The Umbrellas of Cherbourg headed for West End?

The Leicester Curve has just announced its new season which includes Michel Legrand's re-orchestrated musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg which runs from 11th-26th February followed by a West End transfer.

The last West End musical Academy Award winner Michel Legrand  was involved in was in 2008 when he collaborated with Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (the creators of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon) and wrote the music for the the world premiere of Marguerite starring Ruthie Henshall at the Haymarket Theatre.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is adapted from the 1964 French film starring Catherine Deneuve and Nino Castelnuovo, and tells of the doomed romance of young lovers Geneviève and Guy which is interrupted by Guy's military service.  It won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

The new stage version will be directed by Kneehigh’s Emma Rice (Brief Encounter), with lyrics translated by Sheldon Harnick and design by Lez Brotherston. The West End transfer will be produced by Daniel Sparrow and Mike Walsh productions.