Keira Knightley is set to play the role
of a suspected lesbian in a reworking of Lillian Hellman's The
Children's Hour, the New York Post reported.
The play, written in 1934, tells the
story of two female teachers at a girl's boarding school whose lives
are ruined when one of their students accuses the pair of engaging in
a lesbian relationship.
The Children's Hour will debut
in London's West End next year and possibly move on to Broadway next
winter.
Rosie O'Donnell, who is openly gay,
might play the part of Knightley's suspected lesbian lover, the Post
is reporting.
The 25-year-old, English-born Knightley
is best known for starring opposite Johnny Depp in the blockbuster
movie franchise the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Ian
Rickson, whose Broadway revival of The Seagull
earned him great critical praise, will direct the play.
After being banned in Boston, The
Children's Hour debuted on Broadway in 1936. A film adaptation
of the play starring Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Hepburn was released
in 1961.