Economic woes prompt Betty Blue Eyes to close
The acclaimed West End show Betty Blue Eyes is to close early after six months with producers blaming "economic uncertainties" for audiences staying away.
The show, starring Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith, will end next month because promoters say they have not sold enough tickets to keep it viable. Producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh said he was "disappointed" but predicted the show would be revived.
Creators of the show said tight domestic budgets meant fewer people were prepared to pay to see new productions. Instead they were sticking to familiar names such as Les Misérables and The Phantom Of The Opera. Musical comedy Betty Blue Eyes is based on the Alan Bennett and Malcolm Mowbray film A Private Function and features an animatronic.