Shameless star joins the West End theatre boom

The Shameless star, 28, will appear in As You Like It and The Tempest as part of the Old Vic's Bridge project, which will see the plays open in New York and transfer to London.

The move underlines the strength of the London theatre scene. Today there was fresh evidence of the boom as people queued from the early hours for tickets to one of the final performances of surprise hit Waiting For Godot.

The extended run of the Theatre Royal production, which stars Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart as Estragon and Vladimir, ends on Sunday. Today two sisters arrived at 3.30am to secure seats for this evening's staging, saying they had to see it.

Sarah Wakefield, 21, and Miriam, 25, brought blankets, chocolate and coffee as they waited for the £10 front-row seats. Sarah, a student at Manchester University, said "Normally tickets cost £50 but most of us here are students and can't afford that — that's why we're here so early."

Her sister, a youth worker from Archway, added: "I've never seen the play before but I know it's not one to miss.

"This is the only night we could do and that's why we got here so early."

McKellen said: "I think we've earned our break but I've really enjoyed it. I've never been in such a success on stage. It's a famous play, of course, and young people study it at school, and a lot of people are attracted by the cast. But it's a phenomenon.

"That Beckett, who was normally done at the beginning in small theatres, should be able to fill larger ones is heartening."

Sean Mathias, the director, said: "I'm not sure I thought that any straight play could be so popular in the West End. It's so weird when Godot is revered as this masterpiece but with a reputation for being rather difficult."

The show has contributed to strong figures in London's theatreland, released today by the Society of London Theatre. Attendances are now up 2.5 per cent on the first six months of last year and box office takings have risen 3.5 per cent on the same period.

Musicals remain the most popular entertainment with 61 per cent of all visits, but opera, dance and the straight play have also done well.

Richard Pulford, chief executive of the Society of London Theatre, said the figures were a cause of celebration for the capital's economy as well as the theatre industry. "At a time of economic uncertainty, it's marvellous that people aren't retreating into their shells. Instead, they're choosing to come together in our theatres to be entertained, challenged and uplifted."

Duff, who is married to actor James McAvoy, is best known for playing Fiona Gallagher in Shameless. She will be making her US stage debut after being critically-acclaimed for her Saint Joan at The National Theatre.