As three major musicals arrive in the capital this month, Sam Rogg explores a cult film reimagined for the stage, Sting revisiting the story of his hometown, and a Broadway favourite celebrating its 30th anniversary.
A Cult Classic Hits the Stage
More than three decades after Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise became an Oscar and Golden Globe-winning film, its original screenwriter Callie Khouri brings the iconic story to the Young Vic (from 3 Sep) as a brand-new musical. Amy Lennox and Rachel Tucker star as best friends Thelma and Louise, whose spontaneous weekend getaway turns into a life-changing escape after a chance encounter at a roadside bar. With music and lyrics by Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Neko Case, this new adaptation explores the friendship, freedom and desperation at the heart of one of cinema’s most memorable road movies.
Sting’s Story Sets Sail
A very different story unfolds at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where The Last Ship docks for a limited run (22 Sep-3 Oct). Starring Sting himself, this newly reimagined production of the musical he first developed in 2011 is inspired by his own upbringing in the English shipbuilding town of Wallsend. Featuring a new book by Barney Norris, the story follows a close-knit community facing the closure of the shipyard that has long defined their lives. Sting takes on the role of foreman Jackie White, while the score is rooted in the sounds and stories of England’s North East. Reflecting on the production, Sting says: ‘The Last Ship is my tribute to the people and the place that shaped me.’
Rent Celebrates 30 Years
Completing the trio is Rent, returning to the West End at the Duke of York’s Theatre (from 26 Sep) as Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize-
winning musical celebrates its 30th anniversary. Inspired by Puccini’s La Bohème, the story follows a group of young artists navigating love, friendship and ambition in New York’s East Village. Award-winning director Luke Sheppard revisits his acclaimed 2020 staging, following his recent success with Paddington the Musical, while Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo makes his West End debut as aspiring filmmaker Mark.
Whether you’re after a cinematic blockbuster, a long-awaited revival or the chance to see a pop-rock icon take the stage, this season’s musical line-up hits all the right notes.
