'Heartbroken' Sheridan Smith breaks her silence on the closure of her West End ... trends now
Sheridan Smith has insisted she has 'no regrets' about taking the lead role in her West End flop Opening Night.
The actress' West End comeback has been fraught with difficulties including poor reviews and bad turnouts and as a result, the musical as been cancelled and will end two months earlier than originally planned.
Speaking to The Times, Sheridan got emotional as she explained she was 'heartbroken' for the cast and crew who have worked on the play but said she would do it all over again 'in a heartbeat'.
'I feel bad for the team and all the work they put in, but I'm at that age now where I want to be challenged,' the acclaimed actress explained.
Sheridan Smith has insisted she has 'no regrets' about taking the lead role in her West End flop Opening Night (pictured in character as Myrtle Gordon at the Gielgud Theatre)
The actress' West End comeback has been fraught with difficulties including poor reviews and bad turnouts and as a result, the musical as been cancelled and will end two months earlier than originally planned
'I want to do new things, I don't want to do that same old boring stuff. I would do it again in a heartbeat, so I have no regrets.'
Opening Night tells the story of functioning alcoholic actress Myrtle Gordon (Sheridan) who gets a second chance - it is based on the 1977 drama film starring Gena Rowlands.
Sheridan has admitted the part forced her to confront her own issues after she suffered a highly publicised breakdown while performing in Funny Girl in the West End in 2016.
'I was very ashamed of that time of my life, and I wanted to do this part to prove that I could do it, that I could face my demons head on,' she told The Times. 'I'm so much stronger than I was back then.'
'I went off the rails a bit, dated all the wrong people, obviously my breakdown. Now I feel like I'm a mum, I'm very grateful for everything I've got in my life. I feel like the best is yet to come.'
Opening Night will now end its run at the Gielgud Theatre in London on May 18, instead of July 27 - and producers blamed a 'challenging financial landscape' for the decision.
Announcing the news in April, the production team said that the play 'may not have had the life we had hoped for'.
Sheridan recently implored people to come and see the show after it was slammed by theatregoers who claimed it was 'boring' and walked out half way through.
Speaking to The Times , Sheridan got emotional as she explained she was 'heartbroken' for the cast and crew who have worked on the play but said she would do it all over again 'in a heartbeat' (pictured in the play)
