Coming on the heels of the New York Review of Books’ attempted unveiling of the pseudonymous writer Elena Ferrante, a new stage adaptation of the novelist’s most beloved works has been confirmed. The Rose Theatre Kingston announced on Monday that My Brilliant Friend, a two-part play based on Ferrante’s four Neapolitan novels, will begin previews in London on Feb. 25.
Taking its name from the first book in Ferrante’s series, My Brilliant Friend covers the events of all four installments, each of which chronicle the passionate, sometimes tense friendship between two women as they grow up together in Naples, Italy. British director Melly Still will helm the adaptation, while April De Angelis (Jumpy, Playhouse Creatures), a British writer of Sicilian descent, will pen the script. So far, it is unclear what involvement Ferrante might have, if any.
The Rose Theatre Kingston is relatively new to London, having opened in 2008, but the play’s director has brought at least one Tony-nominated play (The Coram Boy) to Broadway before, so there’s no telling whether this Ferrante adaptation will end up landing stateside. Nonetheless, fans of Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels should have an adaptation to watch sooner rather than later, as a 32-episode series is currently headed to television.
