Photo Flash: Inside Rehearsal For Rose Theatre Kingston's HANSEL AND GRETEL

Rose Theatre Kingston will present Hansel & Gretel, a new festive version with original music. Director of Learning and Participation, Ciaran McConville, returns with a new version of the Brothers' Grimm classic following last year's successful adaptation of Alice in Winterland. Rosie Jones directs a cast of local young actors from the Rose Youth Theatre led by a team of professional actors including Devon Black (Mother/Bear/Townsperson), Vanessa Fisher (Red/Townsperson), Elliot Fitzpatrick (Otto/Kabeljau), J.J. Henry (Gerhardt/Blue) and Georgina White (Circe). The production opens on Friday 14 December, with previews from Thursday 6 December, and runs until Sunday 6 January 2019.

Life is good in the little town of Freiburg. Somehow it has escaped the Great Famine laying blight to its neighbours. It has the highest of walls, the most bountiful of harvests and holds the biggest of parties. And everyone loves the town's mayor.

When young Hansel and Gretel are caught passing food to the poor, they are as surprised as anyone to be rewarded with a trip to the far side of the forest. Little do they know of the gingerbread house that awaits them and the sweet old lady who controls their fate.

Battling magical beasts, enlisting a crew of fairy tale bandits and learning the secrets of their past, Hansel and Gretel must race to save their town from the Witch's Curse. And all in time for Christmas.

Photo Credit: Mark Douet