Rhiannon May is to play the title role in Derby Theatre’s production of Nicola Werenowska’s new version of Alice in Wonderland.
May is the first deaf actor and British Sign Language user to hold a regular role in a BBC series, appearing as Cara Connelly in four seasons of Silent Witness.
Alice in Wonderland also features Becky Barry as Dinah, who played Roger the Reeve in Deborah McAndrew’s Robin Hood and the Major Oak at Derby Theatre in 2023, Naomi Gray as the Mad Hatter and Queen Chief Signer and Rhiannon Hopkins as the White Rabbit and Dormouse.
Brooklyn Melvin, who was nominated for best actor in The Stage debut awards in 2020 for playing Oliver in Oliver Twist for Leeds Playhouse and Ramps on the Moon, will play Jack in Alice in Wonderland.
April Nerissa Hudson, who is no stranger to Derby Theatre and took several roles in Toby Hulse’s adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows in 2022, will be the Queen of Hearts. Caroline Parker, who was Tabaqui in Neil Duffield’s adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book at Derby Theatre in 2019, will play Duchess and Dodo.
E J Raymond will take the roles of Cook, Mouse and Crab, Dominic Rye will be the Cheshire Cat, while Chioma Una will play the March Hare and Caterpillar.
The creative team includes Sarah Brigham (director), Lilac Yosiphon (associate director), Jenny Sealey (dramaturg), Mia Ward (BSL consultant), Ziad Jabero (composer), Emily Bestow (set designer), Tim Heywood (costume designer), Alexandra Stafford (lighting designer), Ben Glover and Douglas Baker (video designers), Raffie Julien (movement director) and Ellie Collyer-Bristow (casting director).
Alice in Wonderland, Derby Theatre’s seventh BSL integrated and captioned family show, will run from Saturday 22 June until Saturday 6 July.