Adéle Anderson to join Mark Williams in cast of Doctor Dolittle

The full cast has been announced for the upcoming tour of Doctor Dolittle, starring Mark Williams.

Adèle Anderson, of Fascinating Aïda, is to star as Lady Bellowes/Poison Arrow at the first six venues of the tour – Bromley, Salford, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Newcastle and Hull. The show opens in Bromley on the 9 November and then continues to tour until 2 November 2019.

Williams plays the titular role in the revival production of Leslie Bricusse's musical, alongside the already announced Brian Capron, Vicky Entwistle, Mollie Melia-Redgrave and Patrick Sullivan who will play Albert Blossom/Straight Arrow, Polynesia, Emma Fairfax and Matthew Mugg respectively.

Williams and Capron will play the first ten venues on the tour – Bromley, Salford, Oxford, Wolverhampton, Newcastle, Hull, Aberdeen, Northampton, Nottingham and Sheffield – while Entwistle, Melia-Redgrave and Sullivan will play the entire tour.

Also cast are Femi Akinfolarin, Erica Jayne Alden, Lydia Bannister, Joel Bayliss, Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Jane Crawshaw, Emily Essery, Jacob Fisher, George Hankers, Catherine Hannay, Evan James, Leon Kay, Emma Lloyd, Owen McHugh, Ross Meagrow, Tom Norman, Emily Ann Potter, Ellie Seaton and Richard Vorster. The role of Tommy Stubbins will be shared by Harry Cross, Elliot Morris, Quillan O'Meara McDonald, Louis Parker, Elliott Rose and Thomas Ryan.

The show has book, music and lyrics from Bricusse and this new production marks the 50th anniversary of the original film. It features a reworked book, from Bricusse and will be directed by Christopher Renshaw.

Choreography is from Josh Rhodes, design from Tom Piper, puppet design by Nick Barnes, puppet direction by Jimmy Grimes, lighting by Chris Davey, sound by Ben Harrison, and musical supervision by Mike Dixon.

The piece follows Doctor Dolittle who can talk to animals and sets out to find the Giant Pink Sea Snail which holds the secret of life.