Thelma And Louise writer hopes play raises awareness of violence towards women

Oscar-winning Thelma And Louise writer Callie Khouri has said she hopes a stage musical of the 1991 film “illuminates” the issue of violence against women.

The 68-year-old has written the book for the new production, which is running until October 24 at the Young Vic theatre in London, starring Amy Lennox as Thelma and Rachel Tucker as Louise.

Khouri told the Press Association: “I don’t have great hopes that it will do anything besides affect the person who sees it in a way that I hope is positive.

“But I also hope it illuminates an issue (violence against women) that people do need to think about, and that we should be hoping and working towards change.

Rachel Tucker as Louise and Amy Lennox as Thelma, during the preview of the new stage show Thelma And Louise at the Young Vic Theatre (Ian West/PA)

“But I don’t see that really happening so far, and I don’t think that the numbers have gotten remarkably better in the intervening 35 years since it (the film) came out, so I don’t have any false expectations about what this will or can even can do…

“I think that the world in general needs to be made aware that women experience violence at an alarming rate, and that it’s not acceptable, that it’s detrimental to both men, women, everyone in between.

“Certainly, gay and trans people experience a higher level of violence, maybe, but all of humanity experiences violence far too much, it makes no sense to me.

“I don’t know why, of all the ways that we could choose to be, this would be one, I don’t really see what the attraction is, and I don’t find it entertaining in the same way that other people do.

“I don’t love violent movies, I don’t love horror films, some people seem to really enjoy that, I’m not a person that really does, but I certainly don’t think that as a human species, we value life in the way that we should, and I think we need to respect our humanity more.”

Thelma And Louise follows two women, Thelma Dickinson and Louise Sawyer, as they embark on a road trip.

They run into trouble on numerous occasions with Louise shooting a man who attempts to rape Thelma, the two robbing a convenience store after their money is stolen and blowing up a fuel tanker after its driver refuses to apologise for making obscene gestures at them.

The film ends with a police chase, which sees the women hold hands and kiss as they are chased by the FBI.

Khouri said she had initially had doubts about a stage musical adaption of the film.

The musical is an adaption of the 1991 film (Ian West/PA)

She added: “It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience to take a piece of work that I never intended to do anything with, and to decide to reconceive it as a musical.

“It’s been a real learning experience, and I’ve gotten to work with Neko Case (who wrote the play’s music and lyrics), who is one of my favourite artists.

“So it’s been really, really fun, and Trip Cullman, who’s directing, has been just a joy to work with and incredibly collaborative, and so, between the three of us and all the other people that it takes to put on a musical, we’ve had a great time…

“I think that it works, that’s been the biggest surprise, I was sceptical when I first was approached about it, but it does seem like it has kind of found its groove.”