Patrick Stewart Talks Broadway 'Crises'; LIFE Closing

The Broadway production of David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre, starring Patrick Stewart and T.R. Knight closed on November 28, 2010. The show opened on October 12th at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Its limited engagement was scheduled to play through January 2nd, 2011.

Now back home in London, Patrick Stewart spoke to the UK Independent about what he calls 'extraordinarily difficult' ticket sales, saying that he knows of 'between eight and a dozen other productions imminently facing the axe.'

Stewart went on to say that " London is now "the capital of theatre". He explained: "There is always a huge choice that is constantly available and revivals too. There is a theatre-going habit which is really entrenched in this country."

The actor said: "This is so frustrating for everyone. It is very disappointing that so many shows aren't doing well. We are in a recession, people are anxious about jobs, pensions, health and theatre prices are high. It continues to shock me."

In 2009, stage and screen actor Patrick Stewart won an Evening Standard Award, a Critics' Circle Award, a TMA Theatre Award, a Theatregoers' Choice Award nomination, an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination, a Laurence Olivier Award nomination, and a Tony Award nomination for playing the title role in Rupert Goold's Chichester Festival Theatreproduction of Macbeth which subsequently transferred to the West End and then Broadway. His many other appearances for the RSC include Hamlet, The Tempest and Antony and Cleopatra both in Stratford and at the Novello Theatre. His other London theatre credits include Waiting for Godot opposite Ian McKellen, A Life in The Theatre and The Masterbuilder and in New York his credits include Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Ride Down Mount Morgan and The Tempest. Stewart performed his acclaimed, award winning one-man show, A Christmas Carol, both in the West End and on Broadway. His many film and television credits include the X-Men films, Moby Dick, King of Texas and King Lear, as well as his role as Jean-Luc Picard in the Star Trek series. Stewart was made an OBE in 2001.