Full casting has been announced for the National Theatre’s production of Roald Dahl’s The Witches.
The show will feature a cast of 53 headlined by previously announced three-time Olivier-nominated Katherine Kingsley (The Larkins) as the Grand High Witch, BAFTA Award-winner Daniel Rigby – currently starring in Accidental Death of an Anarchist – as hotel manager Mr Stringer and Sally Ann Triplett (Oklahoma!) as Gran.
Playing Luke’s parents are Laura Medforth as Mum and Richard David-Caine as Dad, playing Bruno’s parents are Ekow Quartey as Mr Jenkins and Maggie Service as Mrs Jenkins, and playing Chef Chevalier at Hotel Magnificent is Irvine Iqbal.
Playing the witches are 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.
Completing the team at Hotel Magnificent are Adrian Grove, Jacob Maynard and Ben Redfern.
The cast will be playing multiple roles as part of the ensemble.
Amongst the young cast and playing the hero, Luke, are Bertie Caplan, Frankie Keita and Vishal Soni. Playing Bruno are Cian Eagle-Service, George Menezes Cutts and William Skinner, and playing Helga are Jersey Blu Georgia, Asanda Abbie Masike and Chloe Raphael.
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 show boasts a book and lyrics by award-winning playwright Lucy Kirkwood (Chimerica), and music and lyrics by Dave Molloy (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812). The director will be Lyndsey Turner, who is back at the National following her acclaimed production of The Crucible, which is playing the West End’s Gielgud Theatre from 7 June.
The creative team will 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, and video designer Ash J Woodward. Illusions will be by Chris Fisher and Will Houstoun, the casting director is Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, associate director Séimí Campbell, staff director Priya Patel Appleby, associate set designer Shankho Chaudhuri, associate costume designer Johanna Coe, associate choreographer Jo Morris, associate music director Natalie Pound and children’s and assistant music director Sarah Morrison.
A number of high-profile movie adaptations of The Witches have ensured that Roald Dahl’s book is one of the highest profile in his collection, including the 1990 movie starring Anjelica Huston, and recent 2020 version starring Anne Hathaway.
Rehearsals start in September 2023 for the show, which will run in the National Theatre’s Olivier Theatre from 7 November 2023.
More about The Witches tickets at the National Theatre
