This Easter, Derby Theatre will produce and present a spectacular new version of The Jungle Book. Inspired by  Rudyard Kipling’s classic and magical stories, this sparkling new production, adapted by Neil Duffield and directed by Sarah Brigham, with original music by Ivan Stott, is perfect for the whole family to enjoy together.

The Jungle Book is Derby Theatre’s latest big production ideal for all ages, following on from their highly acclaimed and much-loved family productions of Hansel & Gretel and Cinderella. The production will soon go into rehearsal and will be brought vividly to life with brand new songs and a wonderful cast of ten professional actors (including musicians, hearing, Deaf and interpreting actors) plus a company of community performers from the region.

We are thrilled to announce the cast we have assembled for this exciting new version of the Kipling classic which includes: Iniki Mariano as Mowgli (who will be making her Derby Theatre debut and whose most recent credit is Can’t Wait for Christmas for the Orange Tree Theatre); Elliott Rennie as Shere Khan (Alice in Wonderland, Thumbelina and Pinocchio for Stephen Joseph Theatre); Ivan Stott as Baloo (actor and composer for the production who has also composed music for all Derby Theatre Christmas shows over the past few years and he also appeared in Look Back in Anger and Goldilocks and the Three Bears for Derby Theatre); Esme Sears as Bagheera (Hansel & Gretel, Peter Pan, Cinderella and A Christmas Carol for Derby Theatre, A Little Night Music for Storyhouse Theatre and Hairspray for Stoke Regent Theatre);  Dominic Rye as Akela and Sergeant Major (Alice in Wonderland for Derby Theatre,  Treasure Island for Leicester Haymarket and The Wind in the Willows for Sherman Theatre); Becky Barry as Cobra (Twelfth Night for Southwark Playhouse, Much Ado About Nothing for Shakesepeare’s Globe and Beauty and the Beast for Cast), Oraine Johnson as Chill (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest for Torch Theatre, The Wizard of Oz for Birmingham Rep and Arabian Nights for Marches Theatre Company); Caroline Parker as Mao (Twelfth Night for Southwark Playhouse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time for the National Theatre), Emily Rose-Salter as Raksa (Our Country’s Good for Nottingham Playhouse and Depot for Mercury Theatre Colchester) and Alexandra James (Nine Foot Nine for Sleepless Theatre Company).

The community cast for The Jungle Book includes: Abena Halliday-Fox, Diana Scott, Heather Slonimski, Amara Iqbal, Jo-Anne Blackwood, Lottie Venskus, Shreya Sayal, Hannah Williams, Dominic Gibbs, Alicia Day, Neve Bales, Daniel Moore, Ava Spare, Harrison Eyre, Matilda Eyre, Natalie Smallwood and Olivia Thomas, all from Derby and Joy Mandivenga and Emma White from Nottingham, Megan Clark from Alfreton, Bradley Walker from Kirk Hallam, Karen Lawley, Eva Waller and Samuel McDonagh from Duffield, Imogen Uphill and Ned Payne from Belper, Grace Parker-McKoy from Swadlincote, Freya Youngman from Burton and Kitty Wright from Matlock.

The creative team for The Jungle Book is:

Adapted by Neil Duffield

Directed by Sarah Brigham

Designed by Ali Allen

Composer Ivan Stott

Associate Director Emily Howlett

Movement Director Jon Beney

Creative BSL Consultant Daryl Jackson

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

BSL and Captioning All performances of The Jungle Book will have fully integrated BSL and Captioning. The Jungle Book-related content – including trailers, BSL introductions to the show, rehearsal and production photographs have, and will be, posted on the Deaf Events and Opportunities group on the Derby Theatre  Facebook page.
Audio Description, Captioning and Touch Tours Pre-recorded Audio Description will be available on all performances from Wednesday 10 April, with Live Audio Description available on Tuesday 9 April at 7pm, Saturday 13 April at 1.30pm and Thursday 18 April at 1.30pm. Touch Tours will be available on Saturday 13 and Thursday 18 April

Relaxed performances Specifically aimed to appeal to audience members who are on the autistic spectrum or have sensory sensitivities, or those who would benefit from a more relaxed atmosphere as regards to making noise or moving around. The Relaxed performance of The Jungle Book will be on Sunday 14 April at 1.30pm.

Dementia-Friendly performances We are already pretty laid back at Derby Theatre, but there will be a more relaxed attitude to leaving and re-entering the theatre and making noise, the house lights will be kept slightly on and there will be a quiet space available for use at any time before, during and after the show. There will also be plenty of our friendly staff available to offer assistance on the day too, including staff who are Dementia Friends. The Dementia-Friendly performance of The Jungle Book will be on Wednesday 17 April at 1.30pm.

TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION
Tickets for The Jungle Book are from £10. For more information and to book tickets you can either call the  Box Office on 01332 593939, visit http://www.derbytheatre.co.uk or text on: 07717 346964