In light of the announcement that a ‘Charlie and The Chocolate Factory’ musical will be hitting our West End following the ultra-successful production of ‘Matilda‘, THN has had a think about other movies we would like to see transferred to the stage. Here’s ten suggestions for the West End producers out there.
10. RESERVOIR DOGS
This Tarantino favourite would pull in huge audiences with its humour and high stakes action. Also it would allow a lot of fun solving the ‘who shot nice guy Eddie?’ debate. Bad Mother F***er wallets all round in the gift shop.
9. FINDING NEMO
A roller musical that would take the world by storm. Including such great catchy hits as ‘Just Keep Swimming’ and ‘Me and my Little Fin’, slightly to the same style as ‘Starlight Express’ with neon lights, exciting chases and a touching tale.
8. GEORGE’S MARVELOUS MEDICINE
With Roald Dahl’s work a big hitter on the stage at the moment, why not the loving children’s story of a kid losing his Grandmothers medicine and concocting his own crazy mixture? Who says abusing the elderly is out of fashion these days? Not us.
7. SAW
Feeling the franchise has ended its long-lasting cinematic run with its surprisingly two-dimensional 3D climax, how about a real time stage drama from the point-of-view of someone in a SAW trap? An hour and a half to escape, and an interesting journey into the horrified human psyche.
6. MEAN GIRLS
Re-cast Rachel Mcadams with Kerry Ellis and you’re halfway there. Tina Fey has created an almost endless fan base who will revel in basic rhythms and belted one-liners (‘She doesn’t even go here!’). So let’s get those composers cracking on a production that’s sure to see a lot of boyfriends dragged to the theatre.
5. JEREMY KYLE
The long-awaited sequel to ‘Jerry Springer the Opera’. Someone get Stewart Lee and Richard Thomas on the blower. Maybe this one will get a second tour unlike its under-appreciated predecessor. Also it would be nice to see Robert Webb Stretch his stage legs as the infamous screaming talk-show host.
5. IN THE LOOP
It is often said that screenplays are stories told in images, and stage scripts are stories told in dialogue, and if there’s a master of comedic dialogue writing it’s Armando Iannucci. Let’s all get caught in the loop in this summer’s National Theatre production.
3. THE SEVENTH SEAL
Chess match between a man and Death himself: a nice play for small scale fringe venues. The next cult hit around the country. Camden and Brighton Beware! Death is coming pub venue near you!
2. PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE
You couldn’t make it any worse. Recommend Michael Frayn draft a script, then at least it will be absolutely hilarious. Turned into a farce you might have the ‘Springtime for Hitler and Germany’ effect… potential genius.
1. MOUSE HUNT
A very serious possibility. A film for all the family which deserves to be on stage: give it a big budget, add a few songs, some shadow puppetry, maybe a mouse costume too, and you have yourself a fantastic child-friendly day out in London. Could challenge the ‘The Lion King’, you bet ya. Also, an original cast reunion may be possible – Evans and Lane do like a bit of stage time.
Those are some of our suggestions here at THN but what do you think is next to hit the stage? Comment below, and no saying a Spice Girls musical… because that’s already happening.
