| Bridget Jones' Diary | |
|---|---|
| Music | Lily Allen, Greg Kurstin |
| Lyrics | Lily Allen, Greg Kurstin |
| Book | Helen Fielding |
| Basis | Fielding's novel Bridget Jones' Diary |
| Productions | 2011 West End |
Bridget Jones' Diary is a musical based on the award-winning book and film of the same name. The show is due to open in London's West End in 2012, although no date has been officially confirmed.
In early 2009, the production was first performed to a very small audience. As there was no music written for the show at the time, the performance consisted of only dialogue and a few spoken lyrics. The production featured a limited cast including Harry Enfield and British comedienne Victoria Wood, each playing several parts. Although the script, penned by author of the original books, Helen Fielding, was considered very "raw" and incomplete in some places, the performance was praised by its audience. Representatives for the show's production company, Working Title, confirmed that Fielding had officially signed contracts releasing the rights for a musical production to go ahead.[1]
In early 2010, it was confirmed that Tony award-winning English theatre and film director and producer Stephen Daldry, and Peter Darling would serve as director and choreographer respectively.[2] The pair had previously worked together on the successful West End and Broadway productions of Billy Elliot.
British musician Lily Allen has also confirmed that she, with fellow collaborator, Greg Kurstin, are writing the music and lyrics for the show, and that ten of their songs have already been approved for inclusion.[3]
After a long period of development on the script and music, a workshop production of the show began in London with the following cast in early 2010:
Tiffany Graves, Cassidy Janson, Richard Frame and Julie Legrand are also among the names confirmed to be playing various other roles in the workshop production.[4] There is currently no official confirmation on whether any of the workshop cast will appear in the final West End production.
If the workshops prove successful, the show will officially open in London's West End in 2011. Sheridan Smith, upon appearance on BBC One's The One Show on August 3, 2010, stated that should the decision be made for a West End production of the show to go ahead, she will play the title role. Smith has stated that the production would not open in the West End until 2012 and that she would be playing the title role.
A new wave of workshops began in July 2011, again featuring Sheridan Smith, and featuring a larger cast and more extensive staging. Due to other working commitments in Carvel's schedule, the role of Mark Darcy was taken over by Stephen Carlile.
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