James sets off on an incredible journey

11:16am Thursday 28th August 2008

JAMES and the Giant Peach is the latest colourful production from Malvern Theatre Players to hit the stage at the Festival Theatre.

The play is based on the much-loved book by author Roald Dahl, which was first published in 1961.

It has been adapted for the stage by David Wood, who has done the same for other Dahl books, including The Twits, which Malvern Theatre Players performed last year.

Like that show, James and the Giant Peach is another hilarious and faithful representation of the weird imagination of the master of children's writing.

Orphan James is sent to live with his awful aunts Spiker and Sponge, after his parents are killed in a tragic accident involving a rhinoceros.

One day, he meets a man who gives him a bag containing the strongest magic in the world, and when he spills some of the magic near the old peach tree, the most marvellous things begin to happen.

With his new friends - Centipede, Earthworm, Grasshopper, Ladybird and Spider - James sets off on an incredible journey across the sea to New York.

"The challenge of bringing the play to the stage, with its complex series of episodes, has provided our actors and technicians with a difficult but enjoyable few weeks of creative activity," said company manager Chris Bassett.

The play is an ideal introduction to the world of Dahl and a theatrical treat for children and adults alike. With lots of opportunities for audience participation, James and the Giant Peach is fun for all the family.

James and the Giant Peach is on from Wednesday to Saturday, September 3-6, at 7pm, with a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday. Tickets are available from the Malvern Theatres box office.