Emma Thompson’s new Nanny McPhee musical to debut in London next year

By Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment Reporter

A new musical adaptation of Nanny McPhee written by award-winning actress Emma Thompson will make its world premiere in London next year.

Nanny McPhee The Musical is based on the smash-hit 2005 film, which was written by Thompson who also starred as the title character – a nanny with magical powers summoned to help a widower look after his unruly children.

The beloved children’s franchise, which is based on Christianna Brand’s bestselling Nurse Matilda books, shot to international success and spawned a 2010 sequel starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Asa Butterfield.

Thompson, 67, has written the book for the upcoming musical as the franchise takes to the stage for the first time, making its debut on the West End next summer.

The actress has also co-written original lyrics for the show with singer-songwriter Gary Clark, who composed its music, and also wrote the music for the stage and film adaptations of Sing Street.

Thompson said: “I’ve lived with Nanny McPhee for so long that to see her finally tread the boards is supremely exciting.

“Theatre feels like her natural home – magic, music, mischief and a good dollop of danger can all happen right in front of you.”

News of the production was revealed in a post shared to Instagram on Thursday which featured Thompson faced with a giant, virtual billboard announcing her latest project.

“She’s on her way,” she said.

An additional post to the Nanny McPhee The Musical page also featured a comical video of Thompson brainstorming ideas for the theatre production with a mini statuette of the beloved magical nanny.

“Some ideas are simply too magical to resist,” the caption read.

The show has been described as “a story written for everyone”, and will also feature choreography from Olivier Award-nominee Ellen Kane, whose credits include Paddington The Musical and Matilda The Musical.

Olivier Award-winner Rob Howell, known for Matilda The Musical, is responsible for set and costume design for the production, which will be directed by Katy Rudd.

The musical will follow the plot of the film, which featured Colin Firth and Thomas Brodie-Sangster, both of whom starred alongside Thompson in Love Actually.

It will follow Nanny McPhee as she arrives at the door of the Brown family, met with a household in chaos with anarchic children who have driven away every nanny before her.

The description adds: “Armed with her strange knobbly stick, exceedingly unorthodox methods and quite a lot of magic, Nanny McPhee begins to restore harmony.

“And as it turns out, the children aren’t the only family members who have lessons to learn.”