Duet For One - Belinda Lang and Oliver Cotton

Good little play. Saw it a million years ago. Intense.

I haven't seen a Robin Lefevre production in years. He used to do exquisite work in Dublin at the Abbey and Gate.

I was hearing that Jemma Redgrave had withdrawn from this and just had it confirmed in this email from Birmingham Rep:

"Due to the indisposition of Jemma Redgrave, the role of Stephanie Abrahams in Tom Kempinski's award-winning play Duet For One will now be played by Belinda Lang. She will join Oliver Cotton, playing Dr Feldmann, in Robin Lefevre's production, which plays at The REP from Friday 22 September."

A quick scan of the other venues confirms she has withdrawn from the whole tour - all venues bar Richmond (ATG) have already updated their websites, at least to remove her from the cast list if not yet always to add Belinda Lang.

Hope she is ok.

I hope Redgrave is ok, but surely Lang is completely the wrong age for this role?

I was looking forward to finally seeing Jemma on stage, hope she recovers soon. But Belinda is a safe replacement.

I didn't know the character was only supposed to be 33 so both are a lot older and artistic licence is being used.

If Jemma was unable to rehearse then she may have had to pull out from the whole tour as to have got a replacement in and then potentially got Jemma back in due course would be virtually impossible in a two hander. Also potentially upgrading the understudy may not have been and option as the producers probably wanted a decent name. Belinda has certainly performed numerous times at B'ham Rep, Malvern etc so theatregoers will know who she is.