John Leader to Star in THE BFG at RSC
Performances will run from Tuesday 25 November 2025 – Saturday 31 January 2026.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Aug. 01, 2025
The Royal Shakespeare Company, Chichester Festival Theatre and the Roald Dahl Story Company, revealed that John Leader will step into the oversized shoes of Roald Dahl’s beloved character, the BFG.
On being announced to play one of British storytelling’s favourite characters for the stage, John said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be playing such an iconic character who means so much to so many people. Everyone has their own picture of the BFG, so it’s really exciting (and a bit surreal!) to help bring him to life on stage. It’s a real joy to be collaborating with Daniel and such a talented team of creatives on this story, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it. Having grown up in Birmingham and trained at Stratford College, coming back to the RSC for a role like this honestly feels very special – a real full-circle moment.”
John was last seen with the RSC in The Merry Wives of Windsor and The School for Scandal, both in 2024. His previous theatre credits include Wuthering Heights, Peter Pan and War Horse at The National Theatre, A Monster Calls at The Old Vic and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Bridge Theatre.
Director and RSC Co-Artistic Director Daniel Evans said: “Finding the actor to play our eponymous hero, BFG, has been a giant undertaking in so many ways. We knew that this crucial bit of casting was an essential piece of the puzzle. After all, it is the BFG, alongside Sophie and The Queen, who are the main trio of our story. Through each other’s friendship and allyship, they find the imagination and the strength to defeat the human-guzzling giants and save children everywhere.
John Leader brings immense warmth, generosity and humility to the role - all essential qualities for our BFG. He also has a gleaming and vivid imagination. John will be working alongside a highly skilled team of puppeteers as part of a cast of eighteen, to bring Tom Wells’ magical new script to the stage and we look forward to sharing more exciting casting news within the coming weeks.”
Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s novel, this magical new stage adaptation by Tom Wells (The Kitchen Sink, Jumpers for Goalposts) will open at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for a 10-week run over the festive season in 2025.
One extraordinary night, a young orphan named Sophie is snatched by a giant and taken far away to Giant Country.
There she learns that human-eating giants are guzzling 'norphans' the world over. But she soon discovers that her new friend, the BFG, is different – he's a dream-catching, snozzcumber-munching gentle soul who refuses to eat humans.
While other giants terrorise the world, the BFG ignites Sophie's imagination, and they devise a daring plan to save children everywhere. In the end, the smallest human bean and the gentlest giant prove that a dream can change the world.
The BFG will play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from 25 November 2025 – 31 January 2026 with Press Night on Tuesday 9 December 2025.
The production will run at Chichester Festival Theatre from Monday 9 March – Saturday 11 April 2026. Booking will open in September 2025, with further details and the full schedule announced with CFT’s Winter season.
Joining Daniel and Tom on the creative team is Puppetry Designer and Director, Toby Olié; Set Designer, Vicki Mortimer; Costume Designer, Kinnetia Isidore; Lighting Designer, Zoe Spurr; Video Designer, Akhila Krishnan; Illusions, Chris Fisher; Composer, Oleta Haffner; Sound Designer, Carolyn Downing; Choreographer and Movement Director, Ira Mandela Siobhan; Puppetry Co-Designer, Daisy Beattie; and Senior Set Design Associate, Matt Hellyer. The Casting Director is Christopher Worrall CDG; and the Children’s Casting Director is Verity Naughton CDG.
Tickets for The BFG are available from £16. Discounts are available for Over 65s, Disabled People and Carers, Families, UK School and College Groups and Groups of 10 or more. Terms and conditions apply. See the website or call the Box Office on 01789 331111 for more details and to buy tickets.
