Olivia Colman, Woody Harrelson and Chloe Bailey are to star in the big-screen adaptation of ‘Girl from the North Country’.
Conor McPherson, the playwright behind the Broadway musical that features the songs of Bob Dylan, is writing and directing the film.
‘Girl from the North Country’ uses Dylan’s expansive back catalogue to score a Depression-set story about Midwesterners who cross paths at a turning point in their lives.
The story is set in Minnesota in 1934 and centres on a group of travellers as their lives intersect in a guesthouse.
Events are spiralling out of control for proprietor Nick Laine (Harrelson) as his wife Elizabeth (Colman) is suffering from dementia. To make matters worse, the bank is closing in on their home and their adopted daughter Marianne (Bailey) has a secret that nobody can explain.
However, when escaped convict Joe Scott (Tosin Cole) stays at the guesthouse, a relationship develops between him and Marianne that will change everything for everyone forever.
The musical got positive reviews but struggled to sell tickets post-COVID and closed after less than a year on Broadway.
‘Girl from the North Country’ also has Dylan’s seal of approval.
The 81-year-old music icon said: “To be associated with Conor is one of the highlights of my professional life.
“It goes without saying the man is a genius for putting this thing together and I’m thrilled to be a part of the experience. My songs couldn’t be in better hands. The play had me crying at the end. I can’t even say why. When the curtain come down, I was stunned. I really was.”
McPherson added: “Having Bob Dylan’s trust to create a story using his incomparable songs is a huge privilege which has brought nothing but joy to my world.
“But working with this incredible cast to bring these characters to life is almost beyond imagining.
