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Wise Children at The Old Vic - rehearsal images

Casting news

IMAGES have been released of the cast rehearsing Wise Children, the inaugural production of Emma Rice’s new theatre company, also named Wise Children. To view them, click here. A trailer can also be viewed here.

Previously Posted: Casting has been announced for the world premiere production of Wise Children, which runs at The Old Vic from Monday, October 8 to Saturday, November 10, 2018, ahead of its UK tour.

The line up includes Sam Archer (as Young Peregrine), Ankur Bahl (Young Melchior), Stu Barker (The Band), Omari Douglas (Showgirl Nora), Mirabelle Gremaud (Young Nora), Alex Heane (The Band), Paul Hunter (Melchior), Melissa James (Showgirl Dora), Bettrys Jones (Young Dora), Patrycja Kujawska (Lady Atalanta/Wheelchair), Etta Murfitt (Nora), Katy Owen (Grandma Chance), Ian Ross (Band Leader), Gareth Snook (Dora), and Mike Shepherd (Peregrine).

Let’s have all the skeletons out of the closet, today, of all days!

It’s April 23, Shakespeare’s birthday.

In Brixton, Nora and Dora Chance – twin chorus girls born and bred south of the river – are celebrating their 70th birthday. Over the river in Chelsea, their father and greatest actor of his generation Melchior Hazard turns 100 on the same day. As does his twin brother Peregrine. If, in fact, he’s still alive. And if, in truth, Melchior is their real father after all…

Described as a big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope. Expect show girls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity – and butterflies by the thousand.

Emma Rice (Romantics Anonymous, Tristan & Yseult, The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk and Brief Encounter) brings her unique, exuberantly impish vision to Angela Carter’s great last novel, Wise Children, launching her new theatre company of the same name and its London residency at The Old Vic.

Written by Angela Carter and adapted and directed by Emma Rice, Wise Children is designed by Vicki Mortimer, with sound and video by Simon Baker, lighting by Malcolm Rippeth, choreography by Etta Murfitt, animation by Beth Carter and Stuart Mitchell, puppetry design by Lyndie Wright and fight direction by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown. Musical director and composer is Ian Ross.

Wise Children is suitable for ages 12+.

Audio Described Performance: Saturday, November 10 at 2.30pm (touch tour at 1pm).

Captioned Performance: Monday, November 5 at 7.30pm.

Read more about Emma Rice’s new company.