival of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins has been cancelled.

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