The Thursday Murder Club to be adapted for the stage – opening in 2025

Playful Productions has announced it will produce the world premiere stage adaptation of Richard Osman’s best-selling book series, The Thursday Murder Club.

The stage play is being developed by Osman in collaboration with writer Tom Basden, known for works such as Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Plebs. The production is scheduled to open in 2025.

Osman’s debut novel was first published in 2020 and quickly became a hit, selling 45,000 copies within the first three days. The book reached the top of the Sunday Times bestseller list and has been published in 16 countries. The series follows a group of retired amateur detectives who meet every Thursday to investigate unsolved crimes.

Additionally, a film adaptation is in the works, produced by Steven Spielberg and featuring a star-studded cast including Helen Mirren, Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley, and Pierce Brosnan.

Matthew Byam Shaw from Playful Productions said today: “Richard’s brilliantly crafted and ingenious books have delighted so many people. I am certain he will find unexpected and entrancing ways to introduce the characters to a theatrical audience. It makes perfect sense to bring Tom Basden into the mix after Playful worked with him on his exceptional adaptation of Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of Anarchist.”

Further details about the cast, creative team, and specific performance dates will be announced in the near future.

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