Full casting announced for the return of THE WICKER HUSBAND at the Watermill

Full casting has been announced for the highly anticipated return of critically acclaimed musical The Wicker Husband at the Watermill Theatre, running from 11-26 March.

The cast includes Joseph Alessi (The Lorax) as ‘Cobbler’, Gemma Sutton (The Girl from the North Country) as ‘Ugly Girl’, George Maguire (Sunny Afternoon) as ‘Wicker Husband’, Angela Caesar (Caroline or Change) as ‘Cobbler's Wife’, Jonathan Charles (War Horse) as ‘Innkeep’, Claire-Marie Hall (Operation Mincemeat) as ‘Innkeep's Wife’, Jack Quarton (Amélie) as ‘Tailor’, Davina Moon (Privates on Parade) as ‘Tailor's Wife’, and Julian Forsyth (Sunset Boulevard) as ‘Old Basket Maker’, with Jon Whitten as on-stage band playing the Hammered Dulcimer, Rachel Barnes also as on-stage band, and Pat Moran as onstage Musical Director.

Nisha Anil (Dr. Dolittle) and Sebastian Charles (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) will be the puppeteers of The Wicker Husband, with Tom Norman (War Horse) as Swing.

Paul Hart, Artistic Director, said: “It’s been a long road since The Wicker Husband, a piece that is so perfect for The Watermill's stage, opened and was forced to almost immediately close, in March 2020. With its beautiful score, and incredible puppets, I can't wait to welcome back the whole team for this remarkable show.”

Directed by Charlotte Westenra, with a book by Rhys Jennings, music and lyrics by Darren Clark and based on an original short story by Ursula Wills, this folk-inspired new musical tells the timeless tale of the outsider and was the winner of the inaugural MTI Stiles + Drewe Mentorship Award in 2016 celebrating new British musical theatre writers. It was also included in the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's 30th Annual Festival of New Musicals in New York.

The show will feature handcrafted wicker puppets created by puppetry designer and director Finn Caldwell (War Horse, Life of Pi, The Grinning Man), with highly skilled puppeteers from Handspring, War Horse and Good Chance, bringing The Wicker Husband to life.

In a superficial world, where beauty is only skin-deep, meet the so-called ‘Ugly Girl’.

Ostracised by the shallow townsfolk because she doesn’t fit in, the Ugly Girl becomes the envy of her neighbours when the mysterious Old Basketmaker makes her a strong and loving husband woven from living wicker. As bitter rivalry and jealousy threaten to tear the community apart, the townsfolk embark on a cruel and destructive plan. Will the Ugly Girl’s happiness be ruined forever?

The Wicker Husband features set design by Anna Kelsey, choreography by Steven Harris, lighting by Hartley T A Kemp, sound by Ella Wahlström, with musical direction by Pat Moran.

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.