A new musical adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s epic novel Gone With The Wind, directed by Trevor Nunn, comes to the New London in April 2008.
Nunn and first-time composer/lyricist Margaret Martin have been developing the new musical for more than three years with American producer Aldo Scrofani, who presents the show in the UK along with London producer Colin Ingram.
Mitchell’s famous best-selling novel won the Pulitzer Prize after it was published in 1936, while the 1939 film adaptation starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable became the highest grossing film of all time.
Set in Atlanta, Georgia, in the 1860s, Gone With The Wind follows the story of 17-year-old Scarlett O’Hara, the eldest of three daughters living a life of luxury on their father’s plantation. But when the Civil War breaks out, Scarlett’s life is turned upside down. Her journey through war and peace is mirrored by her turbulent relationship with Rhett Butler. Spanning a 10-year period, their story is one of both romantic ecstasy and tragic grief.
Former Artistic Director of the RSC and the National Theatre, Nunn’s huge body of work includes Nicholas Nickleby, Les Misérables, My Fair Lady, Oklahoma!, Starlight Express, Chess, Sunset Boulevard and more recently a musical adaptation of the Gershwins’ opera Porgy And Bess. His non-musical work comprises most of the Shakespeare cannon and several works by Tom Stoppard, including last year’s critically acclaimed Rock ‘N’ Roll at the Royal Court and the Duke Of York’s.
Speaking about this new project Nunn said: “Having now worked on adapting two vast novels for the stage, Nicholas Nickleby and Les Misérables, I am drawn to the challenge of telling Margaret Mitchell’s epic story through words, music and the imaginative resources of the theatre. The major turning point of American history is conveyed through Mitchell’s extraordinary cast of characters, black and white, as they pursue their different ideas of the future, and of the past.”
Scrofani added: “Our task in presenting the musical stage version of this epic combines our obligation to remain true to Margaret Mitchell’s original story and characters while also revealing its relevance to our lives today. Our hope is that this theatrical adaptation will cause our audiences to rediscover this timeless and rich story, while also providing each of them a meaningful and memorable experience.”
No cast details, nor exact dates for the production, have yet been announced. Booking opens in September.
Currently at the New London is Blue Man Group, which ends its run on 24 June. This week it was announced that an RSC double bill is to occupy the theatre from 12 November for a limited season.
To book tickets for Blue Man Group click here.
CB