The Royal Court Theatre has today announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Mark Rosenblatt’s debut play Giant, directed by Nicholas Hytner (Straight Line Crazy, La Belle Sauvage). The play will begin previews from Friday 20 September 2024 with opening night on Thursday 26 September 2024.
Rachael Stirling (The Divine Mrs S) will star as Felicity Crosland, Roald Dahl’s fiancée; alongside Romola Garai (Scoop) as Jessie Stone, Dahl’s Jewish American publisher; Tessa Bonham Jones (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) as Hallie, the Dahl family’s housekeeper; and Richard Hope (Hijack) as Wally Saunders, Dahl’s handyman. They join Tony and Golden Globe-winner John Lithgow (Killers of the Flower Moon, The Crown) who will play Roald Dahl and Olivier Award-winner Elliot Levey (Cold War, Patriots, Good) as Tom Maschler, Dahl’s British Jewish Publisher.
“I wanted to put you bang in the picture. Appraise you of the difficulties. Because, in case you hadn’t noticed, he’s a human fucking boobytrap. And now, guess what, surprise surprise, boom!”
A world-famous children’s author under threat. A battle of wills in the wake of scandal. And one chance to make amends…
It’s the summer of 1983, The Witches is about to hit the shelves and Roald Dahl is making last-minute edits. But the outcry at his recent, explicitly antisemitic article won’t die down.
Across a single afternoon at his family home, and rocked by an unexpectedly explosive confrontation, Dahl is forced to choose: make a public apology or risk his name and reputation.
Inspired by real events, Giant explores with dark humour the difference between considered opinion and dangerous rhetoric offering a complicated portrait of a fiendishly charismatic icon.
Giant is designed by Olivier Award-winning theatre designer Bob Crowley with lighting design by Anna Watson, sound design by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite and casting by Arthur Carrington. Completing the creative team is Bellaray Bertrand-Webb as Assistant Director and Jaimie Todd as Associate Designer.
Tessa Bonham Jones said: ‘I’m beyond excited to be working with Nick again and with these wonderful actors whom I’ve admired for so long. Mark’s play is provocative and brilliant. It’s a privilege to be performing it at the Royal Court, a bucket list theatre of mine ever since coming to the UK.’
Romola Garai said: ‘Giant is an extraordinary piece of new writing and I couldn’t be more honoured to be part of bringing this fascinating, knotty, complicated, and unafraid piece to audiences for the first time.’
Richard Hope said: ‘Delighted to be back at the Royal Court. theatre with a capital T!’
Elliot Levey said: ‘What an honour to be making my Royal Court debut playing a man so central to its history. Tom Maschler is in the marrow of the Royal Court. It was his second home. John Osbourne, Arnold Wesker, George Devine, Tony Richardson – all the gang in those early heady days – owed something of their careers to Tom. Rosenblatt’s new play couldn’t be more timely, brilliant and revelatory – it packs a punch. I’m thrilled to be coming along for the ride. Maschler and the old gang would be proud of this one.’
John Lithgow said: ‘I’m thrilled to be performing at The Royal Court where I’ve seen so much great work, stretching all the way back to the late 1960’s. There’s no better place to unveil Mark Rosenblatt’s stunning new play.’
Rachael Stirling said: ‘I am beyond thrilled to be a part of the first staging of this extraordinary and incendiary new play.’
