Rose Theatre Kingston today announces its 2018 Christmas show, a festive new version with original music of the Brothers’ Grimm classic Hansel & Gretel written by Ciaran McConville, who returns to the theatre following last year’s successful adaptation of Alice in Winterland. Rosie Jones will direct a cast of local young actors from Rose Youth Theatre led by a team of professional actors.
Life is good in the little town of Freiburg. Somehow it has escaped the Great Famine laying blight to its neighbours. It has the highest of walls, the most bountiful of harvests and holds the biggest of parties. And everyone loves the town’s mayor.
When young Hansel and Gretel are caught passing food to the poor, they are as surprised as anyone to be rewarded with a trip to the far side of the forest. Little do they know of the gingerbread house that awaits them and the sweet old lady who controls their fate.
Battling magical beasts, enlisting a crew of fairy tale bandits and learning the secrets of their past, Hansel and Gretel must race to save their town from the Witch’s Curse. And all in time for Christmas.
Ciaran McConville said today, “I’m delighted to be writing a festive new version of Hansel & Gretel for Rose Theatre Kingston and even more thrilled that the wonderful Rosie Jones will be directing it. The original fairy tale is dark and I hope we can hold onto some of that, but it also has love, hope and reconciliation at its heart and those are big Christmas themes. In the tradition of the Rose, this will be a great adventure for all ages with original songs, terrible jokes and plenty of snow.”
Hansel & Gretel runs from Thursday 6th December 2018 to Sunday 6th January 2019.
Tickets are on sale to Rose Circle Members and Loyalty Card Holders now and will go on general sale on Thursday 29 March at 10am.
HANSEL & GRETEL AUDITIONS
As in previous years, Rose Theatre Kingston invites young actors aged 10-19 to audition to perform in Hansel & Gretel as part of Rose Youth Theatre.
The young cast will receive training from a professional creative team to learn high level acting skills before performing in alternate shows across the run.
Auditions will take place between May and June. For further information please visit www.rosetheatrekingston.org, or email Director of Learning and Participation Ciaran McConville at [email protected].
