Rolan Bell & More to Lead Park Theatre's RAPUNZEL

Casting has been announced for RAPUNZEL, Park Theatre's third Christmas show, with book, music and lyrics by Jez Bond and Mark Cameron, produced by John-Jackson Almond and directed by Jez Bond from 3 December - 2 January 2016, with a press night on Monday 7 December.

Olivier-nominated Rolan Bell, most recently seen in the West End in Memphis, We Will Rock You and The Harder They Come, will play 'King Gerard'; Mark Cameron will play 'The Great Gazombees', Aretha Ayeh will play 'Rapunzel / Queen', Alex Hope will play 'Dobson / Prince Corbyn', and Avita Jay will play 'Dr Chuff'.

The King and Queen of Püss Püss are looking forward to the birth of their first child when disaster strikes: the Queen falls ill and only a powerful herb, known as Rapunzel, can save the mother and child. The noble Baron Teth offers to locate the herb, but the witch who grows it has her price... Darkness falls across the land as the child is snatched away.

Eighteen years on, Prince Corbyn rides through the forest, he hears singing from an isolated tower. Perhaps all is not what it seems...

Following previous Park Christmas shows Sleeping Beauty in 2013, Jack and the Beanstalk in 2014, Rapunzel will be the third instalment in the 'Chronicles of Waa'.

Jez Bond explains, "with each fairy tale set in the mythical land of Waa, we have created a world all of our very own, complete with a unique language gestures and greetings - it even has its own flora and fauna! Costumes and settings all add to create this land, which borrows more from Tolkien, Pratchett or Tim Burton than to a traditional English pantomime. We've also dispensed with pop songs so common across UK theatres during Christmas, and instead each year present an original musical theatre score."