Lily Allen is in talks to adapt West End Girl into a stage show

Lily Allen has revealed she’s in talks to adapt her explosive new album into a stage show which could come as yet another blow for her ex David Harbour. 

The singer, 40, hit headlines around the world when she released her first project in seven years, West End Girl, with the album acting as an ode to her defunct marriage. 

The adaptation could prove awkward for Stranger Things star David as not only does the album chronicle his alleged infidelity but, during their marriage, he also made it clear he was jealous of her on-stage success. 

In 2021, shortly before Lily made her West End debut in in 2:22 A Ghost Story, David poked fun at her big role with a ‘hostile’ note and a bunch of ‘bad luck flowers’. 

Ahead of an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Lily looked as chic as ever in a silky, lace trimmed cami top and a fur coat as she posed for photos before her interview. 

Speaking to the host, she discussed the record, how the tracks came about and its incredible reception.

Jimmy said: ‘People are saying this is the album of the year. In fact, in London they are trying to make West End Girl into a play.’ 

‘That’s true,’ Lily confirmed before she added: ‘I might be involved. The ink is not dry.’

‘But, you know, I’m definitely having some conversations with people about it. It’s very exciting.’ 

The explosive record lays bare the details of a turbulent time in Lily’s life following the breakdown of her marriage in December after she accused David of having multiple affairs including his three-year affair with a younger costume designer.

In the titular song on her album, Lily detailed how she was offered a lead in a play, but after learning she’d landed the part, her fictional partner’s mood began to ‘change’.

This of course echoes Lily’s appearance in the West End play 2:22 A Ghost Story, and at the time David sent the star a note which appeared to poke fun at her big role.

Fans have since uncovered the 2021 message, and are now claiming its ‘sinister’ tone matches the lyrics of Lily’s song, claiming that David was clearly jealous of her success. 

David and Lily were interviewed on the red carpet at the 2022 Olivier Awards, but their curt exchange has shed light on their marriage in the wake of her stage role.

‘It’s the first time I’ve been here…’ Lily began as before David chimed in, thinking the question was for him.

Instead, he looked on as Lily continued: ‘… because it’s not my usual industry or crowd.  

‘But I’m just really, really honoured and happy and humble to be here and to be nominated is just, like, beyond. I don’t know what’s happening, really, but I couldn’t be happier.’

When David was then asked if it was his first time at the awards, he replied: ‘This is. I’ve done about a hundred thousand plays, never been recognised.’

Speaking to his wife through gritted teeth, he added: ‘Congratulations.’

He later sent her a bouquet of flowers, with Lily sharing the note to Instagram. 

It read: ‘My ambitious wife. These are bad luck flowers ’cause if you get reviewed well in this play you will get all kids of awards and I will be miserable, your loving husband.’  

Fans of the singer claimed the note felt ‘backhanded’ and was a ‘screaming red flag’ which went unnoticed at the time. 

In her new song West End Girl, Lily detailed how her fictional partner brought a brownstone in New York shortly after she landed a stage role.

She sang about how she had to move back to London to start production, and it was then that her partner’s mood began to shift.

‘That’s when your demeanour started to change,’ she sang. ‘You said that I’d have to audition, I said ‘You’re deranged’.

Ahead of the 2:22 A Ghost Story premiere in August 2021, David also shared a snap of his wife while again poking fun at her acting career, as he joked he was going to start ‘working on a pop album’.

He wrote: ‘Very proud of my slightly nervous, immensely brave, annoyingly talented wife @lilyallen who has her first preview of her play @222aghoststory tonight. Like, that she’s acting in! 

‘If you’re in London check it out at the Noel Coward til October something. Also, very excited to announce I’ve been working on a pop album. Get ready, cause it’s gonna suck!’

In Lily’s single, titled Madeline, the singer addresses David’s alleged infidelity with lyrics: ‘I can’t trust anything that comes out of his mouth.’ 

The song, Tennis, sees Lily namecheck the woman, who she interrogates her partner about after seeing a text message from her appear on his phone.  

Lily uses the racquet sport as a metaphor for sex as she sings: ‘So I read your text, and now I regret it.’ 

She continues: ‘I can’t get my head round how you’ve been playing tennis/ If it was just sex I wouldn’t be jealous.

‘You won’t play with me and who the f**k is Madeline?’

The song ends with an outro repeating: ‘Da, da-da, da-da, who’s Madeline? (Who’s Madeline?)’ before it ends with: ‘No, but who is Madeline, actually?’ 

The following song is then entirely centred on the affair as she appears to suggest the couple had an open arrangement in regards to sex, as long as it was discrete and not based on emotional connection. 

Lily sings: ‘How long has it been going on? Is it just sex or is there emotion?/  He told me it would stay in hotel rooms, never be out in the open/ Why would I trust anything that comes out of his mouth?’

‘I’m not convinced that he didn’t f**k you in our house’. 

The chorus then goes: ‘We had an arrangement/ Be discrete and don’t be blatant.

‘There had to be payment/ It had to be with strangers/ But you’re not a stranger, Madeline’.

The song also features spoken interludes from the character of Madeline where she insists to Lily over text: ‘Our relationship has only ever been about sex/ I can promise you that this is not an emotional connection.

‘We don’t speak outside of the time we spend together/ And whenever he talks about you, it’s with the upmost respect’.

Later, Madeline adds: ‘I hate that you’re in so much pain right now/ I really don’t wanna be the cause of any upset.

‘He told me you were aware this was going on and that he had your full consent.

‘If he’s lying about that, then please let me know/ Because I have my own feelings about dishonesty.

‘Lies are not something that I want to get caught up in / You can reach out to me any time, by the way/ If you need any more details or you just need to vent or anything/ Love and light, Madeline’. 

Monopolising on the album’s popularity, last week Lily shared with her followers that her limited edition sex toys were now available for purchase.

In a post on Instagram Stories, she shared a snap of the X-rated merchandise, having previously gifted them to her friends in October. Lily first unveiled the toys as an unlikely gift at a party to celebrate the release of West End Girl.

The snaps showed Lily posing with her sex toy while dressed in her yellow satin gown for the Fashion Awards earlier this week, telling her followers that the limited edition merchandise was now available for sale.