Man In An Orange Shirt - The Musical

[jek]

The novelist Patrick Gale has tweeted that today sees him assembling a cast for the first read through/ sing through of his BBC drama, exactly five years after the original production was first broadcast on the TV.  He is doing this alongside Christopher Dickins.  He points out in his reply to a congratulatory tweet that this is very much baby steps and that it often takes at least seven years for a musical to come to fruition. 

As I remember the drama to be a subtle, gentle piece I'd be interested to see how this develops.  I have in my mind something like A Light In The Piazza, but I guess there are all sorts of directions that it could take.

[oxfordsimon]

I loved the TV adaptation. It was one of the most thoughtful and subtle dramas of recent years.

Hard to envisage how it would translate to the stage but very happy to keep an open mind

[WireHangers]

My heart is already breaking at the Grandmother’s inevitable solo towards the end of the show where she reveals she knew exactly what her husband was getting up to.

[karloscar]

Number one question when adapting something into a musical is what have these characters got to sing about? Gale is one of the great creators of complex and believable characters, so this project should have great potential. A Place Called Winter is another of his works that might adapt well, though the English and Canadian halves have very different sets of characters, and doubling up roles could be very tricky.

[anthony40]

I didn't actually watch this at the time but remember when it was being promoted.

The lead actor was being interviewed on that Channel 4 Sunday Brunch show.

Fingers crossed for all involved.