Philip Pullman’s children’s novel I Was A Rat! gets its première this week at the Old Rep Theatre as part of Birmingham REP’s centenary celebrations.
I Was A Rat! introduces Roger, a scruffy page boy who turns up one evening on the doorstep of old married couple Bob and Joan.
“I was a rat!” he insists. But what is he now? A monster rampaging in the sewers? A money-spinning fairground freak? Or just an ordinary boy, though a little ratty in his habits?
The story has been adapted for the stage by director Teresa Ludovic, artistic director of Teatro Kismet in Bari, Southern Italy.
She is best known in the UK for her visual and physical productions of Beauty and the Beast, The Snow Queen and The Mermaid Princess.
She said, “I’ve wanted to bring one of Philip Pullman's stories to the stage for some time because I find his work very close to my poetic style of theatre. It’s a theatre style that strives to address both young and adult audiences.
“I really like this story because, despite its fairy-tale structure and wonderful comic appeal, it also deals with contemporary issues such as the power of society's institutions including the press which creates bogus news purely for economic or political reasons.
“Philip Pullman has a great gift, just like a master painter. With a brush of colour he can create a multi-faceted character, full of light and shade that I’ve tried to highlight. I’ve tried to dig deeper into the temperaments of the characters so as to make them as alive as possible.”
Leading the ensemble cast as Roger is Fox Jackson-Keen. He made his debut on the professional stage in 2008 aged 13 in the lead role in Billy Elliot the Musical.
Tyrone Huggins who plays Bob has performed at many of the UK’s leading theatres. Last year he played the title role of The Honey Man at Derby Guildhall and on tour. He has also appeared in Noughts and Crosses for the RSC and Of Mice and Men at Birmingham REP.
Lorna Gayle plays Joan. The versatile cast who take on multiple roles also includes Christopher Dingli, Joey Hickman, T J Holmes, Jack Jones and Dodger Phillips. A company of actors aged 11 to 14 from across Birmingham will also appear.
Designer and lighting designer is Vincent Longuemare; costume designer Luigi Spezzacatene; composer Frank Moon (music recorded by The Destroyers and played live by the company); and sound designer Dan Hoole.
The English version of the script is by Solihull-born David Watson, a writer whose first play when he was a teenager was written for the REP’s Transmissions programme.
I Was A Rat! runs from Tuesday (12 February) until Saturday 2 March. Press night will be Saturday 16 February.
It then goes on a UK tour which includes Nottingham, Ipswich, Liverpool and Salford.