Introducing The ‘Big Friendly Giant’ On Stage
- ann-evans
- 13 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Opening in The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon From 25 November a Royal Shakespeare Company, Chichester Festival Theatre, Singapore Repertory Theatre - Esplanade Theatres On The Bay, and Roald Dahl Story Company Production. Featuring Puppetry Design by Toby Olié in a magical new production directed by RSC Co-Artistic Director Daniel Evans.
Preview
To celebrate the opening of The BFG’s in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on Tuesday 25 November, co-producers the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Chichester Festival Theatre, the Roald Dahl Story Company are excited to unveil an exclusive first glimpse of the ‘Big Friendly Giant’ as he appears in the magical new stage adaptation, based on the much-loved novel by Roald Dahl, adapted by Tom Wells and directed by RSC Co-Artistic Director, Daniel Evans.
Featuring Puppetry Design and Direction by Toby Olié and Costume Design by Kinnetia Isidore, the newly released image offers audiences previously unseen insight into how one of the most iconic characters in literature is brought to life on stage.
Pictured from left to right are puppeteers Elisa de Grey (BFG arm), Shaun McCourt (BFG Body), Ben Thompson (BFG head) and Onioluwa Taiwo (BFG arm), who – together – operate the largest version of the BFG puppet, which stands at an impressive 12 ft at full stage height. They are joined by actor John Leader who shares the title role with his six fellow puppeteers and who voices the character throughout. Completing the ensemble are Aki Nakagawa and Alisa Dalling who are pictured operating the smallest version of the BFG.
Commenting on the process, Puppetry Designer and Director Toby Olié said: “The BFG is, without doubt, one of the most recognizable and best-loved characters in all of literature. And so, for us, it was incredibly important that our version felt true to Dahl’s original creation whilst also offering something fresh and surprising for contemporary audiences. By playing with the theatrical language of scale, we have been able to experiment with different forms and varieties of puppetry, from the tall and terrifying to the mighty but miniscule. The playfulness of the puppeteers, together with the warmth and generosity John Leader brings to the title role, has been key to unlocking the magic of this very special character, which, we hope, audiences will continue to dream about long after the performance ends!”
Director Daniel Evans added: “When we first started talking about how we might adapt this incredible story for the stage, one of the most exciting questions we kept coming back to as a creative team was how we represent power and the perception of power on stage. In our production of ‘The BFG’, the audience’s perception of scale changes according to how powerful a character might feel within a given moment. So, for instance, you can be a giant like The BFG and still feel powerless against a bully like Bloodbottler. You can be The Queen of all England and still feel helpless to affect any real and meaningful change in the world. Equally, you can be a tiny orphan like Sophie and feel more powerful than an entire pack of norphan-guzzling giants, with a little bit of bravery and imagination. That’s, ultimately, what I want audiences to take away from this production – that imagination can be its own superpower!”
Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s novel, this darkly comic and mischievous new stage adaptation by Tom Wells (The Kitchen Sink, Jumpers for Goalposts) with dramaturgy and additional material by Jenny Worton will open at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for a 11-week run over the festive season in 2025.
Tickets for The BFG at the RSC are available from £16. Discounts are available for Over 65s, Disabled People and Carers, Families, UK School and College Groups and Groups of 10 or more. Terms and conditions apply. See the website rsc.org.uk or call the Box Office on 01789 331111 for more details and to buy tickets.
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