David Hare's latest drama The Vertical Hour, starring Julianne Moore and Bill Nighy, will close on Broadway on March 11, three weeks earlier than had been planned. In a statement issued late on February 6, the show's producers said, The Vertical Hour is expected to recoup its entire capitalization with the week ending March 11. In order to maintain that advantageous financial position for the play's investors, the producers will end the limited engagement three weeks earlier than originally announced April 1."
Directed by Sam Mendes, The Vertical Hour began previews at the Music Box Theatre on November 9 and opened on November 30. Early ticket sales were strong, but after the play received mixed reviews, the numbers dropped week by week. For the week ending February 4, the play filled the theater to 54.67% capacity and grossed $292,010 out of a potential $671,507.
Moore stars as Nadia Blye, an outspoken academic who supports the Iraq war. A brief holiday on the Welsh border with her boyfriend Andrew Scott brings her into contact with his estranged father Bill Nighy, who challenges her worldview. Dan Bittner and Rutina Wesley round out the cast, playing students of Blye in a pair of scenes that bookend the play.
