Malory Towers the Musical, Southbank Centre

Nothing captures twee nostalgia and good old-fashioned fun like Enid Blyton's beloved boarding-school stories Malory Towers. Now an all-singing, all-dancing stage adaptation of the post-war novels serves up lashings of cheeky charm, with a subversive twist.

Adapted by Emma Rice's Wise Children theatre company, the musical opened to jubilant reviews in Bristol and will finally come to London in summer 2020 after a UK tour. Merging storylines from Blyton's series of Malory Towers books, the show follows brave but quick-tempered Darrell Rivers as she starts her first term at boarding school. There she finds a whirlwind of midnight feasts, theatrical productions, dramatic rescue missions, class swots and bosom buddies.

While the cutesy charm of Blyton's story may feel old-fashioned, Emma Rice's production emphasises the traumatic legacy of the war and the power of female friendship and resilience. She describes Malory Towers as 'joyfully radical to its bones', with 'a kindness, hope and love of life that knocks my socks off'. And this boldness and optimism shape the show.

Framing the story in the present day before slipping back into the 1950s, the show comes to life with the verve, animation, live music and cabaret theatricality for which Emma Rice is famed, through first Knee High and now Wise Children theatre company. Diverse and imaginative casting makes the schoolgirls feel relevant to a modern audience, while the spirit of Enid Blyton's original text shines through.

Tickets for Malory Towers at the Southbank Centre are now on sale. Click here to book.