Mma Ramotswe Musical Coming Soon
Thalefang Charles | Monday October 14, 2019 10:27
McCall Smith, who lives in Scotland but is currently on a London tour, made the announcement at an event dubbed ‘In Conversation with Alexander McCall Smith’ organised by Botswana Investment and Trade Centre at The Montcalm Hotel here on Thursday.
McCall Smith first published The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, featuring Precious Ramotswe set in Gaborone in 1998. The ‘Mma Ramotswe’ novel series, now 21 books all set in Botswana, has achieved worldwide fame, sold over 20 million copies and has been translated into over 40 languages.
The first novel gained two Booker Prize for Fiction Judges’ Special Recommendations, made the New York Times Bestseller list and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement.
Ten years after its first publication, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency was adapted for television by the late Anthony Minghella and broadcast on BBC in 2008. The production was filmed on location in Gaborone.
Last week, McCall Smith announced yet another milestone for his literary works – the musical.
He revealed that he is working with two composers, one from Lion King while another one is a former member of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) who have written music for The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency musical.
“I got two most fantastic composers, and they have written seriously good music,” McCall Smith said.
McCall Smith added that he hopes to get Batswana involvement in the musical once they have finalised the ‘rights issue’.
He said they are currently in the process of acquiring the other half of the rights, which are held by the embattled American film producer, Harvey Weinstein.