Casting announced for Running Wild at Open Air Theatre

Casting for Running Wild at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre has been announced.

Samuel Adamson's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's novel will star Hattie Ladbury (To Kill a Mockingbird) as Mum/Geraldine, Ira Mandela Siobhan (Feast, Fela!) as Dad/Hunter, Eric Mallett (Lionboy, Mnemonic) as Grandad/Kaya, Joyce Henderson (associate artist with Complicite) as Grandma, Stephen Ventura (Downton Abbey, 39 Steps) as Mr Anthony and Okorie Chukwu (Peter Pan) as Red Bandana/Mahout.

Three young performers will share the part of Will, Joshua Fernandes, Tyler Osborne and Ava Potter. Puppeteers for the show include Laura Cubitt, Ben Thompson, Michael Taibi, John Leader, Sarah Mardel, Stuart Angell, Fred Davis and Romina Hytten.

The cast will be completed by an ensemble of 57 young performers from the local community
aged between 9 to 19.

Running Wild follows Will as he manages to escape from a tsunami in Indonesia on the back of an elephant. Will must learn to survive the rainforest as his thoughts turn to his mum left behind on the beach.

The production is led by co-directors Timothy Sheader (artistic director at Open Air) and Dale Rooks, the original director for Chichester Festival Youth Theatre’s production of the show. Former War Horse associate puppetry directors Finn Caldwell and Toby Olié for Gyre & Gimble will lead puppetry design.

Running Wild runs at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre from 19 May to 12 June.