The full cast has been announced for The Children’s Theatre Partnership and the Royal & Derngate, Northampton’s co-production of a new musical adaptation of Michael Rosen’s Dickens-inspired Unexpected Twist.
Directed by Royal & Derngate’s artistic director James Dacre, the new play with music will star Kate Donnachie (Aladdin) as Desree, Alex Hardie (Frankenstein: How To Make A Monster) as Gazz, Rosie Hilal (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Miss Cavani, Drew Hylton (Annie) as Shona, Nadine Rose Johnson (Frankenstein: How To Make A Monster) as Rosie, Polly Lister (The Worst Witch) as Nan/Lorraine, Alexander Lobo Moreno (GrimeBoy) as Tino, James Meteyard (Coriolanus) as Pops, Liyah Summers (Our Lady Of Kibeho) as Rasheda and Thomas Vernal (The Book of Mormon) as Dad.
Due to make its debut at the Royal & Derngate from 11-23 February, Rosen’s 2018 re-imagining of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist has been adapted for the stage by BAFTA Award-winner Roy Williams, with original music by rising RnB star Yaya Bey and BAC Beatbox Academy’s Conrad Murray (also musical director).
The production has design by Frankie Bradshaw, choreography by Olivier Award-winner Arielle Smith, lighting design by Rory Beaton and sound design by Leigh Davies with casting by Annelie Powell.
The creative team also includes Sarah Stacey (associate director), Gurkiran Kaur (voice coach) and Kate Waters (fight director) with production management by Martin Thompson (Northampton) and Ben Arkell (tour), company stage management by Lisa Lewis (Northampton) and Neil Bull (tour). The team is completed by Karen Habens (deputy stage manager), Sara-Jayne Smith (assistant stage manager), Charles Parry (sound No1) and Molly English (head of wardrobe).
The new production from the producing partnership behind Holes and The Jungle Book will be the final production directed by Dacre during his tenure as artistic director at Royal & Derngate. Following its Northampton world premiere run, the production will embark on a UK tour from 28 February. The production will visit Newcastle, Canterbury, Kingston upon Thames, Nottingham, Norwich, Coventry, Cheltenham, Salford, Malvern, Wolverhampton, Blackpool, Oxford and Leicester.
Commenting on the stage version of his work, popular children’s author Rosen said: “I have always been a huge lover of theatre and the dramatic arts. I believe in the power and value of live performance and rate it as an equal to all the other literary activities. I can’t describe what a thrill it is for me to know Unexpected Twist is going to be a play. I’ve already seen a draft script and it leapt off the page. I could immediately ‘see’ it as being a funny, tough, edgy, contemporary, powerful show. I am desperate to see it.”
Describing the inspiration behind the production, writer Williams commented: “If there is no children’s theatre, there will be no theatre at all in years to come. It is essential theatre gets them early. It’s the opportunity for them to express themselves. Unexpected Twist is a story about young people for young people! That is how I felt when I first read Oliver Twist when I was a child. Those are always the best stories to hear.”
Bey said: “Working on Unexpected Twist has been such a pleasure. Everyone has been so kind and willing to collaborate. I wasn’t sure how I would relate to the story coming from the States, but there is such an emphasis on important issues that transcend culture barriers, and it has made it easy for me to pull from my experience.”
Murray added: “Working on this show is like assembling The Avengers! The creative team is top notch, and the cast are incredible. I love that it takes Oliver Twist as a story about poverty, which seems to tell a story about our current times. Being able to bring beatbox, hip hop and grime to the show is sick, as it helps modernise the story and create a new language and theatrical form on the stage. Can’t wait for audiences to see and hear it.”
Describing the production, Dacre said: “Take Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, Oliver Twist and add the literary magic of Michael Rosen and the theatrical verve of Roy Williams to tell this classic story in a radically new way. Mix with Conrad Murray and Yaya Bey’s breath-taking contemporary beatboxing, R&B, rap, grime and soul music. The result? Unexpected Twist is a joyful family tale which weaves the streets of Victorian London into the school corridors of contemporary Britain.”
Angela Thomas
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