Odds and Ends: Emma Thompson's Nanny McPhee Musical Sets London Premiere, Rocky Horror Honors Tim Curry & More

Here’s a quick roundup of stories you might have missed.

Nanny McMusical
A musical adaptation of Nanny McPhee will open in London in summer 2027. Oscar winner Emma Thompson penned the book and co-wrote the lyrics with Gary Clark (Sing Street), who also composed the music. Thompson wrote and starred in the 2005 film Nanny McPhee and its sequel, Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. Inspired by Christianna Brand and Edward Ardizzone’s Nurse Matilda series, Nanny McPhee tells the tale of an unruly group of children who meet their match when a mysterious governess is enlisted to restore harmony. Nanny McPhee will be directed by Katy Rudd, with set and costume designs by Tony winner Rob Howell and choreography by Ellen Kane. The production’s venue, performance dates and casting will be announced at a later date. "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,” said Thompson in a statement. “Working with Gary Clark to create the musical heart that beats through the story has been an unforgettable journey of a lifetime. I am thrilled and so proud that the brilliant Katy Rudd will be bringing it all to life with her inimitable witty wonderment.”

Forever Frank
Tim Curry left our earthly realm on August 26 at age 80. The British actor originated the role of Dr. Frank N. Furter in The Rocky Horror Show and was immortalized on screen in the cult musical’s 1975 film adaptation. The current Broadway revival of Rocky Horror honored Curry with a curtain call speech from Paul Soileau, who’s currently playing Frank before Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears takes over on September 11. Standing alongside his castmates, Soileau said, “Just as Richard O'Brien created [Rocky Horror] to find something more about himself, you can also say that Tim Curry created Frank-N-Furter to express and find something deeper about himself. And somehow it has resonated for this long with this many people in this room here right now.” Soileau was then joined onstage by Shears and the revival’s original Frank, Luke Evans, for a performance of “I’m Going Home.” You can watch this touching tribute on the production's Instagram page. Through the tears in our eyes, we realize just how much we’ll miss this one of a kind performer.

Sara B. at the Beaumont
Three-time Tony nominee Sara Bareilles is launching “Good Grief: Stories and Song,” a three-day installation and performance series to commemorate the August 28 release of her album, Good Grief. Situated in the lobby of Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, the project will feature hundreds of stories from The Strangers Project—an ongoing collection of anonymous stories shared by strangers—which will be on display and intermingled with audio recordings from Bareilles’ fans. Bareilles will join fans in person each day for a live performance. “Good Grief” will be open from 3–8 p.m. on August 28; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on August 29; and 10 a.m.–3 p.m. on August 30. Bareilles will perform songs from the new album at 6:30 p.m. on August 28, 4:30 p.m. on August 29 and 1:30 p.m. on August 30. Bareilles wrote the music and lyrics to the Broadway musical Waitress, which is launching its 10th anniversary North American tour on September 18.

McQueen on the Big Screen
James Phillips' play McQueen: or Lee and Beauty is being developed for the big screen through Radar Films. Screenwriter Zach Helm will work with Phillips on the film’s script. Originally staged in the West End in 2015, McQueen offers a portrait of the fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen and his fictitious encounter with Dahlia, a young woman who seeks to steal a dress from the couturier’s London townhouse. The West End production featured Olivier winner Stephen Wight in the title role and Glee star Dianna Agron as Dahlia. In a statement, Phillips said, "When I first conceived this way of telling Lee’s story, it always seemed to me something that would lend itself wonderfully to cinema, so to have the chance to work with such a brilliant team of people is a great privilege.”