Old Vic event raises £400,000 ... but Over the Moon to close early

Jude Law and Old Vic trustee Kevin Spacey topped the bill along with Dame Judi Dench and Art Garfunkel at the Unite for the Future concert.

Tickets for the event, which cost as much as £525, were sold out.

The event was arranged at short notice by an international committee headed by Sarah Farish, the wife of the US Ambassador William Farish.

Guests included Chelsea Clinton, Bianca Jagger, Koo Stark and Vanessa Redgrave. Performers included the London Gospel Choir and acrobats from Cirque du Soleil.

The money will be split between the World Trade Centre Disaster Fund, Medecins sans Frontieres and Open Minds, a British Council initiative launched in response to 11 September.

The news of the event's success comes as the closure is announced of the current production at the troubled Waterloo theatre.

Over the Moon, the farce featuring Joan Collins wearing underwear for a fencing match has had poor audiences.

It had been due to run until 12 January , but will now close in early December.

Co-star Frank Langella was replaced by Michael Cochrane after quitting just three weeks into its run.

Collins told the Mail On Sunday: "Although audiences have been good and certainly those who have seen the show have liked it, the house have not been good enough to keep us running."