RGM productions has announced the full cast for the West End première of The Hunting of the Snark, a brand-new family musical inspired by the creator of Alice in Wonderland’s beloved classic poem. From the lead producer of the international smash hit musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical, The Hunting of the Snark made its world première in Cardiff at the Sherman Theatre last year followed by a run at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Gemma Colclough directs Will Bryant (The Baker & The Bandernatch), Ben Galpin (The Bellman), Jordan Leigh-Harris (Boy), Simon Turner (The Banker) and Polly Smith (The Butcher). This family musical adventure opens at the Vaudeville Theatre on 28 July, with previews from the 26 July and runs until 2 September. Following the West End run the show will continue a national tour around the country from 25 September to 19 November.
All aboard! The ship is departing! All children, animals and silly people welcome!
The impossible voyage of an improbable crew to hunt an imaginary creature is brought magically to life in this sparkling musical comedy adventure for 4 to 94 year olds.
Enter the imaginative world of Alice in Wonderland creator, Lewis Carroll, in this brand new, highly original, ultra-modern adaptation inspired by his beloved classic poem.
This show features five high-energy actors, a life-like puppet, fantastical characters, and lashings of daft humour.
A riotous ragtag gang of bold adventurers including The Boy, The Banker, The Butcher, The Baker, The Bellman and The Knitting Beaver set off on a quest to catch the mythical Snark… on the journey they encounter the Jub Jub Bird, the sly Bandersnatch and the dastardly Boojum… Can a Snark be caught with soap? Will the Beaver escape the hungry Butcher’s clutches? Will the Baker remember his name? Does anyone know what a Snark actually looks like?
Side-splittingly funny, joyful, fast-paced and bursting with a soundtrack of witty songs by an award-winning songwriter, The Hunting of the Snark will delight, excite and entertain.
Annabel Wigoder is a graduate of the Royal Court Young Writers programme and Studio Group. She has a diploma in Script Development from the NFTS affiliated Script Factory and an MA in Creative Writing. Her short plays have been staged at Theatre 503, Southwark Playhouse, Riverside Studios, Soho Theatre and The Old Red Lion.
Gareth Cooper is a writer and performer, specialising in musical comedy (with some stand-up, sketch and poetry thrown in for good measure). From 2008-13, he wrote and performed with award winning, critically acclaimed sketch group, Delete the Banjax, and now splits his time between acting, writing and stand-up. His recent acting work includes Three Keepers, Dracula and the award-winning short film, The Three of Us, for which he also wrote the title track. In addition, in 2016 Gareth came second in the International Songwriting Competiton (Comedy category).
Will Bryant will play The Baker & the Bandernatch. His theatre credits include, Incident at Vichy (Finborough Theatre, Kings Head Theatre), The Lost Boy: Peter Pan (Catford Broadway Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (International tour), Dracula (UK tour), Rope (Brockley Jack Theatre); The Shakespeare Conspiracy (Chelsea Theatre), Hound (Riverside Studios Hammersmith) and Othello (The White Bear Theatre). Film credits include Tenants (Sophistic), The Last Day, Nightshade, On Seeing, Kindness and All Seasons Burn in Hell.
Ben Galpin plays The Bellman. For theatre his credits include Potted Sherlock (Vaudeville Theatre), The Tempest (Thick As Thieves), Twelfth Night (Open Bar Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Open Book Theatre), Bite-Size Plays (St James Theatre) and Romy & Julian (Vienna’s English Theatre).
Jordan Leigh-Harris plays Boy. She previously performed in The Hunting of the Snark at the Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Polly Smith plays The Butcher. Theatre credits include Table Manners (UK tour), Sleighed to Death (UK tour), Portrait of Murder (Devonshire Park, Eastbourne), Secondary Cause of Death (UK tour), Helga Philby (UK tour), A Bedfull of Foreigners (UK tour), Daisy Pulls it Off, Love’s A Luxury and A Touch of Danger (UK tour), Titus Andronicus and Henry VI part 1 (The Rose Playhouse, Bankside).
Simon Turner plays The Banker. His previous credits include Blood Brothers (Phoenix Theatre), The Railway Children (UK Tour), Aladdin (Carriageworks Theatre, Lovegrove Theatre), A Body To Die(t) For (Landor Theatre), Henry VI Part 1 (The Rose Theatre, Bankside), That’s Love (The Mill at Sonning), Jazz in Club Class (Waterside Arts Theatre), The Gamblers, Blue Remembered Hills (Crescent Theatre, Birmingham) and Frank and Dean in Legends (UK Tour).
Gemma Colclough directs. She has been Artistic Director of Idle Hands Productions since 2007, and Associate Director of the Rose Theatre since 2008. Her credits include The Last Great Lady (Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham), The Beat My Time Machine Skipped (Soho Theatre, Blast Off!), If A Ten Ton Truck (Theatre 503), NewsRevue (Canal Café Theatre, Run 1 and 5, 2012), The View From Here (Theatre 503, RWR), My Love (Lion & Unicorn Theatre for Giant Olive) and Titus Andronicus (The Rose Theatre, Bankside).
