New David Walliams Musical MR STINK To Get London Premiere At Hackney Empire

KW & NB Ltd and Curve, Leicester with Hackney Empire and Nottingham Playhouse present a musical adaptation of David Walliams' award-winning novel for children, Mr Stink. Opening at the Curve in Leicester with previews from 26th May, Press Performance Tues 31 May, Mr Stink will embark on a major national tour between May and December 2011 with stinky stops at the Hackney Empire for one week only from Wed 22 June to Sun 26 June and the Nottingham Playhouse for two weeks from 16 August.

Hackney Empire Perfs Wed 22,Thurs 23 June 12.30pm+ 7.00pm, Fri 24 7.00pm, Sat 25 1.30pm + 6.00pm, Sun 26 June 5.00pm

David Walliams, star of Little Britain and Come Fly with Me has written the smelliest book of all time, which now breaks new ground in the first ever interactive scratch ‘n' sniff family show, bringing Mr Stink pongingly to life.

Adapted and Directed by Matthew White (Director of the recent West End productions of Sweet Charity and Little Shop of Horrors and the forthcoming production of Top Hat) with music composed by Matt Brind (Musical Director for Legally Blonde and Conductor and Orchestrator for John Barrowman's latest album). It is designed by Charlie Cridlan with Puppets by Tobie Olie. In the cast are Peter Edbrook (Mr Stink), Lotte Gilmore (Chloe), Julia Nagle (Mrs Crumb) Mark Peachey (Mr Crumb), Irvine Iqbal (Raj).
The puppets are The Duchess Mr Stink's faithful dog, Annabelle Chloe's perfect sister, Elizabeth the Crumb family cat. David Walliams, who's not in the show, really wants you to come and see it!

Chloe doesn't like school very much. She isn't as cool as the other kids, no iPhone, no DS and no friends. Then she meets Mr Stink - the local tramp. Yes, he smells a bit but he's the only person who's ever been nice to her, including her mother who wants to be the local MP and is trying to rid the streets of its homeless. About to lose her only friend, Chloe finds Mr Stink a secret hiding place...but is there more to him than meets the nose?

Hackney Empire
291 Mare Street London E 8 1 EJ Box Office 020 8985 2424
Perfs Wed 22,Thurs 23 June 12.30pm+ 7.00pm, Fri 24 7.00pm, Sat 25 1.30pm + 6.00pm, Sun 26 June 5.00pm
Tickets £10.00 - £20.00. Suitable for 7+ Running time 2 hrs 10 mins
Overground to Hackney Central, Buses 30, 38, 48, 55, 106, 236, 242, 253, 254, 276, 277
www.mrstinklive.com: wwww.hackneyempire.co.uk

The authors of Mr STINK the novel: David Walliams and Quentin Blake

David Walliams comedian, writer and actor, first turned his hand to writing for children in 2008 signing a five book deal with Harper Collins, starting with The Boy in the Dress. Mr Stink followed a year later in November 2009. Both are beautifully illustrated by leading children's illustrator Quentin Blake. In October 2010 David Walliams published his third book Billionaire Boy illustrated by Tony Ross (illustrator of the Horrid Henry series). David has sold over 250,000 books to date. Walliams is best known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain. He co-wrote and starred in three series all aired on BBC 1 from 2003 - 2005, with a number of seasonal and charity specials to follow. David Walliams and Matt Lucas returned to our screens in a prime-time television slot on BBC One on Christmas Day opening a six part series called Come Fly with Me; a similar sketch show style to Little Britain commissioned by the Head of Comedy at the BBC.

In 2008 David Walliams appeared at The Gate Theatre Dublin with Michael Gambon in Harold Pinter's ‘No Man's Land' which transferred to the West End later in the year. Walliams is also known for his charity sporting achievements; swimming the English Channel for Sport Relief in 2006 and later this year swims the river Thames for the same charity.

Quentin Blake is one of Britain's best-loved and most successful illustrators and children's authors. His first drawings were published in Punch when he was sixteen. He has illustrated over three hundred books; other than David Walliams he has worked with writers such as Michael Rosen, Russell Hoban, Joan Aiken, John Yeoman and, most famously of all, Roald Dahl. Quentin Blake writes and illustrates his own books as well, creating such characters as Mister Magnolia, Mrs Armitage and Clown. He has also illustrated classic books for adults. For many years he taught at the Royal College of Art, where he was head of the Illustration Department from 1978 to 1986. He has won many awards and prizes, and was made a CBE in 2005. He was appointed the first Children's Laureate in 1999. Since then he has had an additional career as an exhibition curator working in galleries in London and Paris among others.

SCRATCH ‘N' SNIFF
Mr Stink will be the first ever ‘scratch ‘n' sniff' production - the first stage show to actually pong! Each audience member will be given a free A6 booklet. On each page there will be an encapsulated smell alongside one of Blake's illustrations that depicts that particular odour. Written into the production are six ‘scratch ‘n' sniff' moments; the audience members will be encouraged by Mr Stink's dog The Duchess, to scratch the appropriate page with the smell and really smell the delights of Raj's sweetshop or the horrors of Mr Stink's flatulence! The booklet is being put together by Celessence Technologies, an innovative UK based manufacturing company specializing in microencapsulation (imagine millions of tiny bubble wrap type pockets filled with a smell that when broken from scratching, releases the fragrance to your repulsion or delight!). Celessence Technologies have produced books for children with the acclaimed Smelly Book Company using the same technique to encourage early readers; amongst their publications are The Adventures of Scratch Sniff and Mr Smith.

KW & NB LTD has fast established itself as one of the country's leading producers of live theatrical entertainment for family audiences. Specializing in the stage adaptations of book titles, it has enjoyed great success with Michael Rosen's We're going on a Bear Hunt, Judith Kerr's The Tiger Who Came to Tea and Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child and Room on the Broom. In 2011, the company are delighted to present two brand new productions, a musical adaptation of David Walliams' Mr Stink, the first ever interactive scratch ‘n' sniff show and David McKee's cult classic MR BENN: The Extraordinary Adventures of an Ordinary Man.

Curve, Leicester is one of the most exciting theatres in the country - a home for theatrical discovery and innovation so it's the perfect place for MR STINK to start life. Curve is passionate about producing bold, high quality work which embraces many different theatrical styles and cultures.

Hackney Empire provides quality entertainment including dance, musical theatre, comedy, music and much more. We also provide workshops and courses for the local community and young people. For more information see www.hackneyempire.co.uk or call 020 8985 2424.

Nottingham Playhouse has been one of the United Kingdom's leading producing theatres since its foundation in 1948. Touring work nationally and internationally, the Playhouse remains firmly rooted in its vibrant home city, where its spacious modernist building - fronted by Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror - is one of the region's most popular landmarks. Within these walls we create productions large and small: timeless classics, enthralling family shows and adventurous new commissions.

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