Mr Benn Celebrates 40 Years On The Small Screen; Opens at the Rose Theatre

The creators of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom stage shows, present MR BENN, a brand new magical, musical production in celebration of the 40th anniversary of David McKee's much loved television series.

MR BENN, an ordinary man, lives on an ordinary street and makes the same ordinary journey every day to his ordinary office. Until one day he receives an extraordinary invitation.

MR BENN's world is turned upside down when he stumbles across a small dusty shop overflowing with costumes. As if by magic, the Shopkeeper appears and shows MR BENN into a changing room. But this is no ordinary changing room - it contains a special door that leads to adventures... Will MR BENN ever be ordinary again?

Come to the show in your best fancy dress costume and share in the adventure. This original musical adaptation of the much-loved TV series is perfect for everyone over the age of 4, with magic, plenty of laughs and a few surprises along the way.

MR BENN
· Voted 3rd in a BBC poll of 25 to 45 year olds of all-time favourite children's shows

· Voted 6th in Channel 4's poll of the 100 greatest kid's TV shows

· Voted 10th MOST FAMOUS TIME TRAVELLER by THE TIMES

Tickets from just £10
Rose Theatre
Tuesday 18 - Saturday 21 May
Box Office 0871 230 1552
www.rosetheatrekingston.org

LISTING INFORMATION

EDINBURGH IMAGINATE FESTIVAL Brunton Theatre
Tuesday 10 - Saturday 14 May
Box Office 031 665 2240
www.imaginate.org.uk

KINGSTON Rose Theatre
Tuesday 18 - Saturday 21 May
Box Office 0871 230 1552
www.rosetheatrekingston.org

ST ALBANS Alban Arena
Monday 23 - Thursday 24 May
Box Office 01727 844 488
www.alban-arena.co.uk

NORWICH Theatre Royal
Monday 30 - Tuesday 31 May
Box Office 01603 63 00 00
www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

LEAMINGTON SPA Royal Spa Centre
Wednesday 1 - Thursday 2 June
Box Office 01926 334 418
www.royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk

NEWCASTLE Tyne Theatre
Saturday 4 - Sunday 5 June
Box Office 0844 493 9999
www.thejournaltynetheatre.co.uk

DARTFORD Orchard Theatre
Tuesday 7 - Wednesday 8 June
Box Office 01322 220 000
www.orchardtheatre.co.uk

EASTBOURNE Congress Theatre
Friday 10 - Saturday 11 June
Box Office 01323 412 000
www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk

CRAWLEY The Hawth
Monday 13 - Tuesday 14 June
Box Office 01293 553 636
www.hawth.co.uk

TUNBRIDGE WELLS Assembly Hall Theatre
Friday 17 - Sunday 19 June
Box Office 01892 530613 / 532072
www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

SOUTHEND Palace Theatre
Tuesday 21 - Wednesday 22 June
Box Office 01702 351 135
www.palacetheatresouthend.co.uk

DARLINGTON Civic Theatre
Friday 24 - Sunday 26 June
Box Office 01325 486 555
www.darlingtonarts.co.uk

CANTERBURY Gulbenkian
Wednesday 29 - Thursday 30 June
Box Office 01227 769 075
www.thegulbenkian.co.uk

LICHFIELD Garrick Theatre
Saturday 2 - Sunday 3 July
Box Office 01543 412 121
www.lichfieldgarrick.com

TRURO Hall for Cornwall
Tuesday 5 - Wednesday 6 July
Box Office 01872 262 466
www.hallforcornwall.co.uk
URL As Above

READING Hexagon
Saturday 9 - Sunday 10 July
Box Office 0118 960 6060
www.readingarts.com

HULL Truck Theatre
Friday 15 - Sunday 17 July
Box Office 01482 323 638
www.hulltruck.co.uk

SKEGNESS Embassy Theatre
Monday 18 - Wednesday 20 July
Box Office 0845 674 0505
www.embassytheatre.co.uk

STOKE Regent Theatre
Friday 22 - Sunday 24 July
Box Office 0871 297 5454
www.ambassadortickets.com/Regent-Theatre

