GOSSIP: KINGS SPEECH TO BE STAGED IN WEST END?
Posted on 9 August 2011
According to reports, there is to be a stage production of The Kings Speech at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre next January, which would then transfer to theWest End and maybe Broadway.
The hit Oscar winning film originally started life as a play reading. Anybody who is fan of the film will know all about how actor Geoffery Rush was sent the script of the play together with a DVD showing the play reading at a fringe theatre in Australia which happened to be attended by director, Tom Hooper's mother who sent him the script after seeing the reading telling him this should be his next film.
The final script was actually years in the making by Oscar winning writer, David Seidler. Inspired by King George VI who he identified with as a fellow sufferer of stammering, he met with Logue's grandson in the 1980's and got to see the diaries that Logue kept detailing his work and friendship with the future King of England. However, before proceeding he wrote to the Queen Mother and asked for permission to tell the story. She gave it, but asked for the story not to be told in her lifetime. Of course the Queen Mother lived a long life until 2002 to the age of 101 so it was not until 2005 that David Seidler wrote the script, which got further improved by the film makers obtaining the actual diaries just before film started.
As soon as the film won so many awards and had such huge success it has been rumoured that there would be a stage version produced as originally written by David Seidler, but there has not been any official announcement as yet or confirmation of who would step into Colin Firth and Geoffery Rush's shoes. Apparently the hunt is on for the actors, who would have a lot to live up to after such stunning performances in the film!
Keep checking our website for further updates!
[posted by Louise, 09/08/2011]
