Following a sold-out run, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will transfer to the West End. It will begin performances at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, London on 29 January and run until 18 April 2026.

Funny, profound, deeply moving and uplifting, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a joyous new musical adapted by Rachel Joyce from her multi-million selling novel, with a score by Passenger (Let Her Go) and directed  by Katy Rudd (Ballet Shoes, The Ocean at the End of the Lane NT/West End)).  Recreating their roles are Mark Addy (The Full Monty, The Rig and Game of Thrones) as Harold and Jenna Russell (Sunday in the Park with George, Hello, Dolly) as Maureen.  Further casting is yet to be announced.

Rachel Joyce said:

‘ I couldn’t be more thrilled that this joyful show has found a home in the West End.  I never imagined, when I first wrote the book, that it would become a musical one day, and never in my wildest dreams did I think it might find a home in one of my favourite theatres – the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, which I have known and loved since I was a child. Passenger’s music and lyrics are perfect for this story of hope, as is Katy Rudd’s magical direction.’ 

Passenger added:

‘I’m delighted that our journey with Harold Fry continues, and our musical is now heading to the West End. I love Rachel’s beautiful story and resonate deeply with the characters and the journeys they go on. When I was asked to write the music and lyrics for the musical, I instantly knew that it was something that I had to be a part of.  It’s been a real labour of love – not just for me, but all of the amazing people involved in the production.’

Harold Fry was never meant to be a hero. An ordinary man in an ordinary life until a letter from a long-lost friend sends him out the front door… and he keeps on walking. 

From Devon’s quiet lanes to the windswept streets of Berwick-upon-Tweed, his journey becomes a pilgrimage of love, redemption, and second chances. Strangers turn into companions, kindness appears in unexpected places, and the road reveals more than Harold ever imagined. Back home, his wife Maureen begins her own journey, one that might bring them together again.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a moving celebration of the human spirit  and a reminder it’s never too late to start again.