Lyric Hammersmith Announces its FANTASTIC MR FOX Will Tour UK

In celebration of Roald Dahl Day, which will mark Roald Dahl's 100th birthday on 13 September, producing partners Nuffield and Curve in association with Lyric Hammersmith, today announced a major UK tour of Roald Dahl's FANTASTIC MR FOX, in a brand new musical adaptation for the stage. Following its world premiere at Nuffield Southampton Theatres this Christmas (22 Nov - 8 Jan. National Press Night: Wed 30 November, 7pm), FANTASTIC MR FOX will transfer to the Lyric Hammersmith for a 4-week run (25 Jan - 19 Feb) and will then tour to a further 16 venues nationwide, including Curve (3 - 9 April). This brand new family show is a playful re-telling of Roald Dahl's much-loved book; a brilliantly witty tale of the clever Mr Fox outfoxing three greedy farmers, brought to life on stage with live music and songs. Tickets are now on sale.

This new musical adaptation of FANTASTIC MR FOX is a flagship production for the Roald Dahl 100 celebrations marking the centenary year of the world's number one storyteller and hotly follows the release of Steven Spielberg's movie version of THE BFG. Published in 1970, Roald Dahl's FANTASTIC MR FOX delivers family fun at its finest and remains a firm favourite amongst Roald Dahl fans of all ages. The story of Fantastic Mr Fox and his heroic adventures became a global sensation following the popular success of Wes Anderson's Oscar-nominated movie version (released in 2009), which starred George Clooney in the title role.

Luke Kelly, Managing Director of the Roald Dahl Literary Estate and Roald Dahl's grandson says:

"We're excited to be working with such an accomplished partner as Nuffield Theatre to bring FANTASTIC MR FOX to the stage in this brand new musical version, and delighted that so many people across the UK will be able to see it during the 2017 tour."

This new commission by Nuffield and Curve in association with Lyric Hammersmith brings together a stellar creative team: playwright Sam Holcroft, director Maria Aberg, designer Tom Scutt, composer Arthur Darvill, lyricists Darren Clark, Arthur Darvill, Sam Holcroft and Al Muriel, Sound Designer Claire Windsor, lighting designer Lee Curran, casting director Annelie Powell and movement director Ayse Tashkiran. Casting to be announced.

Playwright Sam Holcroft's most recent play, Rules For Living premiered at the National Theatre in 2015. She was the Writer-in-Residence at the National Theatre Studio from 2013-14 and was the Pearson Playwright in Residence at the Traverse Theatre in 2009-10. In 2014 she was a recipient of the Windham Campbell Prize for Literature in the Drama category and in 2009 she won the Tom Erhardt Award for up and coming writers. She is currently under commission from The Royal Court Theatre. Other theatre credits include: The Wardrobe and Edgar And Annabel (National Theatre); Dancing Bears (Soho Theatre); While You Lie (Traverse Theatre); Pink (Tricycle Theatre as part of the Women, Power and Politics Season); Vanya (adapted from Chekhov, at The Gate); Cockroach (National Theatre of Scotland).

Director Maria Aberg's Dr. Faustus for the Royal Shakespeare Company opened at the Barbican this week following its Stratford season. Other directing credits include: The White Devil, As You Like It, King John, The Gods Weep, Days Of Significance (RSC); Polly Stenham's Hotel (National Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (Manchester Royal Exchange); Ionesco's The Chairs (Theatre Royal Bath); D.C. Moore's Alaska (Royal Court). Maria has also directed at Hampstead Theatre and Trafalgar Studios. Forthcoming directing projects include: The Great Gatsby (Royal & Derngate, Birmingham Rep) and The Winter's Tale (Romateatern, Sweden).

Designer and Nuffield Associate Tom Scutt was nominated for a Tony and an Outer Critics' Circle Award for Best Costume Design for King Charles III in 2016. He received the Whatsonstage Award for Best Set Designer in 2013 for Constellations and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe at Kensington Gardens. In 2007 he received the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design and the Jocelyn Herbert Award for his work with Headlong Theatre. His many theatre credits include: King Charles III (Almeida, West End, Broadway); Constellations (West End, Manhattan Theatre Club, Royal Court); The Deep Blue Sea, Medea, 13 (National Theatre); Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Elegy, Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Broadway); The Weir (Donmar Warehouse); A Number (Nuffield, Young Vic, Tour); Mr Burns, King Lear, Through A Glass Darkly, The Merchant of Venice (Almeida Theatre); East is East (Trafalgar Studios, National tour); Hope, The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas, No Quarter, Remembrance Day (Royal Court); Absent Friends (West End); South Downs/The Browning Version (Chichester Festival Theatre, West End); Romeo and Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company); Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness (Headlong), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Nuffield).

Composer Arthur Darvill is an actor as well as a composer, best-known for his regular appearances as 'Rory' in BBC TV's Doctor Who and as 'Rev. Paul Coates' on ITV's Broadchurch. Arthur's most recent theatre work as composer includes: I Want My Hat Back (National Theatre); I Heart Peterborough (Eastern Angles); The Bacchae (English Touring Theatre); It's About Time (Nabokov/Latitude); and Jack And The Beanstalk (Lyric Hammersmith). He won the Musical Theatre Matters Award, and was nominated for the 2009 Evening Standard Theatre Awards for Been So Long (Young Vic/ETT).

FANTASTIC MR FOX is produced by Nuffield and Curve in association with Lyric Hammersmith.