Tickets go on sale this week for the stage adaptation of 2002 multi–award winning film Bend It Like Beckham.
With original music by Howard Goodall and lyrics by Charles Hart, the show has a book by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha who co–wrote the screenplay with Guljit Bindra. Goodall and Hart have previously collaborated on musicals The Kissing-Dance and The Dreaming.
Gurinder Chadha who directed the film will direct the musical; she said, “developing Bend It Like Beckham for the stage has been the most enjoyable creative process of my career so far.
"It was always my intention to build on the film and to present its themes and storylines to live audiences in an exciting new dynamic way. I have been inspired by musicals ever since I was a little girl, now with Bend It Like Beckham, such a familiar story to so many, I believe we are presenting a totally new kind of musical—part West End, part London Punjabi, but whole heartedly British.
"I am very excited for us to take our place with so many inspirational musicals past and present in my home town London.”
Bend It Like Beckham plays the West End's Phoenix Theatre previewing from 15 May.