Cold winds of recession blow along Broadway

New York's theatre district is struggling as the city is hit by turmoil on Wall Street, with the curtain coming down on 14 shows since Christmas, including the Monty Python show Spamalot.

A strong dollar is keeping tourists away, while New York state plans to add a four per cent tax to ticket sales in a bid to raise cash.

Casualties include Boeing Boeing, starring the Tony award-winning British actor Mark Rylance. Spring Awakening shut down 18 months after winning a Tony for best musical and Patti LuPone gave her last performance in Gypsy two months earlier than planned.

Hairspray and Grease closed when ticket sales fell, and the musical Shrek is said to be losing almost $200,000 a week.

Simone Genatt, an independent producer and chairwoman of Broadway Asia Entertainment said producers were threatening to take their shows out of the US altogether. "China has the greatest growth potential," she told The Times.