Stage version of 'The King's Speech' announces West End transfer

After winning four Oscars in 2011, The King’s Speech is going for an Olivier in 2012. The film’s stage version, which had its world premiere in Guildford, England on Feb. 10, will start previews at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre on Mar. 22 (opening night is scheduled for Mar. 27).

You might remember from last year’s Oscar speeches that the movie was, itself, based on screenwriter David Seidler’s unproduced play—and that after attending a reading of the drama, director Tom Hooper’s mother convinced him that it would make a good film. The rebirth of The King’s Speech as a stage work was announced last August, along with a possible 2012 Broadway opening—but the show ended up taking a detour to Guildford and a U.K. tour, instead.

Those who though it was too soon for a play version of a film that gained traction barely over a year ago were proved wrong when it opened to rave reviews, especially for actor Charles Edwards (Broadway’s The 39 Steps) in Colin Firth’s role as stutterer King George VI. Australian thesp Jonathan Hyde (Titanic) takes over for Geoffrey Rush as speech teacher Lionel Logue.