Springer suffers as legal battle continues

Published Tuesday 26 October 2004 at 15:35 by Ruth Gillespie

The future of award-winning musical Jerry Springer - the Opera remains uncertain as producers have confirmed the show is struggling financially as a result of an ongoing legal battle with the Daily Mail.

Producer Jon Thoday claimed that management had not been able to put money into marketing the show to counteract what he described as “a particularly bad year in the West End” because of the potential cost of court action.

In January the newspaper claimed that Jerry Springer - the Opera was “losing money hand over fist” at a rate of £40,000 a week. Producers responded by presenting accounts and in March the Daily Mail printed an apology, saying the suggestion that the musical was losing money was “wide of the mark” and in fact it was enjoying a “healthy profit”.

On legal advice the producers, Avalon Promotions and Allan McKeown, sought damages because of the alleged effect on the show’s reputation and prospects. The case is due to be given another hearing in the high court in December.

Written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, Jerry Springer - the Opera premiered at the National before transferring to the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End, where it had been extended to October 2005.

It was also expected to open in Broadway following a six-week run at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre from early spring. However, Thoday, who is currently talking to backers in New York, has warned this will also be a matter of financing.

•Peter Hall’s production of Brian Clark’s Whose Life is it Anyway? will run at the Comedy Theatre, not the Duke of York’s Theatre as previously announced, from January 7. Produced by Sonia Friedman and Mark Rubinstein, it will have a limited 16-week run until April 30.

Joining Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall, who makes her British theatre debut, are Janet Suzman, Ann Mitchell, William Chubb, Amita Dhiri, Alexander Siddig, Jotham Annan, Rachel Bavidge and Emma Lowndes.

•When Harry Met Barry, a new musical by Paul Emelion, will preview at The Venue in Leicester Square on November 11 and 14, ahead of its predicted West End run in 2005. Directed by Stuart Wood, the cast includes Stephen Ashfield, Jody Crosier, Nicola Dawn and Peter Caulfield.