A new stage musical about to begin a UK tour features a beloved character created by Wareham author Rachel Bright and illustrator Jim Field – Kevin the koala, who has already stolen the heart of Traitors star Claudia Winkleman.
The Koala Who Could is the second of Rachel Bright’s books to get the star treatment from Britain’s five largest children’s theatres and will have its press show and opening night on Tuesday 18th February 2025 at The Rose in Kingston upon Thames.
Ross Kemp – EastEnders’ Grant Mitchell – is back in Walford to tell Rachel’s story of feuding brothers, The Squirrels Who Squabbled
A bedtime story from Walford’s caff
And there’s even more exciting news for Purbeck’s poetry queen – the catalogue of books that she and Jim have created together have been optioned for television by Passion Pictures, one of Europe’s biggest animation studios and the winner of three Oscars.
They have just had their first writers’ meeting with animators and directors in London to plan a direction and style for the first show, The Lion Inside, and how to expand it into a 30 minute film – and although the creation process is lengthy, it may well end up in the Christmas TV schedules in 2027.
Beyond that, in an unexpected crossover between EastEnders and CBeebies, Ross Kemp will read Rachel and Jim’s tale of feuding brothers, The Squirrels Who Squabbled, as a bedtime story from Kathy’s Cafe in Walford on Monday 17th February 2025.
Rachel and Jim will both be attending the opening night of The Koala Who Could and say that the journey they’ve taken in the last couple of years has been beyond their wildest dreams.
Danny Hendrix and Sarah Palmer in rehearsals operating a Kevin the Koala puppet
“A real symphony of talent”
Rachel Bright said:
“The Lion Inside was the first of our books that was adapted from page to stage and that was an existential moment for sure. We all went up as a family and watched the opening press night at The Rose, one of the UK’s five biggest theatres which originally put out the idea to commission them.
“There has been a real symphony of talent to turn a 32 page picture book into a stage musical with a backstory and big songs. There are three actors and an understudy, then it’s all done by puppetry, which is incredible – you forget the actors are there because they are so amazing in bringing the characters to life.
“Putting your work into other people’s hands is always a bit daunting, but I literally could not be more thrilled. The puppet makers, scene makers, director, composer, the writer of the stage version, every one of them is first class and what they have created is more than I could have hoped.
“Going to see The Lion Inside was amazing, and I am so looking forward to seeing The Koala Who Could with my family – both my girls are really proud of me, which means just as much to me as the play.”
Wareham author Rachel Bright with illustrator Jim Field
“My eldest shook hands with my agent”
Rachel added:
“I like the fact they get to see that if you have an idea, it can become wonderful in the world. They are both very creative, they write their own stories and they see no barrier now. My eldest shook hands with my agent at six and a half and asked if she would represent her.
“We have been really lucky – everyone has been really collaborative, so we see the early scripts and with The Lion Inside I went to some of the early research and development rehearsals where the actors are figuring out the early puppetry with cardboard maquettes.
“It’s been so artful the way they have done it, it’s the same story with so many layers added in. The composer, Eamonn O’Dwyer, is wonderful – on a Zoom meeting with us for The Lion Inside, he took one rhyming couplet from the book which goes ‘Forever is such a long time to feel small’, expanded it into a full song and sang it live.
“The second time around Jim and I have taken a much lighter touch because we know it’s in incredible hands and we trust the process. Theatre is a different artform and now there’s less of me going ‘What about this?’ and more of me saying ‘Wow, I love this!”
Christopher Finn, the voice of Kevin, and Danny Hendrix get to grips with a Koala puppet
“Fabulous rhymes, I’m in love with Kevin”
The Koala Who Could follows Kevin, king of the staying-still-kings, the wombats and Kangaroo in a story about embracing change. The book has been adapted and directed by Emma Earle and features music and lyrics by Eamonn O’Dwyer.
The original book was winner of Oscar’s Book Prize for the best story for under fives and was highly recommended by The Traitors star Claudia Winkleman, who said of it:
“Fabulous rhymes, I’m in love with Kevin and would like to buy this for all my friends’ children.”
The UK tour begins with performances at the Rose in Kingston before visiting Newcastle, Lancaster, Bristol, London, Winchester and many other theatres through winter, spring and summer, with further dates to be announced. It plays at The Mayflower Theatre in Southampton from Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th May 2025.
The Lion Inside, Rachel’s first page to stage adaptation, had a six month run in 2024, ending up in Hong Kong
Half-hour animated TV specials
Hachette Children’s Group, which publishes Rachel Bright and Jim Field books including The Lion Inside, The Koala Who Could, The Squirrels Who Squabbled, The Way Home for Wolf, The Whale Who Wanted More, and The Gecko and the Echo, has signed a deal with Passion Pictures to turn the tales into animated half-hour specials.
Passion Pictures, which has worked with Disney, Marvel and LEGO animations, as well as bringing Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox and Kenneth Graeme’s The Wind In The Willows to the screen, have won three Academy Awards, 15 Emmy’s, five Baftas and many other international accolades.
Executive producer of Passion Pictures, Debbie Crosscup, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to be bringing Rachel Bright and Jim Field’s beautiful books to the screen. Their stories are filled with warmth, humour, and valuable lessons about friendship, courage, and self-discovery.
“We believe they have the potential to resonate deeply with audiences of all ages on a global scale.”
Passion Pictures, who will animate the Rachel Bright and Jim Field books, have previously brought Paddington to life
“I could not be more thrilled”
And Rachel Bright told Swanage.News:
“I could not be more thrilled. We knew there was lots of interest in creating TV specials from the books, like the 30 minute format where you watch it together as a family, which feels really right.
“About a year ago we watched a pitch from Passion Pictures and Jim and myself were just bowled over – our dream was exactly what they were describing their vision as.
“I met some of the animators two weeks ago up in London, people who have worked on some of the biggest, most well known films you can imagine and they are putting their skills into turning The Lion Inside into a film.”
Marvel’s AntMan and Rocket and Groot TV series are among Passion Pictures back catalogue
“A special type of literature”
Rachel added:
“I am really lucky to be involved in the process, how you handle the backstory to make it really rich and funny. I read a great quote once from Maurice Sendak who said, “I write books, and somebody tells me they’re for children.”
“That really resonated for me – I write about big ideas in small packages, but they are really about life, the universe and everything.
“Picture books are a really special type of literature, as there’s no other type of book that is shared between an adult and a child in the same way, which are shared over and over again and need to withstand hundreds of reads and still make you feel something.”
Rachel and Jim at the launch of The Gecko and the Echo in 2022
Further information
- Passion Pictures catalogue of animation success is on its website
- Rachel and Jim’s works can all be found at Hachette Children’s Group publishing
- There’s more information about Rachel on her website
