Angela to take Madame Arcati to London?

Well, this is certainly an interesting idea. Will Jayne Atkinson hop over the pond with her? If not, there are two choice roles for Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter to take on...

Here is the article from the Daily Mail:

Angela Lansbury wants to come home to England to make what she believes will be her final stage appearance. The star is eager to bring a production of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit to the West End. She played the phoney old medium, Madame Arcati, with much gusto opposite Rupert Everett on Broadway earlier this year.

But the actress, now in her 84th year, is insistent that the comedy goes to the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, and only the Theatre Royal, Haymarket.

The reason? Ms Lansbury's mother Moyna Macgill was also an actress, and performed on the West End stage, including the Haymarket, in the years before World War II.

Angela has told friends and associates that she doesn't need to come to London (she certainly doesn't need the money), but feels it would 'complete the circle' if she did Blithe Spirit at the Haymarket as a way of honouring her mother, and ending her stage career on a high note.

Blithe Spirit is a creaky comedy, but Madame Arcati is a bit of a laugh. Whenever Lansbury's Arcati felt a 'presence', she did a dotty dance that changed nightly. At the Tony Awards, she explained her dance depended on how much energy she had that night.

The Haymarket management said it would love to have Blithe Spirit. 'But it depends on how flexible Miss Lansbury is prepared to be,' a spokesman for the theatre told me.

The Haymarket is busy with Waiting For Godot, starring Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Simon Callow and Ronald Pickup, which runs until August 9. Anna Friel begins in Breakfast At Tiffany's on September 9 and that's scheduled to run until around next February. And there's talk of The Three Sisters opening some time in 2010.

'If there's a slot, we'll fit Blithe Spirit in. Angela Lansbury would sell a lot of tickets,' added the spokesman.

Mr Everett, meanwhile, begins filming St Trinian's: The Legend Of Fritton's Gold soon and doesn't plan to do Blithe Spirit in London.