World Premiere of KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE at Southwark Playhouse This Christmas

Kiki is a 13 year old witch and, as tradition dictates, it is time for her to leave home and family to make a new life for herself. Equipped with her ability to fly and accompanied by Jiji, her faithful feline companion, she sets out to find a place where she can use her powers for the greater good and that one day she might call home.

A magical tale of growing up and finding acceptance Kiki's Delivery Service is a story for everyone aged 7 and up.

Kiki's Delivery Service is adapted from the bestselling and award winning book by Japanese author Eiko Kadono. The book has previously been adapted in to a live action film and most notably an award winning animation by Studio Ghibli.

Casting and further creative details are to be announced.

Playwright Jessica Siân is a South-African born playwright and actor based in London. Her first full-length play Klippies ran at Southwark Playhouse in 2015. Jessica has acted at the Bush Theatre, Latitude Festival, Southwark Playhouse and Theatre503. She trained on the Royal Court Young Writers program. Previous work includes short pieces for Theatre503's Rapid Write Response and Papercut Theatre's XY at Edinburgh Festival.

Director Kate Hewitt is currently Associate Director on Sam Mendes' production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal Drury Lane). She directed Tomcat at Southwark Playhouse in 2015. She trained as a performer with the National Youth Theatre and at Goldsmiths and LISPA. She was the recipient of a Jerwood Assistant Director Award (2012) and the JMK Directors Award (2014). Directing credits include Far Away (Young Vic) and Portrait(Edinburgh Festival and subsequent UK tour).She has just finished working with the National Youth Theatre on their Epic Stages Project.

As Associate Director, Medea (Headlong), Electra (Gate Theatre and Latitude Festival).

As Assistant Director, Wild Swans (Young Vic and ART Boston), Clybourne Park (Royal Court and Wyndham's), Through a Glass Darkly (Almeida) and Breathing Irregular (Gate Theatre).

Kate is the co-founder and co-creator with You Need Me, an interNational Theatre Company whose credits include How it Ended (Arcola and Edinburgh Festival) and Certain Dark Things (Tobacco Factory, Bristol and Edinburgh Festival).

Author of Kiki's Delivery Service Eiko Kadono is a Japanese author of children's literature, picture books, non-fiction and essays. In 1960, she emigrated to Brazil for two years where she wrote a nonfiction story called Brazil and My Friend Luizinho based on her experience at that time. Most of her works are books for children. Her first successful children's book published Ôdorabô Bula Bula shi (The Robber Bla-Bla) was published in 1981. In 1985, she published Majo no Takky?bin (Kiki's Delivery Service), which was later adapted into the Hayao Miyazaki animated film with the same title. The book was awarded the Noma Children's Literature Award, the Shogakukan Children's Publication Culture Award, and the IBBY Honor List.

Visit http://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/show/kikis-delivery-service/ for more info!