Elena Ferrante novel to be adapted by the Rose Theatre Kingston

The Rose Theatre Kingston will host the first ever stage adaptation of Italian novelist Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels.

As part of its new season, the theatre will stage My Brilliant Friend a two-part adaptation by April De Angelis of Ferrante's quartet of novels. The true identity of the writer has been a mystery up to now – Elena Ferrante is a pseudonym – but a journalist has recently revealed her real identity.

My Brilliant Friend will be directed by Melly Still and is a portrait of female friendship in post-war Italy. The family saga tells of Elena and Lila who grow up in a tough neighbourhood in Naples and whose lives move in different directions but who maintain a strong bond. The show opens 11 March 2017 and runs to 2 April.

Elsewhere in the season is Silver Lining, a new comedy by Sandi Toksvig set in a retirement home where five elderly ladies are sharing life stories. Rebecca Gatward directs the show which runs from 3 to 11 February and then runs on a UK tour.

Elsewhere the theatre hosts Roald Dahl's The Twits which is a Rose Theatre Kingston and Curve co-production, adapted by David Wood. The Twits runs from 5 to 16 April.

Jack Thorne and Headlong's already announced Junkyard will also be arriving in Kingston next year. Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the show is a new musical set in 1979 where Rick decides to try to get a bunch of teenagers to help him build a playground out of junk. The show runs from 19 to 30 April.