Closure

Many of you will have read the recent scare-mongering regarding the credit crunch that is affecting the world at the moment. If the collapse of sterling wasn’t enough to convince you then no doubt the closure of The Girl With The Pearl Earring will. Three shows announced their closure in less than a week, namely the above play at the Haymarket, Avenue Q at the Noel Coward and Riflemind at the Whitehall. Newshounds noted how this was a sure sign of how the credit crunch was affecting the West End.

Utter tosh. Avenue Q is closing nearly 2 years after its expected close date. It garnered a lot of good publicity and for a relatively small, limited appeal show, it had a very good run in the West End. It will be making way for Calendar Girls, which is currently enjoying a decent tour and has a strong cast more than capable of attracting custom to the West End.

Riflemind opened in a flurry of hype – directed by Hollywood’s….that guy who played Capote – to universally lame notices. Most people simply observed that the play was boring and the real life escapades of derelict rock bands far more fascinating. Pearl Earring, too, opened recently to really bad notices.

These two plays would be closing in a really good financial climate. Don’t blame bad writing on the credit crunch!