Kim Cattrall Withdraws from Royal Court Theatre's LINDA

BroadwayWorld has learned that stage and screen star Kim Cattrall has withdrawn from Royal Court Theatre's upcoming production of Penelope Skinner's LINDA, at the "advice of her doctors." Olivier Award winner Noma Dumezwen will replace the SEX AND THE CITY alum in the title role.

"With great sadness and at the advice of my doctors, I will not be able to continue with the Royal Courts production of Linda," Cattrall said in a statement. "I appreciate all the support I have received from the theatre and cannot thank them enough for allowing me to put my health first."

Royal Court Theatre Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone added: "We are all deeply sorry that Kim is unable to continue with the production and she has our warmest wishes. We are extremely grateful and also thrilled that Noma Dumezweni, one of our most brilliant actors, has agreed to take on this challenge at such short notice. We are delighted that in spite of these difficulties Penelope Skinner's important play can open to our audiences with minimal disruption."

LINDA begins performances on 26 November, with the official opening of 1 December remaining unchanged.

Dumezweni's work as an actor includes Belong (Royal Court Theatre), Carmen Disruption (Almeida), 'Tis Pity She's A Whore (Shakespeare's Globe), The Bogus Woman (The Red Room, Traverse and Bush theatres), President Of An Empty Room And The Hour We Knew Nothing Of Each Other (National); Macbeth, Breakfast With Mugabe, The Winter's Tale, Romeo And Juliet (RSC) and A Raisin In The Sun (Young Vic) for which she was awarded an Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role. In 2013-2015 she appeared in A Human Being Died That Night at the Hampstead Theatre, the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, the Market Theatre in Johannesburg and BAM in New York. She will make her directing debut with I See You by Mongiwekhaya at the Royal Court Theatre in February 2016.

Photo by Walter McBride