Bad luck comes in threes as Barry Otto becomes the latest star to pull out of an Australian stage production.

The State Theatre Company of South Australia announced yesterday that Barry Otto has been forced to withdraw from its production of The Kreutzer Sonata due to exhaustion. Otto, 72, managed the first two performances of Geordie Brookman’s production before succumbing to what is reported to be “a state of physical exhaustion that means he has been advised against attempting to continue”.

Otto’s withdrawal came a mere 12 hours after double-Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver announced that she would be unable to appear in the Melbourne Theatre Company production of Solomon and Marion due to a new overseas television contract with CBS. Weaver will be replaced by Gillian Jones. Announcing Weaver’s replacement, Melbourne Theatre Company Artistic Director Brett Sheehy said “Sometimes our finest international stars get an offer even we think they can’t refuse”, while Weaver added, “This play has been very close to my heart since I first saw it in South Africa, so I’m terribly disappointed that I can no longer be involved.”

The MTC news follows on from the recent cast problems on Belvoir’s Cat On...