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Shape of Things Extends Prior to New York Date

Bucking the trend of recent premature closures in London, the Almeida has announced an extension for its production of Neil LaBute's The Shape of Things prior to an expected New York transfer. The play, which received its world premiere on 30 May (following previews from 24 May), finishes its run this Saturday, 23 June, but returns for two and half weeks from 18 July to 4 August 2001. Although an American venue has not yet been confirmed, plans are afoot for an off-Broadway opening later this year.

Centring around a quartet of American college students, The Shape of Things offers an intense examination of two modern relationships and questions how far people are prepared to go for the sake of love and art.

The Shape of Things stars Americans Paul Rudd, Gretchen Mol and Fred Weller as well as British screen actress Rachel Weisz. Mol and Weller made their British debuts in the production, while Rudd was recently seen opposite Jessica Lange and Charles Dance in Long Day's Journey into Night (Lyric).

Weisz has previously appeared on stage in Noel Coward's Design for Living (Donmar Warehouse) and, in 1999, starred in Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer (Comedy). She is best known for her film roles, including The Mummy Returns, Enemy at the Gates, The Mummy, Stealing Beauty and Land Girls.

The Almeida last year presented the British premiere of LaBute's bash, a collection of three one-act pieces. The author's previous plays include Filthy Talk for Troubled Times, Sanguinarians and Sycophants, Rounder and Ravages. His films include In The Company of Men (for which he received the New York Critics' Circle Best First Feature Award and the Filmmakers' Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival), Your Friends and Neighbors and Nurse Betty.

The Shape of Things is also directed by LaBute and is designed by Giles Cadle, with costume design is by Lynette Meyer, lighting by Mark Henderson and sound by Fergus O'Hare.

Due to a gap in the Almeida's summer programming at its temporary residence in a converted bus shelter at King's Cross, the extension of The Shape of Things will cause no disruption to other productions. The next production, a new version of Chekhov's Platonov by David Hare, opens on 11 September 2001 (previews from 30 August).

- by Terri Paddock

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