A new, re-imagined version of Peter Pan specifically for Birmingham audiences is the Christmas 2019 show at the city’s REP theatre.
Director Liam Steel said, “all the beloved characters will be there, albeit with some surprise twists in the casting, but we’ve transposed it from London 1904 to Birmingham 2019 and made the characters relevant for a modern-day audience.
“I want children encountering the story for the first time to feel this was how the characters were originally written, and I want those who know the story well to experience it with the joy of rediscovery, as though they’re hearing it for the first time all over again.
“With spectacular flying, incredible sets on a huge scale, ingenious puppetry, out-of-this-world costumes and of course a giant man-eating crocodile, this is one of the most visually spectacular Christmas shows ever to grace the REP’s stage.”
Lawrence Walker, who played Tootles in the Royal Shakespeare Company presentation of Ella Hickson’s adaptation of Wendy and Peter Pan in 2015, will take the title role.
Nia Gwynne, who was Apemantus in the RSC production of Timon of Athens in the Swan Theatre, Stratford in 2018, will be Captain Hook.
Making their professional stage debuts are Cora Tsang as Wendy, John Carter as Slightly and Sia Alipour as a pirate. Charlotte Merriam plays Smee and Stavros Demetraki is Starkey. They are joined by Chris Charles, Luke Johnson and Jocelyn Prah.
Birmingham actor Kascion Franklin is John Darling, Keiren Hamilton-Amos is Nibs and Hannah Millward plays Tootles.
Joining the gang of Lost Ones are Rose Ayling-Ellis and Faye Campbell as the twins and Dominic Owen as Curly. The cast is completed by Scarlett Ward as Michael Darling and dance, acrobatic and contortionist artist Mirabelle Gremaud as Tinkerbell.
Peter Pan will be adapted by Georgia Christou and Liam Steel from the original play and book by J M Barrie. It will be designed by Michael Pavelka with costume designs by Laura Jane Stanfield and lighting design by Lee Curran. The composer is Asaf Zohar with sound design by Christopher Shutt. Kate Waters is fight director and Polly Jerrold is casting director.
Peter Pan will run at Birmingham REP from Saturday 30 November until Sunday 19 January 2020. Press night will be Thursday 5 December.