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The Chichester Festival Theatre production of new musical The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, based on Rachel Joyce’s best-selling novel, is set for a West End transfer.

The musical played at Chichester Festival Theatre in May and June as part of its new 2025 season, and will be transferring into the West End in 2026.

News of the West End transfer was announced today by Passenger (aka Mike Rosenberg), the chart-topping indie musician who has written the modern folk songs for the show.

Confirmation of the West End venue and dates for the transfer is to be announced.

In Chichester, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry starred Mark Addy (The Full Monty, The Rig, Game of Thrones) as Harold Fry, Olivier Award-winner Jenna Russell (Sunday in the Park with George, Hello, Dolly!, Flowers for Mrs Harris) as Maureen, and Olivier Award-nominee Jack Wolfe (Next to Normal) as The Balladeer. Casting for the West End is to be announced at a later date.

Directed by Katy Rudd (Ballet Shoes, The Ocean at the End of the Lane), The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry has a book by Rachel Joyce, based on her novel. The adaptation is co-created by Rachel Joyce, Peter Darling and Katy Rudd.

Song for the Countryside – First-listen

Also announced by Passenger today, is the release of a single from the show – ‘Song for the Countryside’, sung by Passenger and star of the show, Jack Wolfe.

In other Jack Wolfe news, it was announced yesterday that Jack is set to star as Orpheus in the Broadway production of Hadestown, making his Broadway debut in the role from 2 September 2025.

More about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

The show is a funny, profound, deeply moving and uplifting new musical that centres on Harold Fry – grey, tired and lonely, who receives a letter from an old friend and heads out to post his reply. And just keeps walking, from South Devon to Berwick upon Tweed, leaving his bewildered wife Maureen behind.

The cast of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry in Chichester also included Ralph Birtwell (The Band’s Visit, Donmar; Life of Pi, UK tour), Amy Booth-Steel (Assassins, CFT; Tammy Faye, Almeida), Tarinn Callender (The Cat and the Canary, CFT; Hamilton West End), Don Gallagher (Crazy for You, CFT; Aladdin, West End), Jacqueline Hughes (Hello, Dolly, Clueless The Musical, West End), Nell Martin (Crazy for You, CFT; My Fair Lady, Curve), Anu Ogunmefun (The Creakers, Southbank; Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, West End), Ben Redfern (The Red Shoes, RSC; Groundhog Day, The Old Vic), Sharon Rose (One Day The Musical, Edinburgh; Sylvia, The Old Vic), Timo Tatzber (Jesus Christ Superstar, UK tour; Sondheim’s Old Friends, West End), and Madeleine Worrall (Tonight at 8.30, CFT; Jane Eyre, National Theatre).

See all photos and videos of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry >

Joining Katy Rudd in the creative team are designer Samuel Wyer, choreographer Tom Jackson Greaves, arranger and orchestrator Jeremy Holland-Smith, musical supervisor Phil Bateman, lighting designer Paule Constable, sound designers Ian Dickinson and Gareth Tucker for Autograph, musical director Chris Poon, and casting director Anna Cooper CDG.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is produced by Chris Harper Productions, the team behind The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, and the new production of Othello coming to the West End starring David Harewood, Toby Jones & Caitlin FitzGerald.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is transferring to the West End from 2026 – dates and venue to be announced. Check out showpage for updates, or sign-up below for alerts.

More about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

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Main photo: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Jack Wolfe as The Balladeer. Photo by Manuel Harlan

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