West End Wonder Amélie The Musical To Make Its Australasian Premiere At Wellington’s Hannah Playhouse

Since its cinematic release in 2001, the five-time Academy Award–nominated film and global cultural phenomenon Amélie has captivated audiences worldwide, earning a place among the most beloved films of the 21st century. Now, for the first time, the Grammy and Olivier Award–nominated adaptation Amélie the Musical will make its Australasian premiere at Wellington’s newly rebranded theatre ‘The Hannah’, from 14 – 29 November 2025, in a delectable new production by WITCH Music Theatre.

Described by The Guardian as “a magical and emotional triumph,” the musical follows Amélie Poulain, an extraordinary but shy young woman who lives vividly inside her own imagination, as she secretly improvises small acts of mischief and kindness for those around her. Featuring a Grammy-nominated folk-inspired score by Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen, and a whimsically witty book by Craig Lucas, Amélie the Musical reimagines Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s playful Parisian romantic comedy for the stage with irresistible theatricality.

Stepping into the shoes of the luminous Indie it-girl Amélie Poulain is Wellington’s Rachel McSweeney (Lizzie, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812), who is currently starring as Sophie in Mamma Mia!. Celebrated for her “radiant” and “natural stage presence” (Broadway World), McSweeney offers a fresh and heartfelt interpretation of the role originated by Hamilton’s Phillipa Soo on Broadway and Audrey Brisson in London’s West End.

She is joined by an ensemble of all-star Wellington actors, including Gemma Hoskins (Mamma Mia!, Les Misérables) as Amélie’s mother, Amadine Poulain, and celebrated actor-playwright, William Duignan (Into the Woods, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) as the pop icon Elton John. Supported by award-winning and admired artists such as Glenn Horsfall, Craig Beardsworth, Adriana Calabrese, Medhi Angot and Jared Pallesen, the cast of thirteen performers play multiple roles throughout the show, depicting everything from grouchy green grocers, goldfish, to garden gnomes.

“Having the privilege of staging the Australasian premiere of this imaginative musical is a pinch-me moment,” says Ben Tucker-Emerson, Creative Director of WITCH Music Theatre. “From encountering the West End production in 2021, to signing the paperwork in the producers’ Broadway office earlier this year, I can’t wait for Wellington to fall head over heels with Amélie.”

He continues: “For those who don’t know it, I’m sure they’ll be walking out of the theatre with a new favourite musical and a cast recording to put on repeat these holidays.”

Described by The Wellingtonista as “Wellington’s best creators and innovators on the cutting edge of musical theatre”, WITCH Music Theatre are thrilled to bring back the creative team of directors Maya Handa Naff and Nick Lerew, alongside music director Hayden Taylor, who previously helmed the innovative and acclaimed production of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 to lead this production of Amélie the Musical. Their vision promises to whisk audiences into a detailed quarter of 1990s Montmartre, Paris and inside Amélie’s imaginative world of mischievous good deeds, serendipitous encounters, and unexpected romance. Promising a soul-stirring, nostalgic return to an analog world of connection, imagination, and optimism, Amélie the Musical is an enchanting reminder of the extraordinary hiding around every corner.

Amélie the Musical begins 14 November and runs until 29 November 2025 at the Hannah Playhouse, 12 Cambridge Terrace, Wellington.

Tickets are on sale now at witchmusictheatre.co.nz/amelie

© Scoop Media