The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

by Rachel Joyce, Passenger

Funny, profound, deeply moving and uplifting, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is the joyous new musical adapted by Rachel Joyce from her multi-million-selling novel, with 'a ravishing score' (The Times) by the chart-topping indie musician, Passenger. 

Harold Fry was never meant to be a hero. An ordinary man in an ordinary life until a letter from a long-lost friend sends him out the front door… and he keeps on walking. From Devon's quiet lanes to the windswept streets of Berwick-upon-Tweed, his journey becomes a pilgrimage of love, redemption, and second chances.

Strangers turn into companions, kindness appears in unexpected places, and the road reveals more than Harold ever imagined. Back home, his wife Maureen begins her own journey, one that might bring them together again. 

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a moving celebration of the human spirit and a reminder it's never too late to start again. 

Following a sold-out run at the Chichester Festival Theatre, it transfers to the West End in 2026.

Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2026

About the author

Rachel Joyce has written over 20 original afternoon plays for BBC Radio 4, and major adaptations for both the Classic Series, Woman's Hour and also a TV drama adaptation for BBC 2. In 2007 she won the Tinniswood Award for best radio play. She moved to writing after a twenty-year career in theatre and television, performing leading roles for the RSC, the Royal National Theatre, The Royal Court, and Cheek by Jowl, winning a Time Out Best Actress award and the Sony Silver.