Rialto Chatter: 'A Fish Called Wanda' to Get Bway Musical Treatment?

According to Empireonline.com, the next cinematic hit to receive Broadway musical treatment is A Fish Called Wanda. The musical book has been written by original screenwriter John Cleese and his daughter Camilla. Bill Bailey has been recruited to compose.

Reportedly, the Python alum is looking to premiere the production in San Diego before moving it to Broadway and the West End. Said Cleese in an e-mail to fans: "We've just completed the book for the musical of A Fish Called Wanda and I'm pleased that Camilla hasn't completely stolen all of my dignity in writing so brilliantly. She's left me a few scraps to hang onto to keep me warm at night...Soon, we'll start to work on the songs for the show with Bill Bailey, who, among his many achievements, is an honourary member of the Society of Crematorium Organists. This musical is destined to be a hit amongst funeral directors."

No additional details regarding casting or a creative team have been released.

The film A Fish Called Wanda was released in 1988, written by John Cleese and Charles Crichton and directed by Charles Crichton and John Cleese (uncredited), and starring Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin. The film is a comedy about a jewel heist and its aftermath.

For his work in Wanda, Kline won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Cleese and Crichton received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Crichton was also nominated for Best Director, and Curtis received nominations for Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and BAFTA awards. Michael Palin won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Role.