Sally Cookson's Role-Reversal SLEEPING BEAUTY to Play This Winter at Bristol Old Vic

Bristol Old Vic today revealed the cast who are to bring Sally Cookson's newest family show to life - the dreamy Christmas tale, SLEEPING BEAUTY. Bringing the much loved fairy-tale bang up to date, roles are reversed as our male beauty is tricked into a deep sleep for 100 years, before being woken by a poor young girl with the heart of a lion.

Based on the famous fairy story and also taking inspiration from the Welsh folk tale, The Leaves that Hung but Never Grew, this magical tale sees the pampered and protected Prince Percy team up with the determined and feisty Girl who helps him wake from an enchanted sleep, battle the evil Fairy and discover the magical tree with leaves to cure all ills. Together they discover how friendship can come in unlikely places and how we are all stronger together than apart.

Sally Cookson has been responsible for some of Bristol Old Vic's biggest and best theatrical productions of the last five years. Her adaptation of Jane Eyre took Bristol audiences by storm in 2013 and is currently running at the National Theatre to great acclaim. Other productions for Bristol Old Vic include Treasure Island (2011) and Peter Pan (2012). This is alongside a range of hugely popular work elsewhere in Bristol and the UK, most recently the sell-out family show Hetty Feather in the West End and 101 Dalmatians for The Tobacco Factory Theatre. She is reunited with her creative team of composer Benji Bower, dramaturg Adam Peck, designer Michael Vale and costume designer Katie Sykes.

Prince Percy, will be played by David Emmings. Last seen at Bristol Old Vic in the hit production A Midsummer Night's Dream as Puck, he also played Joey in the National Theatre's production War Horse.

The Girl is played by Kezrena James. Her recent stage work includes Primetime at the Royal Court and From Morning to Midnight at the National Theatre as well as appearing in Bristol Old Vic's Ferment Fortnight in I And The Village. She also appeared in the BBC series' Being Human, Doctors and the children's series Tracy Beaker.

Stuart Goodwin plays the Evil Fairy. Since 2011, Stuart has been working mainly with Kneehigh Theatre touring the UK, New Zealand and USA with The Wild Bride, Midnight's Pumpkin and most recently the heartbreaking Tristan & Yseult.

The ensemble is completed by Bristol Old Vic regulars Dominic Allen (The Peter O'Toole Prize Winner 2015, currently appearing in The Crucible), Joe Hall (Table of Delights, Coram Boy), Lucy Tuck (The Boy Who Cried Wolf), Brian Hargreaves (Swallows and Amazons, World Cup Final 1966) and Ewan Black (Runner up: Peter O'Toole Prize winner).

IF YOU GO:

27 Nov 2015- 17 Jan 2016
Theatre
Sleeping Beauty
A Bristol Old Vic production
Devised by the company
Times vary
Prices £34 - £7.50
Tickets www.bristololdvic.org.uk | 0117 987 7877

Bristol Old Vic, the longest continuously-running theatre in the UK, is a globally-renowned organisation, publicly funded by Arts Council England and Bristol City Council to support innovation and access for all.

This historic playhouse aims to inspire audiences with its own original productions, both at home and on tour, whilst nurturing the next generation of artists through its trail-blazing development programme, Bristol Ferment. It also has a celebrated outreach programme, including the award-winning Young Company.

2016 will be a milestone year for the organisation as Bristol Old Vic celebrates its 250th birthday by both reflecting on its rich history and looking towards its future. The theatre is preparing for its next phase of capital development, as well as a wider business transformation that will see it turn into a major heritage destination, bringing its history and wonderful archive to life in new and exciting ways.

Having completed the refurbishment of the Grade 1 listed Georgian auditorium and backstage areas in 2012, the next phase of works is set to transform the front of house spaces, creating a warm and welcoming public building for the whole of Bristol to enjoy.