Emma Freud, a film producer who worked on the 2019 film Yesterday alongside her husband Richard Curtis, has confirmed that The Beatles have granted permission for their music to be featured in a theatrical stage version of the movie. Freud described the agreement as significant, noting it represents an unprecedented licensing arrangement for the band’s work in a West End production.
The stage adaptation will retain the film’s original story and will be directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle, who also helmed the movie. Freud indicated that a specific theatre has been selected as the venue, though she declined to disclose the location at this time. The production is currently in workshop phases, with multiple script revisions underway to translate the story from film to stage.
According to Freud, the team has already conducted two workshops and has a third scheduled for later in the month. These workshops involve inviting actors to evaluate the script, songs, and staging concepts. She noted that the script has undergone eleven revisions, as adapting the material for theatrical presentation requires substantial changes beyond simply transferring the film’s dialogue to a stage format. Each narrative element must be reconceived to function dramatically rather than cinematically.
Freud made these remarks during an appearance on BBC Radio Suffolk following her receipt of an honorary doctorate from the University of Suffolk, recognizing her contributions to film and broadcasting. She emphasized her connection to Suffolk, describing it as her home and birthplace of her family, whose ancestors arrived in the region as Jewish refugees from Germany in the 1930s. Beyond film production, Freud’s career has encompassed work addressing poverty and inequality, including roles as creative director and executive producer at Comic Relief.
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