Full Company Confirmed For THE BUTTERFLY LION At Chichester Festival Theatre

The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo, in a new adaptation by Anna Ledwich, will premiere at Chichester's Minerva Theatre from 5 October - 15 November, directed by Dale Rooks.

The company is Adam Buchanan, Lucas Button, James Charlton, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Rachel Hosker, Claudia Jolly, Guy Lewis, Kevin Mathurin, Allison McKenzie, Charleen Qwaye and Nicola Sloane; with young roles played by Sebastian Bessant, Ellie Bradbury, Archie Elliot, Ruari Finnegan, Anthony Harvey, Rudi Millard, Matilda Shapland, Hugo Talbot, Jack Taylor and Alex Webb.

When Bertie is sent away from the African farm of his childhood to school in England, he leaves behind not only his beloved mother and the beautiful land, swarming with wildlife, but also his best friend - a white lion he rescued as a cub.

Bertie's struggle to adjust to his new life in harsh, grey England is alleviated only by a chance friendship with the equally lonely Millie and his dreams of his treasured lion, now trapped in a French circus. But their remarkable journey is only just beginning, and the pair are destined to meet again.

The Butterfly Lion combines music, design and puppetry to bring a magical adventure to life: celebrating nature, friendship and the triumph of love.

Based on Michael Morpurgo's best-selling novel, which won the Smarties Prize and the Writers' Guild Award, this new stage adaptation is written by CFT's Writer-in-Residence Anna Ledwich and directed by Dale Rooks whose many Chichester productions include The Midnight Gang (2018) and Running Wild (2015).

Michael Morpurgo's new novel Boy Giant will be published in September by HarperCollins. An animated adaptation of his book Mimi and the Mountain Dragon, narrated through a classical music score composed by Rachel Portman, will receive its television premiere on BBC One this Christmas.

The Butterfly Lion will be designed by Simon Higlett, with lighting by Johanna Town, music by Tom Brady, sound by Gregory Clarke, video by Simon Wainwright, puppetry by Nick Barnes, movement by Kane Husbands and additional music by Luyanda Lennox Jezile.

Box Office 01243 781312

Online cft.org.uk

Tickets from £15. Family tickets: half price for up to four Under 16s with every full priced paying adult (excludes Saturday evenings). Prologue tickets for 16 - 25 year olds for £5.

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