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Graduate Celebrates Birthday with Extension

Terry Johnson’s stage adaptation of The Graduate celebrates its first birthday in the West End this week with news of an eight-week extension. The comedy, which started preview performances at the Gielgud Theatre on 24 March 2000 prior to opening on 5 April, had been booking up to 7 April 2001. Currently featuring Amanda Donohoe, Andres Williams and Coral Beed, The Graduate is now booking until 9 June 2001.

Following in the footsteps of Hollywood actress Kathleen Turner and Texan model Jerry Hall, Donohoe opened as Mrs Robinson on 21 February. The part was first made famous by Anne Bancroft in Mike Nichols' 1967 film about a young man who has an affair with an older woman and then falls in love with her daughter. Williams plays young Benjamin and Beed is Elaine Robinson, parts played by Dustin Hoffman and Katharine Ross in the film.

Donohoe is best known for her television and film roles, including LA Law (for which she won a Golden Globe Award), Liar Liar, The Madness of King George, The Rainbow and Castaway. Her theatre work includes Uncle Vanya on Broadway and, in the West End, the 1997 production of Snoo Wilson's HRH, about the post-abdication exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. She is due to appear in Manchester this autumn in the Royal Exchange production of Hedda Gabler, directed by Braham Murray.

The Graduate is written by Johnson, adapted from the original novel by Charles Webb and the motion picture screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry. Johnson also directs, with design by Rob Howell, lighting by Hugh Vanstone and sound by Mike Walker. The Graduate is produced in the West End by John Reid and Sacha Brooks.

- by Terri Paddock

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