The Postman Always Rings Twice to Close September 3 in the West End

The West End production of James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice, starring Val Kilmer, is cutting its second extension short by a week. The show will now close at the Playhouse Theatre on September 3.

When Frank Kilmer drifts into their roadside café in The Postman Always Rings Twice, Greek immigrant Nick and his American wife Cora have no idea of the devastating effect he'll have on their lives. Frank and Cora begin a passionate affair that leads to murder, double-crossing and dubious courtroom deals.

The production, directed by Lucy Bailey, opened on June 7 to mixed reviews. Matt Wolf of Variety wrote: "Lightning barely strikes once in the torpid West End production of The Postman Always Rings Twice… Brit observers will be tempted to lay the blame for the low voltage largely at the feet of Kilmer, though [Charlotte] Emmerson's pasty, blank-faced Cora isn't exactly the amorous catalyst of one's dreams. Uneasy with the script's quicksilver reversals of mood, the English thesp has improved since Baby Doll, but not a lot. Bates' score and Mic Pool's sound design work overtime to rattle the audience's nerves. But when it comes to heat, Postman seems to have taken a cue from lighting designer Nigel Edwards, who knocks out a bulb or two on the sign for the Twin Oaks diner right on cue. "A place is no better than its sign," muses Frank during the storm that ensues, and an audience can only nod, waiting patiently for wattage that is never restored."

The next tenant at the Playhouse will be the previously announced As You Desire Me by Luigi Pirandello. It will begin performances on October 21.