The Pianist

The Pianist description

This is the world stage premiere of The Pianist, a new musical adaptation of Wladyslaw Szpilman's beloved memoir, the true story that inspired Roman Polanski's Academy Award-winning movie of the same name. A harrowing tale of resilience and survival against the odds during World War 2, it weaves the story of the so-called 'Polish Gershwin' Władysław Szpilman, a renowned Jewish composer and pianist. You'll follow his epic journey from life as an acclaimed musician during Warsaw's golden age to his survival of the Warsaw Ghetto through the Holocaust. Against this brutal landscape he discovers solace in music, despite having to play quietly to avoid discovery by the Nazis.

This touching exploration of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of horrific tragedy is an inspiration to us all, made even more powerful by a score by Szpilman himself. Written and directed by Thom Southerland (Titanic the Musical) and billed as a landmark new production, we have new lyrics and orchestration from Simon Lee, Andrew Lloyd-Webber's long term Musical Director. If you'd like to know how the amazing power of creativity can survive one of the most horrific chapters in human history, this one's for you.

Playing at Park Theatre (venue info)