Fortune's Fool Raises Queries Over Dames???Date: 5 June 2002 Briton Alan Bates has been burning up the boards in New York with a production of Turgenev's rarely performed Fortune's Fool and it looks like UK theatregoers may soon have a chance to see him in it, too. Bates' co-star Frank Langella has told the US press that producer Duncan Weldon plans to bring the show to the West End this autumn, possibly opening up at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. That prospect may cause some concern amongst those hoping to see Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench onstage. Their pairing in David Hare's The Breath of Life is meant to open there in October, hot on the heels of the RSC's upcoming double bill. However, the much-delayed booking for the Dames has yet to open, with the box office now setting 17 June as the kick-off for eager purchasers. As for Fortune's Fool, it has earned both Bates and Langella Tony Awards this week (for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively). The American Langella, remember, was last seen in London this past October hightailing it from Over the Moon with Joan Collins. Despite that disaster, which Langella walked out on just days after its West End opening (and not long before its premature closing), the actor claims to be very excited about the prospect of returning to these shores.
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