Following the unexpected death of Tim Pigott-Smith just days before he was due to open in a new production of Death of a Salesman at Northampton's Royal Theatre, the company has now announced that the planned tour that was to follow will go ahead. Nicholas Woodeson will now take the part of Willy Loman, under the direction of Abigail Graham.

A statement from the artistic director James Dacre and chief executive Martin Sutherland read, “After close consultation with the acting company, creative team and our touring partners we have decided to proceed with our production and tour. Whilst rehearsals resume, all scheduled Northampton performances will be postponed. The tour will start at Cambridge Arts Theatre before visiting Bath, Malvern, Exeter, Edinburgh, Truro, Guildford and Oxford and returning to Royal & Derngate, Northampton in June. Tim's family wish the production every success and are happy for this very talented cast that their work is able to be seen. 

“All our colleagues and partners have been remarkable in their ongoing support and our audiences have been patient and understanding as the team here has worked hard to be able to achieve this outcome, under such difficult circumstances.”

The theatre has also postponed its planned production of Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare's An Iliad.

Death of a Salesman will begin performances at Cambridge's Arts Theatre May 4 for a run through May 6, then continue to Bath, where a press night will be held May 11.

 To book for performances in Cambridge, visit cambridgeartstheatre.com, and for Bath, visit http://www.theatreroyal.org.uk