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James and the Giant Peach will take the audience on a wonderful journey across the sea, with a spider, a grasshopper, a centipede, a ladybird and an earthworm for company.
Roald Dahls much-loved story James and the Giant Peach opens at Joburg Promusicas Roodepoort theatre on 29 February
JOBURG Promusica promises an "exceptional experience not to be missed" with its season opener, James and the Giant Peach. And plenty of audience participation adds to its allure.
The play is based on Roald Dahl's much-loved story of the same name, and opens at Joburg Promusica's Roodepoort theatre on 29 February. It ends its run on 29 March.
James and the Giant Peach is a magical fairytale about young James Henry Trotter. After his parents die, the orphaned James is sent to live with his horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge. Despite his circumstances, he is full of hope, dreaming of a better future in a place of which his parents had spoken - New York City.
Then a stranger appears, carrying a bag of magic potions; they can, among other wondrous things, cause an ordinary peach to grow to vast proportions. It is on top of this peach that James and his insect friends travel to his dream destination.
The play, written by the acclaimed David Wood, has been seen by thousands of people around the world. "We are proud to announce that Joburg Promusica Kidz will be bringing this magical story to South African shores for the first time," says Prisha Singh, the theatre's marketing and communications manager.
Joburg Promusica Kidz is concerned with entertainment and education, and every story it tells has a unique message for children. "We are fortunate enough to have a theatre that allows us to plunge into the magical world of fantasy and wonder. [This] will stay with children until they grow," she says.
Pieter Bosch Botha, the director, will head the "highly innovative" Joburg Promusica Kidz creative team. Dawid Boverhoff "will add his own magic and finesse" to the music, while Kosie Smit will be at the helm of the set department. The play "promises to be a feast for the eye".
The Promusica production will be authentically told by James, with help from his insect friends - Miss Spider, Old Green Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybird and Earthworm.
It begins at the end, with James and his friends living in the giant peach stone in Central Park, New York City. The audience is taken on the adventure as the friends relate their trip. "The epic journey across the Atlantic Ocean is acted out with live action, puppetry and storytelling," Singh notes. "It will leave you feeling like you have actually joined James and his insect friends on their fun-filled, thrilling journey."
There is plenty of audience participation and interaction. "A tour guide brings a party of tourists - the audience - to see this major attraction, and James and his friends tell the story of how they came to live in New York."
Loran Robertson created the "stunning" costumes. "As per usual, sets will be tremendously spectacular, the costumes will be sumptuous and our journey is filled with audience participation," she confirms.
Botha Enslin, a regular on the Promusica Theatre stage, plays Old Green Grasshopper; the talented Ntsepa Pitjeng is wicked Aunt Sponge; Dries Botha is wicked Aunt Spiker; Deidre Schoeman is the amiable Miss Spider.
"It promises to be a scream," Singh says.
With all other characters cast, the role of James has not yet been taken as it is very demanding, Singh notes. The search for the right actor is on, however, "so watch this space".
Catch James and the Giant Peach at the Joburg Promusica Theatre from 29 February to 29 March, at the Roodepoort Civic Centre, in Florida Park.
Prices are R40 per child for groups of up to 50 schoolchildren, and R30 per child for groups of more than 50. For every 10 children booked, there is free admission for a teacher. Other tickets are R60 each.
General bookings can be made at Computicket outlets, on 083 915 8000 or 011 340 8000, or online . For school bookings, telephone Queen Mooki at the theatre on 011 674 1356/7 or Prisha Singh on 011 674 1356/7/8/9.
The Joburg Promusica Theatre is at 100 Christiaan de Wet Drive in Florida Park, Roodepoort, in western Johannesburg. For more information, telephone Queen Mooki on 011 674 1356/7 or Prisha Singh on 011 674 1356/7/8/9.
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