West End Dims Lights in Tribute to Richardson

The West End theatre community joined in mourning the sudden loss of Natasha Richardson, who died Wednesday, March 18th at age 45.

The BBC reports that theatre venues in London's West End dimmed their lights this evening in tribute to the late Richardson.

In London, the two-minute mark of respect started just before 1900 GMT. Because plays do not start simultaneously in the West End, however, the two-minute tribute was staggered over an hour.

Marquees at 52 major venues in the capital went down just before curtain-up "as a mark of respect for both Natasha Richardson and her immediate family, and for the Redgrave family as a whole who have made such a unique contribution to British theatre."

The marquees of Broadway theatres in New York were dimmed in her memory on Thursday, March 19th, at exactly 8:00pm for one minute.

Ms. Richardson received a 1998 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in Sam Mendes' revival of Cabaret. She appeared most recently on Broadway in 2005 as Blanche Du Bois in A Streetcar Named Desire; in 1999 starred in Closer, and in 1993 played the title role Anna Christie in a tour-de-force performance. She also has an impressive list of London theatre credits, as well as numerous notable film and television roles.

A descendent of a famous British family of celebrated actors and directors, Ms. Richardson is the daughter of Oscar-winning director Tony Richardson and Tony-Award winning actress Vanessa Redgrave. She is the niece of actors Lynn and Corin Redgrave, granddaughter of Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, sister of Joely Richardson, wife of Liam Neeson and mother of their two sons.

Along with her mother Ms. Redgrave, she participated in a staged reading of A Little Night Music at the Roundabout Theater in January of this year.

The Broadway League, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League's 600-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers in over 240 North American cities, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada.

Visit www.BroadwayLeague.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.