A few weeks ago, “Kingsman” star Taron Egerton had his debut performance in the West end play “Cock” at the Ambassadors Theatre in London. Despite the immense preparation he had put in place for his role, the British actor could not have expected he would go under the weather during the first performance.
Although the actor had to be replaced by his understudy to finish the part, Egerton turned to social media the next day to calm fans’ nerves about his health. While Egerton further claimed he would return to continue the play’s run, the showrunners have now revealed that the British star has withdrawn from the production due to personal reasons.
Taron Egerton Won’t Be Returning As M
View this post on Instagram
The showrunners of “Cock” announced over the weekend that Egerton’s time on the show had come to an untimely end. The 32-year-old actor was cast in the role of M, who is gay and has been in a long-term relationship with the main character John (Jonathan Bailey).
The statement posted via the show’s official page read: “Joel Harper-Jackson will take over the role of M in Mike Bartlett’s razor-sharp, hilarious play Cock until the end of the run,” the statement began. “The part was originally played in this production by Taron Egerton, who has had to withdraw from the production due to personal reasons.”
Egerton had passed out during the play’s first performance and had to be replaced by Jackson to continue the show. He then tested positive for Coronavirus and had to miss a slew of performances as he recovered. Since the showrunners’ announcement, Egerton has remained tight-lipped about the cause for his departure from the play.
Joel Harper-Jackson Understudied Egerton
Most big production plays are accustomed to having an understudy who takes over for a charter in the case of unforeseen circumstances. “Cock,” was no different as Egerton had Harper-Jackson as his understudy all through the practice period, leading up to the start of the play’s run.
During Egerton’s hiatus due to health setbacks, Harper-Jackson played the role of M, sharing the stage with “His Dark Materials” star Jade Anouka and “Quadrophenia” actor Phil Daniels. Both actors played W and F, respectively.
Merle Hensel designed the sets and costumes, Paule Constable handled the lighting, Ian Dickinson created the sound design, and Femi Temowo composed the original music for this new performance.
Marianne Elliott And Jonathan Bailey Praised Harper-Jackson For Stepping In For Egerton
While fans might have been bothered about the quality of the rest of the production due to Egerton’s absence, director Marianne Elliott allayed their fears by lauding Harper-Jackson’s performances after he took over for Egerton.
“Joel is an absolute hero,” the playmaker said via the showrunners’ statement. “He is a brilliant and gifted actor and stepped into the role at extremely short notice. Audiences have been standing and cheering, and so am I.”
Cock costar Jonathan Bailey also spoke highly of Harper-Jackson: “Joel is an immense talent, and we couldn’t be luckier to have him on board. I am proud to continue sharing the stage with him.”
Taron Egerton’s Features
View this post on Instagram
Since he departed the show, Egerton has been quiet on the social media scene and is yet to share any more updates about his health status. Nevertheless, fans have continued to pour in get-well messages for the actor, particularly in the showrunner’s statement that announced his departure.
While it might take some time before Egerton shares some updates about his affairs, in the meantime, fans can re-watch his Golden Globe award-winning performance as Elton John in the musical “Rocketman” or his feature as Johnny in “Sing 2.”
Additionally, Egerton will star as James Keene in the Black Bird miniseries, which will debut on Apple TV in July 2022.
