THE PIANIST World Premiere Will Come to London This Autumn
Performances will run from 15 October to 28 November 2026.
The world premiere of The Pianist, a new musical adaptation of Wladyslaw Szpilman's internationally acclaimed memoir, the inspiration behind Roman Polanski's Academy Award-winning film, will run at Park Theatre, London, from 15 October to 28 November 2026, with a national press night on Thursday 22 October.
Written and directed by Thom Southerland (Titanic the Musical), this landmark new production brings one of the twentieth century's most remarkable true stories to the stage, featuring Szpilman's own music with new lyrics and freshly orchestrated by Simon Lee, Andrew Lloyd-Webber's long time Musical Director – to the stage for the very first time.
A cast of virtuoso actor-musicians conjures the golden age of Jewish Warsaw in all its warmth and wit: the packed concert halls, the candlelit cafés, the irrepressible spirit of a city that loved music above all else.
Original compositions from the so-called "Polish Gershwin" score his story: popular songs that had Warsaw humming, compositions that made him a star.
At its heart, this is a love letter to culture, to the artists and dreamers who carried it, and to the extraordinary power of creativity to outlast even the most turbulent chapters of history. Szpilman's music doesn't merely accompany this story; it breathes life into it, binding past to present and reminding us that some things, once made, can never truly be silenced.
Before its London opening, the production will play a limited run at Mayflower Studios, Southampton, from 8 to 12 September 2026.
Szpilman's memoir became known worldwide as the basis for Roman Polanski's Academy Award-winning film, but this production marks the first time his music and story are brought together in a major musical for the stage.
Casting and creative team to be announced.
Producer Michael Wolk said, “I've been delighted to see how melding Wladyslaw Szpilman's brilliant melodies with his riveting memoir makes The Pianist a completely new experience, which I can't wait to share with audiences. The movie and book tell Szpilman's story, but Szpilman's score reveals his heart and soul, which gives our production a remarkable immediacy and intimacy."
Director Thom Sutherland said, “I am delighted that The Pianist will have its London Premiere at the sensational Park Theatre. Szpilman's memoir remains a poignant and timely beacon of hope; the purest example of how art and music can transcend difference and literally save lives. I am eager to share this production with audiences but also to cast the spotlight onto Szpilman's compositions which this production features more than 30 of. See you at the Park Theatre."
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