There’s many reasons to come to Australia. There’s lots of amazing wildlife. An abundance of nature. Sydney’s got that big bridge and opera house. Melbourne’s quite cool. There is, though, only one thing the Australian Tourism Board really need to promote: the lighthouse from Round the Twist.
That’s why I came from over from Scotland (on a spiritual pilgrimage). That’s why we’re all coming. The main reason. Round the Twist was one of the highlights of TV growing up in the 90’s and early 00’s, a downright barmy and deliriously fun series that was compulsory viewing. It made a generation want to live in a lighthouse rather than their boring bungalow.
Also can we talk about that theme song? Iconic! As Time Out put it nicely, if you say “have you ever” to any Aussie of a certain age, chances are that they’ll say “ever felt like this” in return.
Time Out has also revealed the incredible news that Round the Twist is set to be turned into a musical (hey, if it worked for Shrek). RGM Productions has secured funding for a musical adaptation of the show through the federal government’s RISE program.
It seems to be in secure hands too, with RGM’s co-founder Garry McQuinn, responsible for bringing Priscilla, Queen of the Desert to the West End and Broadway, producing, and Simon Phillips (Muriel’s Wedding, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Love Never Dies) directing.
The adaptation is supposedly going to take 26 episodes and distill them into about two hours of musical theatre, with Phillips saying the RISE funding will “enable us to properly explore all its possibilities and produce a well-honed, action-packed result.”
And that’s all we know so far, with season dates for the production yet to be announced. Guess I’ve got no choice but to rewatch old episodes in the meantime.
For more on this topic, follow the Film & TV Observer.
Listen to the iconic Round the Twist theme song:
