The Magician's Elephant musical at the RSC – first look

Production images have been released for the RSC's new musical The Magician's Elephant.

Nancy Harris provides book and lyrics for the piece, which also has music and lyrics by Marc Teitler. It follows the story of an orphan boy, whose whole world is transformed when a magician conjures an elephant from the sky.

The show is set to run until Saturday 1 January 2022, and isdirected by Sarah Tipple.

The principal cast includes Melissa James as Gloria Matienne, Marc Antolin as Leo Matienne, Sam Harrison as Count Quintet, Forbes Masson as Police Chief, Mark Meadows as Vilna Lutz, Alastair Parker as the Magician, Summer Strallen as Countess Quintet and Jack Wolfe as Peter Duchene.

Joining them is actor, writer and storyteller Renu Arora as Madame LaVaughn, alongside Amy Booth-Steel in the role of Narrator, Miriam Nyarko as Adele, Lauren Jones as Lisette and Chrystine Symone as the Lamplighter.

Further cast includes Sharif Afifi (Milliner), Alison Arnopp (Baker), Rianna Ash (swing), Matt Bateman (swing), Hannah Brown (Peter's Mum), Michael Carolan (Peter's Dad), Lucca Chadwick-Patel (Fishmonger), Stephen John Davis (Doctor), Zoe Halliday (The Elephant), Wela Mbusi (The Elephant), Suzanne Nixon (The Elephant), Wendy Somerville (Mrs Griswald) and Mandi Symonds (Sister Marie).

Directed by Sarah Tipple, The Magician's Elephant is designed by Colin Richmond, with lighting by Oliver Fenwick, music supervision and direction by Tom Brady, vocal arrangement by Brady and Teitler, orchestrations by Sarah Travis and Teitler, sound by Paul Groothuis, movement by Francesca Jaynes, dramaturgy by Réjane Collard-Walker, puppetry direction by Mervyn Millar, puppetry design by Millar and Tracy Waller. John Bulleid acts as magic consultant, with video by Douglas O'Connell. Casting is by the RSC's team.