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rylight and Little Angel Theatre are delighted to announce new autumn tour dates and a West End run for their musical adaptation of The Smartest Giant in Town, adapted from the classic story by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The acclaimed production has just completed a successful spring tour where it was enjoyed by children across the country following its premiere at Little Angel Theatre in May 2020. The Smartest Giant in Town will run at St Martin’s Theatre from 30 November – 1 January where it will be the first production ever to play in tandem with The Mousetrap which has run at the theatre since 1974.
Further tour dates will include Perth Theatre from 12 October 2022, followed by Lanark Memorial Hall, Leicester Curve, Liverpool Playhouse, Brierley Hill Civic Hall, Newport Live, Southend Palace Theatre, Radlett Arts Centre, Cider Mill Chipping Campden, The Maltings, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Tunbridge Wells Trinity Theatre. For full dates and details see smartestgiantonstage.co.uk
Celebrating 20 years since publication, The Smartest Giant in Town is a heart-warming and vibrant story about friendship and helping those in need. Little Angel artistic director Samantha Lane and award-winning musician Barb Jungr bring the bestselling book to life in this musical, puppet-filled adventure. The production follows on from Little Angel Theatre’s other bestselling adaptations of Julia Donaldson’s picture books, including The Singing Mermaid and The Everywhere Bear.
Julia Donaldson says: "I wrote ‘The Smartest Giant in Town’ twenty years ago but the theme of generosity and kindness seems just as relevant today. The story really comes to life in Little Angel's adaptation, which is also very faithful to Axel Scheffler's brilliant illustrations. I saw the show when it first opened at Little Angel Theatre and the whole audience - including me - loved the puppets and enjoyed the songs. I'm so pleased that now more children will be able to experience it.
Axel Scheffler says: “I am very fond of George the giant and his friends in ‘The Smartest Giant in Town’; I enjoyed creating his world with its mix of town and countryside, and range of animal characters in a place where everyone lives together harmoniously. The creative team at Little Angel with Fierylight has brought my artwork to life in 3D in a brilliant way and their production is great fun. I really recommend it.”
The Smartest Giant in Town has been adapted and directed for the stage by Little Angel artistic director Samantha Lane and award-winning musician Barb Jungr, who has also composed new music for the production. Set and costumes are designed by Kate Bunce, puppets are designed by Judith Hope and lighting is designed by Sherry Coenen. The West End cast will be Heidi Goldsmith, James Keningale and Ashton Owen.
George wishes he wasn’t the scruffiest giant in town. So when he sees a new shop selling giant-sized clothes, he decides it’s time for a new look: smart trousers, smart shirt, stripy tie, shiny shoes. Now he’s the smartest giant in town . . . until he bumps into some animals who desperately need his help – and his clothes!
Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler are the UK’s leading picture book partnership. Their books together, which include modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, are popular globally and have sold over 75 million copies worldwide. The Smartest Giant in Town was first published by Macmillan Children’s Books in 2002.
13th June 2022
Robbie Davies | Robbie's Backstage Bants
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