Gypsy with Rosemary Ashe Cancelled at Landor

The Landor Theatre’s summer run of bad luck with received productions continues with the cancellation of another musical, Gyspy, which was due to run from 2 to 27 August 2011, starring Rosemary Ashe as formidable stage mother Mamma Rose.

According to a statement released by producers Theatrica Ltd this afternoon, the cancellation is due to “contractual issues” with the licensor and “not due to any concerns about our creative or artistic plans and processes.”

The statement continues: “We at Theatrica are most embarrassed by the closure of the Gyspy production, and offer our sincere apologies to the creative team, to the Landor Theatre …and above all, to the many people who have sent messages of goodwill or booked tickets (naturally, bookings will be refunded as quickly as possible).”

Gyspy follows cancellations of productions of Moby Dick and, what was meant to be its replacement, Little Shop of Horrors in May. Those planned productions fell apart due to, respectively, a funding shortfall and problems with rights holders.

A press release from the Landor today said: “The Landor is most disappointed to lose the planned show, especially at such short notice. We are considering options to fill the gap in our schedule, and look forward to shortly giving notice of a new production.”

Ahead of the August gap, in July, the theatre will revive Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel and, after the gap, in September, fellow Broadway musical Ragtime, directed by Landor artistic director Robert McWhir.