Kazuo Ishiguro, author of the Booker Prize-winning novel The Remains of the Day, "has given his blessing to a plan to set it to music," the Telegraph reported.

"It struck me as an intriguing idea," said the author. "I am a big believer in musicals and I see no reason why my novel shouldn't make a good one. Steven Sondheim's A Little Night Music shows you can set an unlikely story to music."

Ishiguro has given "free rein" to producer Simon James Collier, writer/director Chris Loveless and composer Alex Loveless. "This is a small scale thing and I might feel more cautious about it if the film version hadn't been such serious, faithful adaptation," said Ishiguro. "That allows for this version to be a bit more left field. There is comedy in the book and a musical could bring that out more."