Birmingham Repertory Theatre Presents THE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS

Birmingham Repertory Theatre is set for a paw-some festive season as The Hundred and One Dalmatians bursts to life on stage from Thursday 30 November - Saturday 13 January.

Dalmatians Pongo and Missis enjoy an idyllic life with their humans, Mr and Mrs Dearly. Then one day, the house is filled with the patter of tiny paws when Missis gives birth to a litter of adorable puppies. But just as the Dearlys get used to their new housemates, the puppies mysteriously vanish.

With the help of the canine community and an Old English Sheepdog, Pongo and Missis set out on an adventure to find the missing puppies. Their quest leads them to the vicious Cruella de Vil. She hates dogs but loves fur coats and has set her sights on a certain black and white spotty pattern. Will the animals be able to get home safely in time for Christmas?

Children and adults alike will be gripped by this magical tale as it comes to life live on stage, complete with beautiful staging and mesmerising puppetry from Director Tessa Walker and Designer Jamie Vartan who collaborated for the record-breaking 2015 production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Dodie Smith's delightful and much-loved tale, adapted for the stage by the Writer and Director of the hugely popular Nativity! films, Debbie Isitt, is sure to get tails wagging this Christmas.

Director Tessa Walker will once again bring her festive magic to The REP following previous productions such as 2013's A Christmas Carol. Speaking of the upcoming production Tessa said; "The Hundred and One Dalmatians is a story every family knows and loves, that's why it's so exciting to be bringing it to life in a brand-new production at The REP this winter. Using a blend of exciting theatrical methods such as puppetry, a cast of 14 and a beautiful design partnered with Debbie Isitt's brilliant adaptation, we want to introduce young and old to this classic tale in a new way sure to capture their imagination."

Gloria Onitiri plays Cruella de Vil, Jo Servi Horace de Vil, Nadi Kemp Sayfi Mrs Dearly and Morgan Philpott Mr Dearly. They will be joined by Oliver Wellington as Pongo, Emma Thornett as Missus, Lewis Griffin as Jasper Baddun and Patch, Luke Murphy as Saul Baddun and Lucky, Mei Mac as Persian Cat and Roly and Lakesha Cammock as Perdita. The band will be led by Musical Director and Composer James Frewer, featuring Lemuel Knights on Tuba/Sax, Sufia Manya on Sax/Clarinet, and Jack Chamberlain on drums.

The Hundred and One Dalmatians marks Gloria Onitiri's REP debut. A graduate of the University of Birmingham, her previous theatre credits include Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard (The Adelphi) and Nala in The Lion King (The Lyceum).

Once again, designer Jamie Vartan will be in charge of bringing this classic tale to The REP's stage, crafting a visually exciting world for the story to unfold. Creating the movement of the menagerie of humans and animals is Movement Director Lucy Cullingford. Puppets will be Designed and Directed by Jimmy Grimes with Lighting Design by Simon Bond and Sound Design by Emma Laxton.

As part of The REP's commitment to making theatre accessible to everyone the entire run of The Hundred and One Dalmatians will be Audio Described and Captioned, meaning that audiences with visual or hearing impairments can enjoy these services on any performance.

Don't get spotted without a ticket! For tickets and more visit Birmingham-rep.co.uk/Dalmatians.

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