AN $8m, ten-hour, US theatre production, which lays claim to being the longest in history, is to be staged in the North-East.

Bookings are already at 65 per cent for a marathon performance of Tantalus, the 3,000-year-old tale of the Trojan War, which arrives at Newcastle's Theatre Royal, in March.

Top price tickets are £70 for the March 17 all-day version of the ambitious cycle of ten "soap-style" plays within a play, which was dreamed up by director Sir Peter Hall, and written over 12 years by John Barton.

During a visit to Tyneside yesterday, the director's son, Edward Hall, admitted the play, which is an Anglo-American alliance between the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Denver Center For The Performing Arts, had teething troubles.

"We lost a director, three actors and the writer along the way. Tantalus is like a juggernaut, anyone who pauses will be crushed by it. Everyone has to run to keep up," he said.

He confirmed that Hollywood is showing interest in turning Tantalus' story of Greek gods and mortals into a movie.

He said: "This is nothing about Greeks running around saying 'woe is me' and rushing off to Athens. None of the ten scenes is longer than 25 minutes, and it's like watching a soap about one of the most dysfunctional families you've ever seen."

He believes the play, which features 23 actors in masks, can be understood by a newcomer to the subject. Those who want to watch Tantalus in shorter pieces can see Parts 1, 2 and 3, staged in three cycles, from March 12 to March 15. For box office details ring 0191-232 2061.