Theatre News

Bend it Like Beckham musical comes to West End in 2015

It has been confirmed that a musical version of the British film will open at the Phoenix Theatre in May 2015

It has been confirmed that the previously rumoured musical version of Bend It Like Beckham will open at the Phoenix Theatre in May 2015.

The adaptation of the British comedy drama, which starred Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra, has music and lyrics by Howard Goodall and Charles Hart, and will be directed by the film's director Gurinder Chadha.

The film centres around the 18-year-old daughter of Punjabi Sikhs in London. Infatuated with football but forbidden to play by her parents, she joins a local women's team, which makes its way to the top of the league.

The production will open on 24 June 2015, with previews from 15 May, and has a new book by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha, choreography and musical staging by Aletta Collins, set design by Miriam Buether, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Richard Brooker, musical direction by Nigel Lilley and orchestrations by Howard Goodall and Kuljit Bhamra.

Casting for Bend It Like Beckham will be announced shortly, and rumoured names linked to the project include Samantha Barks and Frances Ruffelle.

Bend It Like Beckham will go into the Phoenix Theatre after Once, which announced its closure and a European tour earlier this month.