Mendes attacked by legendary playwright

Broadway writing legend Arthur Laurentis has attacked director Sam Mendes, accusing the Oscar winner of destroying his musical 'Gypsy'.

Laurentis has returned to the New York stage with a new production of Gyspy at the age of 90, because he is so ashamed of the version Mendes staged in the Big Apple in 2003, starring Bernadette Peters.

The veteran - who also wrote West Side Story - tells the New York Post: "I thought Sam did a terrible disservice to Bernadette and the play, and I wanted a Gypsy seen in New York that was good.

"You have to have musical theatre in your bones and Sam doesn't. You can't put it there. I know. I tried. I gave Sam many notes, but he just couldn't do it".