Casting announced for Around the World in 80 Days

Casting has been announced for Around the World in 80 Days, which will open at the St James Theatre in December.

The cast will be led by Robert Portal (Communicating Doors, Grand Guignol, The King's Speech) as Phileas Fogg and Simon Gregor (King Lear, To Kill a Mockingbird, Doctor Who) as Passepartout.

They will be joined by Tony Gardner (The Rivals) as Inspector Fix, Shanaya Rafaat ( King Lear) as Mrs Aouda, Eben Figueiredo (Peter Pan) and Tim Steed (The Merchant of Venice). Final ensemble members are yet to be announced.

The cast of eight will play over 100 characters in the show which sees main character Phileas Fogg wager his life's fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days.

The production will be directed by Lucy Bailey with composition by Django Bates, set design by Anna Fleischle, lighting by Chris Davey and sound by Mic Pool. The show is produced by Simon Friend Entertainment, St James Theatre Productions and Ros Povey Productions.

Around the World in 80 Days runs at St James Theatre from 3 December to 17 January 2016.