Following two highly acclaimed runs at Leicester’s Curve theatre in 2015 and the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2017, Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ – The Musical, will open at the Ambassadors Theatre for a limited season from 15 June until 12 October 2019, with a Gala Night on Tuesday 2 July. Tickets on sale from 5 April. The musical has book and lyrics by Jake Brunger, music and lyrics by Pippa Cleary and direction by Luke Sheppard. Casting to be announced.
The musical, based off Sue Townsend’s best-selling book, comes to the West End this Summer.
Set in 1980s Leicester, this adaptation of Sue Townsend‘s best-selling book is a timeless tale of teenage angst, family struggles and unrequited love, told through the eyes of tortured poet and misunderstood intellectual Adrian Mole. One of the most enduring comedy characters of all time, he is the hapless, hilarious, spotty teenager who captured the zeitgeist of 1980s Britain, and this critically acclaimed production brings Adrian’s story to life for a new generation of theatregoers.
“Honestly. My family just don’t understand me. Perhaps when I am famous and my diary is discovered people will understand the torment of being a 13¾ year-old intellectual” Adrian Mole.
Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said, “It has been a great joy for all of us at Curve to see Sue Townsend’s ‘misunderstood intellectual’ flourish under the inspired writing of Jake and Pippa. We are immensely proud that, after a triumphant opening in Leicester and acclaimed season at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Adrian, Nigel, Pandora and their motley crew are now rocking up in the glitzy West End. It is wonderful to see Sue’s legacy live on and that this quirky, joyous, turbo-charged, home-grown new musical has been embraced so whole-heartedly by audiences at home in Leicester and London.”
The 2015 Leicester Curve production. (Pamela Raith)
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ was Townsend’s first novel, was originally published in 1982 by Methuen, but is now published by Penguin Books. It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, been translated into 30 languages, and spawned seven sequel Adrian Mole novels. The novels have previously been adapted for the stage, radio and television.
The Townsend family said, “Sue loved West End theatre, and she loved working with Jake and Pippa on the creation of this show. We’re very happy for her and Mole that thirty years after his last appearance, a new generation has brought him back.”
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾- The Musical has choreography by Rebecca Howell, set and costume design by Tom Rogers, lighting design by Howard Hudson, musical direction by Mark Collins, musical supervision & orchestrations by Paul Herbert and children’s casting by Jo Hawes CDG.
This production is produced by Anthony Clare, Ramin Sabi, Knickerbockerglory, Mark Puddle, and Curve. Originally commissioned by Curve and Royal and Derngate, Northampton.
It’s our first ever “Everything Changes” feature! This is the weekly feature that keeps you informed of shows that are opening and closing in the UK theatre scene and yes, it’s a reference to Waitress (which is opening in the West End this February!).
Coming Clean opens at Trafalgar Studios 2 on 9th January.
Location: Trafalgar Studios 2
Dates: 9th Jan to 2nd Feb 2019
Cast: Lee Knight (Tony), Stanton Plummer-Cambridge (Greg), Tom Lambert (Robert) & Elliot Hadley (William/Jurgen)
Creatives: Kevin Elyot (Author), King’s Head Theatre (Producer), Making Productions Limited (Producer), RGM Productions (Producer), Adam Spreadbury-Maher (Director), Nic Farman (Lighting) & Amanda Mascarenhas (Design)
Following a critically acclaimed run at the London’s King’s Head Theatre, the producers behind the Olivier nominated La Boheme transfer the smash-hit, sell-out play by Kevin Elyot, writer of the landmark drama My Night With Reg, transfers to Trafalgar Studios 2 this January.
Tony and Greg seem to have love all figured out. They’re in a committed relationship but with room for a little more on the side whenever it takes their fancy. The only rule? Never sleep with the same man twice.
When drop-dead gorgeous Robert walks into their lives, the fragile foundations of their sexual contract are thrown into jeopardy.
Funny, fresh and packed with razor-sharp wit, Coming Clean questions the nature of fidelity and the limits of love.
Songs for Nobodies – Ambassadors Theatre (from 9th Jan)
Songs for Nobodies transfers to the West End on 9th Jan
Location: Ambassadors Theatre
Dates: 9th Jan to 23rd Feb 2019
Cast: Bernadette Robinson
Creatives: Joanna Murray-Smith (Author) & Simon Phillips (Director)
After a stunning run at Wilton’s Music Hall, and after overwhelming demand, Songs for Nobodies is transferring to the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre for a strictly limited run starting 9 January. This one woman show is unlike anything you’ve seen before.
For 90 minutes, accompanied only by live musicians, Bernadette Robinson singlehandedly tells the tales of five everyday women whose lives are changed when they briefly encounter fame and the legendary singers who had such an impact on them. Bringing to life powerhouse voices across vastly different genres of music, Bernadette Robinson has a versatility that is truly astonishing. Watch as she brings Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas to life as you listen.
