Sam Mendes to quit Donmar

Sam Mendes is to quit the Donmar Warehouse after 10 years as artistic director.

His announcement comes only days after he revealed his romantic involvement with Kate Winslet following her split from husband Jim Threapleton.

Advertisements for Mendes' job will appear in newspapers on Monday and he will leave at Christmas 2002.

It signals the end of an acclaimed term at the Donmar, where he has overseen more than 70 productions, a third of which have been world, UK or London premieres.

The 35-year-old's departure was widely predicted after he took a two-year break to make the film American Beauty, which won five Oscars in March 2000, including one for best director.

Instead, he returned with a £350,000-a-year deal from Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks company, which secured the Donmar's future and enabled him to set up a new company, Donmar Films.

However, today he conceded: "It is time to hand the Donmar on to another generation. This is a hard but fitting decision to make, and we believe it is the right way to ensure the Donmar's ongoing development as a vibrant, influential theatre."

Earlier this week, Mendes said of Miss Winslet: "It's early days and we're very happy."

Miss Winslet is reported to have told friends that she is "madly in love".

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