Photos: Roald Dahl’s THE BFG in Rehearsals
Performaancesrun at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for a 11-week run over the festive season from 25 November 2025 – Saturday 7 February 2026.
By: Stephi Wild Oct. 31, 2025
All new photos have been released from rehearsal for the world stage premiere of The BFG. Based on Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s novel, this darkly comic and mischievous new stage adaptation by Tom Wells, with dramaturgy and additional material by Jenny Worton will open at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon for a 11-week run over the festive season from 25 November 2025 – Saturday 7 February 2026 with Press Night on Tuesday 9 December 2025. Check out the photos below!
The production will run at Chichester Festival Theatre from Monday 9 March – Saturday 11 April 2026, after which it will transfer to Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre for a limited run from Wednesday 22 April 2026, in a new co-producing partnership with Singapore Repertory Theatre and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.
The full cast includes John Leader in the title role of the BFG and, preparing to terrify chiddlers everywhere, Richard Riddell plays the norphan-guzzling giant Bloodbottler. They are joined by Martha Bailey Vine, Elsie Laslett and Ellemie Shivers in the role of Sophie, with Charlotte Jones, Maisy Lee, and Uma Patel in the role of Kimberley.
Heading up the royal household, Helena Lymbery plays The Queen, with Sargon Yelda as Tibbs the Butler. They are joined by the Chiefs, Philip Labey and Luke Sumner, in the roles of Captain Smith and Captain Frith respectively.
Completing the cast are performers Parkey Abeyratne, J.R. Ballantyne, Sonya Cullingford, Ailsa Dalling, Fred Davis, Elisa de Grey, Lottie Johnson, Shaun McCourt, Corey Mitchell, Aki Nakagawa, Onioluwa Taiwo and Ben Thompson, who together will bring the world of The BFG to life on stage.
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 wreak havoc, 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 – 7 February 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 with tickets now on sale.
The production will transfer to Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre for a limited run from 22 April 2026 with tickets now on sale.
Photo Credit: Marc Brenner
