Neko Case’s Thelma & Louise Musical to Debut in London This Fall

A musical stage adaptation of the 1991 feminist classic Thelma & Louise will have its world premiere at London’s Young Vic Theatre this fall, with music and lyrics by Grammy-nominated artist Neko Case and book by original screenwriter Callie Khouri.

The production, directed by Trip Cullman, is a co-production led by the Young Vic, Sonia Friedman Productions, Blue Spruce Productions, Ley Line Entertainment, Khouri, and Mandy Greenfield in association with MGM On Stage. It will feature Rachel Tucker and Amy Lennox in the titular roles of Thelma and Louise.

Neko Case, who has been working on the musical for approximately a decade, confirmed that development was underway during an interview last year ahead of her album Neon Grey Midnight Green. She stated at that time that “things were in motion” with the project.

The original 1991 film, written by Callie Khouri and directed by Ridley Scott, starred Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as two friends who embark on a weekend fishing trip that turns into a cross-country flight after one of them is sexually assaulted. Over the years, the film has been recognized as a seminal work in cinematic explorations of female liberation and resistance to systemic injustice.

Producers Sonia Friedman and Imogen Brodie described Thelma & Louise as a “cultural phenomenon and an instant classic” upon its release, noting that its themes of freedom, solidarity, friendship, and the ongoing fight for equality remain urgently relevant nearly 35 years later, particularly as “female, indeed all, human rights are under serious threat.”

They emphasized that the stage adaptation aims to reimagine the story for live performance, making it feel “wholly born for the live experience – immediate, visceral and a rollercoaster of a night out.” Nadia Fall, artistic director and CEO of the Young Vic, called it “the most famous road-movie and female friendship movie of all time” and noted that her own feature film debut, Brides, was “inspired enormously by Thelma & Louise.”

The musical will debut at the Young Vic Theatre in London this fall, though an exact opening date has not yet been announced.