Mercy killing: The American Psycho musical has been canceled

 

American Psycho, one of the most controversial novels of the last quarter-century and a would-be musical stuck in development hell for nearly as long, has had an axe brought down on the neck of its Off Broadway production.

The New York Times reports that “the show’s commercial backers” withdrew the rights to the show from Second Stage Theater, where it was to have been performed. No reason was given for the mercy killing.

The show did have a brief, mild run in London, where the role of Wall Street executive-cum-mass murderer Patrick Bateman was played by former Doctor Who star Matt Smith.

 

Stately Matt Smith (not in character).

 

Though the initial performance sold out, the show only ran from mid-December of last year to February 1st of this.

And its transfer to an American stage was long fraught. Among the difficulties: finding a leading man more familiar to American audiences, and working out a series of kinks with the songs.

Since no musical would be complete without them, here’s Matt Smith singing in the London production:

 

 

Here’s a question for you: Did American Psycho need a musical treatment? Were you excited for this? Are you disappointed to hear that the show has stopped production? Did you even know it was happening?