Casting announced for RSC’s festive family show THE BOX OF DELIGHTS
The RSC has announced casting for its forthcoming production of The Box of Delights, which runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 31 October 2023 - 7 January 2024.
Originally produced for Wilton’s Music Hall in 2017, Piers Torday’s reimagining of John Masefield’s much-loved children’s classic tells the story of orphaned schoolboy Kay Harker who finds himself the guardian of a small wooden box with powers beyond his wildest dreams. Caught up in a battle between two powerful magicians - Cole and Abner - Kay fights to save not just the people he loves, but also the future of Christmas itself…
Directed by the Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre Justin Audibert, the cast includes Callum Balmforth (Queen Cleopatra, Netflix) as Kay Harker, Mae Munuo (DNA, New Wolsey Theatre) as the fearless Maria Jones, Jack Humphrey (Henry VI: Rebellion and Wars of the Roses, RSC) as the far from fearless Peter Jones, Stephen Boxer (Titus Andronicus, RSC) as Grandpa'/Ramon Lully/Cole Hawkings, Richard Lynch (The Corn is Green, National Theatre) as villanious magician Abner, and Nia Gwynne (Beneatha’s Place, Young Vic) and Claire Price (Something in the Air, Jermyn Street Theatre) sharing the role of Abner’s criminal sidekick Sylvia Daisy Pouncer.
Completing the cast are: Nana Amoo-Gottfried as Joe/Ensemble, Melody Brown as Mayor/Dame Eleanor of Chasuble/Ensemble, Alex Cardall as Ensemble/Puppeteer, Tom Chapman as Rat/Puppeteer, Janet Etuk as Herne the Hunter, Tom Kanji as Charles, Annette McLaughlin as Caroline Louisa, Molly Roberts as Ellen/The Head/Ensemble, Rhiannon Skerritt as Ensemble/Puppeteer, Timothy Speyer as Bishop/Ensemble, and Rosie Wyatt as Papergirl/Duchess of Musborough/Ensemble.
Director Justin Audibert said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work on The Box of Delights again, this time creating a bigger, and even more spectacular production for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre stage.
“It’s a show that features trains, boats, planes, mythical creatures, a good and a very bad magician, and characters that magically turn into tiny versions of themselves, characters that transform into animals that fly through the air and swim in the sea – how exciting is that? We’re telling the story through the imagination of a child, so the staging promises to be a fantastic mix of the inventive and the breath-taking.
“In many ways The Box of Delights was the first fantasy story for children, and with its classic good versus evil narrative, and three young children as the heroes, you can see its influence on books like the Harry Potter series. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
Joining Justin on the creative team are designer Tom Piper, lighting designer Prema Mehta, composer Ed Lewis, sound designer Claire Windsor, movement director Simon Pittman, video designers Nina Dunn and Matthew Brown, puppetry director Samuel Wyer, and casting director Matthew Dewsbury CDG.
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