13 May – 12 June 2016
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
The Times, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Time Out
“Genuine wonder…remarkable by its inventive, evocative staging.”
The Times
“The highlight of this show is the magnificent puppets…things of never-ending beauty.”
Evening Standard
“The animals are so eye-catchingly brought to life. All remarkably lifelike and immensely articulate.”
Financial Times
“This out-does both War Horse and The Lion King in the puppetry stakes. Animal Magic.”
The Guardian
“The puppetry is exquisite, with full-sized animals manipulated so they seem to breathe with documentary life.”
Time Out
Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo
Adapted by Samuel Adamson
“I’m not alone. You saved my life Oona, so I’m not going to lose it now.”
For Will, going to Indonesia isn’t just another holiday with mum. It’s a new start, and the chance to ride an elephant called Oona. But then the tsunami hit. Charging deep into the jungle, Oona escapes the beach with her young rider desperately clinging on. Miles from civilisation, at first there’s wonder, discovery and adventures amongst the orangutans. But, as thoughts turn to mum left behind on the beach, tigers prowl, hunters attack, and Will must now learn to survive the rainforest.
Reimagined for Regent’s Park Open Air theatre, Gyre & Gimble developed the existing puppetry from the original Chichester production and created additional animals and elements to bring this epic jungle adventure to life. With a cast of 40 performers and puppeteers this was the largest-scale production ever to be presented at the Open Air Theatre. A story of love, loss, loyalty and of living for the moment.
Creative Team
| Directors | Timothy Sheader & Dale Rooks |
| Designer | Paul Wills |
| Puppetry Design & Direction | Finn Caldwell & Toby Olié |
| Movement Director | Georgina Lamb |
| Composer & Music Director | Rod Paton |
| Sound Score | Nick Powell |
| Lighting Designer | Nick Lidster |
| Associate Puppet Designers | Nick Barnes & Dulcie Best |
| Puppet Fabricators | Daisy Beattie, Cheryl Brown, Hugh Purves, Zosia Stella-Sawicka & Charlie Tymms |
| Assistant Fabricators | Phillipa Bean, Amber Donovan & William Selby |
Cast
| Oona an elephant | Laura Cubitt, Ben Thompson, Michael Taibi & John Leader |
| Mani an orangutan | Stuart Angell & Sarah Mardel |
| Charlie an orangutan | Romina Hytten |
| Tonk an orangutan | Fred Davis |
| Will/Lilly | Joshua Fernandes/Tyler Osborne/Ava Potter |
| Mum/Doctor Geraldine | Hattie Ladbury |
| Dad/Hunter | Ira Mandela Siobhan |
| Granny | Joyce Henderson |
| Grandad/Kaya | Eric Mallett |
| Mahout/Red Bandana | Okorie Chukwu |
| Mr Anthony | Stephen Ventura |