The Wallis Presents Slingsby Theatre Company's EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents Slingsby Theatre Company's Emil and the Detectives, a family-friendly adventure story that follows young Emil into a precarious world as he bids to right a wrong, from Friday, March 27 through Sunday, March 29, 2020, in The Wallis' Lovelace Studio Theater.

Based on Erich Kästner's 1929 novella and directed by Slingsby Co-Founder Andy Packer, the play is performed by Elizabeth Hay and Nathan O'Keefe, two skilled actors immersed in smoke and mirrors, miniature worlds and a cinematic score. Teenage Emil is sent by her mother from her rural home with some money for her grandmother in the city. On the way, she meets a sinister man who robs her. With a group of quick-thinking and resourceful children to rally around, Emil is determined to solve the crime and catch the culprit. Kästner's novella, more than a good romp, is the author's only pre-1945 work to escape Nazi censorship. According to Packer, "It's a journey of discovery and self-discovery, the value of friendships and learning about trust and taking risks." Recommended for adults and children age eight and up, Emil and the Detectives is the seventh production of Slingsby, the internationally acclaimed Adelaide-based Australian theater company. The Australian said, "The performances are pitch perfect," and called it, "A delight."

"Emil and the Detectives is a true children's classic," says The Wallis' Artistic Director Paul Crewes. "With its beautifully written story, it's as relevant today as when the book was first published, and Slingsby's production will captivate audiences of all ages."

Tickets are on sale now for $25 (prices subject to change). The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call 310-746-4000 or visit TheWallis.org/Detectives.