@PetitsTheatre / #FirstHippo / www.lespetitstheatre.com
● THE WORLD PREMIERE OF DAVID WALLIAMS’ THE FIRST HIPPO ON THE MOON WILL BEGIN A MAJOR UK TOUR IN DECEMBER 2016
● PRODUCED BY LES PETITS THEATRE COMPANY THE TOUR WILL BEGIN WITH A CHRISTMAS RESIDENCY AT THE ROYAL HIPPODROME THEATRE, EASTBOURNE
● FOLLOWING EASTBOURNE, THE FIRST HIPPO ON THE MOON WILL VISIT 30 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE UK INCLUDING YORK, LEEDS, BRIGHTON AND SWANSEA
Today, Les Enfants Terrible’s sister company Les Petits Theatre Company have announced that the stage adaptation of David Walliams’ The First Hippo on the Moon will begin a major UK Tour in December 2016. Visiting 30 venues across the UK, the production will receive its world premiere at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne from 13 December 2016 until 7 January 2017. Suitable for children aged three and up, casting for The First Hippo on the Moon will be announced in due course.
David Walliams said: “I am delighted that The First Hippo on the Moon will be making its world premiere this December at the historic Eastbourne Hippodrome before travelling up and down the UK. I’ve been a long-time admirer of Les Petits Theatre Company and the innovative approach they take to theatre-making so I’m excited to see how they bring my hippo space explorers to life on stage.”
Les Petits Theatre Company said: “Les Petits Theatre Company are excited to be bringing David Walliams’ space race adventure to life for young audiences with our trademark mixture of larger than life puppets, fun, live music and adventure. We are delighted to be premiering the first stage adaption of David Walliams’ picture books for young readers, and to be working with an author who we have long admired for his boundless imagination and great sense of fun.”
The UK tour of The First Hippo on the Moon will visit Colchester, Guildford, Hayes, Dartford, Chesterfield, York, North Finchley, Worthing, Aberystwyth, Stourbridge, Bracknell, Norwich, Stafford, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Gravesend, Southend, Oxford, Newbury, Lowestoft, Hertford, St Albans, Woking, Winchester, Warwick, Ilkley, Swansea, Brighton, Greenwich and Billingham.
Based on David Walliams’ original children’s book with illustrations by Tony Ross, The First Hippo on the Moon is an explosively funny space adventure which sees the enormously rich Hercules Waldorf-Franklin III and ingenious Shelia compete to be the first hippo to make it to the moon.
David Walliams has taken the literary world by storm and his brilliantly funny stories are adored by children the world over. He has achieved unprecedented critical acclaim and quickly developed a reputation as a natural successor to Roald Dahl. His books have been translated into over 45 languages and sold over 9.5 million copies in the UK alone. One of his most successful titles Gangsta Granny was adapted for the stage in November 2015 by Birmingham Stage Company and continues on tour until January 2017.
The First Hippo on the Moon has been adapted for the stage by acclaimed theatre company Les Petits following their hugely successful production of Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs. The creative team at Les Petits have also worked on Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax at The Old Vic and the National Theatre’s productions of Elephantom, Warhorse and Raymond Briggs’ The Bear. Les Petits was set up as the sister company to Les Enfants Terribles whose work includes The Trench, The Vaudevillains and Olivier nominated Alice’s Adventures Underground.
LISTINGS
13 December 2016 – 7 January 2017
Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne
www.royalhippodrome.com
Box Office: 01323 80 20 20
Suitable for children ages 3 and up
TOUR DATES
14 – 15 January
Mercury Theatre, Colchester
www.mercurytheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01206 573 948
17 – 19 January
G-Live
www.glive.co.uk
Box Office: 01483 369 350
21 – 22 January
Beck Theatre, Hayes
www.becktheatre.org.uk
Box Office: 020 8561 8371
29 January – 1 February
The Orchard Theatre, Dartford Theatre
www.orchardtheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01322 220 000
4 – 6 February
Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield
www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk
Box Office: 01246 345 222
7 – 9 February
Grand Opera House York
www.atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york
Box Office: 0844 871 3024
11 – 12 February
artsdepot
www.artsdepot.co.uk
Box Office: 020 8369 5454
17 – 19 February
Connaught Theatre, Worthing
www.worthingtheatres.co.uk
Box Office: 01903 206 206
22 February
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk
Box Office: 01970 62 32 32
24 February
Stourbridge Town Hall
www.dudley.gov.uk/see-and-do/entertainment-live/halls-for-hire/stourbridge-town-hall
Box Office: 01384 812812
26 February
Southhill Park Bracknell
www.southhillpark.org.uk
01344 484 123
18 – 22 March
Norwich Playhouse
www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk
Box Office: 01603 598 598
25 -26 March
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01785 619 080
1 April
Middlesbrough Theatre
www.middlesbroughtheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01642 81 51 81
4 – 8 April
West Yorkshire Playhouse
www.wyp.org.uk
Box Office: 0113 213 7700
12 April
The Woodville, Gravesend Theatre
www.woodville.seatlive.com
Box Office: 08442 439 480
14 – 16 April
Palace Theatre, The Cliffs Pavilion
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
Box Office: 01702 351 135
20 – 22 April
New Theatre Oxford
www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford
Box Office: 0844 871 7650
23 – 24 April
Corn Exchange, Newbury
www.cornexchangenew.com
Box Office: 0845 5218 218
26 – 29 April
Marina Theatre Lowestoft
www.marinatheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01502 533 200
7 May
Hertford Theatre
www.hertfordtheatre.com
Box Office: 01992 531 500
9 – 10 May
St Albans Arena
www.alban-arena.co.uk
Box Office: 01727 844488
18 – 20 May
New Victoria Theatre, Woking
www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre
Box Office: 0844 871 7645
25 – 28 May
Theatre Royal Winchester
www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk
Box Office: 01962 840 440
1 – 4 June
Warwick Arts Centre
www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
Box Office: 024 7652 4524
20 – 21 June
Kings Hall Ilkley
www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/kings-hall-ilkley
Box Office: 01274 432 000
30 June – 1 July
Swansea Grand Theatre
www.swansea.gov.uk/swanseagrandtheatre
Box Office: 01792 475 715
4 – 6 July
Theatre Royal Brighton
www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton/
Box Office: 0844 871 7650
7 – 9 July
Greenwich Theatre
www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk
Box Office: 020 8858 7755
12 – 13 July
Billingham Forum Theatre
www.forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk/
Box Office: 01642 552663