Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist takes to the stage

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Keywords: Play, Tom Alter

Mumbai: A popular book takes centre stage as the stage version of Paulo Coelho's best selling book The Alchemist is set to hit theatres this September.

Veteran actor Tom Alter is playing the lead role in the play.

Producer Ashvin Gidwani who has plans to stage the play in English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujrati across India, had to buy the rights for the stage adaptation from the author.

Gidwani says, "They are very particular so we have had to follow some guidelines but the beauty is that we have creative freedom, so they have said we can do whatever we interpret from the book."

Actor Tom Alter adds, "We have done only one dress rehearsal so far. The final act is a long way away. All the lines in the play are taken directly from the book. There are no lines in the play that are not in the book."

The stage version comes along with an exhibition by photographers inspired by the philosophy of The Alchemist.

The Alchemist has sold millions of copies worldwide, and has been translated into 61 lanuages.

Tom Alter says, "The translation is very good, but I have to say it's not the greatest book I have read."

Well, he may feel so, but the many fans of The Alchemist will still be eager to see the play.