Emma Thompson’s Nanny McPhee Musical Set for 2027 West End Premiere
Working Title Films and Universal Theatrical Group announce the stage adaptation of the film franchise, featuring a comprehensive creative team and established production pedigree.
The West End is scheduled to host a musical adaptation of Nanny McPhee in the summer of 2027, according to Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. Emma Thompson, who wrote the screenplay for the original 2005 film and its sequel, is penning the new stage play based on her character.
The production will be directed by Katy Rudd. Music for the show will be provided by Gary Clark, the frontman of Danny Wilson, with Thompson collaborating on the lyrics, as reported by both outlets. The musical features set and costume designs from Tony and Olivier winner Rob Howell—who previously worked on Matilda the Musical—and choreography by Ellen Kane, who also collaborated on that production.
Variety reports a comprehensive list of technical credits for the project. Simon Hale will provide orchestrations, while Nigel Lilley serves as music supervisor with arrangements from both him and Clark. Lighting is assigned to Howard Hudson (& Juliet, Starlight Express), and Ian Dickinson of Autograph (who won an Olivier for Company and Angels in America) will handle sound design. The production also includes illusions by Chris Fisher, puppetry by Samuel Wyer, projections by Andrzej Goulding, and casting services from Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Aillon and Natalie Gallacher Casting.
The musical is presented by Working Title Films and Universal Theatrical Group. Producers for Working Title Films include Thompson, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lindsay Doran, Paul Warwick Griffin, Gareth Hewitt Williams, and Rebecca Quigley. Playful Productions will serve as the general manager of the production.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the musical adaptation draws from both the film franchise and the Nurse Matilda character created by Christianna Brand and Edward Ardizzone. The original 2005 film featured a cast including Colin Firth, Imelda Staunton, Kelly Macdonald, Angela Lansbury, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster. That production was followed in 2010 by Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, which Thompson also wrote and led. These two films generated $216 million at the global box office.
The plot follows Nanny McPhee as she arrives at the Brown family home to find a household in disarray, featuring children who have driven away every previous nanny, an uncontrollable donkey, and a baby. Variety notes that Thompson described theater as her character’s “natural home” because magic and mischief can occur directly in front of the audience.
This move signifies Working Title Films’ strategy to transition successful cinematic IP into live theater. By retaining Thompson as a primary writer and producer, the studio maintains creative continuity while leveraging the $216 million global gross generated by the film franchise. The production’s extensive technical team, which includes multiple Tony and Olivier Award winners, suggests a high-budget scale for its West End debut.
The next milestone for the project will be the announcement of the primary cast, as both outlets indicate that casting details are expected to be released in due course.