Theatre
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11 West End musicals based on books
Your official West End reading list contains some surprises – and strangely doesn’t contain The Book of Mormon
We’ve had a run of fantastic film to stage adaptations landing in the West End over the past couple of years – Dirty Dancing, Burlesque and The Devil Wears Prada to name a few. But have you read the original novel The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger?
Literature and musical theatre have long had a close relationship, with some of the West End’s biggest and most enduring hits originating in classic novels and popular fiction. In honour of World Book Day, we’ve rounded up 12 musicals currently playing in the West End that all have literary origins – and some of them might surprise you…
Paddington
Paddington Bear first appeared in a 1958 children’s book by Michael Bond titled A Bear Called Paddington, in which he meets the Brown family in Paddington Station – just as he does in the new West End musical. If you’re missing this small hero after seeing him at the Savoy Theatre, don’t worry – Bond wrote 29 Paddington books in total, so you can still spend hours with the nation’s favourite bear.
Into The Woods
Stephen Sondheim’s fairytale masterpiece weaves together a collection of Brothers Grimm stories, linking the folk tales together, and taking inspiration from the German academics’ love of a dark twist. Jordan Fein’s fantastic production is booking at the Bridge Theatre until 30 May – read our review here if you need further convincing.
Matilda The Musical
Roald Dahl wasn’t short on hits but his most popular story might have to be that of Matilda Wormwood, an abnormally clever little girl who discovers that she has strange supernatural abilities. Originally published in 1988, Matilda resonated with kids around the globe, and her story has been delighting West End audiences at the Cambridge Theatre since 2011. You can see Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly’s musical adaptation of Matilda now, with performances currently booking until May 2026. Read our review here.
The Devil Wears Prada
It was the film with Meryl Streep that turned the character of Miranda Priestly into a household name, but it was in Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel that she could first be found tormenting her assistants. The book got a lot of buzz at the time because of Weisberger’s own backstory – she’d previously worked as a personal assistant to Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. The musical adaptation opened on the West End this year, and is currently playing at the Dominion Theatre until May 2025. Read our review here.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Rachel Joyce’s bestselling book has had a makeover for the stage at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. With a folk-inspired score from Passenger and a stage design that acts as a loving ode to the British countryside, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is just as funny, uplifting and life-affirming as the book that began it all. Read our review here.
The Phantom of the Opera
Almost four decades on the West End have made Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Phantom a classic in its own right, but the story of Christine and the Phantom dates much further back. The French novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra by Gaston Leroux first appeared as a serialisation in 1909, before being released in its entirety in 1910. Leroux’s obsessions with Edgar Allen Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle were both big influences on the novel, as was a real life chandelier accident in the Palais Garnier. You can experience the magic and mystery of Phantom for yourself at His Majesty’s Theatre, where the musical is currently booking until September 2025.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind
The new musical from the RSC, based on William Kamkwamba’s inspiring memoir, tells the story of the young inventor who brought electricity to his Malawian village. When a drought hits his community, William goes to the library looking for solutions – and decides to build his own windmill. What follows is the exciting story of how one bright idea can change the lives of many. Don’t miss it when it comes to the RSC for a limited run this April.
Cabaret
The unique staging of Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre’s purpose-built Kit Kat Club made waves when it first opened in 2021. The production went on to become the most award-winning revival in Olivier history, honouring not only the original 1966 production but also Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 novel, Goodbye To Berlin, from which the musical is adapted. The book charts the disintegration of Berlin under Hitler’s growing power, based on people, places and events from Isherwood’s own life. You can book to experience the singular immersion of Cabaret until October 2025. The show currently stars Adam Gillen and Katherine Langford.
Les Misérables
One of the West End’s most beloved and longest-running shows, Les Mis has moved and delighted audiences for decades, bringing Victor Hugo’s epic to life on stage. The original novel, published in 1862, is considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 19th century, and paints a unique portrait of Paris in a fraught chapter of its history. The musical adaptation captures all the novel’s romance and tragedy, with an unforgettable score and the iconic revolving stage. Les Misérables is currently booking at the Sondheim Theatre until September 2025.
Oliver!
Yet more Dickens on the West End – there’s a reason he’s considered one of Britain’s greatest ever storytellers. Oliver Twist was only Dickens’ second novel, first published in 1938, exploring the criminal underbelly of London and the city’s heartless treatment of its most vulnerable. The musical adaptation first hit the West End in 1960, and returns reimagined this December to the Gielgud Theatre, where it is currently booking until September 2025.
Wicked
Much talked about lately thanks to the brand new film adaptation, Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s musical is one of the most popular productions ever to hit the West End, playing at the Apollo Victoria Theatre since 2006. The musical reimagines the backstories of characters from The Wizard Of Oz, itself a popular musical, film and book by L. Frank Baum, but Wicked itself is actually based on a novel by Gregory Maguire. Wicked: The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West was published in 1995 and attempts to show one of literature and cinema’s most famous villains in a sympathetic light. Wicked is currently booking at the Apollo Victoria Theatre until January 2026. Read our review here.
Explore more West End shows here.
