Lead actor withdraws from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in Sheffield

Joel Gillman, who played the role of McMurphy in Javaad Alipoor's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, has withdrawn from the production with immediate effect due to ill health.

Actor Harry Egan, currently playing Warren in the show, will now play McMurphy, with actor Paul Tinto joining the show to fill Egan's space.

The venue's artistic director Robert Hastie said: "We are sorry that Joel was unable to continue in the show and wish him well…I am so pleased that we can continue to tell this important story thanks to Harry Egan stepping in to the role of RP McMurphy and Paul Tinto joining the company."

The performance on Tuesday 19 June will be cancelled in order to accommodate the casting changes, and the production will resume on Wednesday 20 June with the 2.30pm performance.

Last week, another actor Lucy Black had to drop out of the show due to an injury days before opening night.

In his review of the production, WhatsOnStage reviewer Ron Simpson said: "Alipoor's production commands the vast Crucible stage." The production runs for another week.