Callie Khouri, who won an Oscar for writing the 1991 film Thelma & Louise, has adapted the story into a stage musical premiering at London's Young Vic. The project marks another creative first for Khouri, 68, who had previously turned down offers to musicalise the film but was eventually persuaded, despite the source material's dark themes of abuse, attempted rape and suicide sitting awkwardly with typical musical theatre fare.

The production, a decade in development, gained momentum once producer Sonia Friedman joined, and stars Rachel Tucker and Amy Lennox. Music is composed by singer-songwriter Neko Case, suggested by Khouri's husband T-Bone Burnett, while choreography comes from Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber, and direction from Trip Cullman. Khouri describes it as "a completely different telling" of the same story, set outside the modern day and featuring new scenes alongside familiar ones, though she is keeping most details under wraps to preserve audience surprise.