The Jungle Book
This is the start of a tour which runs past Christmas and comes in like a resumption of pantomime.
Although it has music, this isn’t the Disney production. The songs are different for a start. No King of the Jungle but a brave attempt with Beat the Blues sung by Baloo and Jungle Law. John Cockerill as Mowgli does not have the strongest of singing voices, yet more surprisingly has a hearty Northern accent. Full marks, however, for enthusiastic playing of the role.
More commendation, too, for the jungle scenery and the team behind the scene changes. The cast appearing as animals show the costumes are a praiseworthy feature.
It is a family show and this being half-term meant there were kids galore to shout approval and raise voices when encouraged.
Tony Jayawardena’s jiving Baloo is a welcome sight and Alex De Marcus is equally strong as Bagheera. In company with Richard Nutter as Arkela, the trio enjoy audience favour for their support of Mowgli.
Mary Betts, a definite snake charmer, has a strange task of speaking for and operating Kaa the rock python. You may hate him but love her. Mark Carlisle is the tiger Shere Khan, who, instead of devouring poor underdressed Mowgli, ends as a tiger skin rug. Ben Watson as a jackal has no better luck.
Production information
- By:
- Rudyard Kipling, adapted by Stuart Paterson
- Composer:
- BB Cooper, lyrics by Barb Jungr
- Management:
- Birmingham Stage Company
- Cast:
- Mitesh Soni, Matthew Weyland, Benedict Martin, Declan Wilson, Amy Maynard, Philip Scutt, Michael Wagg, Yasmin Kadi
- Director:
- Graeme Messer
- Design:
- Jackie Trousdale
- Sound:
- Tom Lishman
- Lighting:
- Jason Taylor
- Costumes:
- Gemma Ewans
- Choreography:
- Ken Oldfield
- Musical direction:
- Chris Walker
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Run sheet
- Old Rep Birmingham
- November 18 2004-January 29 2005
- Orchard Dartford
- February 15-19 2005
- New Cardiff
- February 22-26 2005
- Hall for Cornwall Truro
- March 1- 5 2005
- Civic Darlington
- March 8-12 2005
- Charter Preston
- March 15-19 2005
- Churchill Bromley
- March 22-26 2005
- New Victoria Woking
- March 29-April 2 2005
- Theatre Royal Plymouth
- April 5- 9 2005
- Theatre Royal Nottingham
- April 19-23 2005
- Opera House Buxton
- April 26-30 2005
- Alhambra Bradford
- May 17-21 2005
- Hawth Crawley
- May 24-28 2005
- Theatre Royal Norwich
- June 1- 4 2005
- Marlowe Canterbury
- June 7-11 2005
- Swan High Wycombe
- June 14-18 2005
- Mercury Colchester
- June 28-July 2 2005
- Lyceum Sheffield
- July 5- 9 2005
- Milton Keynes Theatre Milton Keynes
- July 26-30 2005
- Lowry Salford
- August 30-September 3 2005
- Grand Opera House Belfast
- September 6-10 2005
- Theatre Royal Brighton
- September 13-17 2005
- Empire Liverpool
- September 27-October 1 2005
- Regent Stoke-On-Trent
- October 4- 8 2005
- Richmond Theatre Richmond-upon-Thames
- October 11-15 2005
- New Hull
- October 18-22 2005
- Civic Chelmsford
- October 25-29 2005
- Key Peterborough
- November 22-26 2005
- Brewhouse Taunton
- November 28-December 3 2005
- Playhouse Whitley Bay
- December 6-10 2005
- Bloomsbury London
- December 13 2005-January 28 2006
- His Majesty's Aberdeen
- January 31-February 4 2006
- De Montfort Hall Leicester
- February 22-25 2006
- Wyvern Swindon
- March 7-11 2006
- Princess Torquay
- March 14-18 2006
- Playhouse Sevenoaks
- March 29-April 1 2006
- Forum Billingham
- April 4- 8 2006
- Everyman Cheltenham
- April 11-15 2006
- Victoria Halifax
- May 2- 6 2006
- Alexandra Birmingham
- May 16-20 2006
- Auditorium Grimsby
- May 23-27 2006
- Mayflower Southampton
- May 30-June 3 2006
- Cliffs Pavilion Southend-on-Sea
- June 6-10 2006
- Empire Sunderland
- June 13-17 2006
- New Wimbledon London
- June 20-24 2006
- New Oxford
- July 4- 8 2006
- Hippodrome Bristol
- July 11-15 2006
- Gateway Chester
- July 25-29 2006
- Capitol Horsham
- August 23
- Cliffs Pavilion Southend-on-Sea
- August 28-30
- Theatre Royal Glasgow
- September 2- 6
- New Oxford
- September 11-13
- Assembly Hall Tunbridge Wells
- September 16-20
- Grand Opera House Belfast
- September 23-27
- Forum Billingham
- October 7-11
- Lighthouse Poole
- October 14-18
- Grand Swansea
- October 21-25
- Lyceum Sheffield
- October 28-November 1
- Grand Wolverhampton
- November 4- 8
- Brewhouse Taunton
- November 18-22
- Rose Kingston-upon-Thames
- November 25-29
- Theatr Hafren Newtown
- December 3- 6
- Bloomsbury London
- December 9 2008-January 24 2009
- New Cardiff
- February 17-21 2009
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