10th January 2012
A new musical version of Kenneth Grahame's children's classic The Wind in the Willows is to see the light of day in the West End; however dates and venue are yet to be announced.
The stage adaption will be brought to us by Julian Fellowes, with a book by George Stules and Anthony Drewe - the team behind the trans-Atlantic success Mary Poppins.
The Stage reports Fellowes as saying: "The Wind in the Willows is one of our greatest classics, and as true and entertaining now as it has ever been. I am delighted and tremendously flattered to have been asked to write the book for the new musical. In fact, I suspect this is something I've been wanting to do subconsciously for many years."
Stiles adds: “Ever since working with Julian on Mary Poppins, the three of us have been looking for a new project. We all celebrate our English roots as writers, and the musical possibilities of Kenneth Grahame’s classic chime very strongly with me. The book itself is packed with music and songs so I can’t wait to find the sounds to score Ratty, Mole, Badger, Toad and their adventures.”
The much loved story is notable for its mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality and camaraderie and is celebrated for its evocation of nature and its pastoral depiction of Southern England. The show will be produced by Jamie Hendry Productions. Jamie Hendry has previously been involved with hits such as Legally Blonde, La Cage aux Folles and Spring Awakening.