Thelma & Louise at the Young Vic

If the words “stage adaptation” trigger apprehension, then “musical” may even cause dread, for lovers of the 1991 feminist masterpiece (or, in this reviewer’s opinion, the greatest film of all time). Written by Callie Khouri and directed by Ridley Scott, Thelma & Louise was the cinematic sensation that blazed the trail for female empowerment and liberated women in Hollywood cinema. Now, Khouri reimagines her Oscar-winning script in a bold new format.

The story follows two friends, a waitress and a housewife who become outlaws after Louise shoots Thelma’s would-be rapist. The picture revolutionised the representation of women onscreen in its rejection of deeply ingrained patriarchal Hollywood conventions; subverting the male gaze, rejecting the traditional heteronormative ending, and most notably, in its ultimate celebration of female friendship, which 35 years on remains unmatched onscreen.

To make a musical of a perfect movie feels sacrilegious. But if anyone is qualified to do so, it’s Callie Khouri herself. There are certain films that lend themselves more easily than others to stage adaptations, and a road movie isn’t one of them, let alone one so intrinsically cinematic; the landscape as the pair speed down the highway in their Thunderbird convertible is pure visual poetry, not to mention the breathtaking final shot. In the play, the audience doesn’t actually see the characters set foot inside a car, using instead the sound of wheels on the road and strobe lighting to depict their journey, with the creative set design of a saloon bar serving as the backdrop throughout.

Following in the legendary footsteps of Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon are Amy Lennox as Thelma and Rachel Tucker as Louise, who do a striking job of emulating the duo’s indestructible sisterhood. Jordan Luke Gage is endearingly entertaining as the cheeky cowboy JD (played in the movie by an unforgettable Brad Pitt), and police detective Hal (originally Harvey Keitel) is Trevor Dion Nicholas, updated as the only Black detective in the district.

Khouri spent decades turning down ideas for prequels and sequels, swayed only by the suggestion of Grammy-nominated musician Neko Case, who wrote the rock-inspired soundtrack. It takes some adjusting to the surrealness of seeing the beloved protagonists belting into a microphone, but if one relaxes into it, it works on an unconventional level. The leads have an impressive vocal range, and Thelma’s post-sexual awakening solo is a particular highlight.

2026 is clearly the year of Thelma & Louise; it was the face of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and now selling out Young Vic theatre, the legacy of its heroines deservedly lives on. “I’m happy to say and unhappy to say that it’s still relevant,” Khouri noted in an interview on Woman’s Hour. Gender-based violence is no closer to disappearing, and the plot’s glaring post-MeToo poignancy is hard to ignore. This reviewer didn’t need a Thelma & Louise musical. No adaptation will ever be able to replicate the ineffable catharsis and sheer genius of the film, or the chemistry of Davis and Sarandon. But the timeless feminist fairytale about two best friends fighting patriarchy and choosing their own path is now reaching new audiences, and that is cause for celebration. 

Gala Woolley
Photos: Helen Murray

Thelma & Louise is at the Young Vic from 3^rd September until 24^th October 2026. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.