Leicester Curve confirms Adrian Mole musical, premieres March 2015

Leicester Curve has confirmed it will premiere a new musical adaptation of the late Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ next year.

Written by Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary and directed by Luke Sheppard, the production will premiere on 17 March 2015 (previews from 7 March), running until 4 April.

Tickets go on sale on Thursday (10 July 2014).

Set in 1980s Leicester, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ follows the daily dramas and misadventures of Adrian's adolescent life. With dysfunctional parents, ungrateful elders, a growing debt to school bully Barry Kent and an unruly pimple on his chin, life is hard for a misunderstood intellectual who is only 13 ¾.

First published in 1982, the book quickly became a bestseller and spawned a number of sequels.

Townsend died earlier in April this year. Her husband Colin Broadway said: "Sue was thrilled to be working with the two young talents Jake and Pippa during 2012-14, to bring back to the Leicester stage her bestselling book, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾. We, as a family, are looking forward to being at Curve for the opening night."

Fiona Allan, Curve’s chief executive, commented: "It’s very exciting to be staging a brand new musical adaptation of her much-loved book right here in Leicester, Sue's beloved home town, bringing Adrian Mole’s story back to life – not only for his fans, but also for a new generation."

Jake Brunger (book and lyrics) and Pippa Cleary (music and lyrics) have previously collaborated on musicals including Jet Set Go! and The Great British Soap Opera, both of which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Director Luke Sheppard most recently directed In The Heights at Southwark Playhouse, and is the associate director for Matilda the Musical.