The stage musical adaptation of Markus Zusak's celebrated novel The Book Thief is heading to London next summer, as reported by WhatsOnStage. The production will run at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 24 July to 28 August 2027, with press night scheduled for 30 July.
The announcement forms part of a broader programme reveal for the venue. As Time Out London notes, the Lyric has built a reputation for ambitious summer musicals, and The Book Thief looks set to be the centrepiece of its 2027 season.
The Creative Team Behind The Book Thief Musical
According to West End Best Friend, the musical carries a libretto by novelist Jodi Picoult and playwright Timothy Allen McDonald, with music and lyrics by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson. The production is directed by Tom Jackson Greaves.
The pairing of Picoult — herself one of the most widely read authors of popular literary fiction — with McDonald as co-librettist is a notable creative choice. It reflects an instinct to keep the adaptation rooted in literary sensibility rather than treating the source material as merely a property to be staged.
The London transfer comes after the production began its life at the Octagon in Bolton, as Best of Theatre reports. A concert presentation was also staged at the Prince of Wales Theatre in October 2026, according to Wikipedia's entry on The Book Thief, suggesting the show has been carefully developed before its London bow.
That regional-to-London pipeline — from Bolton's Octagon to the Lyric Hammersmith — is a meaningful one. It signals a production that has had genuine room to grow in front of audiences, rather than arriving at a major London venue untested.
From Global Bestseller to West London Stage: Why This Transfer Matters
Zusak's novel, set in Nazi Germany during the Second World War and narrated by Death, has sold over 17 million copies worldwide and been translated into 63 languages since its publication in 2005, according to Wikipedia. It was previously adapted into a 2013 feature film.
The challenge for any stage adaptation of The Book Thief is substantial: the novel's distinctive narrative voice — Death as an omniscient, morally weary observer — is one of its most arresting formal qualities, and one that does not translate automatically to the conventions of musical theatre.
How Samsel and Anderson's score and the Picoult–McDonald libretto resolve that tension is the central question the London run will answer. The Lyric Hammersmith, with its strong track record for bringing ambitious literary adaptations to the stage, is a credible home for that experiment.
London Theatre and West End Theatre have both confirmed tickets are now available, suggesting strong institutional confidence in the production's commercial prospects ahead of its 24 July opening.
For readers coming to the novel for the first time ahead of the production, The Book Thief is a work of historical fiction following young Liesel Meminger through the horrors of wartime Germany, with words and storytelling at its moral core. Want the full verdict?
Read our review of The Book Thief before the curtain rises.
Hopeful
Melancholy
Slow-burn
Grief & loss
War
Coming of age
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is The Book Thief musical running in London?
The Book Thief musical will run at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 24 July to 28 August 2027, with press night on 30 July.
Who wrote the music and book for The Book Thief musical?
The musical has a libretto by Jodi Picoult and Timothy Allen McDonald, with music and lyrics by Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, directed by Tom Jackson Greaves.
Is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak worth reading before seeing the musical?
The novel is widely regarded as one of the most powerful works of historical literary fiction of the past two decades — reading it first will deepen your appreciation of the creative choices the musical makes.
Should I read The Book Thief or watch the 2013 film adaptation first?
The novel is the original and most fully realised version of the story; the 2013 film is a separate adaptation. Most readers and critics recommend starting with Markus Zusak's book for the full experience of its unique narrative voice.
Who is The Book Thief suitable for?
Markus Zusak's The Book Thief is broadly recommended for older teenagers and adults with an interest in historical fiction, the Second World War, and stories about the power of language and survival.
Has The Book Thief been adapted before the 2027 musical?
Yes — The Book Thief was previously adapted into a 2013 feature film, and a concert presentation of the musical was staged at the Prince of Wales Theatre in October 2026 ahead of the full London premiere.
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