Matthew Kelly and Josefina Gabrielle will star in the world premiere of The Box of Delights at Wilton’s Music Hall.
John Masefield’s magical Christmas book has been adapted and reimagined for the stage for the first time by children’s author Piers Torday.
The perfect festive tale, The Box of Delights tells the story of young orphan Kay Harker, the boy who must save Christmas. On the train home for the holidays he encounters an old magician, Cole Hawlings, who tasks Kay with protecting his Box of Delights, a wondrous device with time travelling powers. And so begins a tale of adventure that transports Kay through time and space, as he must protect the Box against Cole’s nemesis, the evil sorcerer Abner Brown.
Olivier Award winning Matthew Kelly is best known for television and stage acting and presenting family favourites Stars In Their Eyes and Game For a Laugh. Kelly’s West End credits include Of Mice and Men, Waiting For Godot, Funny Peculiar and Sign of the Times, and he has most recently been appearing in Desire Under The Elms at the Sheffield Crucible.
Three-time Olivier-nominated Josefina Gabrielle has appeared in numerous West End shows, including Stepping Out, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Sweet Charity and Merrily We Roll Along. Her television credits include Miranda, Doctors, Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Heartbeat.
The show will be directed by Justin Audibert (Royal Shakespeare Company; National Theatre) with design by Olivier award-winner Tom Piper, lighting by Anna Watson and video design by Nina Dunn.
The Box of Delights will run from 1 December 2017 until 6 January 2018 at Wilton’s Music Hall.
