The National Theatre has today announced the full cast for the upcoming revival of Dear Octopus by Dodie Smith (I Capture the Castle), playing in the Lyttelton theatre from 7 February.
Directed by Emily Burns (Jack Absolute Flies Again), in its first revival since the 1960s, Dear Octopus is set on the eve of WWII as the Randolph family are reunited for a 50th wedding anniversary. As the weekend’s celebrations unfold, the family walks a tightrope between intimacy and estrangement, camaraderie and rivalry, love and hate. Heartbreaking and joyful, it is a moving dissection of family and what it means to grow up and return home.
The full cast includes Amaia Naima Aguinaga, Alice Bounsall, Bessie Carter, Pandora Colin, Miriam Cooper, Bethan Cullinane, Lindsay Duncan, Kate Fahy, Tom Glenister, Jo Herbert, Billy Howle, Ethan Hughes, Deven Modha, Syakira Moeladi, Amy Morgan, Celia Nelson, Dharmesh Patel, Malcolm Sinclair, Natalie Thomas and John Vernon. Nine children will perform the roles of Kathleen (Scrap), Bill and Guinevere (Flouncy) over the course of the season – Kalyani D’Ambra, Ariella Elkins-Green, Serena Guo, Isla Ithier, Molly Jin, Felix Tandon, Ashwin Sakthivel, Tarun Sivakanesh and Asha Sthanakiya.
The creative team, led by director Emily Burns, includes set and costume designer Frankie Bradshaw, lighting designer Oliver Fenwick, sound designer Tingying Dong, composer Nico Mulhy, casting director Bryony Jarvis-Taylor, company voice work by Shereen Ibrahim and Liz Flint and staff director Júlia Levai.
Dear Octopus is playing in the Lyttelton theatre from 7 February until 27 March, with press night on 14 February.
Tickets are available from £20 and are on sale now via the National Theatre website. For further information, including details about assisted performances, please visit nationaltheatre.org.uk.
