Gemma McDonald looks at some of the most successful musicals that were actually adapted from books.
Les Misérables (1985)
Les Misérables is currently the longest running musical on the West End. Since debuting in London in 1985 there have been over 14,000 performances worldwide. The musical is based on Victor Hugo’s novel by the same name, which was published in 1862. The French Romantic writer and politician was inspired to write the novel as a representation of the social injustices that were prevalent during the 19th century. After its publication, instalments of the book sold out within hours and had an enormous impact on French society. The musical’s themes of injustice and power are still resonant with today’s audiences and Les Misérables is still one of the highest grossing musicals of all time.
Phantom of the Opera (1986)
The Phantom of the Opera is another mega-musical from the 1980’s that has received continuous success on Broadway and the West End. The Phantom of the Opera was the longest running show in Broadway history. It celebrated its 10,000th performance on February 11, 2012, and has continued to run until this day. The musical is based on Gaston Leroux’s 1910 French novel of the same name, and it narrates the tragic tale of Christine Daaé, a stunning soprano who falls prey to a mysterious, disguised musical genius who lives in the underground maze beneath the Paris Opéra House. The novel was first adapted into a musical by Ken Hill, though it did poorly at the box office. Based on this stage adaptation Andrew Lloyd Webber decided to develop his own version of the musical, which had a much greater reception and is now adored by theatre lovers all over the world.
Matilda the Musical (2011)
Matilda the Musical is written by Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly. It had its West End debut on November 24, 2011, following a twelve-week trial run presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford-upon-Avon from November 2010 to January 2011. The musical is based on the 1988 Roald Dahl children’s novel by the same name, which won the 1989 Red House Children’s Book Award. Acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, Matilda the Musical took home seven 2012 Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, which was at the time the most ever awarded by a single production. In 2022 the stage musical was then adapted into a film that was directed by Matthew Warchus with a screenplay by Dennis Kelly.
Wicked (2003)
Wicked was written by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. It made its Broadway debut in 2003 and went to the West End in 2006. It is a loose adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which was adapted from the film in 1939 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The Wizard of Oz is based on the L. Frank Baum classic novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written in 1900. The original Broadway production of Wicked was nominated for ten Tony Awards in 2004, including Best Musical, Book, Orchestrations, Original Score and Choreography. The West End production received five Laurence Olivier Award nominations and later won the Audience Award for Most Popular Show at the 2010 award ceremony.
Jekyll and Hyde
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is an 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It is regarded as a founding work of the gothic horror subgenre and is among the most well-known works of British literature. Additionally, the novella has had a major influence on popular culture. The musical version, written by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse, debuted on Broadway in 1997 and ran till 2001. During its Broadway run, David Hasselhoff assumed the role of the title character. The musical played an almost-four-year run and became the longest-running show in the history of the Plymouth Theatre.
The Color Purple
American writer Alice Walker’s 1982 epistolary novel The Colour Purple was awarded the National Book Award for Fiction as well as the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The musical adaptation of The Color Purple, written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray came to Broadway in 2005 and ran until 2008, while starting its first national tour in 2007. The 2016 revival, starring Cynthia Erivo, won a Tony award for Best Revival of a Musical. Most recently, The Color Purple has been adapted into a musical film, produced, and directed by Steven Spielberg and Quincy Jones, who also produced the 1985 film adaptation by the same name.
Words by Gemma McDonald
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A very interesting read. An enjoyable start to my Monday morning.