The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ – The Musical. Picture: Pamela Raith
Leicester Curve and the Menier Chocolate Factory’s crowd-pleasing production of Sue Townsend’s The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾ – The Musical will transfer to London’s Ambassadors Theatre this summer.
Following the musical’s critically-acclaimed debut in Leicester in 2015 and the equally successful Menier Chocolate Factory in Adrian’s 50th birthday year of 2017, the musical version of Sue Townsend’s much-loved tale of teen angst will play a limited season at the West End venue from 15 June until 12 October 2019, with a gala night on 2 July.
Set in 1980s Leicester, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾ – The Musical features a book and lyrics by Jake Brunger and music and lyrics by Pippa Cleary, the production is directed by Luke Sheppard. Casting will be announced at a later date
The creative team includes choreographer Rebecca Howell, set and costume designer Tom Rogers, lighting designer Howard Hudson, with musical direction by Mark Collins, musical supervision & orchestrations by Paul Herbert and children’s casting by Jo Hawes CDG.
Announcing the West End season, 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.”
A Townsend family spokesperson added: “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 late Sue Townsend was one of Britain’s most popular and most loved writers, with over 10 million copies of her books sold in the UK alone. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾ was her first novel, published by Penguin Books in 1980. Townsend’s creation captured the imagination of readers across the world selling over 20 million copies and translated into 30 languages.
The production is co-produced with Curve, Leicester in association with Anthony Clare & David Ian Productions.
Angela Thomas
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