Shawshank Posts Early Closing Notices, 29 Nov

The stage adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption has posted early closing notices in the West End. It received its UK premiere on 13 September 2009 (previews from 4 September) at Wyndham’s Theatre, where it was initially booking until 14 February 2010. It will now close on Sunday 29 November 2009, after its 100th performance.

Producers say an extensive tour is now planned for 2010, culminating with a return to Dublin, where the play premiered at the Gaiety Theatre this past May. The Shawshank Redemption is adapted by comics Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns from Stephen King’s 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, which also inspired the 1994 Hollywood film starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.

American actors Kevin Anderson and Reg E Cathey lead the 20-strong cast as Andy Dufresne and Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding, two prison inmates who develop a life-long friendship after the former, a banker, is wrongly incarcerated for the murder of his wife.

Anderson’s film credits include Sleeping with the Enemy, in which he starred opposite Julia Roberts. On stage, he’s a member of the Chicago-based Steppenwolf Company, created the role of Joe Gillis in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard at the Adelphi Theatre and has also appeared in the West End transfer of Orphans with Albert Finney.

Cathey is best known for his role as Norman Wilson on TV’s The Wire. His New York stage credits include Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew and The Green Bird. The Shawshank Redemption marks his West End debut.

The cast also features Geoffrey Hutchings, Mitchell Mullen, Joe Hanley, Diarmuid Noyes, Shane Attwooll and Geff Francis. The stage production is directed by Peter Sheridan, designed by Ferdia Murphy and presented by Lane Productions. No further productions have yet been announced for Wyndham’s Theatre.