Groundhog Day

Blame it on the weatherman

Tim Minchin and Matthew Warchus' fantastic musical adaptation of the 1993 film returns to the Old Vic in 2023, offering audiences another chance to catch Broadway star Andy Karl in the Olivier winng role he was born for.

The story of misanthropic weatherman Phil Connors and the time-loop nightmare he finds himself in after reporting on the annual Groundhog Day celebration in small-town America, the production fills Phil's adventure with Minchin's gleeful songs, precise choreography, and of course, the hilarious heart of the movie.

When we saw the show during its 2016 run, our reviewer  Kitty was bowled over, calling it a fantastic show for first-time theatre-goers and enthusing that: "Groundhog day feels like a triumph for British (and Australian-ish) theatre, updating the source material lovingly, going with the flow, creating something highly relatable. As Connors struggles seemingly endlessly to better himself, we are asked the question of what we would do if we could live over again without consequences. I'd change nothing, bar going to see the show again tonight!"

What is the story?

Phil Connors is tasked with covering the biggest story in the smallest town in Pennsylvania, the annual emergence of the local groundhog, Punxatawney Phil, a marmot with legendary weather-predicting skills. Accompanied by a new producer and a jaded cameraman, it's just a day to get over and done with, as soon as possible.

However, the fates seem to have a different idea in store for the reporter, as he is forced to relive the same day over and over (and over) again until he learns an important lesson about life and love. But how many times will he be reliving this same day until he changes his cynical outlook on life?