Casting is now complete for the National Theatre's world premiere of the stage musical version of Roald Dahl’s The Witches. The co-production with the Roald Dahl Story Company will play the National's Olivier Theatre November 7, 2023-January 27, 2024, with an official opening November 21.
Directed by Lyndsey Turner (The Crucible), and featuring a book and lyrics by Olivier winner Lucy Kirkwood (Mosquitoes) and music and lyrics by Tony nominee Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), the cast will be led by the previously reported Olivier nominee Katherine Kingsley (The Larkins) as the Grand High Witch, BAFTA winner Daniel Rigby (Accidental Death of an Anarchist) as hotel manager Mr. Stringer, and Sally Ann Triplett (Oklahoma!) as Gran.
The witches will be played by Julie Armstrong, Chrissie Bhima, Zoe Birkett, Maddison Bulleyment, Miracle Chance, Daniele Coombe, Molly-May Gardiner, Tiffany Graves, Bobbie Little, Tania Mathurin, Amira Matthews, and Alexandra Waite-Roberts.
The production will also feature Laura Medforth as Mum, Richard David-Caine as Dad, Ekow Quartey as Mr. Jenkins, Maggie Service as Mrs. Jenkins, and Irvine Iqbal as Chef Chevalier at Hotel Magnificent. Completing the team at Hotel Magnificent are Adrian Grove, Jacob Maynard, and Ben Redfern.
Among the young cast will be Bertie Caplan, Frankie Keita, and Vishal Soni playing the hero Luke; Cian Eagle-Service, George Menezes Cutts, and William Skinner playing Bruno; and Jersey Blu Georgia, Asanda Abbie Masike, and Chloe Raphael playing Helga.
Completing the young ensemble will be Nesim Adnan, Alaia Broadbent, Chenai Broadbent, Cristian Buttaci, Sekhani Dumezweni, Rudy Gibson, Florence Gore, Elara Jagger, Annabelle Jones, Jemima Loosen, Charlie Man-Evans, Iesa Miller, Jack Philpott, Sienna Sibley, Savannah Skinner-Henry, Poppy-Mei Soon, Benjamin Spalding, Dylan Trigger, Alice Valeriano, Sasha Watson-Lobo, and Stella Yeoman.
The story—adapted from Dahl's 1983 novel, which has sold over 11 million copies since first published—follows Luke and his Gran, who come to face at a gathering of all the witches in England, determined to rid the world of children by transforming them into mice. The book has previously been adapted for the screen twice, in 1990 and 2020.
The creative team also include set and costume designer Lizzie Clachan, choreographer Stephen Mear, music supervisor Nigel Lilley, music director Cat Beveridge, lighting designer Bruno Poet, co-sound designers Alexander Caplen and Ian Dickinson, video designer Ash J Woodward, illusions designers Chris Fisher and Will Houstoun, casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, associate director Séimí Campbell, staff director Priya Patel Appleby, associate set designer Shankho Chaudhuri, associate costume designer Johanna Coe, associate wigs, hair, and makeup designer Kim Kasim, associate choreographer Ebony Molina, associate music director Natalie Pound, and children’s and assistant music director Sarah Morrison.
For tickets visit NationalTheatre.org.uk.
