London on a hot tin roof.

The successful 2008 Broadway production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, the first all-African-American production of the play to be approved by Tennessee Williams?s estate for performance on the Great White Way, is to transfer to the West End this autumn with its star James Earl Jones.

Details of dates and theatres are yet to be finalised, though Earl Jones and New York co-star Phylicia Rashad are expected to recreate their performances as Big Daddy and Big Mama in London.

While the show is to keep its director, Debbie Allen, other talent will be sought to create a new overall design for the British transfer.

I think when this was in the press the other week it was mentioned for the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Oh im excited about this one

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http://www.catwestend.com/

I'm not saying there's def no Anika Noni Rose - they don't day the whole cast. I'm just assuming that she's involved with other things. Did anyone see her in The First Ladies Detective Agency btw - she stole every scene she was in!

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I would have liked to have seen the new production. I loved the 2001 West End production with Brendan Fraser, Frances O'Connor and Ned Beatty. I never would have imagined Fraser in that role, but he performed it beautifully. I only wish I could have seen it twice.

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Updated On: 4/24/09 at 11:07 AM

Fraser was remarkable in Twilight of the Golds and Gods and Monsters which probably had something to do with his casting in Cat. I went in a tad skeptical, but he exceeded expectations and set the bar high for others who may follow. It took me a while to warm up to O'Connor as I felt she started off so frantic, she didn't seem to have anywhere to go and seemed very disconnected from everything else on stage, but after the first half hour, she settled into the part and then practically ran away with the show. Ned Beatty was a natural and Gemma Jones matched him scene for scene. Even the peripheral characters were memorable. And I have to say, the dialect was spot on from every single member of the cast. There was no distinguishing the Americans from the British. Excellent work from the dialect coach.

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Well, I think it's safe to say that Terence Howard won't be playing Brick in London. He missed more performances than he played it seems like on Broadway, and he made a total ass of himself with many of the comments -- including making it clear that live theatre was just plain too hard for him. When he did appear, I understand his performance was a real yawn.

I had the great privilege of seeing this sterling production last summer. I went while Terrence Howard was out (when wasn't he?) and, after his outrageous comments and the less-than-glowing reviews he got, I wasn't the least bit bothered. Robert Christopher Riley, his understudy, who took the role was excellent and, in the opening shower scene, showed off the most gorgeous, muscular body!

This is definitely on my list

Adrian is a smart piece of casting.

Was the Brendan Fraser production really that long ago - I'd have guessed 2006. I so wanted to see it.

But I did see Ian Charleson, Lindsay Duncan, Eric Porter, Alison Steadman and Barbara Leigh Hunt in the National Theatre production back in 1988. What a f'ing cast that was - though I was too young to fully appreciate what the play all about.

Jesus 2001 - where did 8 years go...

I really didn't like Frances O'Connor in that production but the middle act with Ned Beatty and Brendan Fraser was just stunning and makes me very wary of seeing another production but Adrian Lester should get me over that issue.

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I feel sorry that you guys have to witness Phylicia Rashad in a bad production of an amazing play. I would suggest that if Anika does in fact transfer with this production then her and James Earl Jones are reason enough to go book tickets for it. However, if that isn't the case then it isn't worth it.

Rashad just offers the same performance she has given in her last few shows in New York and the direction leaves much to be desired. There was a revival of this in 03 that played The Music Box on Broadway and I went with a friend to see the most recent production of this show (my first time seeing it) and he said that the revival in 03 was much better then this one.

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