Comedians Vikki Stone and Katie Mulgrew have written a new musical about  a troupe of loveable zoo animals, for adults.

#ZoologicalSociety is to be released as a  ‘digital concept album’ with a cast that includes Jason Manford.

And it will be launched with a live performance at Beam 2020, the UK’s leading showcase of new British musical theatre, which will also feature comic and chorister Charlie Baker.

The show has been commissioned by Northampton’s Royal & Derngate Theatre, which is also hosting the industry event.

Artistic Director James Dacre said: ‘Vikki Stone and Katie Mulgrew have collaborated with an extraordinary range of musical theatre talents in creating their outrageous new musical #ZoologicalSociety, which will reveal the innermost thoughts of a troupe of loveable zoo animals both onstage and online.

‘From gossiping giraffes and depressed monkeys to a penguin nervous about becoming a single mother and two pandas feeling the pressure to procreate, this brand new musical comedy is definitely for grown ups only.’

The album, to be released on March 27, features musical theatre stars including Natasha Barnes, Sharon D Clarke and Arthur Darvill, with other singers taking part in the concert at Beam 202 on the same day.

Stone – who is also writing this year’s panto for the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, West London – penned the music and lyrics while both comics wrote the book.

The album will be available to stream or to download from all leading streaming services including Spotify, Amazon and Apple, along with a short film introducing the characters.

Here's a teaser: