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The Witches (Wood/Dahl)

Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy  /  6w, 4m

Based on the book The Witches by Roald Dahl
Adapted by David Wood

In this faithful stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic story, Boy and his Grandmother defeat the Grand High Witch and her followers, who are holding a Conference in an English seaside hotel.

The Witches (Wood/Dahl)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w, 4m
  • Duration
    Duration
    60 minutes (1 hour)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Theatre for Young Audiences
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior, Children (Age 6-10), Pre-Teen (Age 11-13), Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary

This is a faithful adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic story in which Boy and his Grandmother defeat the Grand High Witch and her followers, who are holding a Conference in an English seaside hotel. During the struggle, Boy gets turned into a mouse.

The Witches are nothing like the ones who wear pointed hats and fly on broomsticks – they look very much like ordinary women, which helps their deception. The play offers many opportunities for illusions and inventive puppetry. Humour is provided by the vulgar Jenkins family, whose son, Bruno, also becomes a mouse.

History
The Witches was frst presented by Clarion Productions at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield in 1992.
BOY
GRANDMOTHER
DISPLAY WITCH/ WITCH ONE/ VOICE OF MAID
LAWYER/ HOTEL DORRMAN/ HEAD WAITER
SAILOR/ DOCTOR/ MR. JENKINS/ HEAD CHEF
NURSE/ WAITRESS
TREE-HOUSE WITCH/ MRS. JENKINS/ WITCH TWO
BRUNO JENKINS/ FROG/ SECOND CHEF
GRAND HIGH WITCH
WAITER

Actors to play 21 roles

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting In Norway, at sea, and at the Hotel Magnificent in Bournemouth, England.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Not Applicable
  • Duration 60 minutes (1 hour)
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

The Witches is a total delight.” – Evening Standard

“[A] cracking adaptation” – The Guardian

“This vermonious entertainment has a good hiss-and-boo rating and can be warmly recommended to dutiful parents as well as to their children.” – Sunday Telegraph

“While the kids will be thrilled by the dazzling illusions and the complex puppetry, their parents will be no less engaged by the sly humour that lurks within this ostensibly frivolous confection.” – What’s On

“Innovative, ingenious and full of warmth and humour, this was family entertainment at its best.” – Bath Evening Chronicle

“This is going to be an enduring classic.” – Bristol Evening Post

“David Wood’s adaptation is unmissable for kids and adults alike.” – Glasgow Evening Times

“This stylish adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches is so utterly beguiling, it carries you along on a glorious journey of fiendish fantasy. The Witches is top-drawer family entertainment – chilling but thrilling!” – Bournemouth Evening Echo

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

Playwright Interview: David Wood

Videos

  • David Wood on Doing It Yourself youtube thumbnail

    David Wood on Doing It Yourself

  • David Wood on Getting Started As a Playwright youtube thumbnail

    David Wood on Getting Started As a Playwright

  • David Wood on Challenges In His Plays youtube thumbnail

    David Wood on Challenges In His Plays

  • David Wood on Roald Dahl youtube thumbnail

    David Wood on Roald Dahl

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
    Performance rights for this title are currently withdrawn in the UK. To be informed as soon as it becomes available in the future, please submit a license application.
  • Optional Music/Media Fee: £37 per performance

Scripts

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Authors

David Wood

David Wood has been called “the national children’s dramatist” (London Times). His plays are performed worldwide, and include The Gingerbread Man, The Plotters of Cabbage Patch Corner, Save the Human, Aladdin, Hijack Over Hygenia, Jack the Lad, Larry the Lamb in Toytown, Old ...

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Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was a spy, ace fighter pilot, chocolate historian and medical inventor. His first moment of inspiration came when he was at boarding school, when a local chocolate factory invited pupils to trial new chocolate bars. Thirty-five years later, Charlie and ...

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