NOTTINGHAM Playhouse
Tuesday 26 - Thursday 28 July
Box Office 0115 941 9419
www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

HAYES Beck Theatre
Friday 29 - Saturday 30 July
Box Office 020 8561 83.71
www.becktheatre.org.uk
URL http://www.becktheatre.org.uk/wrt-productions_details.asp?pid=5359

KING'S LYNN Corn Exchange
Monday 1 - Tuesday 2 August
Box Office 01553 764 864
www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk
URL http://www.kingslynncornexchange.co.uk/content.php?TSID=27571

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

THE CAST & CREATIVES - Biographies on request. Cast & Creatives are available for interview
Shopkeeper: Tim Hibberd
Number One: Owen Guerin
Number Two: Anna Delchev
Mr Benn: Paul Curley
Understudy/ASM Jesse Briton
Company Stage Manager Chris Fossey

Artistic Director / Director: Olivia Jacobs
Artistic Director / Creative Producer: Toby Mitchell
Designer: Isla Shaw
Lighting Designer: James Whiteside
Music and Lyrics: Jon Fiber, Robin Price,
Andy Shaw with Olivia Jacobs
Puppet Designer and Maker: Yvonne Stone
Puppetry Direction: Toby Olié
Illusion and Magic Design: Lawrence Leyton
Choreographer: Morag Cross

DAVID McKEE - available for interview in London on Wednesday 18th May
Born and brought up in South Devon, David Originally earned his living selling his humorous drawings to magazines and newspapers such as Punch, The Times Literary Supplement and The Reader's Digest. Later he began writing and illustrating books for children, which have since attracted a great many international prizes and, as well as the Mr Benn books, include such modern day classics as Tusk Tusk, Not Now Bernard and Elmer The Patchwork Elephant, an ongoing series of books with sales of over 5 million worldwide. It was during the production of the Mr Benn films that David became friends with film editor, later producer, Clive Juster and together they made animated films for children which David wrote and illustrated. The films were shot in a garden shed and edited in Clive's spare bedroom. They eventually set up King Rollo Films together and, along with Danish animator Leo Nielsen, for the next 25 years made a succession of internationally acclaimed TV series including King Rollo, The Adventures of Spot and Maisy. David currently spends his time between book work and painting and between his studios in London, Paris and Nice.

TALL STORIES THEATRE COMPANY
Tall Stories Theatre Company is a registered charity, founded in 1997 by joint artistic directors Olivia Jacobs and Toby Mitchell. The company has grown to become a highly acclaimed, internationally touring company. We present old, new and timeless stories in fresh and exciting ways. Our productions tour to theatres, community venues and schools in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia. We aim to tell stories in a physical, visual style and our performances link music with movement and a lot of laughs.

Current projects include:
- The Gruffalo's Child (UK, Germany, Australia)
- Room on the Broom (North America)
- The Snow Dragon (UK tour)
For more information,
see www.tallstories.org.uk

AUSTIN SHAW: PRODUCER
Austin Shaw qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1990 before realising that he wanted a more exciting life, and ran off to join
Polygram Filmed Entertainment, where he was involved in the financing of films such as Four Weddings & A Funeral and Priscilla - Queen of the Desert. In 1998 Austin set up Really Useful Films for Andrew Lloyd Webber, and produced shows such as Cats, Joseph and the AmazingTechnicolor Dreamcoat (winner of the Silver Rose of Montreux) and Jesus Christ Superstar (winner of an International Emmy). In 2004, he produced the Oscar and Golden Globe nominated movie version of Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. In 2006 Austin set up Peppermint Pictures to develop and produce film, theatre and television projects.

KW & NB Ltd: PRODUCERS
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 for the three to seven age group, 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. Each of these titles has enjoyed West End seasons and will continue to be toured extensively. The Tiger Who Came to Tea opens at The Vaudeville Theatre this July. In May 2011 the stage adaptation of David Walliams' children's novel Mr Stink will tour around the country as the first ever scratch 'n' sniff show! Also in development is a Christmas show for families Adventures in Wonderland. Independently the Producers
Nick Brooke and Kenny Wax produce a range of plays, musicals, concerts and one nighters.

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