Full Cast Announced for World Premiere of The BFG
John Leader, Richard Riddell, Helena Lymbery and Sargon Yelda.
Tom Wells’ stage adaptation of the beloved children’s novel by Roald Dahl opens in Stratford-upon-Avon from 25 November. It will play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until February 2025 before a run at Chichester Festival Theatre and a run in Singapore!
Preparing to terrify chiddlers everywhere is Richard Riddell as the norphan-guzzling giant Bloodbottler. He joins the previously announced John Leader as the BFG alongside Martha Bailey Vine, Elsie Laslett and Ellemie Shivers in the role of Sophie who is joined by her best friend from the orphanage, Kimberley, played by Charlotte Jones, Maisy Lee, and Uma Patel.
Helping run the Royal household alongside Helena Lymbery as The Queen is Sargon Yelda as Tibbs the Butler. He will be joined by the Chiefs, Philip Labey and Luke Sumner, in the roles of Captain Smith and Captain Frith respectively.
Completing the cast are performers Parkey Abeyratne, J.R. Ballantyne, Sonya Cullingford, Ailsa Dalling, Fred Davis, Elisa de Grey, Lottie Johnson, Shaun McCourt, Corey Mitchell, Aki Nakagawa, Onioluwa Taiwo and Ben Thompson, who together will bring the world of The BFG to life on stage.
Directed by Daniel Evans and with dramaturgy and additional material by Jenny Worton, The BFG follows the story of Sophie, a young orphan who is snatched by a giant and taken far away to Giant Country.
There she learns that human-eating giants are guzzling 'norphans' the world over. But she soon discovers that her new friend, the BFG, is different – he's a dream-catching, snozzcumber-munching gentle soul who refuses to eat humans.
While other giants wreak havoc, the BFG ignites Sophie's imagination, and they devise a daring plan to save children everywhere. In the end, the smallest human bean and the gentlest giant prove that a dream can change the world.