Madonna Turns Down British Debut
Date: 13 July 1998
Fickle pop star Madonna has pulled out of Peter Hall s West End production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof only days after news of her involvement was leaked in the UK press.
As What's On Stage reported last week, Madonna had agreed to make her British stage debut playing Southern seductress Maggie the Cat in a revival of the Tennessee Williams classic that would join Hall's repertory season at the Piccadilly Theatre sometime next year.
According to an article in The Guardian newspaper, Hall said that Madonna was '100 per cent' committed to the production. 'I don't know how long it'll run or when, but she's agreed,' said Hall. He visited the star in New York this past February to discuss the project.
But the US entertainment newspaper Variety squelched the announcement, saying that Madonna had notified producer Bill Kenwright that she had now turned down the role.
According to The Guardian, Madonna has sought tips from Elizabeth Taylor, who played the role in the 1958 film, and has been approved by copywright controllers and trustees at the University of the South in Sawanee, Tennessee.
Hall staged the original London production of the steamy classic 40 years ago. The play was last seen in London ten years ago at the National Theatre.
Hall's 40-strong company, resident at the Piccadilly since March following its initial 1997 season at the Old Vic, has already attracted leading British actors such as Dame Judi Dench, Elaine Page, Peter Bowles and Michael Pennington. Hall with producer Kenwright run the capital's only un-subsidised repertory company on a lean budget with stars accepting substantial pay cuts to appear.
Madonna has only appeared in one other legitimate stage role in the Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow.
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