New musical version of Dahl’s The Witches to debut at the National Theatre

Triple Olivier nominee Katherine Kingsley and BAFTA Award-winner Daniel Rigby will lead the cast of a new musical version of Roald Dahl’s The Witches at the National Theatre later this year.

Kingsley (Piaf, Donmar Warehouse, Singin’ in the Rain, Chichester Festival Theatre) will play the Grand High Witch while Rigby (Eric and Ernie, BBC2, Breaking the Code, Manchester Royal Exchange) will play Mr Stringer.

They will be joined by Julie Armstrong, Chrissie Bhima, Zoe Birkett, Daniele Coombe, Molly-May Gardiner, Tiffany Graves, Tania Mathurin, Jacob Maynard, Laura Medforth and Ben Redfern.

Featuring a book and lyrics by Olivier Award-winner Lucy Kirkwood (Mosquitoes) and music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), the production will play the Olivier Theatre from 7 November.

Directed by Lyndsey Turner, the creative team for the production also includes set and costume designer Lizzie Clachan, choreographer Stephen Mear, musical supervisor Nigel Lilley, music director Cat Beveridge, lighting designer Bruno Poet, co-sound designers Alexander Caplen and Ian Dickinson and video designer Ash J Woodward, with illusions by Chris Fisher and Will Houston. The casting director is Bryony Jarvis-Taylor with associate director Séimí Campbell, staff director Priya Patel Appleby, associate set designer Shankho Chaudhuri, associate costume designer Johanna Coe, associate choreographer Jo Morris, associate music director Natalie Pound and children’s and assistant music director Sarah Morrison.

Commenting on the production, the director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris said: “I’m thrilled that the National Theatre and Roald Dahl Story Company are coming together for the first time to bring one of Dahl’s most enduring stories to the Olivier stage. This extraordinary, exciting production of The Witches with Lucy Kirkwood’s brilliant, witty book and Lyndsey Turner’s ambitious vision is the culmination of many years of development at the National Theatre’s exceptional New Work Department. With Dave Malloy at the musical helm, I couldn’t be more excited to be bringing this ambitious new piece of music theatre to the stage.”

Angela Thomas