Groundhog Day the Musical opens at the Old Vic

Matthew Warchus, Tim Minchin, Peter Darling and Rob Howell's new musical officially openes this week.

The world premiere of Groundhog Day - a new Musical will take place at the Old Vic Theatre on London's South Bank tomorrow on 16 August 2016. Following almost six weeks of preview performances the show has been fine tuned and perfected ahead of its official press opening where critics will give their assessment on this original British musical.

Directed by Artistic Director of the Old Vic Matthew Warchus, the production reunites the creative team behind the internationally successful Matilda the Musical, composer and lyricist Tim Minchin, choreographer Peter Darling and designer Rob Howell. Screenwriter Danny Rubin has joined the creative team as book writer to transform his hit 1993 film into a brand new and thoroughly original piece of theatre.

"Groundhog Day is the story of Phil Connors, a cynical Pittsburgh TV weatherman who is sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in the isolated small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, when he finds himself caught in a time loop, forced to repeat the same day again and again...and again. As each day plays out exactly the same as before Phil becomes increasingly despondent, but is there a lesson to be learnt through his experiences, will he ever unlock the secret and break the cycle?"

The cast for the world premiere includes Broadway star and Tony Award-nominee Andy Karl in the lead role of Phil Connors, Carlyss Peer as Rita, Eugene McCoy as Larry, and a company that includes Leo Andrew, David Birch, Ste Clough, Roger Dipper, Georgina Hagen, Kieran Jae, Julie Jupp, Andrew Langtree, Vicki Lee Taylor, Emma Lindars, Antonio Magro, Carolyn Maitland, Kirsty Malpass, Lisa Mathieson, Jenny O'Leary, Leanne Pinder, Mark Pollard, Damien Poole, Jack Shalloo, Andrew Spillett and Spencer Stafford.

A musical version of Groundhog Day was first considered by iconic musical theatre composer Stephen Sondheim back in 2003 who found the idea interesting, but decided that a stage adaptation couldn't improve upon the original film. News of the Minchin-Rubin adaptation came in 2014, and Broadway commercial producer Scott Rudin was also attached to the project. It was announced that the show would open on Broadway in March 2017 following a London premiere at the Old Vic Theatre, although these plans are now up in the air following the recent departure of Rudin from the production team.

Whether the future life of Groundhog Day will be in London, New York or even further afield is yet to be seen, but much will depend on its critical evaluation later this week.

Don't miss your chance to see the world premiere of this brand new musical by booking tickets for the strictly limited London run by clicking below.