The Daughter of Time stage play to receive world premiere in London

Exclusive: Josephine Tey’s crime novel, The Daughter of Time, is coming to the stage.

Adapted by M Kilburg Reedy, the world premiere will feature direction by Jenny Eastop.

Set in London in 1950, it follows Inspector Alan Grant, who, while in hospital, investigates the alleged crimes of Richard III and the murder of the Princes in the Tower as a “cold case file.”

Reedy said they were “fascinated” by the novel and “felt inspired to dig deeper into Richard III’s story.” The playwright added: “What drew me in was a sense of injustice done to Richard and the question of how a historical record can be distorted for political purposes – including even recent events within everyone’s living memory.”

They admitted it was a “challenge to make Inspector Grant’s famous inquiry dynamic and theatrical,” so they have introduced other elements, including a new character.

On the creative team, set and costume design is by Bob Sterrett, lighting design by Oliver McNally, composition by Haddon Kime, sound design by Andrew Johnson, hair, make-up and wigs by Diana Estrada Hudson, casting by Neil Rutherford, and production management by James Anderton. The Daughter of Time is produced by Excelsior Entertainment, Mercurius Theatre, and Steven M Levy for Charing Cross Theatre Productions Limited.

The production begins performances at the Charing Cross Theatre on 18 July 2025 and runs until 13 September. A gala press night on 25 July will mark what would have been Tey’s 129th birthday.

Full casting and creative team are to be announced shortly.