KEVIN SPACEY - SPACEY DENIES ALTMAN PROBLEMS

Hollywood actor-turned-theatre director KEVIN SPACEY has denied his collaboration with seminal director ROBERT ALTMAN at London's Old Vic theatre is in trouble.

The SHORT CUTS director is working on an adaptation of ARTHUR MILLER's play RESURRECTION BLUES, but insiders at Spacey's theatrical establishment have sparked speculation that chaos is rife behind the scenes.

MATTHEW MODINE, NEVE CAMPBELL and JOHN WOOD were announced to star in the play, but the Wood has recently dropped out, and a source tells London's Evening Standard newspaper the remaining actors have still not read the script properly - even though the play is set to open on 14 February (06).

But Spacey refutes any such problems. A spokesperson says, "John Wood has fallen ill - it's unfortunate but just one of those things - and he has been replaced by JAMES FOX.

"It's so not a big deal. Nothing else has gone wrong. The play will open on 14 February as scheduled."