The show, which is directed by Sir Trevor Nunn, will have played in New York for less than a year when it closes later this month.

The £7m production opened to rave reviews and record advance ticket sales in March.

Since then it has failed to fill even half the seats in Manhattan's Gershwin Theatre amid a general downturn in Broadway attendances.

Ticket promotion brought the crowds back for a while

British actress Josephina Gabrielle starred in the show, which was produced by Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

The original production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ran for over 2,000 performances after opening in 1943.

Figures released in early January showed that Broadway drew near-record audiences in 2002.

Theatres concentrated on targeting New York audiences rather than tourists to help beat the economic downturn that followed the 11 September attacks.

The move worked, for a while, with theatre attendance closing in 2002 at 11.41 million theatregoers, compared with 11.39 million in 2001.

Two new stage productions from director Sam Mendes are doing well in Broadway, despite the downturn.

Mendes' double bill of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night were described as "magnificent", "compelling" and "extraordinary" by New York critics.