James and the Giant Peach (Wood)
by Roald Dahl, David Wood

Name: James and the Giant Peach (Wood)
Brand: Roald Dahl
SKU: 9780573051388
Rating: 4.02 (84 reviews)

James and the Giant Peach (Wood) Book Cover — James and the Giant Peach (Wood) Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

75 mins Reduced Casting (Doubling Possible) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Fantasy Costumes Comedy

Synopsis

In this delightful stage adaptation, Roald Dahl’s classic tale is faithfully told by James himself, along with the insect characters – Miss Spider, Old-Green-Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybird, and Earthworm.

The play begins at the end of the story, when James and his friends are living in the giant peach stone in Central Park, New York.

A tour guide brings a party of tourists (the audience) to see this major attraction, and James and his friends tell the story of how they came to live in New York.

The insects play the other roles, like James’s cruel Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, and the epic journey across the Atlantic is acted out with live action, puppetry and storytelling in David Wood's masterful adaptation.

Press Reviews

"Move heaven and earth to see this wonderful adaptation!"
— Sunday Mercury

"A first-class show. If I were a child I'd scream for a ticket."
— Birmingham Post

"A great introduction for first-timers to the work of the masterful Dahl… a theatrical treat for children and adults alike."
— Belfast Newsletter

"The David Wood adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic tale is a must … the story’s transition theatre for youngsters and the young at heart."
— Northampton Herald and Post

"The content is timeless and, thanks to the adaptive genius of David Wood, is now enabling a new generation of children, of all ages, the chance to marvel at the brilliance of the master storyteller via the magic of the theatre."
— Encore Magazine

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Old-Green-Grasshopper Elderly, genial, courteous, avuncular, musical (he plays the violin); he helps narrate. Also plays TV REPORTER.	male	—	Elderly, genial, courteous, avuncular, musical (he plays the violin); he helps narrate. Also plays TV REPORTER.
Miss Spider Occasionally sharp, even a little sinister, but ultimately kind; her marathon-thread spinning to save the peach is truly heroic. Also plays NEW YORK TOUR GUIDE, RHINOCEROS, FIRST OFFICER.	female	—	Occasionally sharp, even a little sinister, but ultimately kind; her marathon-thread spinning to save the peach is truly heroic. Also plays NEW YORK TOUR GUIDE, RHINOCEROS, FIRST OFFICER.
Centipede A sparky, cocky, warm-hearted Jack-the-lad. Also plays MR. TROTTER, AUNT SPIKER, CAPTAIN OF THE QUEEN MARY.	female	—	A sparky, cocky, warm-hearted Jack-the-lad. Also plays MR. TROTTER, AUNT SPIKER, CAPTAIN OF THE QUEEN MARY.
Ladybird Posh though not prissy, pretty though not vain, volatile though level-headed. Also plays MRS. TROTTER, AUNT SPONGE, SECOND OFFICER.	—	—	Posh though not prissy, pretty though not vain, volatile though level-headed. Also plays MRS. TROTTER, AUNT SPONGE, SECOND OFFICER.
Earthworm Not only blind, but a pessimist, a doom merchant whose standing in the group and whose self-esteeem improves, thanks to James. Also plays RHINOCEROS, OLD MAN.Plus children's chorus to play tourists, visitors, sharks, seagulls, fish, octopus, and New York citizens.	—	—	Not only blind, but a pessimist, a doom merchant whose standing in the group and whose self-esteeem improves, thanks to James. Also plays RHINOCEROS, OLD MAN.Plus children's chorus to play tourists, visitors, sharks, seagulls, fish, octopus, and New York citizens.
James Our young hero; from a downtrodden, lonely child, he develops into a brave "captain" of the insect band; he acts as narrator too.	male	—	Our young hero; from a downtrodden, lonely child, he develops into a brave "captain" of the insect band; he acts as narrator too.