full casting and national tour announced for The Cat in the Hat

Curve and Rose Theatre Kingston are proud to announce their purrfect cast and tour for their brand new co-production of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat.

Playing at Curve in Leicester over Christmas 2018, this family production is created in association with the National Centre for Circus Arts and will feature Nana Amoo-Gottfried (A Winter’s Tale, Theatre for Younger Audiences at The National Theatre) as the show’s chaotic Cat, while actor and opera singer Charley Magalit (Mickey and the Wondrous Book, Walt Disney Company) will play the role of the fearful Fish.

Joining the cast as the children whose house the Cat visits are Sam Angell (Billy Elliot – the Musical, Victoria Palace Theatre) as the Boy and Melissa Lowe (Me and My Girl, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Sally. Completing the company as the Cat’s energetic companions Thing 1 & Thing 2 are acrobats Celia Francis and Robert Penny.

After entertaining families and creating chaos in Leicester, the production will tour across the UK, visiting theatres in Aylesbury, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Oxford, Birmingham, Tunbridge Wells, Southampton and Newcastle, before ending the tour at Rose Theatre Kingston 10 – 21 Apr 2019. Full details of the tour can be found below.

Directed by Suba Das, set and costumes will be designed by Isla Shaw (The Witches and The Importance of Being Earnest, both at Curve and Playing Shakespeare: Macbeth, Shakespeare’s Globe). Helping to fill the production with circus stunts as Associate Director is circus choreographer Jack Horner, who previously performed in Curve and Rose Theatre Kingston’s 2016 production of Roald Dahl’s The Twits and recently worked as Circus Captain on Chess at The London Colisuem.

Following the success of Curve and Rose Theatre Kingston’s previous co-production of Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine, Curve Associate Artist Tasha Taylor Johnson will once again join as Composer, providing 10 original songs.

When the Cat in the Hat steps onto the mat, Sally and her brother are in for a rollercoaster ride of havoc and mayhem! The Cat can rescue them from a dull rainy day, but what mischief do they get up to along the way?

Based on the much-loved book by Dr. Seuss that has captivated generations of readers, The Cat in the Hat features feline frivolity aplenty. With acrobatic accomplices Thing 1 and Thing 2, riotous rhymes, infectious humour and spectacular circus, this family production is set to delight young and old alike.

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director, Nikolai Foster said:

“We are positively purring with pride to welcome our extraordinarily talented The Cat in the Hat cast to Curve this Christmas. We are looking forward to working with Nana, Sam, Celia, Melissa, Charley and Robert enormously, as they create this brand new production of Dr. Seuss’ most iconic character. And with brand new songs by Curve’s very own Tasha Taylor Johnson, it promises to be a cat-tastic extravaganza. Once again, we are thrilled to be collaborating with our friends at the Rose Theatre Kingston on this production.

“Last year saw Curve’s most successful year on tour to date, with one million people seeing our work at home in LE1 and on the road both across the UK and internationally, with our co-production of George’s Marvellous Medicine playing a large part in this achievement.

“Christmas at Curve is always a special time, with many children in particular joining us to experience theatre for the very first time. We’re delighted to be working with an astonishing creative team and in association with the team at the National Centre for Circus Arts, ensuring that each and every person watching this production will be captivated by the unique beauty of live theatre.”

Jerry Gunn, Executive Producer of Rose Theatre Kingston said:

“The cat’s out of the bag, and coming to Kingston for Easter 2019. We’re thrilled to be working with such a hugely talented company of actors and acrobats to bring to life the madcap mischief of one of the most popular characters in children’s fiction. This joyous new staging of Dr. Seuss’s much-loved book will overflow with music, magic and mayhem. We’re delighted to be teaming up with our friends at Curve once again, and to be collaborating with the National Centre for Circus Arts for the first time, on an Easter treat that promises to be catnip for the whole family.”

Kate White, CEO of National Centre for Circus Arts said:

“We are delighted to be supporting the development of what promises to be a wonderfully vibrant and fun-filled production. With Curve and Rose Theatre Kingston’s accomplished creative team ably supported by Associate Director Jack Horner, a National Centre graduate and teacher, we await the Cat’s visit this Christmas with great excitement.”

Production Team

Adapted and originally directed by Katie Mitchell

Director –  Curve’s Associate Director Suba Das

Designer –  Isla Shaw

Composer – Curve Associate Artist Tasha Taylor Johnson

Lighting Designer – Zoe Spurr

Sound Designer – David Gregory

Associate Director – Jack Horner

Casting Director – Kay Magson CDG

Tour listings

Curve, Leicester
8 Dec 2018 – 12 Jan 2019
www.curveonline.co.uk
Tickets on-sale now

Aylesbury Waterside
31 Jan – 3 Feb 2019
www.atgtickets.com
Tickets on-sale now

King’s Theatre Edinburgh
6 Feb – 9 Feb 2019
www.capitaltheatres.com
Tickets on-sale now

Liverpool Playhouse
12 – 16 Feb 2019
www.everymanplayhouse.com
Tickets on-sale soon

Oxford Playhouse
19 – 23 Feb 2019
www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Tickets on-sale soon

Birmingham Repertory Theatre
26 Feb – 3 Mar 2019
www.birmingham–rep.co.uk
Tickets on-sale now

Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells
12 – 16 Mar 2019
www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk
Tickets on-sale soon

Nuffield Theatre Southampton
20 – 24 Mar 2019
www.nstheatres.co.uk
Tickets on-sale soon

Northern Stage, Newcastle
27 – 31 Mar
www.northernstage.co.uk
Tickets on-sale now

Rose Theatre Kingston
10 – 21 Apr
www.rosetheatrekingston.org
Tickets on-sale now