Bernadette Robinson’s talent is nearly unbelievable so don’t miss your chance to see it for yourself.
Violet – Charing Cross Theatre (from 12th Jan)
Violet opens at Charing Cross Theatre on 12th Jan
Location: Charing Cross Theatre
Dates: 12th Jan to 6th Apr 2019
Cast: Kaisa Hammarlund (Violet), Matthew Harve (Monty), Jay Marsh (Flick), Simbi Akande, Angelica Allen, Kenneth Avery-Clark, Keiron Crook, James Gant, Danny Michaels, Janet Mooney, Amy Mepham, Rebecca Nardin & Madeleine Sellman (Young Violet)
Creatives: Jeanine Tesori (Music), Brian Crawley (Book & Lyrics), Steven M Levy (Producer), Vaughan Williams (for Charing Cross Theatre Productions Ltd) (Producer), Umeda Arts Theater Co Ltd (Osaka Japan) (Producer), Shuntaro Fujita (Director), Cressida Carre (Choreographer), Morgan Large (Design), Jonathan Lipman (Costume), Howard Hudson (Lighting), Andrew Johnson (Sound) & Dan Jackson (Musical Director)
1964. Somewhere between North Carolina and Oklahoma, we find Violet, a young woman who was facially disfigured as a child. She hopes her life savings will bring her a miracle halfway across the country. Reflecting on her childhood, and shaped by the reactions of the people she encounters, Violet embarks on a life-changing personal journey.
Based on The Ugliest Pilgrim by Doris Betts.
Another Opening Of Another Show
The War of The Worlds (The New Diorama Theatre, 8 Jan to 9 Feb)
Anomaly (Old Red Lion, 8 Jan to 2 Feb)
Franz Kafka – Apparatus (White Bear, 8 to 26 Jan)
In Lipstick (Pleasance, 8 to 27 Jan)
In Conversation with Graham Norton (The Hope Theatre, 8 to 26 Jan)
Two of a Kind (Bread and Roses, 8 to 12 Jan)
Salt (Theatre503, 9 to 10 Jan)
Rosenbaum’s Rescue (Park Theatre, 9 Jan)
Approaching Empty (The Kiln, 9 Jan to 2 Feb)
Stop and Search (Arcola, 9 Jan to 9 Feb)
Outlying Islands (The King’s Head Theatre, 9 Jan to 2 Feb)
Original Death Rabbit (Jermyn Street Theatre, 9 Jan to 9 Feb)
Valhalla (White Bear, 9 Jan to 10 Jan)
The Daughter-In-Law (Arcola, 10 Jan to 2 Feb)
Olivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre, 10 to 11 Jan)
The Murder Express (Pedley Street Station, 11 Jan to 31 Mar)
Gone (Theatre503, 11 to 13 Jan)
Snow Baby (Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 12 Jan)
Murder, She Didn’t Write (Leicester Square Theatre, 13 Jan to 19 May)
Extra Virgin (Above the Stag Theatre, 13 Jan to 10 Feb)
I’m Sorry But… (Bread and Roses, 13 to 14 Jan)
Waiting for Curry (The King’s Head Theatre, 13 to 14 Jan)
Happy Trails!
Kinky Boots, Dreamgirls & The Band are a few of the shows that are closing this week.
8 Jan
Cuttings (Theatre503)
9 Jan
The Tell-Tale Heart (Dorfman Theatre (National Theatre))
10 Jan
Salt (Theatre503)
Valhalla (White Bear)
11 Jan
Olivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre)
Mother Goose Cracks One Out! (Above the Stag Theatre)
Snow Baby (Half Moon Young People’s Theatre)
The Band (Theatre Royal Haymarket)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (Drayton Arms Theatre)
Two of a Kind (Bread and Roses)
Uncle Vanya (Hampstead Theatre)
13 Jan
Gone (Theatre503)
Murder For Two (The Other Palace)
Room on the Broom (Lyric)
Sherlock Homeless – The Anatomy of Rubbish (Barons Court Theatre)
Snow White at The London Palladium (London Palladium)
Swan Lake (London Coliseum)
It is going to be a crazy week with a lot of long-running shows leaving the West End this weekend. With last weekend’s closings of Bat Out Of Hell, Chicago and 42nd Street, followed by this weekend’s closings of A Christmas Carol, Dreamgirls, Kinky Boots, The Band and Snow White…well, the West End is going to look a lot different!
This will also mean that the West End will start to see signs of new shows arriving with new marquees for shows such as Come From Away at the Phoenix, 9 to 5 at the Savoy, Six at the Arts, Waitress at the Adelphi and Only Foolsand Horses at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
