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Billie's West End debut back on
By Valentine Low and Anna Davis, Evening Standard 07.03.07
No-show: the opening night of Treats, starring Billie Piper, may be delayed again
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It is the hottest show in town - the real-life rollercoaster drama of Billie Piper's West End debut.
Less than two days ago she came out of the theatre where she is due to appear in Treats to announce: "I'm doing really well."
Then last night the troubled actress - who has been seen weeping in public with ex-husband Chris Evans - was forced to pull out of a preview performance of Christopher Hampton's play because of illness.
But today doctors gave the 24-year-old the go-ahead for tonight's preview at the Garrick Theatre. The play is due to open tomorrow, a week later than originally planned.
Spokesman Ewan Thomson said: " Billie was delighted to hear she is allowed back tonight. She hates letting people down and - fingers crossed - she will be okay for Thursday's opening night."
Piper is the latest in a line of West End stars who have pulled out of performances because of illness.
Connie Fisher was ordered to take a two-week break from playing Maria in The Sound Of Music to rest her strained vocal cords. Sophie Bould is standing in.
Andrew Lloyd Webber is offering to exchange tickets for those who have booked for performances while star Fisher is off sick - but seats for the popular show may not be available until November.
Meanwhile Richard Griffiths, in Equus as a psychiatrist treating Daniel Radcliffe, has the flu.
Although illness is unavoidable, audience disappointment at the absence of star performers has often been exacerbated by understudies' apparent lack of familiarity with their roles.
When Griffiths was replaced by Colin Haigh in last Friday's performance, he seemed to be reading the script from a notebook. A spokesman said: "Within the psychiatrist's manual he had a reminder of some of the lines.
"After all, the play had only been open two days. You know how they change plays right up to the first night."
Fisher's absence from The Sound Of Music coincides with a two-week break for co-star Lesley Garrett, who missed a performance a fortnight ago because of illness.
The Royal Court, staging The Seagull starring Kristin Scott Thomas, does not have understudies on financial grounds. When Carey Mulligan, who plays Nina, fell ill with appendicitis last month, the theatre had to find a standinat the last minute. "We were fortunate enough that Jodie Whittaker was available," said a spokesman.
"She obviously is a brilliant actress and she stepped in and did the show with a script in hand." But Whittaker could only do two performances and another actress, Anna Madeley, had to take over until Mulligan was well enough to return. Director Harry Burton once spent a year as "walking cover" for the part of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.
He said: "You could almost hear the murmur behind the curtain when they make the announcement that the part of Henry Higgins will be played by Harry Burton - 'Who the bloody hell is he?'
"But sometimes it is a bit of a thrill for the audience, because they think they are witnessing a star being born." The productionwas infamous for the many absences of former EastEnders star Martine McCutcheon. Burton said: " Martine brought in an interesting East End audience - none of whom took kindly to being told she was not appearing."
Do you think theatregoers should pay the full amount if the star is replaced by an understudy? Email us at letters@standard.co.uk
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Reader views (4)
Yes. I think people should be refunded the full price if they want it. In some cases the understudy is superb but in the case of someone like Richard Griffiths or God forbid Daniel Radcliffe becoming ill, I would want a refund because I will have traveled so far to see the play and the draw for me is their star power. Equus has been done thousands of times so the draw is not the play itself.
- Zebra, USA
I totally agree with you Colin. Billie has been unfortunate enough to suffer with ill health, that's hardly her fault! The press just want to knock her off the podium that they put her on, it's so unfair!
- Sarah, London
Otto - what do you have against Billie Piper? This is the 2nd comment you've posted which has been less than charitable.
Billie has missed 2 performances out of 60 [less than either Richard Griffiths and/or Connie Fisher], I can think of no reason why the press have decided on this witch hunt against her - give the girl a chance, she hasn't even faced the critics yet. Everyone has the right to be ill!
- Colin, London
Moore proof that Billie is an unreliable diva.
- Otto, Galveston, USA
