Swallows and Amazons musical heads to the West End
26th July 2011
A musical based on Arthur Ransome's classic tale Swallows and Amazons is to receive a West End run later this year, it has been confirmed.
Adapted for the stage by Neil Hannon, lead singer of The Divine Comedy, the production features original songs written by Hannon but closely follows the plot of Ransome's 1930 book, which was the first of 12 featuring the adventures of children on holiday around the UK.
The production is set to run at the Vaudeville Theatre between December 15th and January 14th and will be directed by Tom Morris, who has enjoyed tremendous success in the West End with his production of Michael Morpurgo's War Horse.
Hannon's adaptation was well received by critics and the general public alike during its debut run at Bristol's Old Vic in December 2010 and will embark on a UK tour once its West End run is over.
The BBC is also producing a TV adaptation of Swallows and Amazons, due to be screened later this year, which will retain the sense of adventure found in Ransome's novel, according to head of BBC Films Christine Langan.