Dave Malloy (The Great Comet)'s new musical The Witches, a stage adaptation of the Roald Dahl book, is poised to make its world premiere at London's National Theatre next month. Performances begin November 7, with opening night set for November 21. A new video from inside the rehearsal room offers a first listen to Malloy's score, with the cast singing "Get Up!" Listen above.
Directed by Lyndsey Turner (The Crucible) and featuring a book and lyrics by Olivier winner Lucy Kirkwood (Mosquitoes), the cast is led by 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 cast includes a witch ensemble comprising 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 also features 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 are 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 are 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—follows Luke and his Gran, who come to 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.